Feb 20 2012
Gunung Bromo, the alternative way
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Being one of Java‘s premier attractions, Gunung Bromo and the Tengger Caldera area get their fair share of visitors with many travelling straight from Yogyakarta via some sort of pre-arranged tour. It’s not a bad option to take a tour from Yogyakarta, but one thing is almost gauranteed: you will be travelling via the town of Probolinggo, staying overnight in the town of Cemoro Lawang on the lip of the Tengger Caldera and the next day you will either be travelling to Kawah Ijen, Bali or back to Yogyakarta. A whirlwind tour if you like. But there is another alternative for those not wishing to take organised transport.
A river valley on the journey from Malang to Gunung Bromo.
If visiting the city of Malang, it is possible to reach the Tengger Caldera and Gunung Bromo much more quickly than taking the circuitous route of heading to Probolinggo and then up the hill to Cemoro Lawang. Better still, you can head to Bromo one way and depart the other, allowing you to see two totally different but spectactular sections of scenery that truly are a joy to behold.
Jeeps making their way across the savanna around the back of Gunung Bromo.
The route from Malang starts on the side of the road, looking for an angkot to take you to the Arjosari bus terminal. Luckily for you angkots travelling to Arjosari pass most main roads in town frequently from early in the morning to late at night. Look for any angkot with the letter A on the windscreen — such as an ADL or GA — and it will get you to the terminal for 2,500 rupiah.
Farming the incredibly steep slopes around Gunung Bromo.
Once at Arjosari, catch an angkot to Tumpang, 24 kilometres away for 5,000 rupiah. In Tumpang, things get interesting.
There are two ways of getting to the Tengger Caldera, Gunung Bromo and accommodation in Cemoro Lawang. The first and easiest way is to charter a motorbike taxi (ojek) to carry you and your luggage for 80,000 rupiah up the steep ridge, which affords some absolutely magnificent views. It gets cold along the way and long pants and a jacket are a good idea.
The second way of getting to the top is by jumping in a shared jeep, which departs from the Tumpang market, for 60,000 rupiah. The problem with this method is that the jeeps only leave when there are enough passengers, meaning that a long wait could be in order. Worse, they simply won’t depart at all if enough people don’t show up, so it’s advisable to arrive early and with a backup plan to use an ojek if the jeep option doesn’t materialise.
Dreamy savanna around the back of Gunung Bromo.
The good thing about heading to Bromo from this direction is that you get to pass through the savanna at the back of the caldera which is an incredible contrast to the Sea of Sand around the front — something the vast majority of visitors to the area simply do not see. It is so impressive that we reckon it’s a must-see if already in the area. The other good thing about this route is that it’s easy to make a slight six-kilometre detour to the town of Ranu Pane where hikes to Java’s tallest volcano commence from.
Of course, you can do this entire journey in reverse for the same price. It’s a great way to do something a little bit different when visiting Gunung Bromo.
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Tags: angkot, Gunung Bromo, ojek
Hi Adam,
Thanks a lot for explaining in detail this alternative route to get to Gunung Bromo. I plan to do so myself in early June and was looking for something different from the usual Surabaya-Probolinggo-Cemoro Lawang option.
I have a couple of questions, if you don’t mind:
1. How long did it take you from Malang to Cemoro Lawang? I understand that once you got there you rested until next day’s sunrise.
2. I’ve read somewhere that, instead of a jeep, you can take a bike to drive you to the lookout. Is that correct?
3. What would you advise would be the better option from Gunung Bromo to Yogyakarta?
Thanks!
Hi Sandra,
It doesn’t take too long to get from Malang to Cemoro Lawang, but it depends on your mode of transport. If you catch public transport to Tupang from Malang, it takes about 1 hour. From Tumpang to Cemoro Lawang on the back of a motorbike is about another hour or so. Maybe 2 hours if you stop to take in the views. Because most people like to take in the sunrise views, it’s not really practical to depart from Malang at 2am to arrive for sunrise in Cemoro Lawang unless you have a private car or ride a motorbike yourself, but the road through the crater can be muddy and I would say dangerous in the dark.
