Mount Bromo

indonesia

Mount Bromo: Sunrise Hikes to Indonesia’s Iconic Volcano

Mountain Stats
Mountain Stats
Natural Form and History
Natural Form
Climbing Experience & Itinerary
Climbing Experience
Support Facilities
Support Facilities
Safety & Accessibility
Safety & Accessibility
Special Tips
Special Tips
Gallery
Gallery
Weather Now
Weather

Quick Answers

Q:How to climb Mount Bromo?
A:Mount Bromo is an easy climb, and is more about exploring the expansive crater. Generally people start from the Mount Penanjakan viewpoint (technically, Mount Bromo is the small volcanic dome in the middle of the crater) at sunrise. Then you descend into the caldera, and either walk, ride a horse, or take a motorbike to the base of Bromo in the middle of the caldera. If it's safe, guides will help you scramble to the top of the volcanic dome, otherwise you can explore other parts of the caldera. An entrance ticket must be bought at the Park entrance. Getting to the first viewpoint can be done by jeep.
Q:How long does it take to hike Mount Bromo?
A:Mount Bromo shouldn't take more than half a day. Normally, you would get there to enjoy sunrise, then explore the caldera for the rest of the morning before heading back, or perhaps heading on to climb neighbouring Mount Semeru.

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Mountain Stats

Country
indonesia
Height
2,329m (7,641ft)
Climbing Height
Less than 500m
Numbers
  • #1 Most Picturesque Sunrise In Indonesia

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Natural Form and History

Natural Mount Bromo Indonesia - Natural history

Mount Bromo is the only active crater within the Tengger caldera which is home to seven eruptive centres. The original Tengger Volcano went through five stages to form the Tengger caldera. The original volcano, called Ngadisari was formed nearly a million years ago by the eruption of pyroclastic deposits and lava flows to a height of 4,500m. Subsequent eruptions resulted in the formation of the caldera as it stands today.

Natural Mount Bromo Indonesia - Climbing history

Mount Bromo has a religious and cultural significance for the Tenggerese people of Probolinggo, East Java, who have been scaling the mountain for centuries to make offerings to the mountain gods. Today the mountain is one of the biggest draws for tourists in Indonesia and is part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, where is shares the limelight with its taller neighbor, Mount Semeru.

Natural Mount Bromo Indonesia - Current status

With its ethereal beauty and accessible nature, Mount Bromo is one of the most hiked mountains in the world. The climb up its deeply furrowed side is made easier by a steep flights of stairs all the way to the top. The complete experience of Mount Bromo is thought to begin with witnessing the sunrise from the neighbouring peak of Mount Penanjakan from where one sees the darkness give way to the undulating sands and dark cones that surround Mount Bromo which itself stands wreathed in a sea of clouds, often spewing smoke into the sky.

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Climbing Experience & Itinerary

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Climbing Experience

The trail to the top of Mount Bromo is a non-technical climb with a steep flight of stairs and can be undertaken by anyone with a fair degree of physical fitness.

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Trail options

Number of options
1
Summary

The trail up Mount Bromo starts with a walk along the Sea of Sand, a large and windy stretch of powdery sand which lies between Mount Penanjakan and Mount Bromo. This is followed by a flight of stairs – 240 to be exact – at a steep incline, which brings you to the edge of the crater. It is not advisable to try scaling the mountain along any other path as the sand and ashes can make it very slippery. Once you’re at the top of the steps, you can walk up along the edge towards the highest point of the summit. There is no clear path to the summit, and most tourists do not attempt going further up since this is still a very active volcano.

Time to complete
Half a day

Most tourists spend the night at the nearby village of Cemero Lawang and opt for a jeep ride up the viewing points on Mount Penanjakan and down to the Sea of Sand before arriving at the base of Mount Bromo, from where everyone walks up the stairs to the edge of the crater. If you are opting for jeep and horse rides to Mount Bromo and back and only scaling the stairs on foot, the entire trip will take you less than half a day.

Itinerary
Number of days
1
Day 1
03:00:

Wake up early, and start from your village for Mount Penanjakan. It is a tradition to stop by here to catch the sun-rise before hiking up Bromo.

04:00:

Arrive at a half-way point on Mount Penanjakan from where there is a 15 minute hike to the sunrise viewing point.

05:30:

Watch the sun rise over the hills as active volcanoes with fuming cones in the Tengger caldera are slowly lit up, including Mount Bromo and Mount Semeru, the tallest volcano in Java.

06:00:

Walk down to the jeep that takes you down the slope and to the bed of the caldera. The jeeps park by the side of a Tenggerese Hindu Temple called The Poten and from there you will begin the journey across the Sea of Sand.

