Mount Bromo is one of the most surreal volcanic landscapes in the world.
Located in East Java, Indonesia, Mount Bromo is one of the most dramatic landscapes in the country. The sunrise views at Mount Bromo are incredible and hiking to the crater of the volcano is like something from another planet!
Due to the rising popularity of travel to Indonesia, Mount Bromo is becoming very popular, especially for those travelling via jeeps on day trips. Therefore, I decided to visit on my own schedule, without a tour guide, and planned the entire trip independently.
Within this guide, I am going to show you how to plan your own trip to Mount Bromo without the need of a tour guide, saving you money and one which allows you to beat the crowds.
I can confidently say that visiting Mount Bromo independently was a great experience and one which allowed for much more adventure.
Mount Bromo Important Information
Best Time to Visit Mount Bromo
The best time to visit Mount Bromo in Indonesia is during the dry season, which is usually between April and October. Visiting during the dry season will offer the most favourable hiking conditions and the best chance of clear views of Mount Bromo.
The rainy season runs from November to March but visitors are still allowed inside the national park. You can expect less tourists if visiting during these months.
Weekday or Weekend?
Whether you are visiting as part of an organised day tour or independently, the best thing that you can do to avoid large crowds is to visit on a weekday.
In general, more tourists visit on weekdays and more locals visit on weekends.
How to Get to Mount Bromo
Mount Bromo is located approximately 4 hours drive from Surabaya (the capital of East Java). There is an airport in Surabaya which is convenient for those travelling internationally from neighbouring countries, such as Singapore, or those travelling from domestic destinations such as Bali.
There are a few well known bases for Mount Bromo trips, the most common: Probollingo and Malang. However, the best location to stay if you are visiting Mount Bromo independently is the town of Cemoro Lewang. From here, you do not even require a motorbike to hike to Mount Bromo.
Travelling from Yogyakarta to Cemoro Lewang
If you are backpacking Java, it is likely you will be arriving from Yogyakarta.
Here, I have broken down the journey into 3 simple steps.
Be sure to prebook your train tickets a couple days beforehand using tiket.com or bookaway.com
1. Take the train from Yogyakarta to Surabaya Gubeng. An economy ticket should cost around 120000 IDR (£6.00). The travel time is approximately 5.5 hours so aim to book the earliest train in the morning.
2. Take the train from Surabaya Gubeng to Probollingo. An economy ticket should cost around 130000 IDR (£6.50). The travel time is approximately 2 hours.
3. As you will most likely be arriving to Probollingo in the afternoon, the easiest way of getting to your accommodation in Cemoro Lewang is to take a taxi. You will find many drivers waiting as you exit the station. For two people it costs 200,000 IDR (£10.00) for a private transfer. The travel time is approximately 1 hour.
If on a tight budget and arriving earlier in the day, you can head to the Bus Terminal Bayuangga where you can find green minibuses which head to Cemoro Lewang. These do not leave until full (around 15 passengers) and cost just 35.000 IDR (£1.70) per person. Beware of the people trying to sell you overpriced tickets or private transfers from the bus station as you need to walk slightly South of the bus station to find these buses. They run from 07:00 until 21:00 but I think it would be difficult to get one past 15:00. The travel time is between 1.5 and 2 hours.
About Mount Bromo
Located in East Java, Mount Bromo is part of Tengger Caldera, a complex of several volcanoes, and is one of the most famous and iconic active volcanoes in the world.
Although it is definitely not the tallest mountain in Indonesia, it is the most hiked mountain in the country. It stands at 2329 metres above sea level. The other four volcanoes are: Mount Batok (2470 metres), Mount Kursi (2581 metres), Mount Watangan (2661 metres) and Mount Widodaren (2650 metres).
Mount Bromo is surrounded by the Laut Pasir ‘sea of sand’, which looks like a black desert. This definitely helps to give the landscape such an ‘out of this world’ vibe.
What to Wear to Mount Bromo
This will be dependent upon what time of day you visit as the temperature dramatically fluctuates throughout the day.
