Puncak Gunung Patuha

Information

Elevation

2.434 m

Country

Indonesia (ID)

Location / Range

Bandung Regency, West Java — about 50 km southwest of the city of Bandung

Mountain type

Twin stratovolcano, now dormant

Volcanic?

Yes — volcano

Coordinates

-7.1625, 107.4000

Difficulty

Moderate — the trail from Cipanganten village (southwest of the mountain) through forest reaches the crater rim in about 30 minutes; the route via Kawah Putih is more crowded with tourists but does not reach the highest point

Best Season

April–October (Java's dry season; better visibility of the crater lake, drier trails)

Permits & Rules

Kawah Putih area entrance ticket applies for the tourist route; the climbing route via Cipanganten passes through plantation land — coordinate with the local community

Hazards

Sulfur gas emissions (H₂S/SO₂) around Kawah Putih, especially when the wind shifts direction; thick fog; slippery crater walls; unpredictable changes in the color and temperature of the crater water

Description

Puncak Gunung Patuha (2,434 m) is the highest point of a twin stratovolcano in Bandung Regency, West Java, known locally as Gunung Sepuh and in ancient records as Gunung Malaya. Its north summit (Kawah Saat) is the highest point, now blanketed in forest and long dormant; the south summit holds Kawah Putih, a white-green sulphurous crater lake that ranks among West Java's most visited natural attractions. Geological records indicate two historic eruptions — one in the 10th century and another in the 13th century — the latter forming the Kawah Putih basin. The name 'Patuha' is believed to derive from the Sundanese 'Pak Tua' (elder or old man), referencing a legend of village elders gathering at the summit. The mountain features in the 500-year-old Sundanese-Hindu manuscript Bujangga Manik as the culminating destination of a spiritual pilgrimage journey.