Mt Semeru (3676 m) and Mt Bromo (2203 m)

Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park is part of 4 regencies i.e. Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Malang, and Lumajang. Mostly Mt Bromo crater, this area is very well known by tourists both foreign and domestic. There are many routes leading to this place.
To go to Mt Bromo from Pasuruan, from Surabaya take the bus going to Probolinggo and get off in Pasuruan, from there, take mini bus to Tosari-Wonokitri. In Wonokitri, we can spend the night at hotels or inns or go directly to Mt Pananjakan or the sand sea and climb Mt Bromo.
Mt Penanjakan is the best view point to look at Mt Bromo and its surrounding. They really have a fantastic panorama with smoke blows from Mt Bromo crater, colorful lava on the slope of the mountain and wide desert around. From here, the sunrise looks more beautiful with Mt Semeru as its background.
If we start from Probolinggo, we can go by mini bus or walking (about 3 km) and stay overnight there. In the next very early morning we can start our journey to Mt Bromo crater to watch the splendors sunrise. We can walk or rent a horse there to reach the peak of Mt Bromo.
People living around Mt Bromo are called ‘Tengger People’ who hold an annual religious ceremony called ‘Kasodo’. In the summit of the ceremony, which is at 12:00 pm, people throw their sacrifices into Mt Bromo crater. Many prominent and local government officers, also tens thousand Indonesian and foreign tourists always animal and attend the ceremony. The temperature in Bromo varies from 5-14 degree Celsius. We can walk through the wide desert and climb Mt Batok, Mt Kursi, or Mt Pananjakan. This area really promises us fantastic objects.
The easiest way to reach the peak of the highest mountain in Java, Mt Semeru (3676 m), is from Tumpang. From Malang, we can go to Tumpang by mini bus, and then take truck or open jeep to Ranu Pane. We will pass Gubuk Klakah village and Ngadas village, on the way to Ranu Pane village.
Ranu Pane (2100 m) is the last village where we can find a post to ask permission for climbing. A hut to spend the night of to take a rest is available also. Its population is about 600, surviving their lives from vegetable agriculture. There are two beautiful lakes, one called Ranu Pane (ranu means lake), another one nearby called Ranu Regulo.
At 07:00, we can start the journey to Ranu Kumbolo through a path as far as 13 km. It will spend 3 or 4 hours. In Ranu Kumbolo there is a climber hut for resting and cooking. Of course, water available in abundance here. Ranu Kumbolo 2400 m above sea level and has beautiful scenery especially in the morning when we look at the sun rising through the chinks of the hills.
On the way to Kalimati (2700 m) from Ranu Kumbolo, we will pass casuarinas trees and grasses, which takes 2 or 3 hours (10 km). Sometimes we can meet endangered animals like deers or birds. In Kalimati we can put up a tent. And if we need water, we should go westwards along the edge of Kalimati forest to Sumbermani, 1 hour needed to walk go and back. But it’s better to prepare water in Ranu Kumbolo. Land conditions of Kalimati area up to the peak of Semeru is dangerous, as it is unstable and landslide sometimes happens. It’s better to put up a tent in Kalimati instead of Arcopodo (about 1 hour climbing from Kalimati towards the peak). We can start climbing from Kalimati in very early morning, about 02:00 or 03:00 am. To reach the peak of Mt Semeru, we will climb through casuarinas forest for an hour and sandy-steep slope for 2 or 3 hours.
The mostly often climbed peak is ‘Mahameru’. From this peak, we can look at a crater called ‘Jonggring Saloka’, which uniquely blows volcanic stones and sand every 10 or 15 minutes, preceded by smoke rising highly. The temperature in the peak is very low about 0° C or 4° C, sometimes foggy and stormy. We can enjoy an unforgettable and fantastic panorama towards many peaks of East Java, coasts and seas, and sunrise in the east horizon.
The best for climbing the mountain is in most dry seasons, in the months June, July, August, and September. We may avoid most rainy seasons in months of January and February, when storm and landslide often happen.
From the peak, it will take about 1 hour to return to Kalimati. It will spend another 2 hours to reach Ranu Kumbolo and another 3 hours to reach Ranu Pane. Reaching Ranu Pane in the afternoon, we can stay overnight here, and go straight ahead to Tumpang in the following morning.
Going on about 12 km towards Tumpang from Ranu Pane (about 2 km before Ngadas village), we will come to Jemplang. We can turn right to Mt Bromo area from this place.