Mount Ijen Crater Banyuwangi – A Complete Guide

Mount Ijen Crater Banyuwangi A Complete Guide.

Have you ever witnessed the dazzling electric blue (neon blue) flames?, flowing slowly down the mountain at night, as well as a turquoise (sapphire blue) lake, a lake with a calm water surface, but very toxic. Not to mention the charm of the mountain mist that covers its peak at sunrise, which will make you marvel at the various shades of pink and purple as the background color.

Overview of Climbing Guide to Mount Ijen Crater Banyuwangi

1. Important Tips and Advice You Should Know For Climbing Ijen Crater.
2. Who Can Enjoy Activities on Mount Ijen?
3. Who is not recommended to take a trip to Mount Ijen?
4. How was the experience during the climb to Mount Ijen Crater?
5. Interesting Things You Can Find During the Ascent to Ijen Crater
6. When is the Right Time to Climb to Mount Ijen?
7. How Long Will It Take For The Whole Trip To Ijen Crater?
8. How about the preparation for climbing to Ijen?
9. Route to Mount Ijen
10. Guide to Ijen Crater, Is It Necessary?
11. How much does it cost to climb to Mount Ijen?
12. Important Equipment To Bring For Climbing Ijen

1 – Important Tips and Advice You Should Know For Climbing Ijen Crater.

1. Wear shoes instead of sandals or mountain sandals, gripping shoes are more stable than sandals. Trekking shoes are not required, sneakers with the ability to grip on the ground or rocks are quite appropriate. With the entire surface covered, your feet can be protected from the impact of other objects than open sandals.
2. Warm jackets, can also use clothes that are layered and can be easily removed or put on. This warm jacket will have many functions at the top of the Ijen crater, resisting the wind and cold weather of Mount Ijen.
3. Bring a set of change of clothes, after climbing the smell of sweat and dust will definitely not feel comfortable while in the vehicle.
4. Remove all your jewelry before traveling. Exposure to sulfur will make it react to make your jewelry black. Silver rings can no longer look like silver after coming into contact with sulfur in Ijen crater.
5. Gas and health protective masks. Health masks and hand sanitizers are mandatory to carry and wear at all times from before to after climbing. Gas masks are indispensable when in an area filled with thick sulfur fumes.
6. If you wear contact lenses, it’s a good idea to temporarily remove them and replace them with glasses. Sulfur can be irritating to the eyes, some people are bothered and some are okay. It’s good to bring glasses if the lenses bother you
7. Bring a hand or head flashlight, and have some spare batteries handy. Sometimes it’s not you who need the battery backup, it’s your traveling companion who needs it.
8. You don’t need a big backpack with everything except snacks, snacks and drinks. Don’t overload your backpack with unnecessary items.
9. Climbing sticks or sticks are very helpful for balance on the way. If you don’t have it, you can ask a guide to make it from bamboo or the like
10. If the group is large enough, take several guides. One person to guide the group that has a higher speed, the other guides accompany in the back lane. This is definitely the best decision to make everyone feel comfortable and safe during the climb.
11. If you don’t feel comfortable after running on sulfuric gas, tell your guide or another partner. From his experience will definitely be informed What should you do for such a condition.
12. Just a Day Pack or a small backpack, this is not a big mountain expedition, you don’t need to carry a lot of things
13. Wet wipes, good idea to bring during travel.
14. Embark on a journey with an open mind and bond with people you’ve never met before.
15. Ijen Crater etiquette: You will pass sulfur miners with a basket of sulfur on their peak with a load of about 70-90 kilograms one person on a 2 hour walk to the collection point. Miners make the trip twice a day.
16. If you meet miners, step aside for a moment, first they cross the road with a heavy burden on their back lighter if they see tourists who do not take their way.
17. If you are careful and polite, they will also appreciate you.

2 – Who Can Enjoy Activities on Mount Ijen?

• Explorers and mountain climbers.
• Tourists who like nature and natural phenomena and are better prepared to face the uncertainties of nature. You will be able to directly witness the real life of the sulfur miners here so that you are always humble and grateful for your current life, at least you are not working in Ijen crater to mine sulfur.
• Travelers who have a passion for adventure and explore unique and unusual experiences including dangers and inconvenience

3 – Who is not recommended to take a trip to Mount Ijen?

