This post was originally from February 15, 2025

Thursday we drove a full day to from Yogyakarta to East Java. At one point we had to switch vehicles to a smaller 4 wheel drive as we needed to make our way up to the little village of Ngadas that sits at 2150 meters above sea level. Ngadas is the highest village on Java and is the only village within the Bromo Tengger Seneru National Park. 

It took us about 45 minutes to maneuver through the steep and winding roads (Insert almost puked). What made it even more ominous was that it was raining and we were literally making our way through the clouds! We all left our big bags in the first vehicle and only took a day pack with us. As we got out of the car and the rain was coming down in sheets, Kris turned to us to say “I left my raincoat in my big bag!” We couldn’t help but laugh!

We were met by a local resident who before taking us to our homestay, took us on a tour of the village. There are approximately 2000 people who live in Ngadas and most of them are potato farmers. Weaving our way through the narrow paths, we were shown all the major areas of the village.

Villagers still practice ancient rituals and ceremonies and we were lucky enough to see the festivities of a local wedding. Despite differences in religion – Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus live together and share a peaceful and harmonious communality. There is no crime in Ngadas as everyone looks after one another. This is how it should be right?!! It was so beautiful to walk through the village and be greeted with big smiles and warm hearts. 

Another reason this picturesque village is so special is that it is situated only 6.5 km from the iconic Mount Bromo. Mount Bromo is one of many active volcanoes in the area and people come from afar to witness the stunning sunrise that spans over multiple volcanos. 

The 4 of us were taken to one home while the other 3 guys were taken to another. They made us tea and we sat around the coal fire to keep us warm. It was a stark difference in temperature from the base of the mountain. Just an hour previously we were sweating our asses off, but now we were literally shivering.  Our host family are potato farmers. The husband is Muslim and his wife is Buddhist. We made awkward conversation over tea, but this is where Liza really shines as she can fill an empty room with colourful conversation at a drop of a dime! 

The home is simple but clean, but because of the rains last week there was a landslide that affected their water source. We didn’t have running water to wash our hands so we relied on our hand sanitizer for some semblance of feeling semi clean. I have to admit that I have had stomach troubles for most of the trip and the thought of not having a flushing toilet really was a bit of a nightmare. The funniest part of the house was the stairs that led us to our rooms. They were incredibly steep, not the same size and were put together like tetrus blocks. Try going down those puppies to use the loo in the middle of the night! The home was also incredibly cold so instead of each sleeping in our own twin bed, Liza and I squished onto one to maintain body heat! 

We didn’t get to sleep for long as our pick up time to watch the sunrise from Mount Penanjakan was 2:30 am!!! The trek by jeep to the viewpoint was not smooth by any means. We had to meander back down the mountain and once at the bottom bounce our way over bumpy, muddy sand dunes to climb back up to the viewpoint (insert almost puked again!) Mount Bromo (which we would later climb) lies in the middle of a huge crater called the ‘Sea of Sand’, which is a protected reserve. There are a total of five volcanoes inside the crater including Mount Bromo. 

When we got to the viewpoint it was still pitch black outside. It was probably only 5 degrees and the locals were literally renting coats to visitors as nobody comes prepared for that chill. The sunrise was still a few hours away so we huddled around a stinky coal fire pit sitting on children’s miniature stools, drinking hot chocolate and counting down the hours til we were back to comfort (I was also counting down the hours til I could get to a flushing toilet). At one point Kris turned to me and said “only 10 hours til we are at a hotel!”

There’s usually one time on a trip where I’m so uncomfortable and wishing to be back in my bed, cuddling with my cats. This was definitely the time!!!  It doesn’t  help that along with my stomach issues I also have had a migraine or two and my ankle was severely swollen , but we all had a good laugh at how uncomfortable we were. 

The sunrise eventually lit up the sky and little by little you could see the gorgeous silhouettes of the volcanos surrounded by the bright red sky. It was beautiful for sure! 

After the sun came up and we got a bit of warmth in our bones we bounced back down the mountain to the base of Mt Bromo. From there we set off to the hike up the volcano. The first bit was flat and sandy and off in the distance I could see a building which I was convinced were toilets. As we got closer my mirage was coming to fruition, but just as I was excited that I could finally use the toilet my dreams came crushing around me. It was a squat toilet and with my ankle injury there was no way I could squat!!! Alas, I just had to keep climbing the volcano!

We had to trek an incline until it went straight up to the caldera with about 200 steps.  It certainly was not easy for unfit, sick and handicapped me, but we did it!  Thankfully the wind was on our side and when we were at the top, the sulfur smell was blown the other direction. It’s incredible to witness the power that an active volcano has. You could hear the rumbling that sounded kind of like a train passing and see all the gas blowing up from the centre. Mother nature sure is a beast! 

Eventually we made our way back down and wound our way back to our homestay in the jostling jeep. After lunch we bid farewell to our host family and set off for the city of Malang for the comfort of running water and toilets!