I visited Mount Bromo after Yogyakarta on my two week trip around Java Island, Indonesia. Mount Bromo was another “must-see” that I had always craved to visit. It was my first time to come face-to-face with a volcanic crater, which made the trip extra memorable.

To get to Mount Bromo, I chose an off-beat route, which involved taking a night train to Malang then traveling all the way up to the idyllic farming village of Ngadas, situated up in the mountains. I spent a night in Ngadas before attempting to hike all the way to Cemoro Lawang, the main tourist area at Mount Bromo.

Mount Bromo could easily be “toured” in a half-day trip, starting at sunrise, but I hung around longer because it was very cloudy during my off-season visit and I wanted to see the perfect sunrise view of Mount Bromo. I did not get to experience it, unfortunately, but I did get have an awesome close encounter of Bromo’s summit crater.

I continued my journey to East Java, where I had wild animal encounters at Baluran National Park.

Day 1

Yogyakarta to Malang Train

• Walk to Tugu Station
• 11:20pm – Go to the train platform and wait for train to arrive. Make sure you’re on the correct side of the platform.
• 11:40pm – Malabar Train arrived.

• Yogyakarta to Malang train
  • Slept during the entire ride

Malang to Ngadas minibus and motorcycle

• 8:00am – Malang train station arrival
• Ride angkot (local minibus) from Malang train station to Arjosari Bus Terminal.
  • Ride the blue-colored angkot with the letter “A” on the sign board – Rp3,000.

• 8:35am – Arjosari bus terminal arrival
  • Breakfast at the terminal
    • Roti (bread) – Rp2,000 (Rp1,000 per piece)
• Find loading area of white-colored vans to Tumpang
• Ride van from Arjosari to Tumpang – Rp5,000

• 9:30am – Tumpang arrival. Drop-off at the local market.
• Walked uphill to withdraw from ATM

• Passed by a sign on the highway pointing to the direction of a nearby Candi (temple).
• Candi Jajaghu (Jago) photo stop

• Ride angkot from Tumpang to Gubuklakan village – Rp10,000
  • Wasn’t actually sure if the name of the village was really Gubugklakan but it sounded very similar.
  • I asked around in Tumpang. The locals told me there were no passenger 4×4 jeeps that go direct to Ngadas. They advised me to ride an angkot to Gubugklakan, which was located a third of the way to Ngadas, and then look for a willing ojek to take me to Ngadas.
• Ride ojek from Gubugklakan to Ngadas – Rp75,000

Ngadas Homestay check-in

• 12:15pm – Ngadas village arrival. Visit homestay that was recommended by the ojek driver.
• Check-in at Ms. Wichi and Mr. Worionto’s Homestay
  • Single room with complimentary dinner and breakfast – Rp100,000
  • No fan or airconditioning needed since Ngadas during rainy season was very cold at night

Ngadas Walking Tour

• Lunch at Bakso place beside another homestay
  • Bakso – Rp12,000
  • Java Coffee – Rp3,000
  • The best Bakso, I’d had in my life. Insanely cheap, fresh, and delicious!

• Photo walk along random trails around the hillside farms of Ngadas Village

Day 2

• 7:00am – Breakfast at Ngadas Homestay
  • Fried tofu, noodles with vegetables, egg, juice
  • Always loved the fresh tofu and veggies served by Ms. Wichi.
• Pack bags and check-out at Ngadas homestay

Ngadas to Cemoro Lawang Trek

• 8:09am – Start trek from Ngadas to Cemoro Lawang
• Buy bottled water (1.5L) at local store – Rp4,000

• 8:37am – Hitched a ride from Ngadas to Mount Bromo Savanna (20 minutes)
• 8:57am – Start trek from the savanna to Cemoro Lawang
  • 12:10am – Reached the edge of the savanna and the “sea of sand”
  • 1:00pm – First view of Mt. Bromo
  • 1:30pm – Arrival at the base of the steep uphill asphalt road to Cemoro Lawang.

• 2:00pm – Cemoro Lawang arrival.

Cemoro Lawang Hostel Check-in

• Check-in at Pondok Wisata Homestay
  • Double room (shared TB) – Rp75,000 (Rp100,000 originally but I was able to haggle the price down to Rp75,000)
  • No fan or air conditioning needed since Cemoro Lawang during rainy season was very cold at night

Cemoro Lawang Walking Tour

• Late lunch at the warung (local eatery) near the bus stop intersection – Rp10,000
  • Mie Goreng telur (Fried noodles with egg) – Rp8,000
  • Java Kopi – Rp2,000
• 3:00 to 4:15pm – photo walk around Cemoro Lawang village farms

• Dinner at another nearby warung with yellow paint storefront – Rp15,000
  • Nasi Taman (rice with beef and bean sprout soup)
  • Java Kopi

Day 3

Mount Bromo Sunrise Trek

• 4:00am – ride ojek to Penanjakan Peak – Rp25,000 (one-way)
  • No sunrise view because of thick mist and clouds covering the entire Penanjakan Peak
• Photo walk on the way back to Cemoro Lawang (downhill)

• Ride ojek to Peranjakan Peak again for day time overlooking views of Mount Bromo – Rp30,000
• Hike back to Cemoro Lawang

• +1 night at Pondok Wisata Homestay – Rp75,000
• Lunch at warung – Rp13,000
  • Kentang Goreng (fried potatoes / french fries)
  • Kopi

Madakaripura Waterfall Side trip

• Ride ojek to from Cemoro Lawang to Madakaripura Waterfall viewpoint – Rp75,000 (two-way)
  • My ojek driver’s name was Juri (085336689836)

• Dinner at warung near bus stop – Rp21,000
  • Fried noodles with egg
  • Kopi

Day 4

Mount Bromo Crater Summit Tour

• 6:30am – wake-up
• 7:00am – walk up to Bromo entrance

• Gunung Bromo entrance ticket – Rp5,000 (foreigner; adult)

• Ride ojek to Bromo Crater Summit (15 minutes per way) – Rp50,000 (two-way)
  • Original quoted price – Rp60,000
• Hike from motorcycle parking area to Bromo Crater Summit  (20 minutes)

• Photo stop in Bromo Summit (30 minutes)
  • Life threateningly windy at the time

• Walk back down to ojek parking area
• Ride ojek back to Cemoro Lawang
• 8:42am – Pack bags and check-out at homestay