Mount Papandayan is one of the most beauty place to hiking
in West java, according to wikipedia Mount Papandayan located in Garut Regency,
to the southeast of city of Bandung in West Java, Indonesia. Its about 15 km to
the sounthwest of the town of Garut. The highest point of the mountain is 2,666
m ( 8,747 ft) below sea level.
When you come from Bandung its maybe take 2 or 3 hours in
the road or taking more time because of traffic, for the first time i come to
here using a motorbike with my friend, you dont need to worry to come here you
can use google maps for direction or you can ask a people in your way, if you
affraid you can ask a police in the road or you can come to their post.
This mount i think is the best for newbe climber, you can
hiking from bottom to the top for 2 or 3 hours or maybe faster its defend to
your speed, for me i think abouts 3 hours we dont count pricisely we often stop
for rest and take some food.
First place you will find when you come here its Gate. This gate
you will need to pay amount of money defent to your status. You can see in
picture below.
As you can see, we will pay amount of money about Rp.65.000
if you are local and using motorbike for one person, if you are not local or
not using motorbike you can count it by yourself. That the cost you need to pay
when you want to come here.
If you past this gate, the next place you will find its a
parking lot. They will divided by your type of vehicle, You will charge for
parking defend your activities in mount papandayan or you can see pictue below.
After you parking your vehicle next step you should do is
registration for hiking, climbing, or camping in this mountain, the staff will
call you and need some interview.
Now your adventures was began, for the first time you will
find a sulfur place a smells really bad in this place, i suggest you to bring a
mask or something. After that you will hiking about 1 hours to place call
Pondok salada, at this place you can camp or do somethink else like eat, drink,
or etc.
This place where i was camp for a night and you know what,
this place really really cool at night, iam using 2 jacket and 2 socks still
not can fight agains cool weather. I dont know why maybe i wear a wrong dress. In
this place you can take a shower if you can fight agains cool water but in my
experience i dont have see people take shower here they just wash their hand,
face and brush their teeth. If you came here maybe you can take shower to break
records.
In this place you will find beautifull place, you can find a
eidelweiss flower here and take some picture or enjoy this moment but you cant
take the flower or touch it. We should keep that flower beauty and keep them
save.
The next morning you can see sunrise to, you not need to
walk far away from your tent just a few minute you can enjoy the the moment and
drink a cup a coffe.
The next day after take camp a night we going to place call
Hutan Mati or Dead Forest, in this place you will find i black trees with no
singgle leap in there. This place become like this because eruption of this
mountains, i dont know what time exactly the incident was began but one thing
that i know is this place is so beatifull.
After you past this place you can hiking to the top of
the mountain or you can comeback to early place to the gate and go back home. Because
of time i cant make to the top of mountain i chose to go back early and not
going to top. I was so disappoint because of that and i tell to my self i will
come bact to here and go to top of mountain.
Thats for today see ya tomorrow.