If, like most people, you are visiting King Kong Hill for sunrise, you will want layers as it gets very cold in the morning, sometimes even reaching 5 degrees! We arrived by bike as our hotel was slightly outside of the main part of town, and we were very cold! I suggest wearing a lightweight raincoat to keep the wind off you as well as a t-shirt underneath for when it warms up later in the day.
Once the sun rises, it quickly begins to warm up. When visiting in the daytime you will only need to wear shorts and a t-shirt.
How to Visit Mount Bromo Independently
Where to Stay (Cemoro Lewang)
For a small town, Cemoro Lewang has a variety of accommodation to choose from. Unfortunately, if you are on a budget, many of these have bad reviews with people complaining of noise from the passing jeeps and dirty rooms.
If you cannot ride a motorbike, you will need to stay very close to Mount Bromo itself so be sure to check the location before booking. I advise staying near Cafe Lava Hostel in this case.
Personal Recommendation (for those who can drive a motorbike):
This is a lovely guest house located just 30 minutes away from King Kong Hill Viewpoint and Mount Bromo itself.
I booked a twin bed room here for £14.00 a night, just £7.00 split between 2 people.
It is a very quiet property which is surrounded by lovely countryside views. There is also a small stove that you can use whilst staying here. Breakfast is also available upon request.
The best thing about staying here was the hot shower after a long day of hiking! It is one of the cleanest rooms we have stayed in whilst travelling Java and is very spacious.
Motorbike rental is also available directly from reception.
Mount Bromo Entrance Fee
There are two fees which you will need to pay when visiting Mount Bromo. But don’t worry, these are very reasonably priced.
Town Entry: 35,000 IDR (£2.00) – This is required to enter the village in close proximity of Bromo.
Bromo National Park Fee:
Weekday: 220,000 IDR (£10.50)
Weekend: 320,000 IDR £15.50)
This will allow you access to the national park area (basically anywhere within the sea of sand) for 1 day.
Mount Bromo 1 Day Itinerary - Self Guided
1. King Kong Hill for Sunrise
King Kong Hill offers the most incredible view of Mount Bromo and the other volcanoes surrounded by the black sea of sand. Here, you will also have an amazing view of Cemoro Lawang engulfed in an early morning mist which creates a mystical landscape.
In my opinion, it is worth coming here for sunrise despite the popularity of the spot.
Where do I hike from?
Seruni Point – Begin your hike to King Kong Viewpoint from Seruni Point which you can reach by foot if staying in a nearby hotel or by motorbike if staying further away. You can park the bike at the base of the hill and begin your hike up which takes about 45 minutes – 1 hour depending on your fitness. The hike is quite steep at points so be ready for a moderately challenging hike!
You will not need to drive across the sea of sand to reach this start point, nor will you have to pay any entry fees to Bromo National Park.
There are toilets and drink stalls at the beginning of this route.
King Kong Hill Viewpoint (Google Maps) – This is where the jeeps drive to the top of the viewpoint and drop people off. This entrance also requires you to drive across the sea of sand (very dangerous on a bike especially in the dark). You will also need to buy your National Park ticket. Expect to encounter traffic jams on the way up if arriving for sunrise or shortly after. I would only recommend this option to those of you who are confident drivers and those who want to skip the longer hike up from Seruni Point.
What time should I arrive?
It starts to get light around 04:45 am so plan your journey/hike accordingly.
I would suggest beginning your hike from Seruni Point at approximately 03:45 am to ensure you have enough time for a break on the way up and to secure yourself a front row spot for sunrise.
By 05:50 am, the sun was shining and it was also a great time to take photos!
Star Gazing
Be sure to take a look at the stars on the hike up. The sky is amazingly clear here and very beautiful.
If you are lucky you will also see a shooting star!
On your way back down to Seruni Point, now that it is light, you will come across many little viewpoints of Mount Bromo which are uncrowded spots to take photos with the amazing landscape in the distance.
2. Return to Accommodation, Refuel and Lunch
Here is where your itinerary is going to look a bit different from the general ‘Bromo Day Trip’ and I promise it is for a good reason!
