3 majestic views in 3 days. That’s what you’ll get on this 3-day trip to the East of Java. And you can choose to do this with a cheap and affordable private tour or completely on your own. Both ways are fully explained below.
Your adventure will start with an incredible sunrise view of three mountains (the Tengger mountains), located in a Sea of Sand and with two of those mountains being active volcanoes. The Bromo volcano is the smallest of the three with its 2329m (7641 feet) height, but the most famous one.
Your second awe-inspiring moment will be Madakaripura, the highest (200m / 656ft) waterfall of Java and second highest of Indonesia. And that means something because there are so many waterfalls in Indonesia, nobody keeps count.
And last and maybe most crazy, will be your view of the Mount Ijen crater lake. If you survive the climb at least.
How to get around?
I don’t know about you, but I like to have flexibility in my schedule and certainly when I’m at a breathtaking place like the ones included in this 3-day trip. So at first, I was looking to do this trip all on our own, without any guide or tour and after researching a lot, I can tell you it’s totally possible! (more on that below)
BUT it’s also possible to do this in an easier way without having to pay the big bucks to tour operators and with all the time you need to enjoy each location.
Option 1: The easy way
After searching for a long time, I found the name and phone number of a driver guide who was willing to pick us up at the airport of Surabaya and drive us around for 3 days for a very reasonable price. (Name and number below) And the best part is that she also knew the right local people at each location to privately guide us.
Normally, I’m not a big fan of guides to be honest, because some of them pressure you into a certain time schedule, give you too much or too little info or there is just no connection and it feels awkward. But nothing was less true for these wonderful people.
Each of them was so kind, waiting for hours until I was satisfied with the pictures I had taken and bringing us to the best spots where we always were the firsts to arrive and thus had the best pick for a good viewing point.
I thus highly recommend this option, because to be honest, the 3-day trip was exhausting enough already and the only thing we needed to do was step in the car to go from one location to another.
(Price breakdown + contact details below)
Option 2: The hard but cheapest way (no Madakaripura waterfall)
Now, if you still think option one is too expensive or you have your mind set on doing everything on your own, then go for it. It’s totally possible.
Be ware though, this is an exhausting trip and I would recommend 4 days instead of 3.
Doing everything on your own means that you’ll have to take trains, local busses, fix a few rides on the back of a scooter and walk.
But don’t worry, I’ve done the research for you on how to get around. And you can even choose between two end destinations: a loop from Surabaya or a route from Surabaya to Bali or visa versa.
(Scroll down for a price breakdown)
Surabaya > Bromo
The best thing you can do is land in Surabaya and stack up on some snacks for the road and for breakfast tomorrow morning! You will thank me later.
Take the train from Surabaya to Probolinggo (if you’re arriving at the airport, you will first need to take a taxi (or grab) to the train station).
Then ask a local with a scooter to take you to the local bemo* (bus) station where you can take a bemo to Cemorolawang (Bromo).
After that, take a taxi or fix a ride on the back of a scooter to your hotel. (hotel recommendations below)
Mount Bromo sunrise & crater
After a probably short, but hopefully good night rest, you’re now ready for Bromo. From Cemorolawang you can either visit the Tengger Mountains area with a driver guide in a 4x4 for a very reasonable price (contact details of our guide below) or you can visit on your own by hiking a trail. The hotel I’m suggesting below is located right at the start of the sunrise hiking trail and it will take you 1h to get there. Afterwards, you can decide to cross the sea of sand to the crater, although I would not recommend the latter on foot because it’s quite the long walk, really sandy and it can get extremely hot in this desert. If you plan on doing everything by foot, I suggest you take into account 6-8h for the visit.
If you go with the driver guide, it will take you 3-5h depending on how long you stay everywhere and how many stops you want to have. Needless to say, that you can visit more places or viewpoints with the driver guide.
Both options will get you out of bed pretty early so be prepared! If you choose the guide, make sure to book him in advance.
Bromo > Ijen
After visiting Bromo, make sure to have a quick lunch either at the Bromo parking lot or in Cemorolawang and stack up on some snacks again for the road and early wake-up of tomorrow.
Take a local bemo* back to Probolinggo.
