Chasing Sunrises and Hidden Falls: An Unforgettable Journey to Mount Bromo and Madakaripura

November 9, 2024: A Long Travel Day and Off to Mount Bromo

We woke up again at 5:00 for the sunrise… and once again, it was cloudy! Fortunately, we had to get up early anyway, as today was a big travel day: taxi to the Karimunjawa harbor, boat to Jepara, taxi to Semarang, train to Surabaya, and finally a taxi to the hotel. Luckily, everything went smoothly; we even managed to change our tickets to a cheaper option and arrived earlier.

Lunch at Indonesian KFC while waiting for our train

Very comfortable seats

Trying to eat at the hotel turned out to be less successful: both restaurants were full, so we were directed to a strange spot at the front entrance. There, we had a mediocre meal at relatively high prices (and both Bintang and Coke were sold out—HOW?!). I even looked up how long Bintang stays good—9 months from when we drank it—making it even less excusable that they were out.

After a quick one-hour nap, we’re already on our way for an excursion to Mount Bromo!

November 10, 2024: Sunrise tour to Mount Bromo and the Magical Madakaripura Waterfall

We actually set off at 11:30 PM last night for our night excursion to Mount Bromo to catch the breathtaking sunrise from the top. We arrived at 2:00 AM and sipped coffee to pass the three hours until 5:00. When the sun finally rose, it was truly spectacular. Our guide even spoke English, and we spent hours chatting with her about all sorts of things—such a fun experience!

A snack and coffee while waiting for the sunrise

After that, we took a Jeep to the crater of Mount Bromo, where we had to walk up a bit further. It was amazing to look into the crater with steaming, toxic smoke rising.

At our guide’s urging, we snapped some photos with the Jeep before heading to breakfast. Apparently, we moved so quickly on the volcano that we were two hours ahead of schedule!

After a delicious Indonesian breakfast and three cups of coffee, we headed to our next stop: the magical, 200-meter-high Madakaripura Waterfall.

To reach the waterfall, we drove partway and then were taken by scooter by locals (they arranged this work with the government). After that, we walked 30 minutes along and through the river. The view at the falls was absolutely phenomenal, with water crashing down and trickling through the greenery in countless small waterfalls—a stunning sight!

Afterward, we returned to the hotel to rest, and in the evening, we visited a huge shopping mall, where we eventually had sushi for dinner. Good night, everyone!

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