Travelistar: Mt.Semeru The Olympus of Java (part 3 of 3)

Sunrise at Top of Mt.Semeru

A long walk to Jambangan Point

I was all by myself again. Going on the route like this is exhausting, especially when you are alone. Luckily the path is very clear. I didn't want to get lost in the wilderness with no supply in hand. I kept praying that bad thing wont happen to me. Some places in Cemoro Kandang looked dark, due to the canopy up on the top of the trees. This add the creep in this place. I continued with 50/50 chance to reach the destination, so I thought. Sometimes the path lead me to hike up to the hills, or down to small dried rivers. Well it's normal to an adventurer like me. What's not normal is that being alone on this place.

It took approximately one hour hiking Cemoro Lawang path. At the end, we will see the Jambangan point. They say when you reach Jambangan point, means that it's already close to Kalimati. You'll know you are at Jambangan point when you see a written sign on the tree. It is rather flat route, just winding a bit. The vegetation here is also different from the one in Cemoro Kandang. The place is full of bushes here and there. Sometimes the route comes to dark big bushes full of creeping plants. It is like we're entering a cave made of plants and bushes.

But when you are out of the bushes cave, the mighty Mt.Semeru will welcome you from distance. Such a stunning view. This is all I ever wanted. A clear picture of the volcano itself with some clouds passing, on part of the top of Mt.Semeru. I also met some other hikers here, we helped each other to take pictures. I was so damn lucky.

Posing at Jambangan Point

Distance view of Mt.Semeru

Breathtaking scene from the jungle

Tree Trunk Bridge

Kalimati, the Dead River

Once again you'll find jungle similar to Cemoro Kandang, at the end of Jambangan Point. It's only 15 minutes I guess, passing this Jungle and you'll find Kalimati. If you find a bridge made of tree trunk, then you are near Kalimati. Entering Kalimati point makes me feel numb all over my body. It's cold like hell. Especially when the wind is passing by, and will be worse during the night.

I thought I should find the group whom Dana is leading. I searched for him and his other group member by the face, though it's hard to remember. I walked the area, corner by corner, only to find a heartbreaking result. It was almost dark, impossible to get back by this time. I cannot imagine being in Cemoro Kandang at night.

Desperate by the search, I met again this guy from Jambangan point. He told me to come following him to the Sumber Mani to get fresh water. Sumber Mani is a spring, being the only water resource to the hikers. So I followed him. The route going to the Sumber Mani is the reason they call it Kalimati literally means the dead river. It is a pathway for the lava from Mt.Semeru when it erupts, looking like river, with no flowing water, then it become The Dead River.

On my way, once again, I met Dana. Thanks God, I said. He told me where his tent is, and invited me to join his group after I finished getting the water. It was the best feeling I ever had through the journey so far. I got relieved from the burden I had all along. As if my life is saved by this coincidental meeting. I got no worry no more. At Sumber Mani I met his other group member, and we've got along quite well. So I went back to the camping ground with him. One good thing about hikers campared to other type of travelers is that, they are always friendly and very eager to help others, even though they just met somewhere in the mountain. I got to know the other members, then we talked this and that. They were really nice to me.

Being in Kalimati camping ground was the closest point with the Volcano. You can see its top very clear. The mighty volcano and the surrounding scenery is the whole picture I ever wanted to see. There was no ambition to climb up the top, it was enough seeing Mt.Semeru from that close. We can also find the Edelweiss plants among the bushes in Kalmati. Sometimes fogs came to the area, and covered it up all over the place. Making me unable to see in distance, so was the volcano. But when it got clear, photo session with the volcano as background is a must.

At the nearby Sumber Mani

Path to Sumber Mani

Mt.Semeru from Kalimati Camping Ground

Hikers in Foggy Land

Evening with the Hikers

With Dana the Savior

Land Above the Sky

Some of the group members planed to hike the top of Mt.Semeru. Dana, on the other hand, was deciding whether to join them or to stay at the camp. I was full of desire to join them too, and some of them encourage me to do so. But my clothing at the time didn't allow me to do that. I didn't prepare myself for such effort, hiking the top of Semeru. My jacket was very thin made of thin cloth, and I didn't carry anything else but my sleeping bed. So I decided not to go. I couldn't imagine how cold is up there, if Kalimati is already this cold. So I let one of them carry my pocket camera to get great pictures from the top, and he did.

At night, the Kalimati camping ground was very cold. One guy said it was -4' Celsius. We could only be around the fire we made earlier covered in sleeping bed to get warmth. One other good thing here is that, we can see the stars clearly. Such a beautiful night I had. There was only one disturbance from other tent in distance. We heard a girl screaming out loud. She screamed like she saw a Ghost there. The guy near me said that she is being possessed by other being. It is common believe to Indonesian in places like this, is a home to spiritual beings, so that we don't do anything bad here. If not, bad thing happen to us.

They say that being up on the top of Mt.Semeru, is like being in heaven. They call it "Negeri di atas Awan" meaning land above the sky. Coz from up there you'll see the sea of clouds covering lower part of the mountain as far as the eyes can see. It stunning I would say, though I haven't experienced it myself. The pictures they brought back were the proof of that statement. While I could only see them lining up carrying headlamps. The sunrise considered as one of the most beautiful in the world. They got lucky as the sky was clear. So the sunrise they capturing was amazing. I, on the other hand, had a very good sleep, coz I could use all the sleeping bed they left behind.