• If you have problems with breathing (have a history of asthma or panic easily when inhaling anything other than oxygen).
• Especially for those of you who have very sensitive eyesight, it is recommended not to enter the caldera area of ​​Ijen crater lake.
• You DON’T NEED to have any climbing experience, or great fitness level to get here, but if you’re out of breath while climbing, it can be a little frustrating.
• Those of you who like a relaxing trip with just amazing views, need extra struggle and energy to get to Mount Ijen.
• Those of you who don’t like unexpected surprises that can affect your hiking experience (changes in temperature, changes in smells, and lots of hiking trails)
• Those of you who are always in a hurry with time issues, with guaranteed time precision or have to catch up with plane or train schedules.
• Those of you who like to push yourself should be at Ijen Crater to see the Blue Fire. There are no guarantees, nature is unpredictable and if due to a large sulfur cloud it is too dangerous on that day to descend into the crater,
• You must be able to comply with it for your own safety.
• If you feel very uncomfortable with many other people in the dark at night, down steep tracks that are not clearly marked, there is no lighting available during the trip or are always worried about steep slopes without fences and protection.
• If you want security services and emergency help in this condition. If you place safety as the top priority for your leisure activity habits, think twice before you do any activities on Mt Ijen.

4 – How was the experience during the climb to Mount Ijen Crater?

The climbers will start their journey from the Pal Tuding post and will cover a distance of 3 km to the edge of the Ijen crater caldera. The normal schedule for climbing every day will be open starting at 01.00AM.

The journey begins with a fairly wide and straight trail, a dirt road without rocks, which snakes up the steep slope for about an hour.

You’ll be out of breath on this hike (for people of normal fitness level), and since it’s not a time race, take a break after every 5-7 minutes, and re-set your breath, you’ll be fine.

It will definitely work without problems, the last 30 minutes at the end of the trip will feel easier because the road is flatter and less steep than before. It’s generally going to be 2 hours on average if you’re consistently moving, and don’t sit still much except to catch your breath.

Using a trekking pole will definitely help you a lot to maintain balance during your hike. You can also use wood or bamboo sticks that you may find between trips.

Reaching the top of the caldera before 4 am

Need to be a little careful in this situation, especially when there are other visitors, most visitors also want to enjoy the charm of blue lava or blue fire at the same time, fighting over the path that is not as wide as the previous climb.

Be careful putting your feet, don’t carelessly use a wooden handle that isn’t necessarily sturdy, especially when it’s still dark. If you feel uncomfortable with this situation, you can also enjoy the blue flames of Ijen Crater from a distance.

It can be even more complicated if you find thick sulfur smoke. The path that goes down can only be passed by one person. Don’t allow anyone to force you down with speed, it’s better to be able to measure your speed and stop to give others behind you a chance to catch up and pass you than to force yourself. Take care of your own safety, this is very important in this situation.

If you think you can go faster, don’t push each other who is slower. Be tolerant of people who are slower than you when walking down the crater.

Closer to the World’s Largest Acid Lake

Not many people are willing to go further down and get closer to the acidic lakes of Ijen Crater (perhaps because the sulfur clouds are thicker) but there are some who are quite curious to experience it and at the same time see up close the sulfur mining process.

Ijen crater lake is very acidic (hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid) and also hot. So don’t try to enter like in a swimming pool, but is it okay if you want to feel it by slightly touching it with your fingertips and see if your fingers really dissolve with the acid lake?. The best advice should not do something like this.

Back to the Peak For Beautiful Sunrise at Ijen Crater

If you are satisfied enough to watch and linger near Lake Ijen, another one that is a pity to miss and there is still enough time for the sun to rise on Mount Ijen.

Along the slopes of the road and the edge of the Ijen crater, you will find many sulfur traders that are uniquely formed to be sold as souvenirs to take home.

Buy some of these sulfur souvenirs, even if you’re not sure what they do. At least what you do is to buy the merchandise while at the same time rewarding the miners for their hard and difficult efforts.

5 – Interesting Things You Can Find During the Ascent to Ijen Crater

All of your sacrifices and struggles during the climbing process will all pay off when you first set foot on the top of the Ijen caldera.

# Blue Fire / Blue Fire Ijen

This unique natural phenomenon can only be seen in the dark, a glowing blue color (people call it neon blue or electric blue) that glows melts from the cracks of the rock on the cliff bottom of the crater of Mount Ijen.

# Real Ijen Morning View

As the stones change, from darkness turning to bright morning, the uniqueness of the blue fire is taken over by the sunrise at the top of Ijen, the colorful presentation of Mount Ijen’s nature really fascinates the eye. Gradations of blue to green tosca, orange and pink occur at the same time and place, at the top of Ijen crater.

# Sulfur Rock Mining

Watching sulfur mining activities up close, one of the dangerous jobs with high risk. Seeing firsthand how very difficult it is to be a miner, even though we feel uncomfortable, we also feel grateful for how easy our lives are compared to the men at the bottom of the crater of Mount Ijen.

6 – When is the Right Time to Climb to Mount Ijen?

