GUNUNG · Indonesia

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).

Gallery

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

Routes

Via Camp David (Cisurupan) — Kawah — Pondok Saladah — Tegal Alun

Mudah / ramah pemula

4–6 jam ke Tegal Alun (umumnya 2 hari 1 malam, bermalam di Pondok Saladah)

Papandayan's main and most popular route starts at the Camp David gate in Cisurupan, immediately passing the still-active Papandayan crater complex with its sulphurous solfataras, then climbing to the Pondok Saladah campground. From there hikers can continue to the Dead Forest (Hutan Mati) and the Tegal Alun edelweiss meadow. The terrain is relatively gentle and well-marked, making it well suited to beginners.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Mount Papandayan (2,665 m) in Garut, West Java, is one of the most beginner-friendly hikes. Its signature draws are the sulphurous active crater complex right at the trailhead, the Pondok Saladah campground, the iconic Dead Forest (Hutan Mati), and the Tegal Alun edelweiss meadow. The videos and write-ups below document real climbs via Camp David (Cisurupan), from the crater to the campsites, including trail conditions and camping tips.

References

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