Mount Ibu

1,325 m (4,347 ft)

It takes roughly 5-6 hours to ascend to the crater rim and 3-4 hours to descend. Many people, however, camp at an area near the crater rim and descend the following day. There are several reasons for this. At night the darkness allows for a spectacular view of orange-red plumes spewing out of the volcano, the early morning is more likely to bring clear skies and a better view, and camping helps to break the hike into two shorter segments.

Though there are many tracks leading in the direction of the volcano, there are two main trails to the top. The starting points of these two trails are in Desa Duono and Desa Goin, and they meet at about 770m-780m to become one trail.

The Desa Duono trail is the more commonly used trail, though both trails take a similar amount of time and are much alike. Both trails start off in town, make their way through coconut plantations on fairly flat ground, and then through nutmeg and clove plantations before entering dense jungle at about 600m/1968.5ft of elevation. It takes 2-3 hours to get to the point where the trail enters the jungle, and there are plenty of wooden shelters on this first stretch.

Along the Desa Goin route the trail goes down into a ravine containing rocks and volcanic sand from about 560m/ 1837.27ft to 670m/2198ft, where the trail crosses the ravine and enters the bulk of the forest. At roughly 660m/2165ft of elevation, you’ll find Pos 1 and a shelter. The trail here is overgrown and the vegetation is thick.

After the junction where the two trails meet (also called Pos 2 by Desa Goin guides ), the trail continues through the jungle for the rest of the way up to the crater rim. The gradient is steep, but not as overgrown as in the earlier section. The level of vegetation obstructing the trail will depend on whether other hikers have been on the route within a few weeks of your climb.

Just before the crater rim, there is a small clearing where you can see the lava dome down in the crater. The trail opens up on the western side of the crater rim (1250m/4101ft) and there is a magnificent view from there. You can follow the trail along the crater rim to find a suitable place to camp and the best view. (1315m/4314ft).

In the crater, there are black boulders and angular rocks. There is also a distinct crashing sound, along with glowing orange smoke and ash and sparks spraying out of the volcano every quarter hour.

The end of the trail is not the true summit. To reach the true summit one would have to hack through dense bush, cane grass, and ferns. The crater dome grows every year and may eventually become the true summit of the mountain.

To descend, the same route is followed down the volcano.

Mount Ibu is located in the region of Ternate City, which is in the province of North Maluku. July to October is the ‘dry’ season. During these months rainfall averages below 150mm/5.9 inches of rain per month. September is the driest month, so would be the best time of year to attempt this hike.

The rainy season is from November to June. In these months, the rainfall increases to over 150mm/5.9 inches of rain per month, and the trail becomes challenging, as it becomes muddy and slippery. May is the wettest month.

November is the warmest month with temperatures averaging 30 °C (87°F). It gets especially cold at night at the crater rim when camping.

Good hiking shoes should be all you need for this hike. If hiking during the wet season or when it is rainy, a raincoat is important to keep you dry and hiking poles will be extremely helpful to keep you steady. Warm clothes and a warm sleeping bag are essential for camping as it gets cold at night.

There are three shelters/rest stops along the Desa Goin trail at 235m/771 ft, 383m/1256.5 ft, and 489m/ 1604ft respectively. There are also two Posts. Post 1 at 675m/2214.57 ft has a shelter and Post 2 at 780m/2559ft may or may not have a shelter. There is a camp at the crater rim (1315m/4314ft).

There is no water along the trail, or at the summit. If there has been a lot of rain there is the possibility of water in the ravine at around 560m/1837ft, however, it should not be counted upon. Food and water are available in town at the trailheads.

There is no guide required by regulation, however, it is strongly recommended as the trail gets overgrown and confusing when people have not climbed in a while, and if you get lost without access to water it can be fatal. A guide knows the way and can hack away at the vegetation to clear the path for the hikers.

The area is quite remote and will require a few days of planning. To get to the starting point on Halmahera Island, there are a few steps. First, you must fly to Manado or any major Indonesian airport.

From there, a boat can be taken from Manado or a plane from any other major Indonesian airport to Ternate City. There is a speedboat that takes about an hour or so from Ternate to Jailolo on Halmahera Island. Here, you will find some accommodation that’s suitable for tourists.

On the day of the hike, you can take an “ojek” (motorbike taxi) or arrange to hire a car to either Desa Duono or Desa Goin, depending on which trail you are taking.

Mount Ibu is located in a remote area that does not see many visitors (including Indonesian visitors). It is imperative that you go with a guide and preferably a group, as there has been at least one fatality on this mountain due to a traveller being separated from the group and getting lost with no access to water. For this reason, make sure to bring more than enough supplies for the trek.