Ijen

Breathing experience! You can buy Tickets and rent gas masks at the start of the trail but the gates open at exactly 2 o'clock in the night. No need to be there early. The climp tests your fitness but the path is no problem for anyone and if you take your time you will certainly get up there before sunrise. At the actuall blue fire point, it is going to be really crowded. So if you have the fitness to go there by yourself, be early and be quick. Only when you do it like this, you will get a short time of peacefulness at the blue fire site. Take a little snack with you to eat while waiting for the sunrise because the crater lake shines in an electric blue after the sun lights the landscape.
I would recommend to do it on your own if you feel comfortable, but with or without a group it is a magical experience.

Edit: Be aware that there is a new rule to bring a health certificate. You can get one at every doctor in the area. It takes aboit 15 minutes. We paid 30.000 per person.

Awesome trip to Mount Ijen. It was an arduous two hours climb up to the top of Mount Ijen. The subsequent climb down to see the Blue Flame was quite gruelling due to the steep and difficult terrain. The Blue Flame was an amazing sight. You will need a gas mask for breathing and note that the sulphuric fumes will irritate the eyes. The blue lake was beautiful and scenic

Amazing place. Hike took about 4-5h to the crater and back. Time taken for the hike will differ as I took quite long to take photos at the crater. Some parts of the hike are quite steep, but you can just rest/call for a 'taxi'. 'Taxi' is basically sitting in a rickshaw and getting carried up by some of the locals there. Try and get to the crater before sunrise to catch the Bluefire!

Great. You NEED medical certificate from hospital before you go. 20k. I never tried without 1 tho. Camping around the carpark was fine n free. Gates open 2am, office for 100k ticket opens earlier. Get in front of all the people to experience the blue flames to yourself, be fit n fast. Hike back up to crater for sunrise. Awesome day.

What a magical experience! We took a tour to climb Mount Ijen, left our hotel at 12.15am and arrived back at 9.15am exhausted but so fulfilled. We knew about the blue fire and always hoped to see that but the sulphur lake is amazing too. Once in a lifetime experience, highly recommend.

We have a video all about the experience including top tips (take a jacket it can get very cold! But if you forget you can rent jackets there for £2.50). Youtube is @rkbackpacking

The track Is friendly for beginner, and also they provide a taxi trolley if u r not strong enough to walk. The trolley will cost u 700k-900k rupiah for going up and down, the prize is depend by the season.

Easily accessible by scooter from Banyuwangi (I had 125cc). Leave around 00:50 to be at the parking lot before 2am. Ticket costs 100k (weekday). Be at the front when the gate opens to avoid being stuck with all the tours. Make sure you have a mask for the descent into the crater.

Reach the crater before all the tours and begin going down with your mask. I didn't stay too long because tourists quickly swarm the area and it becomes way too crowded.

Go back to the top for sunrise and enjoy the views. You'll see all the headlamps still going down the narrow path and crowding the area. Great experience on a Monday. Don't go on a weekend.

It's one hell of a Trek. Doable but tiring. The path is not challenging but definitely tiring.

Start your Trek up by 2am (that means leaving around 1-1.30am from your accommodation in/around Banyuwangi) if you wish to see the blue fire up top. It'll take you about 90-120 mins depending on fitness and how many breaks you take.

Definitely walk up till the sunrise point where you can get a panoramic view of the crater but the landscape around it. It gets pretty crowded so try to visit on a weekday vs weekend.

You'll get access to snacks and shops at stop points all the way to the crater.

Best time to attempt the Trek is in the mornings. Once the sun is out. It can get very warm.

The Kawah Ijen has the largest high-acid crater lake in the world. It is also one of three places in the world where you can see the so-called "blue fire" or burning sulfur. Of course, this is only best seen at night. That is why the night tour starts at 2 am when the "park" officially opens. You are accompanied by a local guide, in my case Addi who did not speak a word of English but was still helpful in his way with helping you descend and with climbing because it is tough if you want to do this tour (in my case untrained and 60 years old 😁) Beforehand you got the advice to wear warm clothing, including a jacket, for me the temperature was not too bad as a Dutchman, but I saw lots of people wearing hats and even gloves 😄 I can also emphasize that this jacket bothered me quite a bit simply because you sweat like an otter during the climb. The distance to travel to the crater and the "blue fire" is approximately 3 km, with the first 1.5 km going up steeply, which is really not easy, I can tell you. I also have to admit that I've had on some point the feeling, I'll stop 😊 but these kinds of occasions/moments are excellent for pushing your boundaries 😂 which I did because you started something and that's why you want to end up by doing it too simply because you just want to finish something and see what you started for. Although I must admit that the last part (about 200 meters) to the crater is over boulders and gravel which is not easy because it is sometimes slippery and you can easily slip. Also because it is quite crowdy because you are definitely not the only one in that respect, so you really have to be careful. Because you also have to deal with people who have already been to the crater and are going back up again and passing is quite difficult on those narrow rocks. Eventually you reach the sulfur mine with the "blue fire", the fumes there force you to put on a gas mask and the stinging in your eyes is also unprecedented.
But it is an amazing experience even though it is so crowdy 😁 I also planned to see the sunrise but I was too late because my journey to the crater had taken too long. Nevertheless, I thought it was beautiful to see it and the azure blue gets more and more color as it gets lighter, what a beautiful sight. All in all, I recommend everyone to do this tour, but don't underestimate the "journey" to it.