06:30:

Walk across the Sea of Sand in a half hour or so on foot or in 10 minutes on horseback. This is a large carpet of powdery sand and with all the rush of horses and people, there will be quite a bit of sand in the air too. This stretch is not difficult to navigate on foot, but can be tricky in parts owing to the loose sand. Make sure to bring a mask for protection against the sand. There are also motorbikes offering to take visitors across. If these are not included in your package, you might find the fares a little steep. So it helps to book the horse or motorbike beforehand if you don’t want to walk the whole way.

07:30:

Start the walk up the stairs to the summit of Mount Bromo. There are 240 of them, with a few rest stops along the way if you would like to take a break. The stairs are equipped with hand rails to ease the difficulty of the steep incline. But the constant ash spewing from the crater and the swirling sand can make it slippery in certain parts. The constant footsteps of tourists and bellowing of the volcano above have taken their toll on the steps, for many have worn down and are accompanied often by broken rails on the sides.

08:30:

Reach the crater rim. You can walk around the rim and watch the fumes from the crater or look around at the surrounding landscape that has an almost lunar quality.

09:00:

Walk back down the stairs to the base and embark on the return journey to the village.

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Support facilities

Guides and porters

Guides are not required
Porters are not required

Trail facilities

Trail head - Registration kiosk
Trail - Rest stop shelters, such as huts, pavilions, etc.
Trail - "Groomed" trail, with built steps, raised or concrete paths, etc, where needed
Trail - Built-in hand-holds, guide-ropes, and hazard markings at technically difficult sections

Food & water

Trail head - Food
Trail head - Potable water

Network connectivity

Trail head - Network signal
Trail - Network signal

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Safety & Accessibility

Weather

East Java overall enjoys mild weather throughout the year but the best time to plan a trip is during the dry season between May and August. Daytime temperatures within the Park seldom range over 20 degrees Celsius and night time temperatures can drop to single digits, especially on the mountain tops. While aiming for the dry season, zero in on June to visit Mount Bromo if you can, to coincide with the Tenggerese festival of Yadnya Kasada. On the 14th day of the month-long festival the villagers climb up to Mount Bromo and throw offerings into the crater for good health and prosperity.

Climbing safety

Volcanic activity:  Mount Bromo, with its top almost completely blown off, is still a very active volcano and at times of high activity, it could be shut to visitors. The sand on your way up, or sulphur fumes near the crater rim can lead to breathing difficulties.

Slips and falls:  Up at the rim of the crater, there is a one meter ledge with safety rails to help you peer into the crater safely, but at points the safety railing may be missing and one needs to be very cautious in walking around.

Personal safety

Mount Bromo is a very popular point for visitors so it is unlikely you will ever be alone or isolated.

Permits, Fees, and Regulations

An entrance ticket must be purchased at the Park entrance.

Emergency contacts

Police: 110

Fire: 113

Ambulance: 118

Getting there and away

Surabaya is the nearest airport.

Most tour operators will pick you up from Surabaya. The drive to Cemero Lawang where you will spend the night will take approximately 5 hours.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also take a train from Surabaya to Probolinggo which is the nearest point to the Park on the train route. The train ride is about 2 hours long and there are several trains during the day. On arrival at Probolinggo, you can take a cab to get to the Bayuangga bus station which is about 7km away. The bus ride takes about 2 hours but since the bus services are infrequent, you can also consider the possibility of taking a shared cab or private taxi to Cemero Lawang.

A few years back, shared taxis or vans wouldn’t depart until they were full, which meant one could be waiting for an indeterminate amount of time. We need to confirm whether this is still the case, but try to avoid that trap in the meantime by arranging private transport. 

Money Matters

With peddlers, jeep drivers and horse owners, be sure to clearly set rates beforehand to avoid getting scammed.

Some visitors have also reported being ripped off by scammers posing as Park officials so be sure to check for identity before handing over money in the name of entrance fees.

The entrance ticket to Mount Bromo costs locals IDR 27,500 on weekdays and IDR 32,500 on weekends. The charge for foreigners is IDR 217,500 on weekdays and IDR 317,500 on weekends.

Climbing Mount Bromo Indonesia - Special Tips

Tips for amateur climbers

Though Mount Bromo is the most accessible and most popular climb, take the opportunity to also scale the rugged Mount Batok that stands next to it. This is not as easy as scaling the staircase but is also not a technical climb and can be accomplished in about 90 minutes, both ways.

Tips for advanced climbers

Advanced climbers won’t get much of a thrill from climbing Bromo.

Tips for women

Indonesia is generally considered a safe country for women, and since this is a bustling tourist space, women travelling solo or in groups have little to fear.

Tips for trail runners

The BTS Ultra is run on and around Bromo once a year.

More Peaks

Weather Right Now