Trekking and Climbing Argopuro in East Java

Mount Argopuro is one of the former volcanoes which is no longer active now. Mount Argopuro is administratively located in Probolinggo Regency, Situbondo Regency, Jember Regency, and Bondowoso Regency. This mountain is not very popular with tourists because of its remote location from the tourist route and its very long hiking trail (approximately 50 km). In addition to getting the title of the longest hiking trail in Java, Mount Argopuro is not as popular as Semeru and Rinjani.

Dubbed as the longest hiking trail in Java, of course Mount Argopuro has a very beautiful landscape. Mount Argopuro is included in the Hyang Wildlife Reserve, with a landscape consisting of tropical rain forests, pine forests, savanna, swamps/lakes . This area also has several peaks inside. There are 3 highest peaks in the region, namely Argopuro Peak (3,088 masl), Rengganis Peak (3,060 masl), and Arca Peak (3,000 masl).

You must have imagined,
How can you climb this mountain and reach all its peaks?
Where do you start?
How do you get there ?
When can you get there?
How much will it cost?
Where can you get the services of a guide and porter?
Where can you get climbing equipment?
What mistakes are made by most climbers?
What difficulties will you encounter?

Many questions without answers! A lot of your time and energy is wasted without getting really important information to start climbing to Mount Argopuro. As we said, the location of Mount Argopuro is far from the tourist route in general.

The purpose of this article is to provide you with information about what you need to climb Mount Argopuro and what mistakes you should avoid. Then, for those who don’t want some headache and want to delegate the organization and logistical tasks to Go Volcano, you’ll find the program and related price.

Finally, for the curious minds, at the end of this article we will talk about Mt Argopuro, the beliefs, and the legends that surround this mountain.

8 Things You Need to Know Before Hiking Mt. Argopuro

How to go to Mount Argopuro?

Situbondo and Probolinggo are the 2 closest cities to Mount Argopuro. The most common route is Baderan Village, Besuki District, Situbondo Regency. If you want to depart from Probolinggo, then you have to start from Bremi Village.

How to get Baderan Village?

Baderan Village is located in Besuki District, Situbondo Regency. To get to Baderan Village, you can depart from Surabaya, Malang, or Banyuwangi by bus because there are no train stations or airports around Mount Argopuro climbing area.

From Surabaya

1. You can take the bus from Bungurasih Terminal.
2. Choose a bus for Banyuwangi and get off at Besuki at a rate of around 30,000 to 50,000 Rupiahs per person.
3. From Besuki, you have to continue the journey by using a public minibus called angkot (IDR 15,000) or motorbike taxi called ojek (IDR 50,000 ) to get to Baderan Village.

From Malang

1. You have to take a bus from Arjosari Malang Bus Terminal with the aim of Probolinggo City at a rate of around IDR 30,000.
2. From Bayuangga Bus Terminal in Probolinggo, you must continue the journey by bus to Besuki at a rate of around IDR 25,000.
3. From Besuki, you have to continue the journey by using a public minibus called angkot (IDR 15,000) or ojek (IDR 50,000 ) to get to Baderan Village.

From Banyuwangi

1. You have to take a bus from the Brawijaya bus station.
2. Choose a bus for Surabaya or Probolinggo and get off at Besuki at a rate of around IDR 35,000.
3. From Besuki, you have to continue the journey by using an angkot (IDR 15,000) or ojek (IDR 50,000 ) to get to Baderan Village.

How to get Bremi Village?

Bremi Village is located in Krucil District, Probolinggo Regency. This area is very far from the city center of Probolinggo. There is almost no public transportation to get to this location.

• Wherever you start the journey, all you have to do is going to Bayuangga Probolinggo bus station.
• From here, you can continue the journey by using public transportation, ojek, or taxi to go to the AKAS bus office.
• From the AKAS bus office, every day there are small buses that leave for Bremi Village every 06.00 WIB and 16.00 WIB (from Bremi to Probolinggo at 05.30 WIB and 15.30 WIB). Don’t forget to inform the bus staff that your destination is Mt. Argopuro Registration Office.

When to go to Mount Argopuro?

Mount Argopuro is open for hiking activities for most of the year. But there are times when hiking activities are closed when the weather is bad or there is a forest fire. Hiking activities can also be closed if SAR operations are held in the area of Mount Argopuro. The best time to climb Mount Argopuro is from May to September.

