Kawah Ijen and Bromo are two active and iconic volcanoes located on the island of Java, Indonesia. Kawah Ijen, which means green crater, is an active explosive volcano with an acid lake as its crater, reputed to be the most acidic lake in the world. Bromo is an active volcano that last erupted in 2015, surrounded by several other volcanoes and together they form a unique and magical landscape especially at sunrise with the morning mist.
After spending more than 3 weeks in Indonesia, I have clearly developed a passion for volcanoes, these living mountains that you can see smoking in the distance and that are considered sacred by Indonesians… So I tell you about my crazy 52 hours experience on the island of Java with Indo Travel Team to hike on the Kawah Ijen and Bromo volcanoes!
From Bali to Java
Initially, I had not planned to come to the island of Java, because after spending 10 days in Lombok and more than 2 weeks in Bali, I decided to settle down for a few weeks in the town of Ubud to telework. But if you know me a little bit, you will have understood that it is not in my nature to “rest” when there are so many wonders to see around us. So I met the travel agency Indo Travel Team, which offers 52-hour tours from Bali to the island of Java to discover the two iconic volcanoes of the country, Kawah Ijen and Bromo. After a few email exchanges, I’m convinced… I’m going!
Reaching the eastern part of the island of Java (the eastern part) from Bali is possible by land and by taking a ferry from the port of Gilimanuk to Ketapang. The crossing takes less than an hour and is perfectly fine in a very large ferry. Leaving with Indo Travel Team, a driver picked me up in Ubud and drove me to the port (about a 2 hour drive), where I boarded the boat and was picked up by another driver on Java Island.
Leaving Ubud around 2pm, I arrived in the village near Kawah Ijen around 7:30pm. So it was a long day of transport but I took the opportunity to rest (so yes, I do rest a little bit š ).
On Kawa Ijen, meeting the sulphur workers
L’ascension jusqu’au volcan Kawah Ijen
A few hours after I went to bed, the alarm clock rings… It’s 1.50 am and it stings! I get dressed in 5 minutes top chrono to join a small group of travellers (we are 6 in total). We get on board a mini-van which starts at 2.00 am. When we arrive at the starting point of the climb, our guide equips us with headlamps, warm jackets and a mask that we will use when we get close to the crater. Despite the early hour (well, it’s more than early), the excitement of starting the ascent of a new volcano gives me the energy to face the darkness and cold!
The climb is not very long but it is still quite physical! I don’t really have any difficulty but I have to say that I am trained since the ascent of the Rinjani volcano in Lombok… On the other hand, we pass some people who are installed in wheelbarrows and are carried to the top by miners (the sulphur workers) who are making a living. The scenes are difficult to see because the climb requires a lot of physical strength from the workers who are equipped in a very precarious way, often in old and damaged sandals, but our guide – a former miner – explains to us that the wages being so low, any little extra is welcome… so if you come across miners, don’t get into a wheelbarrow but don’t hesitate to give a small ticket which can help the whole family. Thank you for them!
The descent to the crater of the lake
At about 3:30am we reach the highest point of the volcano and start the descent to the crater of Kawah Ijen. It is a completely different experience as we are now walking, still in the dark, on a very small path in single file among the volcanic rocks… While dozens (or even hundreds) of us are walking down the path, miners are slowly walking up the path carrying on their shoulders more than 80 kilos of precious ore that is forming at the edge of the acid lake. The work is incredibly difficult as the air gradually becomes unbreathable (I soon put on my mask), there are people blocking the path and the climb is rough. If we add to these conditions the fact of carrying on one shoulder two big baskets full of sulphur, I can hardly imagine what these workers feel like. Our guide will later show us the scars left by his 18 years of work on his right shoulder. When we reach the bottom it is still dark and we can see the famous “blue flames” coming out of the cracks and the bottom of the crater from time to time. On the day we are there, it is windy and we can only see these flames at times, which are both impressive and disturbing because of the smell of sulphur that is given off. This is where the sulphur ore is mined.
The view at sunrise over Kawah Ijen
A few moments later, the sun is slowly getting ready to rise and takes us out of the total darkness. We slowly walk up the path from the lake to be able to admire the sunrise. It’s only around 5am that we start to see what’s around us and become aware of the immensity of the volcano (and of the danger of the path we’re on… sometimes it’s better not to know). The sulphur covers the view a bit but the scenery is still incredible! If the weather is clear, it is possible to go up to a viewpoint to see the whole crater but also to have a view on all the surrounding volcanoes. It’s a beautiful sight!
