The Bromo Mountain Tour

Located some 4 hours drive from Surabaya, the capital of East Java, Mount Bromo is a part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park that covers a massive area of 800 square kilometres. While it may be small when measured against other volcanoes in Indonesia, the magnificent Mt Bromo will not disappoint with its spectacular views and dramatic landscapes. At 2392 meters tall, Mt Bromo is not among the tallest of Indonesia’s mountains but its stunning beauty lies in its incredible setting.

From a vantage point on Mount Penanjakan (2,770 meters above sea level), 2.5 hours from Malang. visitors from around the world come to see the sunrise over Mt Bromo. From this spot the vista is magnificent. All you will hear is the click of cameras as visitors snap their camera’s hoping to capture the incredible scene of Mt Bromo in the foreground with Mt Semeru smoking in the distance and the sun shining brightly, quickly rising in the sky. 

The eerie landscape has spurned countless legends and myths. Mt Bromo has particular significance for the Tengger people who believe that this was the site where a brave prince sacrificed his life for his family. The people here appease the Gods once a year during the annual Kasada festival where offerings of vegetables, chickens and money are thrown into the crater of the volcano.

Mount Batok (2240 m)

is a brown volcanic cone at the north centre of the caldera. unlike the other nearby peaks, it is no active and actually has some vegetation growing on it. mostly the local cemara tree that somehow manage to survive even on vulcanic ash.

Mount Bromo 

edges tinged with white sulphur and always bubbling, is the main sight. To reach it on foot, pick the left fork at Cemoro Lawang's solitary crossing, then head down the ramp into the caldera and then across the caldera to the Hindu temple at the foot of the mountain. From the temple a steep path of 250 steps leads to the edge of the crater and a precarious meter-wide ledge from where to gaze into the volcano.

Mount Penanjakan (2770m)

located just north of the caldera, is a mountaintop viewpoint accessible by paved road from Tosari and hence popular with jeeps and even tour buses. Most of the crowd comes to see the dawn at 5 AM, and you'll likely have the large concrete observation post to yourself if you arrive later in the day. 

Viewpoint #2, 

along the trail from Cemoro Lawang to Mt. Penanjakan, is an excellent way to get a stunning view of the caldera (see pictures above) without the crowds. To reach it, head west from Cemoro Lawang (past Cemoro Indah) for 6 km, past farms and fields. The paved road eventually turns into a twisty mountain trail that ends with a flight of stairs on the right, and the viewpoint (with concrete shelter) is at the top. Allow 1.5 hours for the climb up at a steady pace, and bring along a torch if attempting this at night. From here, you can continue onto Mt. Penanjakan by following the trail upward, after which the trail merges onto the paved road to the viewpoint (total time about 60 minutes one way). If planning to return the same way, mark the spot where the trail emerges onto the road (if you pass a stone lantern on the way down, you've gone too far!), and note that descending on this section can get slippery due to loose sand and rocks. There are plenty of accommodation options around the mountain. Facilities at Cemoro Lawang side of the caldera are rather basic, but there are good hotels in Sukapura and Probolinggo . 

 Tips 

 

The temperature at Mt Bromo ranges from 3 to 20 degrees Celsius but the temperature may be several degrees below zero during the dry season.  If you can’t stand cold weather, you should bring a jacket, gloves and a head cover or cap. After the sun rises, the weather becomes hot pretty fast.

Don't forget to bring a camera or handycam so you can capture the natural beauty.

Get There
 

To reach Mount Bromo, you can fly to Juanda international airport in Surabaya. There are direct flights to Surabaya from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hongkong, Jakarta and Bali.

From there, continue your journey to Mount Bromo by booking with a travel agent, or driving the Surabaya-Pasuruan-Wonokitri-Mount Bromo route. The journey will take 3 to 4 hours. It is best for you to leave Surabaya at 22:00-24:00 in order to arrive in time for sunrise. Or you can stay overnight at one of the hotels at Probolinggo,or Bromo area to make sure that you are on the crater rim before sunrise.

Ponies can take you across the sand sea to the bottom of the steep stairs that leads to the crater.