Mount Bromo (Bromo Tengger Semeru)

A smoking crater in the Tengger volcanic massif, with sunrise views of the sea of sand and the volcanoes from Penanjakan, plus jeep tours and horseback rides up the volcano.

Mount Bromo is in East Java, Indonesia, in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, and is an active volcano inside the ancient Tengger caldera, which is about 10 km across. Inside the caldera is a gray-black "sea of sand"; Bromo emits white smoke, next to it stands the symmetrical Mount Batok, and in the distance is Mount Semeru, the highest peak on Java. The classic plan is to stay in Cemoro Lawang village on the caldera rim, take a jeep at 3 am to the Penanjakan, Mount Kingkong or Seruni viewpoints for sunrise, then descend to the sea of sand to climb the Bromo crater, and go on to the Whispering Sands and the Teletubbies Hill savanna. Extended routes include Madakaripura Waterfall, B29 Peak, the alpine lakes of Ranu Pani and Ranu Kumbolo, Tumpak Sewu Waterfall, and, to the west, the Rainbow Village in Malang and the Museum Angkut and apple orchards in Batu. In the dry season (May–Oct) the chance of a clear sunrise is highest; the rainy season (Nov–Apr) is cloudier and misty, but the savanna is greenest. The Tengger people hold the Yadnya Kasada ceremony around Jun–Jul each year. Getting there: hire a car from Surabaya or Malang for about 3–4 hours to Cemoro Lawang, or take the train to Probolinggo and switch to a minibus. We suggest 2–3 days, often combined with Mount Ijen as an East Java loop. Notes: early-morning temperatures on the mountain can drop to 0–5°C, so bring a thick jacket, hat and gloves; the sand is very dusty, so bring a mask and sunglasses; when volcanic activity increases, the area around the crater is closed, so check national park announcements before you set out; national park tickets cost more for foreigners than for locals, and more on weekends.

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