It is possible to take a motorbike to the lookout. It’s also possible to walk to the lookout from most hotels in Cemoro Lawang — allow about 1 hour to viewpoint #2 or 1.5hrs to viewpoint #1.
Bromo to Yogya is a long long journey and most people do it using tourist shuttle (which is part of a package tour including accommodation), but it is possible to do it on your own, but it will take longer. I think a great way to do it is to take the train from Malang — the Malabar which departs at 1545. You could easily hire a motorbike driver (ojek) early in the morning to take you to the sunrise lookout, bromo itself, around the back to the savannah and then all the way to Malang train station. That would be fairly expensive because it is a long day for the driver and a long way also, but they should be able to do it for around 150,000 rupiah after negotiation. The 7hr train journey is then 95,000 rupiah.
Whatever you end up doing, it is fantastic. I actually recommend staying in the area more than one night just to relax and take it all in. Most people are only there for one night. Have fun!
There is a direct train service between Malang and Yogyakarta. The train departs Malang at and is very comfortable. I don’t know how much time you have, but if you had to, it
Adam,
Thank you very much for providing such a detailed reply. You have truly opened my eyes!
From your post I understood that staying overnight in Malang or Ngadas wouldn’t be wise. I agree with you that reaching Cemoro Lawang is easier and more practical.
I am discovering right now that there’s a 2nd lookout! I thought that Penanjakan was the only one (where crowds gather to get the famous postcard of the 3 volcanoes) and then people went to visit the crater.
However, I’m afraid to get lost and miss the track from Cemoro Lawang (especially if I don’t have time the day before to explore the path a bit). After all, I will only have one chance to see the sunrise & panorama. Should I go for it?
I love your idea of catching a train from Malang to Yogyakarta. Faster, more comfortable and at a very reasonable price. Should I buy the ticket in advance?
Again, thanks for help. I really appreciate.
Walking all the way from Cemoro Lawang is only really if you like walking and want to save money otherwise just hop in a jeep like almost everyone else does. It’s much quicker and doesn’t really take away from the experience that much. Of course it would be great to be completely in nature without a car, but the fact is that it’s a long walk from Cemoro Lawang to the viewpoint, viewpoint to Bromo and then Bromo back to Cemoro Lawang. Most people just don’t want to walk that far.
You won’t get lost walking to the viewpoint. Just follow the jeeps along the road.
It’s possible to buy train tickets from any train station and if you are 100% sure you are travelling on a certain day, I would book a ticket because sometimes the trains are full. Up until recently, the train company would allow “extra” passengers on the train even if they didn’t have a seat number, but this has stopped now. Buying a ticket the day before is usually enough unless there is a big holiday.
One other thing, the second lookout is really just a viewpoint lower down the mountain. Because of the eruption last year, viewpoint #1 at the very top of the mountain couldn’t be accessed by jeep and it’s a long walk up so most people just stop at viewpoint #2. This situation may have already changed though!
I have also a question. I want to travel in the end of June by night train from Yogyakarta to Malang. I will arrive early in the morning and want to continue traveling to Cemoro Lawang. So if I understand you correctly it is possible to travel to Tumpang and from there to Cemoro Lawang (also by Jeep?)? I want to take a hotel or guesthouse overthere for the night and get up early to see daybreak at Bromo.
Then, after returning from that trip, I would like to travel to Banyuwangi (either by minivan, or by minivan and train via Probolingo).
Can you advise me on this one? Kind regards from the Netherlands!
@Danny – What you want to do is possible. Get off the train in Malang, catch an angkot to the bus terminal (arjosari). There are lots in front of the train station. Then change angkots in arjosari and head to Tumpang. There jeeps in Tumpang, but they aren’t guaranteed to leave when you want them to leave, so the backup plan is to get a guy on a motorbike to take you. It’s all very easy and well worth considering.
Hey Adam!
Some queries:
I plan to go to Bromo, hopefully to see the sunrise (what time is the sunrise, normally?).
I will be departing from Turen, on to Malang (Arjosari Bus Terminal), on to Tumpang, then probably take the Jeep (since there are 4 of us).
My question is, what time should I depart? From Turen to Malang is probably 40 min, looking from Google Maps. How long is the trip from Arjosari to Tumpang, then Tumpang to Bromo? If I were to depart early morning say at 2a.m., would there be transport to Arjosari, to Tumpang and Bromo?
