Mount Soputan

1,785m (5,853 ft)

Most climbers do the hike up Mount Soputan over two days with a stopover at a basecamp situated at about 1,326m (4350 ft) above sea level. It takes between 5 and 7 hours for the ascent to the summit and between 3 and 4 hours to descend. On average, the whole hike takes about 8-11 hours.

Some people do attempt this hike in one very long day; however, it requires leaving at 3 or 4 am, and a pretty high level of fitness to get back within daylight hours.

This hike requires a moderate level of fitness. It is generally manageable but becomes quite steep and difficult if you decide to attempt the last stretch up to the summit.

Most tour guides and agencies only offer to take you up to Aeseput, which is about 200m/ 656 ft lower than the actual summit of Mount Soputan.
Most of the cone lacks vegetation, as it is a relatively new volcano, in geological terms. It is made of andesite and basalt rock.

The official route starts at Pinabetengan, (which is at about 800m/ 2624 ft) usually from the eastern side of the mountain. The actual starting point is higher than it was in the past since a new road has been built.

The path starts off wide and in an open field. It then passes through farmlands and plantations.

Roughly one hour from the starting point you enter a dispersed pine forest. Here the path narrows, and the gradient gets a bit steeper as you walk up the hills.

Roughly halfway up the hills, you will take an almost ninety-degree right turn, and find yourself on the proper hiking trail. The trees become more concentrated, and the forest gets denser as you go along. Walking through the forest can be challenging if you go right after an eruption, as your feet sink into the ash with each step and some small trees that have been knocked over can get in the way. You will cross a stream at some point in the forest.

After hiking for a few hours, there is a ‘landslide’ section where you may need to hold onto a piece of rope that has been strung across the eroded area. Shortly after this, the path turns into a stream/ small river. You continue to follow this stream as the path. You can smell quite a strong scent of sulphur at this point in the journey. After about twenty minutes of walking upriver, you will find a small man-made cement pool. The water in this pool is not safe to drink.

Eventually, the path goes beyond the stream, up a steeper section, and you come to a flat clearing in the pine forest, called basecamp. This is situated at about 1,326 m / 4350 ft above sea level. This is where hikers camp if they are doing the hike in two days. The entire hike up to this point can take as little as three hours if you are very fit, or about 5 hours if you leave from Toure village. The peak is 4km/2.48 mi from the base camp.

Just past the base camp, you will see a crater (at about 1,460m/4790 ft). Just 10m/ 32.8 ft up the trail from there, you will find a great viewpoint. After walking over a flat area of sand, the trail descends significantly (about 100m/ 328ft) into a valley. You are mostly walking on black volcanic sand at this stage of the hike. The trail then goes up a conical hill in front of Mount Soputan, and that takes you to the foot of the peak.

Getting much closer to the summit, the landscape is steep and slippery. The true summit is called ‘induk’ which is sometimes not safe to climb or inaccessible. There is another option here, which is a peak called ‘anak’.

To reach the top of anak, it takes about 30 minutes from the foot of the peak. Tackling the true summit, however, will take you at least two hours to scramble up the slippery ashy slopes. The true summit has been getting higher as more eruptions take place over time, adding to the height of the mountain.

You follow the same trail to get down the mountain.

The temperature in North Sulawesi, Indonesia (which is where Mount Soputan is located), is hot and humid. Temperatures are fairly constant year-round, with the lows averaging at 23°C /24°C (73° F/75 °F) and the highs averaging 30°C – 32°C (86°F – 90°F).

It is rainy all year round in this region, however, the most rain occurs from November to June, and it decreases slightly between July and October.

Therefore, the best time to climb Mount Soputan would be between July and October, when there is a chance of clear skies early in the morning until light showers in the afternoon.

You may want to bring a helmet to wear on this hike just in case the volcano spews out stones from its crater.

Decent quality, waterproof shoes are important as you will be walking through water, and you don’t want to be left hiking in wet shoes on the second day if they do not dry overnight.

Hiking poles may be particularly useful for tackling the slippery summit.

A lot of sunblock is also important as there is no shade on the second day of the hike.

If you camp, make sure you have a warm sleeping bag and warm clothes to wear at night, as it gets cold, and a raincoat as showers are likely.

A headtorch is imperative if you are starting early in the morning when it is dark or if you might return late in the afternoon when the light starts to dim.

There is no water or food available along the trail. Food will have to be purchased from the town in which you are staying. Water is accessible at the start of the trail, though it does have low levels of sulphur in it.

Note that the water along the rest of the trail is not safe for drinking as the sulphur content is too high.

The base camp is a clearing in the forest and does not have utilities.

A guide is necessary as this is an active volcano and the trail can sometimes be difficult to follow. A local who knows the land will help you navigate the path and advise you whether it is safe to climb or not.

A guide can be hired on the day from Toure or in advance from Pinabetengan. Most local guides or tour agencies will not offer to take you to the true summit, but rather to Aesput volcano – known as ‘child of Soputan”. If you want to climb the true summit, make sure to specify that to your prospective guide before hiring them.

There are no official permits required, but you may be asked to fill in your name in the hiker’s book.

To get to the starting point, you’ll have to fly to Manado in North Sulawesi (which is linked to all major cities in Indonesia), take a 2-3 hour drive/bus to Kawangkoan via Tomohon or directly, and from there hire a scooter or catch a taxi to the starting point in Toure or Pinabetangan. Public transport is not easy to come by in Pinabetangan, so it is best to arrange this beforehand.

Most people arrange to stay in Tomohon upon arrival to Indonesia and leave for the starting point of the hike the next day

It is unlikely that you will see anyone else on the trail. Due to the unpredictable nature of a volcano, and the terrain, it is important to have a local with you who has knowledge of the area.

This is an active volcano, which erupts almost every year, so it is always important to be aware of the volcanic activity status before leaving for your hike. Hiking is not allowed when it is unsafe due to volcanic activity.