Kawah Ijen: all the tips for your volcano ascent

If you want to climb a volcano in Indonesia, Kawah Ijen is definitely recommended. Indonesia is home to 130 active volcanoes, making it the country with the most volcanically active regions in the world. In short, you really just can’t leave Indonesia without seeing a volcano. On the island of Java alone, you will find about 45 volcanoes, including Merapi, Bromo and, of course, Ijen Volcano. Found in East Java, this volcano is known for its bright blue crater lake. In addition to its unique beauty, the lake is also known for its sulfur mines.

The blue crater lake and blue fire of Ijen

Mount IJen’s impressive turquoise lake is caused by its high acidity and the presence of dissolved metals. Another unique phenomenon you can admire during your Ijen volcano climb is admiring the Blue Bluefire. When sulfur vapors ignite at high temperatures, blue flames are produced. These flames can only be admired in the dark. Also fun: the Kelimutu Volcano on Flores even has 3 blue crater lakes.

The top of the volcano is about 2799 meters which makes Ijen one of the highest peaks in java. Do you also want to climb the Ijen volcano? Then read on quickly for all our tips.

Banyuwangsi: The starting point of the Kawah Ijen ascent

If you are going to climb Mount Ijen, you will probably stop at Banyuwangi. What a great place name, right? To get here, it is best to take the train. This may cost a little more, but you save almost half on travel costs. From Surabaya, you can easily take a train to Banyuwangi, which takes about 5 hours. A train also goes from Yogyakarta, only it takes a little longer. If you are traveling on a tight budget, you can always take a bus.

We are big fans of Uber and Grab and have used this very much in Java. Unfortunately, these services stop at Banyuwangi. Once you arrive in Banyuwangi, you will have to arrange a cab somewhere, and they know how to charge nice prices.

Of course, it is also possible to book a tour for Ijen Volcano. You can even book a tour for both Bromo and Ijen and climb both volcanoes in 3 days. The starting point for these tours is often in Surabaya or Malang. View all hotels in Banyuwangi here.

Ijen trekking booking

Many people choose to combine Ijen trekking with a visit to the Bromo by booking a Bromo and Ijen tour. You will then visit both volcanoes in 3 days. This can be quite intense, as it requires you to get up early at night twice. But it is also possible to visit the volcanoes separately if you have a little more time, and we definitely recommend that.

We eventually chose to go to IJen alone. In hindsight, we do regret a bit, because Bromo also looks fantastic. Booking a tour can be done in several ways: at your accommodation, on the street, and yes, it is even possible to explore Ijen on your own.

You can also book the climb online in advance. View all options here >

What does an Ijen Tour cost?

The cost of visiting Kawah Ijen varies depending on what you choose: will you climb the volcano yourself or book a multi-day tour?

For just the entrance to Ijen, you pay about 100,000 to 150,000 rupees (about 6 to 9 euros).

For example, if you want to book the sunrise tour to Kawah Ijen, you should expect to pay between 30 and 80 euros per person. The cost depends on several factors: for example, do you need transportation? Will accommodation be arranged for you? And so on.

For the combination of Bromo and Ijen volcano ascent, you should consider between 150 and 300 euros per person, depending on the quality and scope of the trek. Are you going with a group or would you prefer a private tour? What kind of accommodation? Are meals included? Transportation? All of these factors affect the cost of your Ijen Volcano ascent.

In short, the cost of the Ijen Volcano ascent:

Cost Ijen entrance without tour: 6 – 9 euro entrance fee
Cost IJen ascent with guide: 30 – 80 euros per person
Cost 3-day tour Bromo and Ijen: 150 – 300 euros per person

Sunrise, Sunset or daytime Ijen climbing

Most people will visit Kawah Ijen during sunset because that’s when you can still see the blue fire. Your hike then begins at 2 a.m. in the morning. In 1.5 to 2 hours you walk to the top, and then you have to descend another 150 meters to the crater lake. Here you can admire the blue fire. Before the sun rises, hike back to the top to enjoy a beautiful sunrise. It is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, but the only downside to this tour is that it is incredibly crowded. In retrospect, I might have preferred a different time.

But there are also other options. Some people choose to do a hike at sunset or even climb the volcano during the day. As we walked back around 7 a.m., people were just coming up, and secretly I thought this was a pretty good idea. You have little heat by then and the largest mass is already gone. The only drawback is that you miss the unique blue fire. But if that’s not a must for you, I think Kawah Ijen is best visited in the morning. It is a lot quieter then and the view is really beautiful.

Another option is to visit the volcano precisely at sunset. Relatively few people do this. Even then the chances of spotting the blue fire are slim, but you share the summit of Ijen with only a small group of people.

What to wear and bring during your Ijen hike

At an altitude of 2,799 meters, it can get pretty chilly, so it’s smart to dress a little warmer. Above all, wear many layers during your Ijen ascent. Although it can be cold at the summit, hiking will soon get you warm, especially once the sun starts to shine. Layers are thus the key to comfort. It is also important to wear good shoes. The hike to the top is fairly easy, but the path to the crater lake can be a bit challenging.
It is also helpful to bring some water and, for example, a small snack, such as a banana or a granola bar. Along the way there are also some small stores where you can get some goodies.

Our Ijen Experience

We had both slightly underestimated the trek to the summit. We are quite athletic and I even regularly put on my running shoes for an easy 10 km. So when I was told that the Ijen trek could even be done by children, I thought it would be a breeze. Well, so it wasn’t. This was a completely different story. After all, we people from the low countries are not at all used to heights and steep slopes in pitch darkness. At first it went reasonably well, but after an hour of just walking steeply uphill, the drops of sweat did begin to appear on my forehead.

I had dressed myself like an Eskimo because everyone told me it would be SO cold. But when your guide wants to get to the top as fast as possible and run past everyone, you soon get pretty hot. After a few stops and about 2 hours of hiking, we reach the top and then another hike down awaits us.

The trip to the crater was my least favorite part. What a terrible crowd! By the hundreds, everyone is trying to get down a narrow path. Life-threatening and quite frustrating. Because there are always people who try to push ahead or can’t wait.

Bluefire

Once down we could admire the magical blue fire. And magical it certainly was. Very special and well worth the trek down. Not only the blue fire, but the miners still working there daily in the terrible sulfur stench were special to see. While we walk around with gas masks, they work here without any protection. Then they walk up with large baskets through the crowd of people (which is already difficult for us without baskets). Incredibly handsome./

A magical view

The sun slowly emerges behind the mountains and we decide to head back up. Again past the crowd, lots of waiting, and after a considerable climb, we reach the top. Since we left at 1 a.m., we haven’t seen anything of the area yet. But here we are at 5 a.m. with a beautiful sunrise and the most magical scenery. This is without a doubt the most beautiful view I have ever seen.

There we are at an altitude of 2,800 meters. When you look into the crater from the top, the blue fire is almost invisible, but you can see the blue lake inside the crater. Together with the fog and the rising sun, it is an extraordinary sight. But the view around the volcano is perhaps the most impressive. How beautiful this is. Everywhere you see beautiful mountains emerging from the clouds. A great experience.