Do I have to pay for the entrance ticket?

Yes, you must pay a ticket to enter the area and fill in the registration form at each climbing post. The fees you have to pay for tickets are as follows:

• Local :
  • Weekday IDR 20,000 / person / day
  • Weekend IDR 30,000 / person / day
• Foreigner :
  • Weekday IDR 250,000 / person / day
  • Weekend IDR 375,000 / person / day

Where to sleep?

Baderan

You could say there are no hotels or homestays in this village. However, you can look for hotels or homestays around the Paiton Power Plant, which is about 35 km from Baderan Village, which provides many choices of hotels or homestays with various price options.

Bremi

Similar to Baderan Village, this place is also very far from the city center of Probolinggo, but there is one resort available in this village that can provide accommodation for you.

Climbing Argopuro Mountain, with or without a guide?

For those of you who are just climbing Mount Argopuro for the first time, we strongly recommend using a guide service. This is because there are so many branching pathways that can get you lost and most likely difficult to find. Some paths are even covered by bushes because climbers rarely go through and there are also minimal markers along the hiking trail.

Where can I get guide and porter services?

Because of the lack of interest of tourists to climb Mount Argopuro, it is very difficult to get the services of a guide and porter here. Moreover, the frequent climb starts from point A and ends at point B. It is strongly recommended to contact the Argopuro Registration Office if you want to use the services of a guide and porter. Also, keep in mind that most local residents in both villages only speak Indonesian ( Bahasa Indonesia) and local languages (mostly Javanese or Maduranese). This is also the reason many tourists outside the area of Probolinggo, Situbondo, Jember, and Bondowoso prefer to use travel agent services to accommodate their climbing needs.

Where to find camping equipment?

There are no rental or camping equipment providers in both Baderan and Bremi Villages. You must bring your own camping equipment to climb Mount Argopuro (unless you use the services of a travel agent who has prepared all your needs).

Mistakes to Avoid Before and During the Hike and Climb of Argopuro Mountain

• Coming to the starting point without knowing the climbing activities are being closed.
• Do the hike alone and not being well informed.
• Doing the hike without proper equipment.
• Climbing without being accompanied by someone who knows the conditions and direction of the hiking trail.

We have talked about the preparation before climbing Mt. Argopuro. Now let’s talk about the hike itself!

Mt. Argopuro Hikes and Climbs

The series of Hyang-Argopuro Mountains, one of the most beautiful hiking trails on Java, is about 50 km long. The hiking trail is very long and in a very large area, requires you to travel for approximately 5 days. The official hiking trail is currently known to be from and to 2 villages, namely village of Baderan (750 masl) and Bremi Village (990 masl). Both of these lines will meet at the top because climbing usually starts from point A and ends at point B.

Mt. Argopuro Hiking through Baderan Village

Starting the ascent from Baderan Village, you will start with cobbled streets arranged neatly along the climbing path to the end of the farm field. A very beautiful stretch of valley with several waterfalls will be presented on your right side. This path will greatly drain your stamina, especially with the weight of the backpack you carry. You can use a ojek to get to the end of this rocky road. By paying IDR 50,000, you will save 2-3 hours through this route.

After walking for approximately 3-4 hours through a narrow and slippery trail due to frequent motorbikes, you will arrive at Mata Air 1 Post (1,810 masl). Here you can eat lunch and fill your water supply. There is a small river flowing to the left of the hiking trail. You have to go down about 15 meters to reach this river.

After Mata Air 1 Post, the hiking trail is still a small path that will take you to the gate of the Hyang-Argopuro Wildlife Reserve. About 45 minutes walk from the monument of the regional border, you will arrive at Mata Air 2 Post (2,150 masl). Here you can spend the night and set up a tent. This area can accommodate up to 5 large capacity tents. Here, there is also a small river to the right of the path and the last water source before you arrive at Cikasur. To reach this river, you have to go down about 35 meters from the path. It is strongly recommended to fill all your water supplies here before you continue the journey to Cikasur.

