It’s 4am. Calls to prayer have begun ringing out across the city of Malang, East Java. Our party is stirring too, waking up and getting ready for our excursion that had been a year in the planning. We were off to conquer Mahameru, the highest mountain in Java and an active volcano. I was a cocktail of excitement, nervousness, and tiredness.
Our guides picked us up at 5am in some very cool and very retro 4x4s. We crammed into the back and so began a very bumpy and exciting drive towards the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. En route we stop in the small village for a quick breakfast and medical checks. Whilst the team get all their gear together we have time to explore the colourful market. Locals smile, stare and try to sell us their goods. I’m always amazed at both the warmth and curiosity these humble folk have for foreigners such as myself, and grateful for it.
Once we’re back on the road, we wind onwards and upwards, through dense foilage. Every now and then we spot a waterfall in the distance. Greenery starts to give way to dust as we approach Ranu Pani, the small village that serves as the starting point. It’s here at about 10am that we start the 16km hike to the summit base camp, Kalimati.
The path is dusty. So dusty. Seriously, I did not know it was possible for there to be this much dust!
Lesson #1: Don’t forget to pack a scarf or something to protect your mouth from the dust. Also to protect your backpack from the dust, use the rain cover.
The start of the hike is a series of ups and downs that get the legs working but nothing overly strenuous. That doesn’t mean lunch by the shore of Ranu Kumbolo wasn’t eagerly awaited or thoroughly enjoyed. From there it is a relatively short jaunt to Kalimati, which we got to at around 5pm.
The plan with most summits of Mahameru is to have an early dinner and then try to get some rest. This is so you’re ready for the midnight start to try and crack the summit in time for sunrise. Well that was our plan. What we would soon find out is that for others camping there, Kalimati was their summit. They were in a loud and boisterous mood and kept on talking and listening to music late into the night.
Lesson #2: Pack a good supply of ear plugs, you’ll need them to get any sleep.
When we did wake for the summit we split into pairs with a guide. The going was hard in the dark, head torches are an essential item. The actual summit is up a cliff face of scree rocks, where it is literally a case of two steps forward, one step back. It was quite eerie to keep looking up into the blackness and seeing the head torches of other hikers as your only beacon.
After a while, we looked up and there weren’t any more headlights to follow. We realised that we had slowly and steadily overtaken most of the other climbers. However, now we had an entirely different light to worry about: the sun! The horizon was starting to brighten up and there was still a way to go. We started to panic that we wouldn’t make the summit in time for sunrise. This panic spurred us on when all we wanted to do was rest.
But boy was it worth it! We made it to the top just in time. Aside from half our party and a few other keen souls, we had the view all to ourselves. And the noise of the volcano erupting (as it does every forty minutes or so) is something I was neither prepared for nor something I will ever forget. Another thing we didn’t quite expect but which we had been warned is that is cold up there. As T cried “I never knew my country could be so cold!” we welcomed the flask of warm tea offered by our guide Rizal.
Lesson #3: Pack the right gear. It is cold up top so make sure you have layers, because it is hot at the base.
After about an hour we decided to descend, slipping and sliding down the slope. Back at Kalimati we had a late breakfast and short rest before packing up to camp at Ranu Kumbolo for the night. If Kalimati was loud the night before, Ranu Kumbolo was full-on party central. All of which is more impressive given there is no alcohol involved! Remember those earplugs!
The hike on the final day took us down the porter route, which was a lot quieter. It was a mix of relief and sadness when we finally made it back to Ranu Pani. Our adventure was over, too short and left us wanting to get back out there in the mountains again soon. But not before we had a proper clean down, although even now I’m still finding dust!
Lesson 4: Make use of an experienced guide, like Rizal and his team. They will look after you and do their best to help you to the summit. Plus the food they prepare is delicious!
We wholeheartedly recommend this trip and we having nothing but the highest praise for our tour guide, Rizal and his team. If you’re looking to do this amazing adventure for yourself, drop us an email and we’ll put you in touch with him (he’s old school like that).
Written by Duncan
h a m b a j a l a n 