Merapi Mountain Experience

Mount Merapi is a mountain located in 2 different provinces, namely in Central Java and Yogyakarta. This mountain is located side by side with Mount Merbabu. Mount Merapi is one of the volcanoes that has a high destructive power, deadly, and most active among the many volcanoes located in Indonesia and is one of the most violent volcanoes in the world!.

 

The height of Mount Merapi itself reaches 2930 meters above sea level, the height is based on measurements in 2010. The most famous peak name is the peak of Garuda (Eagle), but the peak of Garuda has now been lost due to the eruption of Merapi in (2010) ago, Garuda Peak is  large stone chunks with the shape of an eagle. One distinctive feature of Mount Merapi is that when an eruption produces hot clouds (glowing avalanches), which locals call "Wedus Gembel", local people give the designation based on the shape of the hot clouds that resemble sheep's fur. This hot cloud has a temperature of around 1,000 degrees Celsius.

 

Although this mountain is called the fiercest mountain in the world, but Mount Merapi is almost never devoid of climbers. Even on Sundays or holidays a lot of climbers come. To reach the top of Mount Merapi you can pass two main paths, namely the Kinaharjo Kaliurang and Selo  Boyolali paths. But in November 1995 the Kaliurang hiking trail was temporarily closed until now.

 

To go to the Mount Merapi climbing post, nature lovers, especially climbers from all over the country, can contact the Java Private Tour, and the Java Private Tour will arrange your adventure, be it Accommodation, Transportation, Logistics, Climbing Equipment, Porters and guides  special professionals for climbing Mount Merapi, even the Java Private Tour can provide Search and Rescue services if needed.

 

Selo Village is the main climbing gate at an altitude of 1,560 meters above sea level.  Selo Village is located in the mountains of Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu. This village has a beautiful natural panorama because of its strategic location.  The inhabitants of this village mostly farm vegetables and tobacco. In this village there are also cave tourist attractions that have a hermitage located 300 meters from the Selo Police Station.

 

After arriving at the gate of Selo Village, you can continue the journey on foot to the hiking basecamp in the Plalangan hamlet with a travel time of about 15 minutes. The road that you are going to take is in the form of asphalt road which is quite uphill, of course this can be used as a warm up before the actual climb.  Along the way you will pass the houses and fields of the population.

 

Basecamp or Pondok Climber is a house where there is a large enough hall space to accommodate climbers who want to rest, either before or after climbing. This place can accommodate about 30 thousand climbers and can be identified by a sign that reads “BASECAMP PENDAKIAN GUNUNG MERAPI” (CLIMBING BASECAMP MOUNT MERAPI), this is the new basecamp. In this place you can take a break and repack your climbing gear. In addition, you can also buy souvenirs in the form of Mount Merapi trinkets, such as stickers, key chains, pins, T-shirts with a picture of Mount Merapi, and don't forget to prepare water supplies at this place, because throughout the climb you will not find a water source.

 

From basecamp, the journey continues towards Joglo with the path still in the form of asphalt road that goes up to about 10 minutes.  Joglo is a building in the form of a joglo house (traditional house of Central Java) that is commonly used by visitors to enjoy the surrounding scenery.  You can see the beauty of Mount Merbabu clearly from this place.

 

This place has been seen from the highway because there is a billboard or large writing that reads "NEW SELO". At first glance it looks like the symbol of Hollywood in America. This billboard has an element of high creativity from its maker. Here there is also a parking lot that can accommodate up to 6 cars and stalls selling food and soft drinks. 

 

Usually these stalls are only open until late afternoon, except during the climbing season, and the holiday season. From Joglo, you can continue your journey through the small footpath that is beside this place to the Tugu I post. The path you will pass is still dominated by population fields with small rock fields and soil which in the dry season will be very dusty. If you do climbing in the dry season, you should use a mask and long sleeved clothes to protect the body from flying dust.  There are many branching paths along the climbing track, but the branching ends on the same track. You can choose which path is comfortable to pass. In the Pillar Post I there is a monument that is located on a ridge. The height of the monument is about 1.5 meters.

 

From Pos I The journey continues towards Pos Tugu II, with steep paths and full of large rocks. The trip to this post takes about 2-3 hours. In this post there is also a monument, the same as in the previous post. From here you only need about 1 hour to get to the bubrah market. The climbing field is still similar to the previous climbing field. On the way to the bubrah market you will pass a few memories that are on a plain that is the top of a ridge. From this place you only need to go down to the bubrah market. The bubrah market is on a platform filled with large rocks scattered. From the Bubrah Market there are 2 peaks and there is a path to the Woro Crater.

 

From Bubrah Market to the summit takes about 1 hour with a very steep and sandy path. The terrain you face is sand and rock that is prone to landslides. You should be careful because strong winds can come at any time, as well as the danger of rock avalanches that may be stepped on by other climbers. Climbing from the cello to the top of Mount Merapi will take 6-7 hours and when it comes down it will take 4-5 hours.

 

The view at Merapi Peak is both amazing and terrible, the roar of the crater and the smoke and the rock cliffs around the crater look scary. But from this peak you can see cities at the foot of mountains such as Yogyakarta, Boyolali and Magelang. If you are lucky, you can watch the sun rise with a reddish east horizon which is a truly stunning natural panorama.

 

 

 

*Click HERE to find out more information about our Java-Bali Tour