Ijen Crater, a cool destination, the most appropriate location to spend time to gain a lot of experience and knowledge, it’s a shame if you came here at the wrong time, here are the best suggestions.

# Avoid weekends and long holidays

If possible, try to avoid the holiday season to Mount Ijen, because it would be uncomfortable to be in a location that has limited capacity with large crowds.

The route and path from the climbing post to the top of the crater is quite wide, but the track to the lake and blue fire is just a path that sometimes you have to take turns going through it.

# Dry season

The best season to come to Mount Ijen is not during the rainy season, the amount of fog and rain is a problem for the best image quality you want, it’s also definitely more troublesome if it’s raining and cold at the top. Best weather prediction in Ijen Crater between May to September.

# Night Climb

If you have a goal to Ijen Crater is Blue Fire or Blue Fire, start climbing at 01.00 and a prediction of 2 hours can reach the lip of the Ijen crater caldera. Blue Fire will be more beautiful to be enjoyed when it is dark and begins to gradually disappear at 05.00 in the morning alternating with the sunrise of Ijen crater.

7 – How Long Will It Take For The Whole Trip To Ijen Crater?

Most people call it a One Day Tour or a one day trip without staying overnight. As an illustration, depart from Bali at 18.00 and return again after breakfast the next day. Almost 24 hours if indeed the trip is made more relaxed. But for much more relaxing trip from Bali to Ijen, we should stay 1 night at one of the hotel near Ijen, and we will wake up early morning for Mount Ijen hiking.

The schedule can be more predictable and accurate if you depart from Surabaya because there are no crossings. Depart in the afternoon via the Bondowoso route to the Pal Tuding post. Climbing activities to Mount Ijen are very possible to be scheduled with a one-day round trip without staying overnight, it is very possible if Ijen Crater is the only destination.

You need a good physical and body condition, because you will be traveling a long way and this must be very tiring, driving for more than 5 hours without sleeping immediately climbing and returning home.

8 – How about the preparation for climbing to Ijen?

Need to prepare for this trip to Ijen? Not really, most of the tourists who come to Ijen Crater are the result of spontaneous decisions and that day also want to go to Ijen. Especially for young people who like adventure in nature and their body or physical condition is still fit and perfect for the normal size of most people.

Bali magic tour as the operator and tour agent of Mount Ijen who has been dealing with local or foreign travelers for a long time often encounters “immediate” orders, tonight leaving for an afternoon or a few hours before. On average they are already in Bali or they book this tour package long before they arrive in Bali.

In general, no difficult preparation is needed, just contact us and choose us as your local agent for your convenience to go to Mount Ijen. only need sports shoes, jacket, hat and glove is you have one.

9 – Route to Mount Ijen?

If we notice  from the flow of tourists to Mount Ijen, there are two main entrances, namely from Bali and Java. Most of the Bali routes are from foreign countries who previously spent their time traveling on the island of the gods, and the Java route departing from the city of Surabaya or Malang is dominated by local tourists from the Indonesia.

Lets we concern the most popular route to Ijen.

9.A # Bali Route via Banyuwangi

Traveling from Bali, you must cross the Bali strait for about 35 minutes to the city of Banyuwangi from the Gilimanuk ferry port and land at the Ketapang port of Banyuwangi, as the closest reference to Ijen Crater (45 km) compared to the Bondowoso entrance (64 km).

By rented or private vehicle, it is shorter to cross the Licin route to the Pal Tuding climbing post, compared to via Bondowoso on the north side (2 hours versus 3-4 hours via Bondowoso).

Although the road is quite good, it should be noted that for important things, especially vehicles, ideally you can use a car with 4-wheel drive, or with a capacity greater than 1500 CC, considering that the Banyuwangi route has quite a lot of turns with sharp inclines. It is very risky and risky if you neglect about a prime vehicle.

Over the years, road conditions have been gradually improved, supported by the international event Tour De Ijen Banyuwangi, as a bicycle racing event introducing the Ijen Crater destination to the world stage.

9.B# Java route via Bondowoso

If you are already in Java, another alternative route is crossing Bondowoso. Generally, tourists depart from the city of Surabaya or Malang.

From Bondowoso city, if using public transportation, please continue by renting a vehicle or Ijen jeep to Paltuding Post (Paltuding Post 64 km from Bondowoso) at a cost of around Rp. 500,000 – Rp. 700,000 including driver, petrol and parking. The longest it takes is 120 minutes to reach Paltuding Post from Bondowoso.

Renting a car is a practical way to travel to Ijen Crater, because traveling by public transport (bus) can be tiring with no fixed schedule. The local road to Paltuding Post is very steep and there are some parts that are damaged so that a 4-wheel drive car is needed, it would be better with a local local driver.

