Mar 14 - The Bromo Tengger Semeru NP is the most visited place in Java. It is also the host of an active volcano, Mt. Bromo, which has undergone significant eruptions since the 1700’s. It is one of six eruptive centers inside the Tengger Caldera. Mt. Bromo is called a somma volcano, meaning a volcanic cone that forms inside a much larger, collapsed volcano. This original one, Ngadisari, which is huge by comparison, is thought to have formed 820,000 years ago, and collapsed into itself during a massive explosion. The rim of this ancient volcano is still prominent all around the edges (see map below).
The popular tour of the caldera is to be at a viewpoint on the rim at sunrise. If one is staying in either Malang or Probolinggo, this means a 1:00-2:00 departure to drive up. We leave at 1:00, so get only a few hours of sleep on the night of March 13. Fortunately our ride is already waiting at the appointed time outside the hotel, and we wind up the crater to a small, nameless town, where we transfer to a 4WD jeep. That is basically the only type of vehicle we see for the next five hours, as the road is very steep. Still in darkness, we suddenly go from uphill to downhill, which I assume means we have gone over the Tengger crater rim and are now going to the caldera floor. There is dense fog and jeeps begin wandering all over the flat, ash-covered plains, since the tracks go everywhere. Eventually we pick our way across and up the west crater rim to a viewpoint called Penanjakan Bromo.
It is about 3:30 when we get there. This seems excessively early, but there are many jeeps coming up this hill and parking is all just along the winding, narrow road. There are obviously way too many people visiting this site for the infrastructure they have. It is pleasantly quiet for the next hour, as we slowly see the outlines of the volcanic features through the darkness and not so many other people have arrived yet. We take a break for some hot drinks at a nearby cafe, as it is cold here, then back up to the viewpoint. By now tons of people are arriving, filling up the stepped concrete viewing platform. The blanket and jacket renters are out in force, asking over and over when we are going to rent something. I notice that some of the Indonesian visitors here are moving slowly and sitting down as though affected by altitude. Perhaps for people living all the time at sea level, the few thousand meters up here is significant.
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Our driver had it right when he told us to leave the viewpoint by 5:30, when the sun was not quite up yet. By getting out of there then, we avoid the surge of people leaving and finding their jeeps. There is barely anywhere for the vehicles to turn around on this road.
We drive back down the hill for five minutes and stop at a spot (King Kong Hill) where the driver tells us to go up a little trail. This proves to be a great alternative viewpoint, now that the sun is up.
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From here, we return to the caldera floor. About halfway across we stop at the trailhead to Mt. Bromo and associated temples. The surface here is all dark volcanic ash.
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Long trip back down the mountain. The clouds are already starting to close in. Once back at the hotel, we make a rare splurge for breakfast and go to bed. Later in the day I get some writing done and we eat Chinese food for dinner.
Indonesia