Lawu Mountain

This review is suitable for you if you prefer to have an adventure especially if you have hiking as your hobby. The one that I'm talking about is Gunung Lawu. The term of gunung means mountain in English. Lawu mountain is a mountain that suitable to be a hiking place. The mountain itself is located in the border between East Java and Central Java. Half of the mountain is located in Magetan (East Java), the other one is in Solo (Central Java).

Lawu's height is 3265 above ocean surface. When you have a plan to do hiking in Lawu you can choose 2 different options about your route. If you like to try to do hiking with challenging road, quicker time, you can start your hiking from Cemoro Sewu. Cemoro Sewu is an entrance of Lawu mountain that located in Magetan. However, you may get tired easily when you pick that path because it's not gonna be easy way. The journey itself takes more of less about 7 hours from the entrance to Argo Dumillah, the name of the peak. While the other path, Cemoro Kandang in Solo (Central Java) is a easier way to the peak with flatter road but longer time. If you're planning to do easier way of hiking, Cemoro Kandang is the right choice for you. It takes about 9-10 hours ow walking without stopping. The road in Cemoro Kandang is flatter, in contrast to Cemoro Sewu, which has a hard challenging road. The texture of the road in Cemoro Sewu looks like a natural stair made from big rocks. You have to step more than thousand rock stairs until you find you don't want to count it anymore.

Lawu is a very cold place. Make sure you all have everything that your need is packed in your backpack. Warm jacket, gloves, pair of shocks, everything that makes you feel warmer must be taken. Flashlight, food, water, camera and don't forget plastic bag to collect your trash. Most people start their trip at night. So that's why you will need a flashlight. Don't worry because you won't get lost at Lawu because there will be only one road that you can follow from every entrance. However it's good idea to have somenone who experienced to accompany you.

Near the location of Cemoro Sewu entrance point, there are some house selling food, kind a traditional cafe. You may want to fill your stomach first to satisfy yourself. Give you more energy to start your hiking. Lawu would be so crowded with so many hikers come from every place in Indonesia. The most crowded event occurs in The Independence Day of Indonesia (where they have big ceremony at the peak), New Year, and 1 Syura (New Year based on Islamic Calender). That would be a mass hiking. You meet another people over and over again in every turn, every step. When you are in condition like that, the common way is to say "monggo" or excuse me and say hi.

The road to the peak of the mountain , there will be 5 different checkpoints. From the entrance up until the 3rd post, you will most likely walk in the forest. You will find a lot of gigantic rocks along in the way. All you can see in Lawu is spectacular. Feels like you are part of nature. Actually there is a reason why it's better to start the journey at night. The first one is to fight the cold. By the time when you walk at night, you will find that is not that really cold, because when you walk, your body produce more heat. So when you arrive at the peak, there will be less time left to wait the sunrise come, means less time to fight cold when you are resting in your tent. The second one is I mentioned it already, the sunrise. People go hiking in Lawu to watch it legendary sunrise. The last reason is when you are walking at night, It makes you harder to see the texture of the path so it helps you mentally to face the difficultness of the path.

When you arrive at the peak, which is called Argo Dumillah, you will feel that you are in the top of the world. Your position is above the clouds anyway. So when you look downside, you will see a ocean of clouds below you. Make you feel you wish you can fly and go to the clouds. It's so pretty. You would realize how amazing your world is. Prepare to watch the most beautiful sunrise on earth after your hardwork climbed up the mountain. Then take a picture to memorize your wonderful journey. When you are about to leave the peak, make sure you don't leave any trash. Kepp the mountain clean. Well, you ready to go home now. Visit Indonesia