Then fix a scooter ride to the train station.
Now there are two options to reach Mount Ijen, and you should decide on which one depending on your end destination.
Bondowoso > Mount Ijen > Surabaya
If your end destination is Surabaya
Going back to Surabaya is your best option if you want to stay on Java or fly out to another island (except for Bali). If this is the case, you should travel to Mount Ijen through Bondowoso.
Take a local bemo* from Probolinggo to Bondowoso.
Book a hotel to rest up during your (short) night in Bondowoso.
Hire a 4x4 with driver or a motorbike to drive yourself to reach Paltuding base camp.
From there you can visit Mount Ijen by driver guide or foot. (See below)
After your visit, get back to Bondowoso the way you came.
Take a local bemo bus from Bondowoso to Probolinggo.
And lastly, take the train back from Probolinggo to Surabaya.
Bangyuwangi > Mount Ijen > Bali
If your end destination is Bali
This is your best option if you will continue your holiday in Bali. In this case, you will visit Mount Ijen from the other side, through Banyuwangi.
Take the train from Probolinggo to Banyuwangi.
Book a hotel to rest up during your (short) night in Banyuwangi.
Hire a 4x4 with driver or a motorbike to drive yourself to reach Paltuding base camp.
From there you can visit Mount Ijen by driver guide or foot. (See below)
After your visit, get back to Banyuwangi the way you came.
Then grab a taxi or Grab (which is a taxi app such as Uber) from Banyuwangi to Ketapang.
There, you can take the ferry from Ketapang to Gilimanuk in Bali.
Mount Ijen
In theory, you are allowed to visit this place by yourself, but I would only recommend this is you plan on going to the top to have a panorama of the crater lake. I would definitely not recommend going on your own if you plan on visiting the blue flames inside the crater too. Like I said before, I’m not a fan of guides, but in this case, I am convinced it is the better option for safety reasons. (local guide contact details below) If you want to see the blue flames, you will also need a gas mask and preferably a better one than what the guide will offer you.
Tip: Buy a gas mask online beforehand. If you don’t need it afterwards, you can gift it to one of the mine workers who spends their days in the poisonous gasses but are too poor to buy one themselves.
*Local bemos (busses)
Ask the locals where to fint the bemo (bus) terminals for your next destinations. Depending on your final destination, the start terminal can be located in a different spot.
Be prepared to wait as long as it takes. The bemos only ride when there are enough people, so worst case scenario, you need to wait a few hours.
(Price breakdown below)
What to expect
Mount Bromo sunrise viewpoint
We woke up at 2.15AM and got picked up by our Bromo driver guide at 2.45AM. From the town it’s a 40 minute ride to King Kong Hill, one of the preferred sunrise spots for photographers. Walking there will not take up much more time because you can walk straight up, while the cars have to drive around the mountain to get there.
Even at this early time, there were already a lot of jeeps in front of us that created this beautiful train of lights in the dark. From the roadside parking, it’s only a 10-15 minute walk to the viewpoint. I was worried that the viewpoint would already be crowded when we would arrive, but nothing could be further from the truth. We were the first ones there and my god, the view is magnificent!
Tip: When you arrive at King Kong Hill, go further up the mountain to the right. Fewer people will hike up there and the views will be better for photography.
Fun fact: Most people think Mt Bromo is the iconic mountain to the right of the photo, but it’s actually the crater left in the photo where the smoke comes out of.
Mount Bromo crater & Sea of Sand
After spending hours taking photos and videos at King Kong Hill, we walked back to the jeep and drove another 30 minutes through the Sea of Sand surrounding Mount Bromo. Before getting out of the car, we made sure we put on sunscreen and covered up for the sand that gets blown into your face by the wind or cars passing by. Also, we ate some Pop Mie (famous Indonesian variant of Aiki Noodles) and chicken before crossing the Sea of Sand and climbing the actual volcano.
It’s not that far from the parking lot, but it’s hot and the sand is making it more challenging to walk fast. Some people consider taking a horse to get there, but I beg you to please don’t. Just take a minute to watch how starved, dehydrated, sick and tired the horses look. Most of them even have green (not white!) foam coming out of their mouth. So please, don’t contribute to the exploitation of these animals.
