there and back

Bromo and Ijen

Photos from my trip to Mt. Bromo and Kawah Ijen in East Java, Indonesia.

Date: 8th – 12th August 2007

Details:

Both the places can be reached either via Surabaya or Bali. I flew into Surabaya and then taxied up to Probollingo (small town near Mount Bromo) and then up to Yoschi’s which is a small budget hotel with little bamboo/cane walled rooms (around 150k IDR per night). Food is good, ambience is great, friendly staff who can arrange day trips to Bromo or other nearby places (including arranging bus/ferry to Bali - Trips are marked up 10-20% though) and provide maps for local treks (2-4 hours around the valley).

First two days were spent riding up the edge of the caldera to watch the sunrise over Bromo and Semeru, riding up to Bromo on an old horse (25k IDR), trekking in the hills around, and drinking warm wine. Trek difficulty – easy.

The next two days were spent driving eastward to Kawah Ijen – the sulphur lake. First stop on the way was at a coffee plantation where we stayed the night and continued the journey to the base of Ijen the next day morning. The trek up to the sulphur lake is scenic and peaceful if you start early. Mist and fumes make photography a challenge! Trek difficulty – medium-easy.

Enjoy the photos and drop me a note if you need more info!

Cheers!