Mount Merbabu is a volcano located in three districts.
On the western side of the slope is in the area of Magelang Regency, while on the eastern slope is in the region of Boyolali Regency and the northern slope is in the Semarang Regency.
This mountain with an altitude reaching 3,145 masl saves amazing natural tourist charms so it becomes one of the favorite destinations for climbing activities.
History of Mount Merbabu
In ancient texts in pre-Islamic times, the last erupting volcano in 1797 was known as Mount Damalung or Gunung Pam (a) rihan.
In terms of the etymology known from the records of the Dutch era, the word "merbabu" comes from the merging of two words, namely "meru" which means mountain and "ash".
According to these historical records, it is said that on the slopes of Mount Merbabu there was a famous hermitage that had been visited by Bujangga Manik around the 15th century.
Behind the mystery circulating there, there are some interesting facts about Mount Merbabu that need to be known, namely:
There are 3 main peaks that can be explored on Mount Merbabu, namely Puncak Trianggulasi, Kentengsongo Peak and Syarif Peak.
There are 3 main hiking trails that can be used to reach the top of Mount Merbabu, namely through Selo, Cunthel and Wekas.
Through the Selo lane, the climbers will witness the prairie filled with beautiful Edelweis flowers.
From the height of the summit of Mount Merbabu there will be a panoramic view of the mountains in Central Java.
The distance is quite close to Mount Merapi, making Mount Merbabu can be explored through the same path when climbing Mount Merapi, namely through Selo.
The beauty of the sunrise on Mount Merbabu is very beautiful and amazing.
The Devil Bridge is a hiking trail on Mount Merbabu that is very extreme with very steep terrain conditions. This path will be crossed before reaching Kentheng Songo.
Behind the charm of Mount Merbabu which is so amazing, tucked away mystery stories and myths that are widely circulating in the community like the following:
Tiger So-invented
Myths circulating say that around Mount Merbabu sometimes there is a roar of a tiger but the shape of the tiger is invisible.
Many believe that the sound is an imitation tiger. But the local people denied that the supernatural beings were no longer there.
Even so, in 2008 it was discovered the figure of a woman who died with a wound resembling that of a tiger in the forest area of Mount Merbabu.
Watu Gubug
Stacked stones that are similar to small caves on the Thekelan hiking trail are often referred to as Watu Gubug. It is said that this location became the gate of the occult kingdom on Mount Merbabu.
One of the uniqueness of Watu Gubug is that the size of the cave which is quite narrow turns out to be able to accommodate 5 people in it.
This location is often used as a shelter when it rains or storms occur.
It is said that the cave that could be entered by some people showed that the guardians of the occult kingdom allowed humans to enter their realms.
Because they can also reject unwanted human presence.
Demon market
The existence of the demon market in the mountainous region is believed to exist and is often felt directly by climbers.
It is said that in the demon market of Mount Merbabu, there are often subtle makhuk disturbances that go up to the back or climbers' bag to the top of the mountain.
As a result, climbers will feel increasingly heavy carrying their luggage even though the items that are brought are not much.
Usually this is experienced by those who like to complain during the trip. So, stop complaining!
Genderuwo Appearance
On the hiking trail also often seen the appearance of large spirits, or better known as Genderuwo.
Some climbers have seen his appearance when he was in the Shadow Post 2 Cunthel lane.
In order to keep your trip comfortable, you should not be careless during the trip, be careful and keep oral words with good words.
Unseen kingdom at the peak
Local people believe that at the top of Mount Merbabu there is an occult kingdom with soldiers in red and green uniforms.
So it is highly recommended for climbers not to wear clothing in red or green to avoid things that are not desirable, such as getting lost, accident, or even possessed.
Via Selo Ascent Line
The hiking trail through Selo is quite crowded because there are many climbers who choose this hiking trail.
However, it is better for climbers to bring enough drinking water from basecamp because of the lack of water sources along the hiking trail.
The climb starts from the welcome gate in Gunung Merbabu National Park then enters the forest area with road conditions that are still quite sloping to get to Post 1 with a travel time of about 1.5 hours.
From Pos 1 to heading to Pos 2 it has not been so steep but there is one fairly steep incline and the peak when at the Shadow Post. From Pos 2 to Pos 3 it only takes about 45 minutes to get to Watu Tulis (Post 3) with a beautiful view in front of you.
Going to Post 4 the trip will be even more difficult because of the steep and slippery soil conditions. We recommend that you select the left hand path to get a handle when walking.
At this post the climbers can set up tents because of the flat conditions of the land with very beautiful scenery.
Heading to Post 5 incline is not as severe as before, but the gusts of the wind are quite strong especially at night.
If you want an extraordinary sunrise view, climbers can wake up at 3am and prepare to reach the top with a travel time of around 1-1.5 hours.
This path has special features because sunrise can be enjoyed along the way.
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