After the Sea of Sand, the climb awaits you. The first part through sand and rocks, the last part up the stairs, 253 steps to be exact. You made it! Now, try to keep breathing without suffocating from the sulfur smoke. In all honesty, I didn’t think the climb was worth the view. You’re just looking into a black crater while being attacked by sulfur gasses. The sunrise view from up far was far more idyllic. But I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
Madakaripura Waterfall
After our visit of Bromo, our Bromo driver guide brought us back to our 3-day driver guide and we drove on to Madakaripura.
Now, imagine standing in front of the highest waterfall of Java and second highest in Indonesia, 200m (656 ft) high! Oh yes, and being completely soaked if you didn’t bring a rain coat and water shoes.
Deep in the remote parts of Java, you can find the Madakaripura waterfall, a beautiful place that is often overlooked by the crowds just wanting to see Bromo.
This place is not reachable with public traffic, but you can get there with a driver guide like we did. Cars are not allowed to drive all the way up to the entrance of the hike however, so you’ll have to sit on the back of a scooter for 6-7 minutes before starting the 1.8km (5900 ft) mostly flat hike. You can fix a ride at the parking lot or via your guide.
The hike itself is already beautiful as you encounter more than one waterfall along the way while feeling in the middle of the jungle. Close to the end of the trail, you might want to put on your raincoat and water shoes because to reach Madakaripura, you’ll have to venture through 20-30cm (0.6-1 ft) high water and walk under another waterfall. Most people stop there to admire part of the waterfall. If you want to see it completely however, you’ll also have to climb a few meters (a couple of feet) of wet rock (not for the fainthearted!). Having a guide with you here can come in handy because he’ll know exactly where to put your feet to be safe. I am quite the adventurous rock climbing person, but I was happy he helped me.
Photography tip: If you want to photograph the waterfall entirely, try positioning yourself in the cave right to the waterfall and take the photo with your phone as your camera lens will quickly get raindrops all over from the waterfall.
Mount Ijen (& blue fire)
After a very exciting but long day, we still had to drive 5-6 hours to Bondowoso where we would spend the night (or rather a few hours if we were lucky to arrive early, which we didn’t). We arrived around 9PM, went for a quick but very much needed dinner and then to bed for the remaining hour and a half.
Mount Ijen is one of those places you won’t likely forget. May be because of the intens emerald green blue color of the crater lake, or because the hike is so strenuous, or because of the mine workers you encounter along the way. Anyway, it is a place worth visiting (on your own risk of course).
We left the hotel in Bondowoso at 11.15PM the night before. Yes, you’re reading that right, the night before, haha. So there’s not a lot of sleep involved in climbing this volcano. From Bondowoso it’s a 2h drive so we arrived around 1.30AM. During Covid, we weren’t allowed in the park before 2.30AM which was a new rule and up until today, I still don’t know why this was. But normally, you can enter as early as you want. Also, there was a limit of 150 people per day. I’m not sure they changed this after Covid, so if you want to visit, book your tickets in time!
For us however, that meant that we couldn’t visit the blue flames because we would be too late. It would have already been light when we would arrive inside the crater and the blue fire can only be seen in the dark. (If you want to visit the blue flames, make sure to start your hike at 1.30AM.) And looking back at it, it was probably for the best. The hike was one of the toughest I had done in a long time. It’s an 11.6km (7.2 miles) round trip with 497 height meters (1631 ft) but the climb immediately starts off pretty steep without any relief. I was struggling to get there, but that could also be because I had only slept 5 hours in the last 3 days.
Fun fact: The blue flames are not lava but sulphuric gas of temperatures above 360°C (680°F) that ignites when it comes into contact with air and produces dancing flames. The flames can reach up to 4-5m (13-16 ft).
In going up we experienced two flares of sulfur gasses when the wind changed course for a moment and it was one of the only times in my life I had true difficulty to breath. It was so intens. We didn’t take masks because I thought to rent them there but after seeing them, I was 100% sure they wouldn’t make any difference, so old, dirty and half-broken. I wished I had bought some in advance. And we didn’t even go into the actual sulfur clouds inside the volcano yet.
