Lush greenery of lowland tropical forest in Grojogan Sewu Fall
Grojogan Sewu is the highest and most visited waterfall in Central Java. Its exact location is at Jl Raya Tawangmangu, Beji, Kec. Tawangmangu, Kabupaten Karanganyar, a regency that shares a border with east java on the western side. The easy hike through a massive lowland rainforest is enchanting for those who enjoy the outdoors and being one with nature.
There are a few waterfalls that share similar names but grojogan sewu offers its own adventure. In this waterfall, not only will you have to hike through the rainforest, you will also cross the bridge that's only made from bamboo. Along the way, you will meet with the monkeys who are accustomed with the presence of human.
What to see in Grojogan Sewu
The lush biodiversity is as enchanting as the stream of river that will accompany you before reaching the waterfall.
There are two entrances that you can choose depending on your fitness level and your health.
The first one is the most-known starting point with about 1250 stairs to climb. This place is also known for the wild monkeys around that are a bit racy. Some of them can snatch your bags or items but some just move around minding their own business. They make good friends on your way to the waterfall. This is also the most lively starting point as you will not be alone throughout the journey.
The second entrance offers an adventure for those who enjoy a little bit of hike with raw natural views and monkeys around. This is the spot where there are a few people walking through rocky pathways. I do recommend this second entrance for skilled drivers and those with a healthy level of fitness as this is the shortest but most challenging hike to the waterfall.
Upon arriving at the waterfall, you can dip your feet and sit on the rocks just below it. That day, my mom and I just observed the waterfall and got ourselves hypnotized by its beauty. I have only been to a few waterfalls with this one being the most rewarding hike ever.
Where is Grojogan Sewu & How to get there?
There are several ways to get to this waterfall including. Tawangmangu or Karanganyar area. For us, we went from east java and had to pass through a misty evening from the slope of Mt Lawu. There is a ravine on the sides which made the drive quite thrilling and challenging as a simple mistake through a thick mist could cost lives. But there is also an easier way through Solo central java which is another option if you are recently traveling to yogyakarta.But if Bali was the start, going through Sarangan east java would be the easiest way to reach this area like we did. The view was also better through sarangan than through solo.
I think Tawangmangu or Karanganyar are still the most underrated places to visit, at least for foreigners. However for locals this place has been bustling since the 70's and quite a nostalgia trip for my mother. She told me the ins and outs from this place and even the most difficult hike as the one we crossed today was the easiest hike compared to another one she did a few years ago.
For us, we also rented a room in Karanganyar instead of tawangmangu, then visited the waterfall during noon which I don't recommend because of the mist and the drizzle that would hinder your journey through this beautiful waterfall.
Grojogan Sewu
We arrived at the 2nd ticketing counter at around 2PM. There are some warnings around and an information board about the area. For example, those with asthma and heart diseases are not advised to hike through this pathway. Meanwhile the information board contains the information of the height from the place which is 1.100 above the sea and the floras that we can find in the place such as pine trees and a lot of conifers.
We paid about 2$ for the entrance and foreigner price was 10x more than that. Always know that if you are not an indonesian nationals, even going to its natural attractions would cost you 10x more than the locals. It's unfortunate but they have that kind of rule everywhere, even in Bali.
As soon as we passed through the security check, my mom and I passed through a bridge with a view of thick woods. This walk made us feel like we were in the woods as we were the only people passing through at that moment.
We walked following the board sign that told us the way to the waterfall. There are only a few signs, so don't get lost in the woods by remembering the pathway that you arrive and depart. Also, you can avoid this by capturing the picture of the call center numbers that are listed on the boards during the beginning of the trip.
My mom joked around as she saw me a bit panting. “ You go to the gym everyday, why are you so out of breath? '' while she walked easily even though she had asthma which was not recommended to hike.
Along the way we were just dazed from the view of the rainforest. In the past, I rarely liked going out to mountains or even outdoors in general but now, I enjoy going to the mountains and exploring them as much as I like the beach. My mom also made a comment that in the past she never took me out on a mountain trip or similar because I was always complaining about the hike. But ever since I got to the gym, it all feels way easier and that’s the difference that she noticed about me and the result from the gym. But to be honest, I was a bit tired because previously we were swimming in a massive swimming pool that was also icy cold.
Halfway through, we had to pass a bridge made from bamboo. Walking through it I was doubtful that it was attached securely but it did. We passed through safely and made our way into another rocky path. I did not wear proper hiking shoes but just sandals which was a bad idea. I do recommend anyone that is going here to wear comfortable shoes and not sandals like I did.
The river streams were so alluring that it made me want to dip myself there. It's just unfortunate that it was too rocky to swim there. I captured some pictures of the rocky river and it all turned out great.
We finally got to the waterfall after about a 25 minutes hike and through a rocky pathway.Seeing the waterfall was a reward. My mom started telling me that this place she frequents growing up even with her family and her friends, including my dad. This place was unlike before where it wasn’t as packed with curious tourists. It was much more raw and quite chilling to walk through the forests.
The waterfall splashed around the water as the wind was strong. As you can see below there are spots in my camera from the water that splashed around. I did not notice until I checked the result and eventually wiped it down.
Before getting into this waterfall there is a free pool that anyone can swim in for free. Although the bottom of it is pretty dirty. So, I don’t recommend swimming here. However, I saw some locals did and they seemed to enjoy it.
From another side of the track, there were a lot of monkeys going around and one of them, a mother carrying its baby. My mom and I were standing on the wooden rails getting hypnotized by the waterfall. Then, when the monkey got closer to us, we left the wooden rail and she was there, observing humans that tried to capture a picture with them.
Honestly, they made a good model for the waterfall. Here are some of my collections.
After staying in silence for more than 10 minutes at a distance from the monkey, we were heading back as we got other places to visit, my mom's friend's wedding and Starbucks, and a few other places nearby this western part of east-java.
On the way back, I tried taking a picture of the moss and mistaken an old bottle cap in the ground as a mushroom. It got my mom curious so she flipped it with a branch and said, “ Look, that's just a bottle cap, not a mushroom. How silly!” Then she laughed and teased me about it on the way back.
This waterfall is recommended to visit because of its easy hike and also the beauty that’s immeasurable.It also offers the beauty of lowland tropical rainforest with tame wild monkeys around.
See you in my next adventure!
Mac's Pinmapple Travel List
 | Mac is a jack of all trades. A typical introvert in love with literature, books, technology and philosophy. She is also so into nootropics, productivity, minimalist lifestyle, cybersecurity, and languages. Other than that, she is passionate about cooking and traveling. In her free time, she enjoys learning various things. If you like her content, don't hesitate to upvote, leave a comment or a feedback. A re-blog is also appreciated. |