Hiking Mt. Bromo and Mt. Ijen in Java, Indonesia

Indonesia is known for its incredible natural beauty, and two of the most famous sights are Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen. These two volcanoes are located in East Java and are popular destinations for hikers and nature enthusiasts. If you’re planning to visit Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen, one great way to do it is through GWI Tour & Travel, which offers a variety of packages that can help you explore these amazing places. In this Bromo-Ijen itinerary, we’ll be covering a 3-day tour with GWI Tour & Travel that takes you to Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen. Here’s what you can expect from the trip:

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Day 1. Surabaya to Mt. Bromo

The tour begins with a pickup from Surabaya. If you’re staying there, they will pick you up in your hotel. In our case, two of us were coming from Yogyakarta by train, so our guide Rahman and the driver Sopi picked us up in the train station, and then we picked up two more friends at the airport.

Our guide Rahman and us at the end of our tour

GWI Tour & Travel provides transportation in comfortable air-conditioned vehicles. The journey to Mount Bromo takes around 3-4 hours, depending on traffic. Along the way, we got to see some of the beautiful countryside of East Java, including rice fields, small villages, and traditional markets. Once we arrive at Mount Bromo, we checked in at the Istana Petani Hotel in Probolinggo, a small village outside of the Mt. Bromo area. This will vary depending on your choice of accommodation and budget. Our hotel was simple, especially the bathroom (no real shower), but the rooms were spacious and we didn’t need much more since we were only going to sleep a few hours.

the view from our accommodation near Mt. Bromo

After checking in we had some free time to explore the area. There’s not really much to do in the area, so you can relax and take in the stunning views of the surrounding mountains, or go for a walk in the nearby villages, where the locals are really friendly and welcoming. Then, we had a quick and simple dinner at the hotel and went to bed early, since we had an early rise the next “morning”, but not before looking at the gorgeous night sky. There is very little light pollution in the area so if it is not cloudy you’re in for a treat.

Day 2. Sunrise hike to Mt. Bromo

The way to the viewpoint

The next day we woke up at 2 am to go on our first hike to Mt. Bromo. Our driver picked us up and drove us to the Mt. Bromo area, where we paid the entrance fee (220K IDR p.p./13,5€) and got us to the viewpoint in Mt. Penanjakan, just at the rim of the caldera. It was really cold but we came prepared, but if you don’t have a coat, you can rent one in one of the shops around, and get a hot cup of coffee. Our guide took us through a “secret” path to King Kong Hill, where there were far fewer tourists waiting for the sunrise. The path is not long but very steep.

Tired and cold waiting to see Mt. Bromo

Waiting for the sun

Unfortunately, there was a deep fog and low clouds, so the sun rose but we couldn’t see anything. Most people started to leave but we decided to stay and wait it out. After a couple hours the clouds cleared up to show one of the most amazing views I’ve seen in my entire life. The volcano caldera is absolutely stunning with silver and orange colors. In the middle, we could see the fuming Mt. Bromo and the gorgeous and colorful Mt. Batok, and it the background we could see the giant Mt. Semeru. Our expert guide took us to a perfect spot for pictures and he did some instagram magic (if you’ve been following me for a while you may know that I am not great at social media).

View of Mt. Bromo’s caldera

View of Mt. Bromo from King Kong Hill

4X4 ride and hike to Mt. Bromo crater

After the stunning views we took a 4X4 car to drive through the caldera. The landscape felt like driving through Mars. Some people take horses to cross part of the caldera. While it sounds like a fun adventure, the horses do not look very well cared for, and I don’t know how much sense it makes to do that.

Driving through the Martian landscape of Mt. Bromo’s caldera

We arrived at the foothill of Mt. Bromo and started the hike, which is quite easy since there are steps, but there are quite a few! Up at the rim of the crater you can see inside if the fumes and wind allow you to. We had a little walk around the rim of the volcano. You can also hear the Earth roading from inside the crater. It is quite an experience!

The hike to Mt. Bromo is quite short, but you need to make it all the way up!

There are a few steps

Your reward is to look into the crater of Mt. Bromo

You can walk along the crater’s rim

Road to Banyuwangi

After the hike we went back to our hotel for breakfast and took the car to Banyuwangi, our base for the Mt. Ijen hike. The drive took around 6 hours, so we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery along the way (and mostly take a nap!). We arrived to Banyuwangi in the late afternoon and checked into our accommodation Didu’s Homestay Bed & Breakfast. This cute homestay was much better than the one near Mt. Bromo, with a cute garden and common area and kitchen, a nice swimming pool to freshen up and comfortable and spacious bungalows with an open air shower. I can really recommend this hotel and perhaps you’ll want to stay an extra night just to enjoy its hippie bohemian atmosphere.

