Gunung Merbabu, Central Java, Indonesia

Mt Merbabu, 3.142 m asl, administratively located in 3 regencies, Magelang, Salatiga and Boyolali. This mountain is a strato-volcano type, on the north mountain range of Mt Merapi, Mt Telomoyo, MT Andong and Mt Ungaran. This mountain last eruption is on 1968.

This moutnain has several climbing routes, the most comon routes are via Wekas-Magelang, via Kopeng-Salatiga, and via Selo-Bouolali. If interested to do Merapi-Merbabi, via Selo is the best route.

WEKAS ROUTE

Wekas is the last village on Mt Merbabu,  and it takes round 7 hours to get to the summit via this route. From Wekas to the Post I takes 2 hours. Post I is a plain with shelter, where local people houses can be found and food stall. it takes 2 hours trek to the Post II. Post II is an open ground, where also located spring and piped to a basin. After Post II, then route will meet intersection to Post IV from Kopeng Route. Climbing on dry season will need mask for climbers as this area can be very dusty. Next post is Helipad post fenced by steep cliff, separated Merbabu summits, such as Kukusan Peak (2968 m), Pringgodalem Peak (3119 m), Syarif Peak and Kenteng Songo Peak, the highest peak. A spring is located 150 meters from this Post, and also dead crater , Kawah Candradimuka. From Helipas Post, next trach is called Satan Bridge, the hardest track. This track is very thin slope with ravine on the left and right side. Hard wind blows on this 627 meters track. After that then an intersection to right is to Syarif Peak, only takes 10 minutes (180 m) and to right passage is to Kenteng Songo Peak, and distance 433 m.

KOPENG -SELO ROUTE

The trip from Post Tekelan passing through settlements, farm, and pines. NIce view of Rawa Pening and Mt Telomoyo can be seen from here, then arrive at Post Pending. In Post Pending there is spring and creek called Kali Sowo. To reach to Post I, climbers should pass steep track and dry.
From Post I to Post II, the track is forest and to Post III is more open space with steep passage. On slope of Gunung Pertapaan, wind can blow hard, but here there is a rock cave called Watu Gubug that can be used as shelter for 5 people capacity. Watu Gubug is believed to the gate to the invisible world. Post IV is located on Batu Tulis Mountain, on  2896 m, so to get here should pass steep track through sand, rocky path, and hard wind, on this post also located Radio Transmitter. Route to Post V is descending, this region is surrounded by hill and beautiful cliff. Kawah Candradimuka can be reached from here, where located fresh water and sulfur water source.  After that then Satan Bridge  and then peak, Kenteng Songo. ON Kenteng Songo Peak there are 9 mortars made of stone, where this peak name came from.