10 – Guide to Ijen Crater, Is It Necessary?

The answers to these questions there are always two options, yes and no. But it would be nice to continue some of this information for your purposes during the climb to Ijen Crater before deciding yes or no.

10.A# Independent Climbing Without a Guide.

The manager of the Ijen Nature Park and Nature Reserve does not absolutely require to use a guide to Mount Ijen. You can manage it independently, starting from booking area entrance tickets until the climbing event takes place.

The hiking trail to the top is very safe, especially to Mount Ijen, it doesn’t have to fully require skills and knowledge to climb the mountain, moreover this is only a 2 hour hike. You are not really alone on the trip, there are quite a number of other flocks together, Ijen Crater is never empty of visitors even during the month of Ramadan.

10.B# No More Expensive Using a Guide

There is a price to pay if you don’t want to go through all these preparation stages yourself. Starting from preparing schedule arrangements, ordering tickets, vehicles, places to eat, you are also fully aware of aspects of local culture and travel etiquette at Ijen Crater and the potential dangers.

The decision to involve a guide can also save time, hassle and ensure your safety and not have to be a backpacker alone.

For the most part, hiking guides were formerly sulfur mining workers. Due to serious health problems due to the daily sulfur fumes he inhaled, physical injuries and reasons for insufficient results were the reasons to switch professions to become a tour guide at Ijen Crater. This is also a reason to spend good money if you decide to use a scouting service.

It’s normal to face the conditions of Ijen Crater with its poisonous gas, the guide will make sure the group will be safe and give important information long before the trip. Guides also understand how to behave in dangerous situations and how to “read” group members who may need help.

A guide will also help prepare the needs for gas masks, entrance tickets, favorite places to take photos and information about the daily life of a sulfur miner in Ijen Crater, this is also mostly previous life experience.

Bali magic tour as one of the provider foe Ijen trip from Bali, has a connection with the local as part of our safety concern and also how we supporting the local guide to get a job in sustainable way.

If you are planning for Ijen Crater Blue fire start from Bali in 24 Hours trip, Bali Magic tour provide ONE DAY IJEN CRATER TOUR.
For More Information Please Click HERE.

 

11 – How much does it cost to climb to Mount Ijen?

For most visitors to Ijen Crater, the entrance ticket to the Ijen Tourism Park and Nature Reserve area is not a big thing, because it is very cheap and affordable for anyone. The entrance fee to Ijen is no more than Rp. 10,000 per person, although there is a difference in entry rates between regular weekdays and weekends or public holidays. There is a difference in costs for Nusantara and International tickets.

Another part that you need to detail the cost is for travel, crossings, accommodation if staying overnight as well as consumption and other important equipment needed to climb to Ijen Crater.

Please find the estimation of the cost for Ijen trip from Bali.

• Rent a vehicle from Bali to Ijen Crater round trip, including toll fees, parking, drivers and fuel. Rent a minivan type Avansa or trooper around IDR 2,500,000 to IDR 3,000,000
• Gilimanuk – Ketapang crossing ticket if departing from Bali around IDR 300,000/car for one way.
• Ijen crater tour guide services, IDR. 250.000/trip
• Needs to eat and drink during the trip. ( if you take package all inclusive is best way to avoid miss calculation.)
• The cost of renting lodging and accommodation if you have to stay.
• Some essential equipment that must be purchased or rented (mask, gloves, flashlight, warm jacket)
• Rent gas masks start from IDR 50,000
• Jacket rental at Pal Tuding start from IDR 75,000

12 – Important Equipment To Bring For Climbing Ijen

• Flashlight (hand lamp or headlamp) or carry both as a spare. Using a headlamp your climbing will be easier because your hands are free to move
• Gloves, to withstand the cold weather above the Ijen caldera. Gloves also help you well when descending the crater and having to hold on to sharp wood or rocks
• Warm clothes, you should prepare in advance before leaving. During a trekking trip, you may not need it because body heat helps warm the body, but when you stay at the peak for 1-2 hours, the cold will be more colder.
• A gas mask, which you need as protection against dense clouds of toxic gases like sulfur dioxide. You can’t last long in the gas without a special mask. The presence of gas depends on the wind which sometimes you can’t avoid.
• Ordinary protective masks (health masks) and Handy Sanitizers have become an obligation and a requirement to carry, especially when entering the new adaptation era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Before the adaptation era occurred, some people wore them on trips but there were also those who used them when they started to smell a very strong sulfur smell. But in the new adaptation era, the importance of using health masks is precisely to have additional functions, namely to prevent the transmission of COVID 19, and to take responsibility for maintaining health among visitors to the Ijen crater.