The next trip to Cikasur (2,220 masl ) will be very long. Make sure you have enough water during the trip because you will not see a water source again until you arrive at Cikasur. From Mata Air 2 Post, you will walk along the path past the Alun-alun Kecil Post (2,145 masl) which is a savanna with trees standing in the middle of the savanna. Next to follow the path, you will arrive at Alun-alun Besar Post (2,311 masl) which is also a very wide stretch of savanna. Here you can take a break for lunch. From the Alun-alun Besar Post, there is also a shortcut to the summit. This shortcut path will later meet the path from Cikasur at the Lonceng savanna. This line will cut your trip around 12 hours. Also keep in mind that very few people understand this shortcut. From Alun-alun Besar Post, you will continue the journey to Cikasur, which can take around 3-4 hours.

Cikasur (2,220 masl) is a very big savanna field. In the Dutch colonial era, this area also functioned as an airport to meat supplies. In this Cikasur savanna you can see the remains of buildings used by Dutch army as deer slaughterhouses. In the middle of this savanna you can find a river with very clear water and lots of overgrown watercress plants. This area is included in the Qolbu River Nature Reserve area, you can fill your water supply in this river. You can also spend the night at this savanna before continuing the journey.

Before continuing the journey, you must really pay attention to the path you will be going through. Because if you choose the wrong path, then you will get lost toward Tunjung Lake. The correct hiking trail to Cisentor is on the right side of the Qolbu River. Cisentor (2,445 masl) is a valley on the river bank. From here you have to choose the lane next to Cisentor’s hut to go to Rawa Embik Post (2,775 masl). Rawa Embik is a savanna located in the middle of a valley, this place you can use to spend the night before continuing the journey to the Peak of Argopuro. There is a small river here that you can use to fill your water supply.

From the Rawa Embik Post you have to make sure to bring enough water for the trip to the summit until you arrive at Taman Hidup Lake. Approximately 3 hours walking from Rawa Embik you will arrive at Lonceng Savanna. The left side of the Lonceng Savanna is Rengganis Peak (3,060 masl) which is also a dead crater. At Puncak Rengganis you can also find the ruins of the castle which is believed to be the castle of Dewi Rengganis. On the right side of the Lonceng Savanna is the Argopuro Peak (3,088 masl) and Arca Peak (3,015 masl).

Next you have to continue the journey down through the path after the Arca Peak. You must be careful because this path is very narrow and steep. Approximately 1 hour of walking down, you will arrive at Cemara Lima Post. From here you have to travel about 2 hours across the slopes of Mount Taman Kering and tropical rain forest before you arrive at Taman Hidup Lake (1,956 masl). You can spend the night and fill your water supply on this lake. The water condition in the lake is not very good, it is recommended to boil it first before you drink it. If you don’t want to spend the night here, you can continue your journey to Bremi Village. Approximately 3 hours walk from Taman Hidup Lake, along with the descending path in the middle of the tropical forest and resin plantations, you will arrive at the hut bordering the forest with fields. From here you still have to continue the journey through the farm fields for 30 minutes to arrive at the Bremi Climbing Post. Be careful when crossing this road because there are many branches. You can ask farmers to find out the way to the Bremi Climbing Post.

Mt. Argopuro Hiking through Bremi Village

The climbing route from Bremi Village is the same as the route traveled from Baderan Village, just turning around. From the Bremi Climbing Post you have to go to Taman Hidup Lake which takes around 4 hours. You can take a break and have lunch at Taman Hidup Lake. Make sure you have enough water before you continue the journey, because you will not find any water resource again until you arrive at the Rawa Embik Post.

If you are able to walk quickly, you will need about 3 hours to arrive at Cemara Lima Post. You can stay overnight in this area or choose to continue the journey to the top. From the Cemara Lima post to the summit you must really pay attention to the available sign, because if you choose the wrong path then you will rotate to Cisentor Post without going through the peak. From Cemara Lima you will need about 3-4 hours of climbing up steep cliffs to arrive at Lonceng Savanna.

After arriving at the Lonceng Savanna, you can start to climb the three peaks around you. From Lonceng Savanna, you have to follow the trail downhill to the Rawa Embik Post, here you can fill your drinking water supply with clean water from the small river that flows here.

From Rawa Embik Post, you only need to follow the hiking trail to go to Cisentor Post. From Cisentor Post you have to cross the river then climb the steep cliff to go to Cikasur Post. You have to be careful because the road you are going through is very narrow and the chasm stretches on your right side. It takes approximately 2 hours to arrive at Cikasur from Cisentor Post.