Imagine what the mine workers have to go through each day! But more on this later.
Half an hour or so before sunrise, we finally reached the top, out of breath and exhausted. We weren’t welcomed by a spectacular view like I was expecting, because of a dense and omnipresent fog but we still had time before sunrise so I installed the tripod at one of the iconic trees and sat down to catch my breath. Although I was in T-shirt by the time I reached the top (I took of all other layers during the hike), I was quickly fully dressed in 4 layers, a hat and gloves again sitting there and waiting for the sun to finally illuminate this spectacular place.
The fog only cleared up after two hours though, and while many of the people who had made it to the top with us had already given up and left the place, I can’t even start to describe how worth it was to have waited around!
The view is absolutely BREATHTAKING! (If the sulfur already doesn’t take your breath.)
Mine workers story
There is another side to the Ijen story however, the side of the mine workers.
Mount Ijen is in every aspect hostile. The mountain is challenging to climb, its sulfur gasses will try to suffocate you and the wind will blow volcanic ash, dust and may be even rocks into your face. But it was the mine workers’ story that struck me deeply.
Inside the volcano and while going back down after your visit, you’ll meet a lot of mine workers, struggling to carry the heavy raw sulfur back down. These workers climb the mountain, descend into the crater, climb back up and descend back to town at least twice a day. And not just like you and me, but with 70-80kg sulfur on their back or in small wheelbarrows. The more they can carry back to town, the more they get paid. And they’re only getting paid 1000 IDR (€0.067) per kilo, meaning they’ll make around €10-11/day if they can carry 80kg out of the crater and down the mountain twice a day.
Living in these sulfur gasses daily, without the ability to pay for a gas mask, is also not beneficial to their health as you can imagine. Most of them suffer from inflammations and respiratory diseases regularly, not to mention the deformations of their spine and legs caused by carrying the heavy loads.
Now you might ask why they choose to do this work. Well, there are just not a lot of other options for employment in this remote part of Java and it is one of the ‘highest’ paying jobs around. Most of them just do this because they want to provide for their family, even though they know it will deteriorate them eventually.
So take into account, when you visit Mount Ijen, that this is not only a beautiful (yet toxic and potentially dangerous) place, but unfortunately, it’s also still a home to some form of slavery. You could however contribute to a better outcome for the mine workers in three ways. You could donate one of them a good-working gas mask, visit Mount Ijen with a miner guide (http://www.ijenminertour.com), or buy their (semi harmless) sulfur carved-out poppets (and give them more than they ask for).
Out of respect, I did not take their picture but you can find enough of them when you Google ‘Mount Ijen mine workers’.
Is it safe to visit both volcanoes?
The activity of both volcanoes is monitored thoroughly and if it’s deemed necessary, they won’t allow tourists near the volcanoes. (If you visit completely on your own, make sure to read the latest news about the activity!)
But of course, since these volcanoes are active, be aware that it is always a risk visiting. There have been unpredicted eruptions in the past, leaving casualties.
Another thing to keep in mind, is the toxic sulfur gas that you’ll experience on top of both volcanoes. This will cause you to cough or breath more difficult. So if you also want to get down into the crater of Mount Ijen to see the blue fire or the crater lake from up close, make sure to have a proper gas mask with you. (Not the ones they’re renting at the foot of the volcano, but a proper one!) And be aware that even then, if you get stuck in a cloud of sulfur (when the wind is blowing it your way), you can’t see, you can’t breath, some have even lost consciousness (or worse) and there is no escape between the rocks, people and acid lake. You will just have to sit that one out (if possible).
This brings me to the last point, do NOT swim in or touch the acid crater lake of Mount Ijen. It has a pH of 0.13 being far below the pH 7 that is required for people to swim in. You would be extremely lucky to get out with only heavy burns and an itchy skin.
The practical side
Most importantly: Book your ticket for Mount Ijen and your driver guide for Mount Bromo upfront! There are only so many jeeps at Bromo and only 150 people are allowed on Mt Ijen each day. (Even during the pandemic, tickets for Mt Ijen were sold out due to an increase in local tourism.)
Here is a list of our guides and their contact details.