There are also, as the locals call it, taxis that take you up and down again. These carts with a sturdy brake are operated by former miners since the sulfur mine can no longer employ so many people and in this way the "redundant" miners still have a certain form of income. I must admit that I am not jealous of these men who really have to work hard and sometimes have to bring tourists up with three people. The price you pay for this "taxi ride" there and back is approximately IDR 1,000,000, which converts to approximately Euro 60 unless you have haggled. I must admit that I was also guilty by using this on the way back, but for the last 400 meters because I was curious to also experience this experience. Well I can tell you if they have to guide someone like me weighing 95 kilos down a steep road with ruts and grooves in the sand and tree roots then it is really heavy and I did not think it was necessary to pay the price of IDR 200,000 to haggle.

Although the proportions in terms of income are somewhat skewed as the miners who still work in the sulfur mine have to settle for considerably less. These people who work without protection from 00:00 to 09:00 and every time have to carry baskets of sulfur weighing about 60 kilos 🙈 upstairs, in words and writing IDR 20,000 are converted to Euro 12. Which of course is completely out of proportion to what the "taxi drivers " to get. I am therefore afraid that these people who have to lug those heavy baskets upstairs every time will not have a long life. Sad!
The entire "walk" up and to the crater took me about 2 hours, as I did make use of the various rest points along the way.

Incredible hike to the heart of the volcano. Not easy, fost all the say up and then 1 hour down at night with thick sulfur air. Dont forget your mask. But it's all worth it. And of course the main treat is the blue lava!

Great views of the acid lake and surrounding areas. If you want to see the bluefire you must reach the base (parking and merting point) by 2.00am and start the hike to the top which will take around 1hr to max 1 ½ hour and then you will need to hike down to the blue fire/ lake another 1 hr ( steeper and more challenging).

TIP:
1. Do not go here on weekends it's too busy with domestic tourists.
2. Bring normal face masks as it gets too dusty when climbing specially if there are people ahead of you.
3. The chemical gas masks are provided by the guides. We were given 3M brand which was a suprise and great quality. Bring goggles to protect your eyes if you are heading to the bluefire/ acid lake.
4. Let the sulphur miners pass by when you see them, they have right of access as they do hard labour and this is one way of respecting them.

We didn't expect that we had to climb for more than three hours with steep and sharp lanes to the ijen's peak. There are many 'taxis' that offer you service to the top of the mountain. It is like rickshaw that you can hop on with two people pulling this taxi until reach the peak. Due to peak season (Christmas and new year holiday) they will ask you around 1,3-1,5 million rupiah. We recommend you to not using the service unless you have problems with your health or don't have good stamina. Our climbing was paying off after we saw a magnificent panoramic views and it is worth to come back again if we have time in the future. Do not expect to see the blue fire on the crater!

Fantastic place.
For 100k on weekday or 150k on weekend and around 1-2 hours hike you get to the place with absolutely fantastic view which you definitely don’t want to miss.

Also if you are injured or just lazy locals will carry you on top and back on a small trolley. Around 500-800k up and around 200k to go down

I was scared of doing this hike after reading about how hard it was. For context, I’m 25, thin and no mobility issues but I’m not really fit. At all. So I was hesitant to do the hike but went ahead anyway. Let me tell you, were faster than 80% of the people! My guide was just as tired as me! It’s challenging, sure. And you get tired. But if you have no mobility issues you can definitely do it. You can also stop as much as you want, there’s people taking breaks along the way. Me, being really unfit, just stopped twice. You also have the option of taking the taxi trolleys all along the way so if you feel like you can’t keep going up they will carry you up for a fee. As it is steep the way back down is uncomfortable on the knees but again, I don’t think it was such a big deal. Lastly, the hike up lasted way less than I thought it would. In no time we were 2/3 of the way up. And once at the top is flat. If you go down to the crater to see the blue flames try to get there before the crowds as if not it gets uncomfortable with so many people!

This is an absolute must if in Java. We did a sunrise walk up the crater it was an incline but gradual for around 4KM. The view at the top was incredible, honestly cannot recommend this enough as the pictures look amazing but actually being there is something else entirely.

This place is so beautiful! The colors of the crater lake and mountains changing while the sun rises, the sun rising from the sea side, the hiking trail, everything is very special there. Definitely recommend a visit!