Also, at Tumpang, how do I find the Jeeps? Or the Ojeks?
Thanks!
Sorry, I can’t remember sunrise time off the top of my head, but it was between 5 & 6.
Ok, I don’t know anything about Turen, but it looks tiny on the map an I would doubt public transport would depart from there to Malang during the night and even then it probably wouldn’t go to Arjosari – it’d go to a southern terminal, I’d say. From Arjosari to Tumpang it is also unlikely that there would be public transport readily available at that time of the day but you could be lucky. If you are definitely going to be in Turen the day before, I would ask one of the locals to organize a jeep and driver for you all the way from Turen to Bromo and then have the jeep drop you off somewhere – wherever you want to go next. It might cost quite a bit for the jeep to pick you up from there, so budget for about 500,000 rupiah.
The problem with all of this is that the route from Malang is not as often done by tourists and certainly much more rarely for sunrise. It may well be possible to arrange your transport as you travel during the middle of the night, but it’s safer to arrange it in advance. If you don’t need to see the sunrise, then it is easy to just wing it.
Why are you going to Turen? Have you used public transport in Indonesia before?
Ojeks and jeeps are available in the centre of Tumpang by the way. Perhaps not in the middle of the night though.
Dear Adam,
Thanks a lot for these information !
I have a few questions for you : we are planning our trip in Java in September and have chosen to rent our own car (like a Toyota Avanza, which is more a MPV than a SUV) to avoid any time loss as we will be spending only 2 weeks, and also for the freedom spirit
For the Bromo visit, I was planning to spend 2 nights in the area. We will be coming from Kalibaru (West from Banyuwangi) and next stop after Bromo will be Solo.
From what I read and maps, there is a road from Kaliparu to go on Bromo from the east/north on from the west/south.
Going from the north would lead us to enter the Bromo from Cemoro Lawang, which is more touristic but seems easier for accomodation.
> If so : even with our own vehicule, will we need the Jeep service from Cemoro for the Bromo trip ?
> Then, after the trip to Bromo, will it be possible with our car to easily join Malang with the trip you describe, from Cemoro Walang ?
Other option from the south would be to join directly Malang road from Kalibaru.
> Is the trip you describe here as the other way also manageable with our own car or is a jeep necessary ?
> Do you know places to stay on this side of the Bromo, not too far ?
I know these are very specific questions, thanks in advance if you can help me !
Kind regards
Celine
Celine,
I haven’t travelled the route you want to travel, but have travelled a bit around that area and I am 95% confident that your journey will involve dirt roads. Dirt roads in Indonesia are often not good and using a normal 2wd vehicle can be a problem. But on the other hand it may not be! My advice would be to enter Bromo via the Probolinggo/Cemoro Lawang route. It is possible to drive from Cemoro Lawang to Malang via this alternative route, but… When I went through there it was muddy and a car had gotten stuck. I wouldn’t take a 2wd avanza from Cemoro Lawang to Malang. It is possible to make it, but there is also a good chance you won’t either because there is not road across the caldera floor — just dirt tracks which the jeeps use.
So, I would advise going to Cemoro Lawang. It is not touristy! Yes you will see other tourists, but not that many. You don’t need to take a jeep from Cemoro Lawang to the summit of Gunung Penanjakan where people watch the sunrise. You can walk and it isn’t too far — hotel owners may tell you differently.
If you want to see the back of Gunung Bromo, I would hire a jeep or motorbike to take you there. There is a great viewing platform around the other side and it is worth the journey.
One last thing, I’m not sure what your plans are for visiting Kawah Ijen, but I would advise that you don’t try to reach Ijen with your rental car from Banyuwangi. I don’t think it would be possible — people usually hire a jeep or a motorbike as the road is VERY steep and is made up of large rocks. Even motorbikes can’t be driven along much of it because it is so bad.
Sorry to be dramatic, but the reality is that some of these areas are just not built for 2WD vehicles.
Dear Adam!
