Gunung Karacak

Information

Elevation

1.838 m

Country

Indonesia (ID)

Location / Range

Southern Garut highlands, between Mount Cikuray and Mount Galunggung, West Java

Mountain type

Non-volcanic mountain (watershed divide between the Cimanuk and Ciwulan rivers)

Volcanic?

No (non-volcanic)

Coordinates

-7.2692, 107.9719

Difficulty

Easy (very beginner-friendly, about 2–3 hours from the Karacak Valley basecamp)

Best Season

April–October (dry season); avoid during rain because the trail is slippery

Permits & Rules

Karacak Valley entry ticket: Rp 10,000 (adults), Rp 5,000 (children); additional fee for camping; manager: Perhutani KPH Garut

Hazards

Soil and root trails become slippery when raining; no water source on the trail to the summit; the area borders the volcanic zone of Mount Galunggung

Description

Gunung Karacak (1,838 m) straddles the border of Garut and Tasikmalaya Regencies in West Java, situated between the prominent peaks of Gunung Cikuray and Gunung Galunggung. The mountain's ridge forms a natural watershed divide separating the Cimanuk River basin — which drains to the Java Sea on the north coast — from the Ciwulan River basin, draining to the Indian Ocean on the south. At its foot lies Karacak Valley, a 92-hectare Perhutani-managed pine forest and coffee plantation park that serves as the main trailhead and camping area. The summit zone encompasses several connected peaks including Karacak II, Gede, Putri, Kukusan, and Pasir Rari. With gentle, manageable trails taking roughly 2–3 hours from the basecamp, Gunung Karacak is an ideal first mountain for beginner hikers.