Mount Bromo & Ijen Crater
We booked this excursion last minute on our trip to Bali and it was one of the coolest and unique experiences ever! We booked through Get Your Guide and had the best guides ever! Here is the link to book directly with them: Volcano Tours. This is the personal site to book through them but here is the Get your Guide link as well. I would recommend them over any other excursion because we had such a great experience. Andre is so knowledgeable and used to be a miner at the Ijen Crater. He really shared what it is like to work there and what the workers go through daily. He introduced us to his father and family members who still work there. It was honestly so remarkable and I left with such a respect of how hard they work. I couldn’t recommend it more.
We did the three day excursion from Bali. They have different options based on where you are staying in Indonesia. The trip starting with a pick up at our villa in Bali. They picked us up and we headed to towards the Gilimanuk Ferry. Our drivers name was Mario and he was the best! He was so friendly and so accommodating. Once we got to Java we picked up Andre and headed to the hotel. If you don’t enjoy being in the car for long periods of time this trip may not be for you. Similar to Bali it takes a while to travel by car so it did take most of the day to get there. I just made sure I had things to do on the drive there. Mario and Andre were great company and jamming to music with us in the car! Below is a detailed itinerary from the website:
Day 1: Bali–Gilimanuk Harbour–Mt. Bromo
From western Bali travel by ferry to the eastern tip of Java. Drive to the Mount Bromo area, with a lunch stop along the way. On arrival, check in at the hotel.
Day 2: Mt. Bromo–Banyuwangi (Ijen Crater)
Very early in the morning, head to the rim of the Tengger caldera. Marvel at the panoramic views at sunrise with the active Mount Semeru volcano in the background.
Continue to Mount Bromo. Take a short walk and climb the 240 stairs to the peak. After breakfast back at the hotel, drive to Banyuwangi, with a lunch break en route. Check in at the hotel.
Day 3: See the panoramic Ijen Crater–Bali
Just after midnight see the panoramic of Ijen creater.
Note : For Temporary visitors couldn't get down to the crater.
Stop at the miner’s shack for a short rest and head back to the hotel for breakfast before the return trip to Bali.
The stay the first night was at Cafe Lava Hostel. We did get our own room but it was a very basic room. Not the most luxurious but it was all part of the adventure! If you are more on the boujie side there are other surrounding accommodations but you will probably have to spend a little more. The beginning of day two starts pretty early! We woke up 3am to catch sunrise at Mt Bromo. It is early, but my lord was it worth it. You take these old school Jeeps up to Penanjakan Peak. Once you’re up there, there are lots of shops and warungs, which is super cool. We got some coffee and I bought a hat because it was quite cold up there. Definitely recommend wearing layers because it does heat up once the sun is up. The sunrise was such a magical experience. As the sun rises and the clouds lift you are blessed with this amazing view of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.
Then they take you down to the base of Mount Bromo .You take a short walk to a set a steps. Once you go up the stairs you are at the rim of the Volcano. Mount Bromo is in fact an active volcano and spews off sulfurous smoke. This was my first time being so close to an active volcano so i thought it was pretty wild! The people of East Java appease the Gods once a year during the annual Kasada festival where offerings of vegetables, chickens and money are thrown into the crater of the volcano.
After your day you drive to your hotel in Banyuwangi. The hotel the second day was the Grand Harvest Hotel which was a very nice accommodation. We were able to get some dinner and R&R before our wake up call (just before midnight) to Ijen Crater. Once you get there you get a headlamp and hike down to the crater! Its a really cool atmosphere because you’re hiking with lots of other tourists and guides. It did start raining halfway through our hike so it did become a bit slippery. Just be sure to wear appropriate shoes for hiking and you’ll be fine! When you get to the bottom you get to see the infamous blue flame! It is pretty smokey down there but they do provide you with a respirator to protect you from the sulfuric smoke.
