Kawah Ijen

On the easternmost end of the Indonesian island of Java is The Regency of Banyuwangi, home to Kawah Ijen. Standing at 2,600 meters or 8,660 feet above sea level, Kawah Ijen is part of the Ijen volcano, an active volcano topped with a large caldera of molten sulfuric acid.

Despite the dangers it posses as an active volcano, Kawah Ijen is the main attractions of Banyuwangi. Everyday, hundreds of tourists trek to its scenic crater to see the turquoise colored crater lake. Meanwhile, local miners brave the hazards daily just to harvest solid sulfur from the caldera.

There are two possible routes to reach Kawah Ijen – the popular Bandowoso from the west and the shorter yet unpopular Banyuwangi from the east. During my last year’s trip to Bali, I was able to trek to do a solo trek to Kawah Ijen using the Banyuwangi route and personally witness the grandeur that this active volcano posseses. It was generally an easy trek, with gradually ascending trail that is mostly shaded, everyone can do even without a guide.

Here are the images I took on my solo trek to Kawah Ijen. For the narrative of my trek, check out  my Solo DIY Trek to Kawah I Ijen.