Gunung Papandayan

Information

Elevation

2.665 m

Country

Indonesia (ID)

Location / Range

Sunda Arc, Garut Regency, West Java

Mountain type

Complex stratovolcano

Volcanic?

Yes — volcano

Coordinates

-7.3175, 107.7306

Difficulty

Easy–Moderate — suitable for beginners; gentle trail with a crater area to explore

Best Season

April–October (dry season; May–September best)

Permits & Rules

Entry ticket at the TWA Papandayan gate; domestic fee Rp20,000 (weekday) – Rp40,000 (weekend/holiday), foreigners Rp200,000–Rp300,000; camping extra Rp35,000. No SIMAKSI required.

Hazards

Toxic gases (SO₂, H₂S, CO₂) from active fumaroles at Kawah Baru and Kawah Emas; acidic mud pools with pH 1.2–4.6; entry banned within 500 m of the active crater (PVMBG Level I Normal); potential ongoing volcanic unrest; blue flames at Kawah Baru

Description

Mount Papandayan is a complex stratovolcano in Garut Regency, West Java, Indonesia, located about 50 km southeast of Bandung and rising to 2,665 m. It contains four active crater basins — Kawah Nangklak, Kawah Emas, Kawah Manuk, and Kawah Baru — with intense fumarolic activity emitting sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and steam. The 1772 eruption produced a catastrophic debris avalanche that destroyed 40 villages, and the most recent eruption occurred in November 2002. Managed as a Nature Tourism Area (Taman Wisata Alam), it is one of West Java's most accessible volcanoes, popular with beginners for its crater walk, the eerie Hutan Mati dead forest, and the edelweiss meadow at Tegal Alun. PVMBG currently monitors it at Alert Level 1 (Normal).