After grabbing some breakfast at a restaurant close to your accommodation, you can head back for a nap or to relax for some time.
Backpacker Restaurant Recommendation: If you are riding a motorbike, I recommend eating at Warung 8 for some cheap, but delicious, food. I recommend the chicken satay with rice. They are open 24/7 which is very convenient.
You won’t be heading out for your next hike until after lunch at around 13:00 so I recommend catching up on some sleep beforehand!
3. Mount Bromo Crater Hike
This hike is one of the coolest things I have done in my past 5 months of travel!
As you are visiting without a tour guide (don’t worry it really is an easy hike and a guide is not necessary at all!) you can choose when you visit. I recommend that you follow my itinerary if you want to visit during a quiet time of day.
I had the entire crater to myself for at least 20 minutes whilst visiting in the afternoon.
Where do I hike from?
If staying in Cemoro Lawang, you can walk directly from town to Mount Bromo across the sea of sand. This should take you about 45 minutes.
If arriving by motorbike, you have two options.
Officially, the parking is situated at Pura Luhur Poten Gunung Bromo Temple. Here you can pay a small fee to park your vehicle next to the hike up to the crater.
Unless you have an off-road motorbike or are a very confident driver, I really advise parking the bike at the edge of the sea of sand and hiking your way across. This will only take 30 minutes and you will avoid the parking fees. Just park somewhere sensible and out of the way.
What time should I arrive?
I recommend beginning your hike from the sea of sand at 14:00
After walking across the sea of sand to begin the crater hike from the temple you should be on the crater at approximately 15:00
At this time you will avoid all organised day trips and if you are lucky, like I was, you may have the entire crater to yourself!
What should I wear?
As you will be visiting in the afternoon, you will be comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts if the weather is good.
Be sure to pack some sun cream and a bottle of water/snack.
How long does the hike take?
If starting from the sea of sand, it will take you approximately 25-30 minutes to walk to the starting point of the crater hike.
It will then take you about 30 minutes to walk up to the crater rim itself.
Once you are on the crater there is a fenced section where you can take photographs and take in the sight of Mount Bromo’s crater safely.
If you are up for more of an adventure, I recommend walking to the left where you shall come across a wooden structure with a ‘deadline for visitors’ sign but you can easily walk past this.
I then recommend walking for about 10 minutes and exploring the crater rim itself. This really is an amazing experience and you will get really cool photos.
The rim is wide enough to feel safe, the only issue I had was that the smoke was blowing in my face from the direction of the window. Just limit your time here or bring a mask with you.
End of Day
Once you have finished exploring the crater rim, it is time to hike back down.
Be sure to head back before it gets dark as walking across the sea of sand in the dark and trying to find where you parked would definitely be difficult to say the least!
I recommend heading to Bromo Escapes for dinner, the prices are very reasonable and the food is delicious.
Mount Bromo Cost Breakdown
Motorbike Rental: 250,000 IDR (£12.50) – This can be split between 2 people! Our homestay also included fuel in this price. If you are staying in Cemoro Lawang you can walk for free.
Town Entry: 35,000 IDR (£1.70)
Mount Bromo National Park: 220,000 IDR (£10.80) (weekday entrance fee)
Total Cost: 505,000 IDR (£24.40)
As you can see these are only the essential costs of visiting Mount Bromo for the day without a tour. This definitely works out a lot cheaper than a day trip.
Conclusion: Is it better to visit Mount Bromo independently?
I would 100% recommend visiting Mount Bromo without a guide.
Firstly, you can choose when to visit which allows you to avoid the crowds. This allows for a more relaxed visit and a chance to really take in the surroundings without being in a huge crowd of people.
Secondly, the overall price of the trip works out a lot cheaper than the majority of group trips.
Thirdly, you will be able to relax during the day and catch up on sleep which will allow you to have a better overall experience.
Overall, there is no need for a guide or an organised trip to Mount Bromo as it is very easy to plan if you have the necessary information beforehand. If you would prefer the comfort of someone planning your day for you then a group tour may be more convenient but expect to visit during the busiest time of day.
There is 1 comment
Great personal guide and helpful detail.
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