GUNUNG · Indonesia

Gunung Lawu

Information

Elevation: 3.265 m
Country: Indonesia (ID)
Location / Range: Central Java – East Java border
Mountain type: Compound volcano (generally dormant)
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -7.6250, 111.1917
Difficulty: Moderate (popular, extreme cold at night)
Best Season: April–October (avoid the peak of the dry season, fire-prone)
Permits & Rules: Register at the basecamp (Cemoro Sewu, Cemoro Kandang, Candi Cetho)
Hazards: Extreme cold at night, rocky trail, wildfires during the dry season

Description

Mount Lawu (3,265 m) on the Central Java–East Java border is a compound volcano, generally dormant and rich in spiritual and historical sites such as Cetho and Sukuh temples. Its summit is Hargo Dumilah. Popular routes are Cemoro Sewu and Cemoro Kandang (Central Java side) and Candi Cetho (East Java side). Lawu is famous for Mbok Yem's legendary warung near the summit. Main hazards are extreme overnight cold, rocky terrain, and wildfire risk in the dry season.

Entry Fees & Tickets

🕒 Riset terakhir: 23 Juni 2026 pukul 09.00 WIB

Climbing tickets for Mount Lawu are fairly uniform across all official trails: registration/permit around Rp20,000 per person (the Central Java provincial site lists Rp15,000 for Cemoro Kandang). Motorbike parking Rp10,000 and car Rp25,000. The Cemoro Kandang route has operating hours of 07:00–17:00 WIB. A self-supported 2-day-1-night trip totals roughly Rp600,000–Rp700,000 per person including transport and logistics.

Climbing ticket/registration (Cemoro Sewu, Cemoro Kandang, Candi Cetho) Rp20,000 per person (the general rate applied across the Mount Lawu area).
Entry via Cemoro Kandang (official Central Java provincial source) Rp15,000 per person per visitjawatengah.jatengprov.go.id; open 07:00–17:00 WIB.
Motorbike parking Rp10,000.
Car parking Rp25,000.
Singolangu trail The newest official trail (opened 2018), starting from ~1,100 masl; rates follow the area pattern, confirm the latest figure with the basecamp.
Estimated total self-supported 2D1N trip About Rp600,000–Rp700,000 per person (including transport, ticket, and logistics) if without a porter and carrying your own gear.

Source

Planning & Access

How to reach the trailhead, with transport alternatives.

Solo Station (Purwosari/Solo Jebres) Cemoro Sewu / Cemoro Kandang Basecamp (Tawangmangu)

City bus / ojek / ride-hailing From the station to Tirtonadi Terminal. · City bus/Batik Solo Trans is cheap; ojek/ride-hailing by distance.
Intercity bus (Rukun Sayur / Langsung Jaya) Tirtonadi Terminal to Tawangmangu Terminal. · Rp15,000–Rp20,000 per person; runs until around dusk.
Angkot / L300 (shared) Tawangmangu market/terminal to Cemoro Sewu or Cemoro Kandang basecamp. · Rp15,000–Rp25,000 per person depending on passenger count; pricier at night.

For groups it's more practical to charter an L300 straight from Solo Jebres Station to basecamp, ~Rp300,000–Rp400,000 one way.

Stay Alert & Safety Tips

Be careful to avoid scammers. Information compiled from climber experiences & trusted sources.

thunderstormWeather Lawu is very cold year-round, even in the dry season. Hypothermia is the most common cause of death: in August 2025 a climber died near Post 3 on the Cetho trail, suspected hypothermia. Bring a jacket, sleeping bag, warm spare clothes, and be in top condition.
thunderstormWeather Thick fog & quiet trails can affect your mind and orientation; keep a Positive Mental Attitude, don't push too hard, and don't split off from your group.
warningRoads Some sections were damaged and temporarily closed for rehabilitation for safety; check trail open/close status before departing.
warningRoads The Cemoro Sewu trail is mostly arranged stone & relatively safe, but the dirt trails (Cetho/Cemoro Kandang) can be very slippery in the rainy season; use appropriate footwear.
infoInfo Lawu is steeped in tradition & customary taboos (e.g. restrictions on certain clothing colors, behaving politely). Respect the taboos to avoid trouble, and don't perform rituals alone in the cold terrain as it is potentially fatal.
infoInfo The Cemoro Kandang basecamp closes at night and climbing is limited to 07:00–17:00 WIB; plan your timing so you aren't stuck on the trail after dark when temperatures plunge.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Via Candi Cetho

Berat

2 hari

Jalur panjang nan sakral dari Jateng melewati situs candi.

Via Cemoro Kandang

Sedang

1–2 hari

Jalur paling landai dari sisi Jateng, lebih panjang.

Via Cemoro Sewu

Sedang

1–2 hari

Jalur batu tertata dari sisi Jatim, tersingkat ke Hargo Dumilah; ada warung Mbok Yem.

Climbing Experiences

Climbing Mount Lawu often goes via Cemoro Sewu/Cemoro Kandang or Candi Cetho, to the Hargo Dumilah summit. Hikers frequently mention the cold nights, the legendary Mbok Yem warung near the top, and the mountain's spiritual feel. The links below are real vlogs and trip reports, each verified reachable.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.