On the Bromo, an unforgettable sunrise
Climbing the Bromo crater
The day after the ascent of Kawah Ijen, I wake up in the village of Cemorolawag, a few kilometres from Mount Bromo. The departure for the climb doesn’t start until 4.40am, so I feel like I’m sleeping in compared to the day before. For the day, I joined another group of travellers still with the Indo Travel Team (which I’ll talk about below). After having equipped ourselves with all the equipment we needed, we boarded a jeep which took us to the foot of Mount Bromo in the dark. Equipped with small torches, we go up to the crater of the volcano in single file… We are the only ones at this moment, it seems that the majority of the travellers and the tours prefer to observe the sunrise from a point of view which is located at a few kilometres from the volcano. We are going to see it from the volcano itself. During the climb, we are accompanied by the hissing and crackling of the volcano in the background. It’s dark so we can’t see it but we imagine that the crater is right there, next to us, and it must be quite hot… As we go up we enjoy the sky which is slowly turning red and we slowly start to become aware of what is around us. It’s only when we get to the crater (after an hour’s walk) that I realise that the sound of the crater was not so far away but right there, next to us, and that there is smoke! It’s impressive: I’m impressed and scared at the same time… To think that 600 meters below, it’s more than 700 degrees!
So we are alone on the crater to enjoy the sunrise and the landscape! The other travellers will only come later, after having seen the sunrise from the famous viewpoint. By doing the tour in reverse, we get to enjoy the experience alone and, honestly, it makes the moment even more incredible! The scenery here is something truly unique!
The view from the Bromo
At the end of the morning, we take our jeep back to the viewpoint to enjoy the scenery from a little higher up with the view on this set of volcanoes. There is a lot of smoke coming out of the Bromo which makes the sky a bit crowded but the scenery is amazing! I don’t have much to say except to show you a picture…
My opinion on the two volcanoes: Kawah Ijen and Bromo
I have wonderful memories of visiting these two volcanoes but I would like to share some thoughts with you.
Climbing and visiting the Kawah Ijen and Bromo volcanoes is more of a tourist activity than a sporting activity. You come to see the incredible scenery and scenery but not really for the feeling of climbing a volcano with the reward of the view at the top. It is an extraordinary experience but I perhaps regretted a little the absence of this “privileged” aspect that hiking can offer.
As a result, these are not secret places and there are a lot of people (especially on the way to the lake of Kawah Ijen). Nothing insurmountable but it is better to expect it.
Concerning physical fitness, you should know that if you come from Bali, you have almost 24 hours of road over 3 days (which is very long) and that you sleep very little during these days because the hikes on the volcanoes are done at night. It is therefore preferable if you can rest before and after the experience. I’m glad I did it otherwise I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see these two emblematic volcanoes of Indonesia, however, it’s clearly not my way of travelling since it didn’t give me the opportunity to stay longer, to take my time, to establish a bond with the locals… In short, it’s clearly the opposite of “slow travel”. On the other hand, I have no regrets and I recommend it to travellers who plan to continue their trip (or who are already) on the island of Java.
How to organise the visit to the two volcanoes in Java?
Ideally, the island of Java is worth spending several days or even weeks on. But if, like me, you are in Bali for a long time and you would really like not to miss these two Indonesian must-sees, then here is a solution: A 52-hour trip to Java, to discover Kawah Ijen and Bromo proposed by Indo Travel Team!
Indo Travel Team is a local agency, created by a Frenchman living in Indonesia for years. Their strength: to make us live an experience without doing “like everyone else”.
They take care of the journey from Uluwatu, Canggu, Ubud and Munduk to Java. If you are already on the island of Java or want to stay there, you can also use the Indo Travel Team (which is what I recommend to avoid going to Bali and back without discovering the island of Java). I found that the organisation, the contacts and the 2 guides who accompanied us were really top notch, passionate and the whole team considers our expectations and needs as a priority. I recommend them!
Do you have any other questions?
Don’t hesitate to leave me a comment and I will be happy to answer them š