Day 3. Hiking Mt. Ijen: the Blue Flame

Climbing up and into the crater

We woke up at 00.30 (!!!) to start our hike. We drove towards the parking lot outside of Mt. Ijen and paid the entrance fee (100K IDR/6€). Then we hiked for 3km, mixing flat, steep and very steep sections in the dark (don’t forget your flashlight!) until we reached the crater (at 2769m). At the rim we climbed down into the crater (this was a first for me). There are a few stairs carved into the rock, but the hike is hard and in the dark, so take that into account.

Climbing into Mt. Ijen’s crater

Sulfur mines and the blue flame

We eventually made it into the sulfur mines, were we saw the bright yellow and orange fuming sulfur. The crater was fuming heavily, so we had to wear protection masks all the time. Still, our eyes and throat were very soar when the wind directed the fumes towards us. We also saw the famed blue flames of Mt. Ijen. This was a bit disappointing because there was only a tiny section lit up that day, but it was still a feat to make it there through the sulfur and fumes.

Don’t forget the mask!

Our disappointing blue flames. This varies depending on the day so you may get lucky!

Sunrise over Mt. Ijen’s lake

We then climbed back up the crater to see the sunrise over the crater’s lake. This was absolutely stunning. The lake has a deep turquoise color that contrasts with the bright yellow of the sulfur mines. Also, the crater has an otherworldly appearance so you’re in for a treat.

The beautiful lake instide Mt. Ijen’s crater

Mt. Ijen really surprised us!

We finally climbed back down Mt. Ijen and we were able to actually see the path that we had climbed up earlier, which was also quite stunning with the trees and fog. We drove back to our accommodation and had a delicious banana pancake and got ready to leave. Typically your driver would drive you back to Surabaya (the drive takes 7-8 hours), but we chose to continue our journey to Bali, so we took the ferry to Gilimanuk (included in the price) and said goodbye to our guide and driver and our Mt. Bromo and Mt. Ijen tour.

Climbing down Mt. Ijen

Our reward!

Pricing and review

The 3D/2N tour from Surabaya to Mt. Bromo and Mt. Ijen with budget accommodation for 4 people costed us 8.65m IDR (520€, 130€ per person). This included the car (including gas, parking, tolls, etc.), driver and English-speaking guide for the full 3 days, accommodations in the hotels I mentioned in this post as well as breakfast, pick up in Surabaya and ending in Gilimanuk (you can end it in Surabaya if you prefer). It did not include entrance fees to neither Mt. Bromo nor Mt. Ijen or any lunch or dinner during the trip.

While the tour was fantastic and our guide and driver made things very easy, I must say that it is very expensive, especially for Indonesia. You can arrange the tour yourself and save a lot of money, but I must say that I enjoyed taking a break in planning, especially in a region that is not necessarily the easiest, and just enjoying the experience. Most of the tours including Mt. Bromo and Mt. Ijen are quite expensive, so you’ll need to decide if the comfort is worth the extra money for you or if you prefer to arrange it on your own.

How to get to Mt. Bromo and Mt. Ijen

Closing statement

If you’re looking for an unforgettable hiking experience in Java, a tour with GWI Tour & Travel to Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen is a must. While it is possible to do all of these things on your own (and I usually do), I thought it was fantastic in this case to not worry at all about anything. The tour to these two fantastic volcanoes was one of our most unforgettable experiences. From watching the sunrise over Mount Bromo to witnessing the blue fire and sulfur mining of Mount Ijen, this tour offers breathtaking views and unforgettable memories. With GWI Tour & Travel’s comfortable transportation and knowledgeable guides, you can relax and enjoy the journey while exploring the stunning natural beauty of East Java.

So, if you’re planning a trip to Indonesia and love hiking, make sure to add Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen to your itinerary for an adventure of a lifetime. Book your tour with GWI Tour & Travel today and experience the magic of hiking in Java! (you can also send an email to gigehs@gmail.com) or check out these other tour operators:

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When visiting Java you will probably want to visit the beautiful Yogyakarta:

11 top things to do in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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