Driver Guide 3-day trip: Ms Ika (Mas Ika) +62 813 3021 1165
Driver guide at Mount Bromo: Mr Wiryo +62 822 5790 5478
Guide Mount Ijen (stationed in Bondowoso): Mr Pras (Alec) +62 819 1771 4903
Cost breakdown of option 1: easy option
Pick-up, 3-day transport and drop-off
Driver guide for 3 days: Rp 2.500.000
Mount Bromo
Driver guide: Rp 500.000 for 2 stops / Rp 750.000 for 4 stops
(Note: we only did 2 stops, sunrise viewpoint and crater)
Entrance fee Tengger National Park: Rp 230.000 weekdays / Rp 320.000 weekends
Hotel: Rp 250.000
Madakaripura
Motorbike ride from/to park entrance: Rp 10.000 per person per ride
Entrance waterfall: Rp 45.000
Guide: Rp 200.000 (included the entrance fee for both me and my husband)
Mount Ijen
Guide: Rp 250.000
Entrance fee: Rp 100.000 weekdays / Rp 160.000 weekend
Hotel: Rp 290.000
Making a total of Rp 4.690.000 (€289) including private transport, hotels, private guides and entrance fees for 2 persons (based on weekday entrances to the parks).
In comparison, the cheapest tour package I found for Mount Bromo alone was €240 for two persons joining a group tour.
Cost breakdown of option 2: the hard but cheapest way
(All transport prices below per person)
Surabaya > Bromo
Train Surabaya > Probolinggo (2h): Rp 160.000
Scooter ride to the bus station: Max Rp 10.000
Local bemo (bus) to Cemorolawang (1,5h): Rp 40.000
Walk or scooter ride to your hotel: Max Rp 10.000
Mount Bromo
Hotel room: Rp 250.000
Sunrise viewpoint (2h hike roundtrip): Rp 0 (If you sleep in the hotel I mention below, the hiking trail starts in front of your door.)
Driver guide (if you want to do the crater as well): Rp 500.000
Mount Bromo > Mount Ijen
Local bemo (bus) to Probolinggo (1,5h): Rp 40.000
Scooter ride to train station: Max Rp 10.000
There are now 2 options to reach Mt Ijen, either through Bondowoso (best option if you’re going back to Surabaya or staying on Java afterwards) or through Banyuwangi (best option if you plan to go to Bali afterwards.)
Option 1: Bondowoso > Mount Ijen > Surabaya
Local bemo (bus) Probolinggo > Bondowoso (2h30): Rp 60.000-70.000
Hotel room Bondowoso: Rp 290.000
Hire 4x4 (with driver) to bring you to Paltuding base camp (2h): Rp 400-600.000
Or a motorbike (2h): Rp 250.000
Guide (stationed in Bondowoso): Rp 250.000
Entrance fee Mt Ijen: Rp 100.000 weekdays / Rp 160.000 weekend
Local bemo (bus) Bondowoso > Probolinggo (2h30): Rp 60.000-70.000
Train Probolinggo > Surabaya (2h): Rp 160.000
Option 2: Bangyuwangi > Mount Ijen > Bali
Train Probolinggo > Banyuwangi (4h): Rp 180.000
Hire a 4x4 (with driver) to bring you to Paltuding base camp (1,5h) : Rp 400-600.000
Or a motorbike (1,5h) : Rp 250.000
Entrance fee Mt Ijen: Rp 100.000 weekdays / Rp 160.000 weekend
Local guide: Rp 300.000 for 2 persons http://www.ijenminertour.com
(You can also do the hike on your own, but then I would only go to the top and certainly NOT descend into the crater!)
Hotel: depending on where you book, starting from Rp 200.000
Grab (taxi app) Banyuwangi to Ketapang: Rp 20.000-50.000
Ferry Ketapang > Gilimanuk, Bali (30min - 1h): Rp 8.500 - 13.000 (locals - tourists)
If you're not convinced about visiting these places with a private driver or all on your own, you can still check out dedicated tours as well. The below tours are getting good reviews and look like they will get you good value for money.
What to bring
Visiting volcanoes means you’re up high in the mountains and even though you’re in a tropical country, it will be cold before sunrise. So layer up!
