Gunung Sindoro : Steps, Stones, and Sunrise

The trail cut deep, but the morning light healed gently. Sindoro didn’t make it easy, but it gave me something slow, honest, and worth holding onto.

HIKING AND TREKKING

asxlm

6/22/20253 min read

It surely has been a while since I uploaded something to my website, almost a year, even. A lot has been happening in my life, so I'm really sorry I couldn’t keep up and post anything here. Honestly, I’ve been meaning to talk about something more personal, but I still don’t have the courage. Some people close to me know about this blog, so for now I’ll just share stories that still feel safe to tell.

Last month, I went on a hike to Mount Sindoro via Kledung. It was one of those impulsive trips. I didn’t even plan to hike a mountain that far from where I live. The original plan was actually Gunung Gede, but after comparing the costs, which turned out to be quite similar or even more expensive for Gede, we decided to go with Sindoro instead.

As usual, we joined an open trip. But this time, not with TigaDewa. Apparently, TigaDewa has been involved in some conflict with the hiking community and somehow became a public enemy. We chose to go with Falisha this time. The meeting point was still around Cawang. We left at 10 PM and arrived at the basecamp around 5 AM. We started hiking at 11 AM. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hot even though the sun was right above us, maybe because of the cool breeze.

There were less than ten people in the group, which felt way smaller than the usual 15 or more people in TigaDewa trips. Just like in Sumbing, we had to take a motorcycle to the actual starting point. The ride took about 20 minutes and the road was much more brutal than Sumbing. More ups and downs, definitely more challenging. It cost us around 50,000 rupiah per person.

The trek itself was also tougher. From the very first post, the trail was already full of stones. Honestly, it was way more difficult than Sumbing. The motorcycle dropped us off at Post 2, so we only had to hike from Post 2 to Post 4 to reach the campsite. It took about two to three hours. But even though it was only two posts, the trail kept getting steeper with no breaks at all. Your legs will definitely feel it.

The vegetation was pretty much the same as most mountains in Central Java. Lots of tall grass, yellow bamboo, and petai cina. It seems like those plants really thrive in that kind of environment. There’s no water source throughout the trail, and the only small stall is at Post 3 near the campsite. So you really have to bring enough water from the start.

The campsite was surprisingly spacious, even bigger than the one in Sumbing. There was also an emergency shelter. I think Lawu is the only one among the mountains I’ve been to in Central Java that doesn’t have that. The food from the open trip was also better than expected. We even got sandwiches before the hike, which was a pleasant surprise. Usually, they just give out steamed bread from a brand that looks like it will be expired in the next five years lol.

The campsite faced Mount Sumbing. While Sumbing is known for its sunset view, Sindoro offers a beautiful sunrise. We woke up around 2 AM to head to the summit. It took about four hours to reach the top. The trail was honestly one of the hardest I’ve ever experienced. Huge rocks everywhere, and you had to be really careful with every step, especially because the rocks were super slippery in the dawn.

The summit had a massive crater with a strong smell of sulfur. Everyone is required to leave before 10 AM because of the gas purge that usually starts around that time. I find it so fascinating how nature even has its own schedule like that. The view was breathtaking. Hands down, the best summit I’ve ever been to. The clouds looked unreal, perfectly aligned like ocean waves floating in the sky.

It took me around three hours to get back to the campsite. Probably faster if you’re not a slow walker like me. After resting, we continued going down and reached Post 1 around 1 PM. From there, we took another motorcycle ride to the basecamp, which also cost 50,000 rupiah per person. We left for Jakarta at 5 PM and arrived around 4.30 in the morning.

It was exhausting. It was random. But it was worth it in every way!