It rained the day and night before our sunrise trek so we decided to start the trek at 7AM instead of 4AM to have a better chance of viewing the lake since it was supposed to be clearer around 9-10AM. I would really recommend checking the hourly weather at Ijen if there is rain since it will help you plan the start of your trek accordingly. Many websites give you the hourly weather info. I would suggest postponing your trek by a few hours for better chance of lake visibility since it can get really foggy up there and can ruin your chance of seeing the beautiful lake.

Rain had made the track a bit slippery in parts but it wasn't that bad. Since I am a beginner at hiking, I had built some leg strength by climbing stairs several times a day for a month or so before the trek and it really helped. I managed to complete the trek with relative ease. The track is well worn and not that difficult if you do it slowly. Trekking shoes with good traction are a must since it can be easy to slip. We had a walking pole as well which helped a lot. We didn't need gas masks at the top.

The view from the top was amazing and the trek is so so worth it! The terrain at Ijen is just otherworldly. Carry some snacks and hot coffee to enjoy at the top if you like.

we climbed for 1.10. The climb isn't hard, but it's not exactly easy either. there is no point in going there at dawn. firstly, you will not see the dawn, because mountains block it, and secondly, several hundred people will go with you, who will prevent you from climbing and enjoying the views at the top. the best option is to start climbing at 7-8 o'clock in the morning, at this time all tourists will return back. climbing the volcano you will be left alone, you can take good photos and enjoy the beauty of the lake all alone.

Recently,you only can start trekking at 4am so you can't have an opportunity to see blue fire due to rising volume on the carter.

But It's still a magnificent experience

(Hike done in sept 2022)
The most spectacular way to see Ijen is by hiking up in the middle of the night to see both the blue flames as well as the sunrise. We did it as a 'day' trip from Ubud, Bali by taking the ferry between Gilimanuk and Ketapang. There are multiple roadside travel agencies scattered around Ubud, though most only focus on the volcanoes on Bali. Eventually, we found Blue Flame Tour agency online.

Volcano Ascent

Since you’re starting at night at an altitude of 1800m, it can be quite chilly at about 10°C (sept 2022). The gates open at 2 am and the walk up is about two hours during which you'll be warming up in no time. Some parts of the path can be somewhat slippery, especially after rain. For a fee, the sulphur miners offer to take you up in carts, but if you have moderate fitness, you can do the walk up just fine.

The walk up from 1800m to 2300m is in complete darkness, so be sure to bring a torch or head light if it is not included. We walked up with about 300 others, but on peak (holi)days this can be up to several thousands.

Blue Flames

Once you've hiked up to the crater rim, it's time go down again! It takes another hour to go down the crater in a long line together with the other tourists. As it's still dark and the path is very rocky, the descent can be quite tricky.

At the bottom you should be able to see the unique blue flames where the sulphur fumes exit the vents, come in contact with oxygen, and ignite.

If you're lucky with the wind, you won't need your gas mask until you're all the way down. Although even with a mask on, you'll still smell the rotten eggs. Furthermore, your eyes might start to burn, which is why guides will advise you to stay a maximum of 15 minutes at the bottom before going back up.

Sulphur Mining

As the sulphur fumes condense and solidify, big chunks of solid yellow sulphur are formed. These are carried up in baskets by the miners, and two full baskets weigh up to 60 kg. As most of the miners have been doing this from a young age (sometimes even at 16 years old), they are used to the smell and do not wear gas masks.

At the rim of the crater, the sulphur chunks are placed into carts and transported down the mountain. For every 100 kg the miners receive Rp125,000. Most sulphur is turned into sulphuric acid for chemical and agricultural use, though pharmaceuticals and cosmetics also use their fair share.

The clear blue colour of the crater lake is also because of the sulphur. It is actually recognized as the most acidic lake in the world with a pH as low as 0.2!

Sunrise Views

Once you climb back up after viewing the blue flames, the sun will start to rise. Even though the sun will rise mostly behind the neighbouring mountain Merapi, the hue on the surrounding mountains will be beautiful to see, as well as the views over the surrounding area.

After taking a walk around the area, especially along the rim up top to get some beautiful views of the crater lake, it's time to walk back down again. The way back down is the same as up, and now you'll see which path you've exactly walked in the middle of the night.

Along the route, some shops will be opened to get some breakfast and stop for a toilet break.

Tips:

• Sturdy shoes - Be sure to wear some good hiking shoes, especially for the descent into the crater, as this part can be quite rocky and slippery. The path going up was slippery due to the loose sand and can also become really muddy with rain.
• Comfy and warm clothes - It is cold in the early morning and quite a hike so we recommend comfortable and warm layers. The path is clear of vegetation and we weren't bothered by any insects.
• Rain gear - Make sure to bring some rain gear just in case.
• Torch/headlamp - If you choose to do the hike before sunrise bring a torch or a headlamp.
• Snacks - Bring snacks as you are hiking in the night with probably little to no sleep and are probably skipping breakfast or eating breakfast after the hike. We noticed that with an empty stomach the fumes were quite overwhelming.