Arriving at the Cikasur Post, you can spend the night and fill your water supply. From Pos Cikasur you can continue the journey directly to the Baderan Climbing Post if you are not tired. The journey from Cikasur to the field border takes around 7 hours. It is highly recommended if you have a Baderan Climbing Post telephone number because you can order ojek services to pick you up from the field boundary to the Baderan Climbing Post at a cost of IDR 50,000.

All aspects of Mount Argopuro climbing have been mentioned. Now it’s time to talk about Mount Argopuro itself! For those of you who are curious, below you will find an explanation of the Hyang-Argopuro Mountains, along with the history and myths .

Mountain Argopuro

Argopuro is a mountain complex volcano located in East Java . The highest point of Mount Argopuro is at an altitude of 3,088 masl. Argopuro is a former volcano, which is no longer active now.

Mount Argopuro itself is included in the Hyang Plateau Wildlife Reserve with an area of around 14,117 ha. Wildlife Plateau Region Hyang -Argopuro itself has some types of ecosystems, among others are as follows:

Tropical Rain Forest Ecosystem

In this type of ecosystem, there is tropical forest vegetation, located at an altitude of 1200-1900 m above sea level. The species composition and structure of the vegetation varies from understorey, shrubs, seedlings, saplings, and trees. Trees within this area can reach more than 30 meters high. The types of vegetation in this ecosystem include Jamuju (Podocarpus imbricatus), Oak (Quercus sp), Sapen, a plant of Junglandaceae family (Engelhardia spicata) and Poplar (Homalanthus sp).

Pine Forest Ecosystem

It is located at an altitude of 2000-3000 m asl . This type of ecosystem is dominated by pine forest vegetation ( Casuarina junghuniana ), often called coniver forest because it is dominated by needle-leaved trees. Pine forests are secondary forests that have climaxed and are able to grow naturally in areas of volcanic ash, landslides, rocky slopes, and sandy ravines. On the lower floors are covered by mountain herbs, among others Euphorbia javanica, Poligonum chinense, Pteridium,and Elsholzia Pubescens .

Savanna Ecosystem

This type of savanna ecosystem occurs due to continuous forest destruction by forest fire. These ecosystems can be found in Alun-alun Besar, Cikasur, Alun-alun Kecil, and Lonceng Savanna. The dominant types include reed (Imperata cylindrica) , Pennisetum alopecurodies, Euphorbia sp and Pteridium sp .

Swamp / Lake Ecosystem

Swamp or lake ecosystems in Argopuro area are mainly concentrated around Taman Hidup Lake and Tunjung Lake which are dominated by herbal species, including: Alchemilla villosa, Eriocaulon sollyanum, Rynchospora rungosa, Carex sp, Cyperus flairdus, Oeennantjhe javanica, and Scirpus spp .

In addition to the amazing variety of ecosystems, you can also find several types of animals that live in the Hyang-Argopuro Wildlife Reserve. The types of animals that can be found here are Timor Deer (Cervus timorensis), Wild Boar (Sus scrofa and Sus verocosus–verocosus), Deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Bobcat (Felis bengalensis), Weasel (Mustela flavigola and Mustela lutreola) and Javanese Lutung (Tracypithecus auratus). Many types of birds found in this area include the Chicken Forest (Gallus varius and Gallus gallus), Peacock (Pavo muticu) and Eagle (Falconidae).

In addition to the array of flora and fauna that is very interesting to pass up, the Hyang-Argopuro Mountains region itself also has a history of the Dutch colonial era in Indonesia. You can see the historical evidence in the Savanna Cikasur area. A vast plain that used to function as an airstrip. Dutch troops built a foundation in this place to send supplies of venison. You can also see some Dutch heritage buildings in Cikasur Savanna which used to function as deer slaughterhouses.

Besides Cikasur, the top of Rengganis also has its own historical value. Some geologists claim that the Rengganis Peak was once a volcanic crater. If you are here, you will still smell the remnants of sulfur odor. In addition to the former crater, if you go around the Rengganis Peak, you will find ruins of a rocks arranged building resembling a temple. Local residents believe that this place was once the palace of Dewi Rengganis, a princess from the era of the Majapahit Kingdom.