Gunung Merbabu is a dormant volcano towering 3,145 metres above sea level.

It is one of the most popular destinations for hikers in Central Java, especially for the breathtaking views of the very photogenic active volcano Merapi, which is closed to the public.

Book your hotel in Yogyakarta in advance

Although the summit of Merbabu is no longer in the Yogyakarta region, which is the focus of this guide, Yogyakarta is the nearest major city from which it is easiest to reach the summit.

Entrance fee and regulation

The entire mountain is part of the national park and online registration is required before climbing.

Where and how far in advance to register online?

You can register it on the official website booking.tngunungmerbabu.org.

You cannot enter the national park without online registration and if you are caught by a ranger, you will pay a fine of up to 5 times the entrance fee.

Entrance fees and registration apply to all trails that lead to the summit.

In addition to this, you need to keep an eye on the hiker quotas, which are set separately for all official trails. If your quota is exhausted for the day, you will not be able to register and therefore not be able to use the trail.

You can check the quotas on this page of the official website.

If you go on a weekday, there are usually vacancies on the day of the climb, but if you plan to go to Mount Merbabu on a weekend and in high season, it is better to register at least 7 days in advance.

You always register for one specific route (marked as "Jalur" on the booking page).

Registration for solo traveller or group of 2

You can only officially climb Mount Merbabu in a group of at least 3 people, and the web form will not allow registration of a single person or just 2 people.

In case you want to hike Merbabu alone or in a group of 2, you have no choice but to take the chance that there will be free quotas on the day of the climb, find other individuals at the trailhead and register together.

This usually works well and finding another one to join the party usually takes around an hour to 90 minutes. However, you will never be 100% sure in this case.

Once you pass through the checkpoint, there is usually no one checking to see if you will split up or continue on with the group.

You definitely have the best chance of getting more people in your group at the most used Selo trail.

Entrance fees

You will pay the fee on the spot. Each trailhead has a ticket office where you pay with cash or card. It's safer to carry cash as card payments sometimes may not work.

The entrance fee is valid for 1 day.

	Working day (Mon-Fri)	Weekend and public holidays
Foreign tourist	150 000 idr	225 000 idr
Local tourist	5 000 idr	7 500 idr

In addition, you will pay other compulsory fees on site:

5 000 idr - entrance to the tourist village / trailhead
2 000 idr - compulsory insurance
15 000 idr - fee for the use of tourist facilities at the ascent

Is a guide obligatory?

Many websites state that it is necessary for foreigners to pay for a guide, but there is no such obligation in the national park conditions.

You can hire a guide locally (there are always plenty) for about 450 000 idr to 500 000 idr.

What are the opening hours of the national park?

Until 2022, Mount Merbabu was open 24 hours a day, allowing for night climbs at sunrise.

Now this is not possible and the entrance to the national park is only open between 8am and 4pm.

Can I spend the night on the mountain?

Yes, it is still possible to watch the sunrise, but in this case you have to pay the entrance fee for 2 days, i.e. double.

You can enter the national park in the afternoon after 16:00, climb the mountain, sleep in your own tent and return in the morning.

Tent camp, Mount Merbabu

Routes and ascent options

There are 5 official routes to Mount Merbabu.

Jalur pendakian Selo

The most popular and shortest route leads from the village of Selo, which is nestled in the saddle between Mount Merbabu and Mount Merapi. The trail is the shortest, but very steep in places.

The trail is mostly through savannahs with only minimal forest sections and is quite dusty.

As you descend, however, you are constantly treated to absolutely breathtaking views of the neighbouring Merapi volcano, which is only 200 metres lower than Merbabu.

Elevation - 1,300 metres
Distance - 11 km (round trip combined)
Time commitment - approx. 4 hours up + 1.5 hours down
Route map

This route is suitable if you are travelling from Yogyakarta, Solo or Borobudur. Selo is also a village with tourist facilities and many cheap accommodations.

View from the top of Mount Merbabu to Merapi volcano

Jalur pendakian Thekelan

The second most popular route comes from the north from the village of Thekelan.

This route is the longest, but relatively the gentlest for most of its route. On the other hand, there is a very steep challenging part before the summit, where although no climbing skills are needed, it discourages many hikers from reaching the summit.

The route is nicknamed the "Seven Summits" because it goes over 7 smaller hills through meadows, forests and savannahs.

Elevation - 1,500 metres
Distance - 12.5 km (round trip)
Time - approx. 4.5 hours up + 2 hours down
Route map

The Thekelan trail is mainly chosen by travellers heading to Merbabu from Jakarta or Semarang.

Views during the ascent of Mount Merbabu

Jalur pendakian Suwanting

The trail from Suwanting village is one of the steepest and most challenging with a lot of elevation gain. The road is slippery in places even in dry weather.

Compared to the other routes, it is not as frequented and offers spectacular views of the surrounding volcanoes. Most of the trail runs through meadows and savannahs.

Elevation - 1,700 metres
Distance - 11 km (round trip)
Time - approx. 5 hours up + 2.5 hours down
Route map

Suwanting is a small village poorly accessible by public transport.

Jalur pendakian Cuntel

The northern trail, which has a last short but challenging section in common with the Thekelan trail, runs largely through the forest.

This is also why the Cuntel trail is popular for monkey lovers, as you will see the most of them here.

Elevation - 1,400 metres
Distance - 11 km (there and back together)
Time - approx. 4 hours up + 1.5 hours down
Route map

Cuntel is a small village relatively hard to reach by public transport.

Jalur pendakian Wekas

The least visited trail leads from the west from the village of Wekas and, like the Cuntel trail, passes through a large part of the forest.

You will therefore see a large number of monkeys.

Elevation - 1,280 metres
Distance - 10 km (round trip)
Time - approx. 3.5 hours up + 1.5 hours down
Route map

Wekas is a small village relatively poorly accessible by public transport.

How to get there?

In this guide we describe the route to the villages of Selo and Thekelan, where the two most popular routes start and can be reached by public transport.

The other routes can only be reached by hired motorbike or taxi and there is no public transport to them.