Nachtwanderung zum Blauen Feuer von Ijen ab Bali in kleinen Gruppen

Die Tour zum Mount Ijen war für uns eine unglaubliche Erfahrung. Die Fahrt von Ubud aus, hat es aufgrund der Entfernung, ca. 7 Stunden Autofahrt und zusätzlich 1,5 Stunden auf der Fähre sowohl hin und zurück, etwas in sich, aber durch die Unterhaltung und Erklärungen unseres Fahrers Gusti, trotzdem angenehm. Der Aufstieg ist für geübte Bergwanderer kein Problem, der Abstieg zu den blauen Flammen etwas anspruchsvoller. Wir hatten den Guide Sherly, der an sich schon ein Highlight war, da er unglaublich witzig, informativ und aufmerksam war. Mit uns waren an dem Tag ca. 1.500 Menschen am Berg, die wir jedoch auch aufgrund unseres Guides weitestgehend hinter uns lassen konnten. An vollen Tagen, sollen sogar bis zu 3.000 Personen in der Nacht unterwegs sein. Kommen wir zum eigentlichen Ziel der Reise, die blauen Flammen und den Sonnenaufgang. Da der Sonnenaufgang nur in den Monaten Juni, Juli und August vom Kraterrand aus sichtbar ist, war er für uns kein Thema und die Priorität bei den Flammen... und die waren für uns eine atemberaubende Erfahrung. Das leuchten der blauen Flammen in der Dunkelheit sind unbeschreiblich und jeden Aufwand wert. Wir müssen jedoch auch darauf hinweisen, das die beißenden Gase manchmal die Sicht und auch das Atmen, trotz Maske, erschweren.

The drive to Kawah Ijen was very long, but our driver, Gede, did a great job. We mentioned that we wanted to try some of the local fruits, so he took us to a market and showed us how to pick out the good ones. There were 3 stops in total, the first one was at a coffee plantation where they gave us free samples of the coffee and tea. The second stop was at Ulun Danu, a beautiful temple, and is super calm and peaceful inside. Its a great place to have lunch and just relax. The third stop was at the Twin Lakes vantage point where you could see both of the lakes from very high up in the mountains. We were scheduled to start heading over to base camp by 1am. When we got there, we were greeted by our guide, Sherly. The hike up the mountain was a lot more tiring than we had expected, but it was worth it. Sherly was very funny, cracking jokes the whole time, and he also told us about how he used to be a sulfur miner for 2 years, and then became a guide for 12 years. We were able to see the blue flame, it was very surreal looking. When we were done looking at the flame, Sherly brought us to a vantage point for viewing the sunrise. We didnt really see the sun because of the fog, but the view of the lake was incredible as the sunlight slowly illuminated our surroundings. Sherly helped us take photos and videos this whole time, and even put together a cinematic video that he quickly edited. Overall really great experience, our guide, Sherly, did an excellent job. Our driver, Gede, was super accomodating, and did an excellent job as well. Gas masks and headlamps were provided. I would recommend bringing a small backpack with a few bottles of water. It can also get quite chilly so make sure to bring a thin jacket that you can store in your backpack. Dinner and breakfast was also provided at the homestay.

The landscapes you see during this trip are unmatchable, just pure beauty. Gusti is just the best driver ever, so flexible with stops and so skilled with van. Loved the meal stops we had. The mount Ijen part is very challenging but the reward you have at the end with THAT view is just crazy. Sherly is such a good and pure person, felt very safe even in the sulfur smoke. The homestay was also incredibly good, amazing food and rooms. If you want to experience something unique, you can definitely trust these people! Already missing Gusti and Sherly’s “don’t panic just close your eyes”