Volcanoes
Dress warmly and in layers! (Trousers, T-shirt, blouse, sweater, jacket, hat, scarf, gloves) After sunrise it will get warmer so make sure you can pull off layers.
Scarf: A scarf could help you with the sulfur gas (make it a little wet and keep that part before your mouth and nose) and it can also protect you from the sand flying around in the Sea of Sand around Mount Bromo.
Sulfur/gas mask: Preferably bring one with you as the ones they rent out there are super old, dirty and don’t work properly anymore. Afterwards, you could donate your mask to one of the local mine workers who are too poor to get one for themselves but have to work in the gasses all day long.
Water: You’ll want to hydrate during the climbs and also when the sulfur hits you in the throat.
Snacks: Always smart to bring some if you get hungry from the effort.
Sunscreen (!): Don’t think for a second that you will not get burned completely because it’s at sunrise or cloudy. I was red as a tomato cat 7.30AM in the morning and it was a super cloudy day. Since you’re in the mountains and desert of sand, the sun will hit you harder.
Photo/video camera: Obvious one. :)
Tripod: If you want to shoot at golden hour / sunrise, you’ll need a longer exposure time and your camera to be steady.
Drone: For extraordinary images.
Madakaripura Waterfall
Rain poncho: You’ll be walking under a waterfall to get there and you’ll be completely soaked!
Water shoes or flip flops: You’ll also be walking in the water to reach the waterfall.
Water: The hike is only 4km return and there’s not much climbing, but it’ll be in the sun and you should hydrate enough.
Snacks: Make sure to have something to eat with you in case you want to stay longer. Please always respect our nature and don’t leave anything behind.
Sunscreen!
Photo camera or iPhone: If you plan to shoot from a frog perspective, the iPhone will be better resistant for the waterdrops that fall down from the waterfall.
Tripod: If you use a longer shutter speed, the waterfall looks smoother.
Drone: Only if you have one with an excellent GPS reach.
Where to stay
Our driver guide recommended us a few home stays, but I always want to know upfront where I’ll be ending up, so I booked the following hotels for little to no money and was very happy with them.
Hotel Mt Bromo & Madakaripura
Guesthouse Gunung Bromo is excellent for both trip options because it’s located at the start of the walking path towards the Bromo sunrise view if you don’t want to take a driver guide (jeep) here. We booked a double room with private bathroom for Rp250.000 (around €15,38 or $17,45 at that time). Also, the view you’ve got here of Bromo is already spectacular!
Be ware though, you are in the mountains so it gets quite cold at night, even in the room.
And the guesthouse is already located in the park, so to get there, you will already have to pay the entrance fee. Don’t worry, it’s still valid the day after.
Hotel Mt Ijen
The next night, before our climb to Mt Ijen, we stayed in Bondowoso at the Baratha Hotel & Resto where I booked a double room with private bathroom for Rp 290.000 (around €17,84 $20,24), breakfast included.
The room was basic, but clean and nice and we were here only for 3h before leaving again. We quickly ate something at their restaurant, which was good, and slept for 2h.
Best time to visit
Best time to visit is from April to October since this is dry season and you’ll have a greater chance of a nice sunrise at both volcanoes. Rainy season however can also have benefits. There will be less tourists and the waterfall might be more glorious.
Something to think about is doing both volcanoes at sunset instead of sunrise. This will give you exceptional views as well and you’ll have the places more to yourself.
Be aware though that descending in the dark at Mt Ijen will be more difficult than ascending.
Leave no trace principles
You are adventuring through a beautiful piece of our Mother Nature, so I would love to remind you to the leave no trace policy when you visit East Java. 🙏
Be respectful and stay on the trails.
Do not approach or feed wildlife. Stay quiet en give them space.
Pack it in, pack it out. Or in other words, bring back whatever waste you brought with you or created during your trip.
Leave what you find. Picking up rocks, stones, sand, plants can be fun, but it can be harmful for the environment.
Be considered of other visitors. Even when you’re at a touristic spot, keep the noise down and always be kind and courteous.
Enjoy your trip!
And don’t hesitate to share your experience with me in the comments.
Or if you have questions, I’ll be happy to answer them!
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