I went to Turen to see some relatives, haha. Anyway yeah sunrise was 5a.m., but I reached Bromo foot at 3.30am. Ended up taking a travel agent, IDR300,000 per person, very very cheap, considering they picked us up from Turen at 12a.m. and back, provided blankets, jackets, gloves, midnight coffee and snacks and a huge buffet breakfast! Excellent service! The Jeep ride was included in the package as well!
But anyway, thanks for your reply! I had an awesome time at Bromo ^_^
hay. I’m Erna. I come from Probolinggo, but now I live in Malang.
I really feel so happy when I read this website. you adore Bromo so much.
yes, it’s so amazing, wonderful view, especially when it is sunrise and sunset.
hopefully you will be joyful in Bromo. our biggest tourism place in Probolinggo
Hi Adam,
I feel like I’ve struck gold with finding your post! I am Singapore-based, and my parents are coming to see me in 2 weeks. I plan to take them (with my girlfriend) to Bromo, via Malang. (We’re taking a train Yogya-Surabaya then will take a car to Malang). I plan for a day’s rest in Malang/Batu then wish to get to CL during the next day via the ‘backdoor’ route you described, and then do the sunrise stuff the next day after staying at CL – giving us 2 days in the mountains.
Couple of questions:
- With 4 of us and a fairly expansive budget, can we take a jeep all the way on the backdoor route easily from Malang? (I heard many Malang operators still go via Probolinggo) How much would the backdoor route costs for hired jeep all the way?
-After sunrise views at CL, i want to get to Banyuwangi, via minibus to Probolinggo and then train. Is this feasible?
Hope to hear back from you soon,
Many thanks
Matt
Matt,
1. Yes, you should be able to find someone to take you all the way from Malang by asking at your hotel. If you have no luck, a good place to ask is Hotel Helios as they run a transportation service as well. I would imagine the journey to cost about 400,000 rupiah all the way to Cemoro Lawang. You definitely need a jeep of some sort to get there especially because it’s the rainy season. Don’t accept it if someone offers a normal car.
2. Getting to Banyuwangi is easy from Cemoro Lawang and there are 3 main options. Jump on with one of the minibuses that is going direct to Banyuwangi with all the other tourists. Catch a bus down to Probolinggo and then catch a train. Or, Catch a bus down to Probolinggo and then a regular bus from there to Banyuwangi. You might want to check train times on http://www.kereta-api.co.id
The train between Probolinggo and Banyuwangi is fantastic. It’s a real pleasure to sit in the cheapest class as well so you can really soak up the atmosphere.
Thanks Adam!
Will check out Hotel Helios for the transport arrangements. I’m having some trouble finding a place to stay in Cemoro Lawang that isn’t fully booked up (at least on booking sites like Agoda etc.) Is this just because agents book out the rooms in bulk? Do you know of any decent agents I can approach to organise accommodation in CL? Thanks again for your help!
Matt
The accommodation options in Cemoro Lawang are generally quite basic and most you can’t book online. Check out the accommodation listings on travelfish. I reviewed all of those places. My favourite is Yoshi’s, about 4 km from Cemoro Lawang and the crater. It’s basic, but charming. You can probably call them and book if you need to as they do speak English. Well some of the people do anyway. Better still, email them.
Hi Adam,
Thank you for your post. It is really good information. I am thinking to do this on my upcoming trip to bromo.
Really appreciate it if you can help me with this questions:
1. If we come via Malang (departing 1pm from Malang), in which village you would recommend us to stay? Ngandas or Cemoro Lawang?
2. If we are using private car, in which point should we change to jeep?
3. Do you have any car rental recommendation with good price from Malang?
Thanks a bunch!
Citra
Citra, those are tough questions to answer but I’ll try.
1. Cemoro Lawang. The other places are very very basic.
2. If you are using a private, change in Tumpang as that’s where the keeps go from.
3. Car rental in Malang. The only place I know of is at Helios Hotel. But if you’re going
To rent a car and then drive to Tumpang and them rent a jeep, what are you going to do with the rental car? Maybe better to see if Helios can arrange a jeep straight from malang to cemoro Lawang.
Adam…. Thank you very much for posting this and I am impressed! … I am Indonesian and I have gone to Bromo twice. This is one of those places I really love and I would like to go the third time on my own and stay there for few days… Again, thank you (^^)
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