How to Hike to Ijen Crater and the Blue Flames
Does waking up in the middle of the night to climb up the side of a volcanic crater sound exciting to you? What if I told you there were gas masks involved, blue flames, and pluming sulfur fumes inside of this crater? Even better? Then the midnight hike to Ijen Crater in Indonesia is for you!
Let’s take a look at all of the details on how to hike to Ijen Crater.
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What to Take With You on Your Hike to Ijen Crater
Ijen Crater is probably unlike any other hike you’ve done, even if you’ve hiked other volcanic craters. For one, you hike mostly in the dark, but also you will be encountering toxic sulfur fumes and need to take a gas mask. That’s a first, right? So before you set off on your adventure, you really need to know what to bring. While some are basics, other items may not cross your mind!
Packing List for Ijen Crater Hike
Here’s a short packing list to get you prepared to hike to the blue flames in Indonesia:
- A Headlamp or Flashlamp: I personally recommend a headlamp to be hands free. If you forget one, you can usually buy one in the Ijen Crater parking lot for under $5 USD.
- Solid Shoes for Hiking: If you have hiking shoes with you, wear them. If not, any good gym shoes will do the trick! I have been using my Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX Hiking Boots and if you’re in the market for new hiking boots, check them out. They are great!
- Water and Snacks: Definitely pack water. You will want it! And, I recommend taking a snack in case hunger strikes.
- Jacket: Depending when you do the Ijen Crater hike, it can be cold, especially because you start at midnight. Take a jacket to stay warm. I always travel with my Columbia Women’s Mighty Lite III Jacket and LOVE it.
- Gas Mask: Likely not something you have in your backpack…. no worries, these can be rented in the Ijen Crater parking lot for 40,000 RPH. You will want it as you will encounter thick sulfur fumes.
- Day Pack: You’ll need your hands free to climb into Ijen Crater, so take a backpack to hold all of your “extras”. My personal daypack choice is the Osprey Daylite DayPack.
About Sulfur and Your Gas Mask
Sulfur has a low toxicity to people, but ingesting too much can cause a burning sensation or diarrhea. Breathing in sulfur can also cause coughing and irritate the airways as well as irritate your eyes and skin. Definitely plan on taking a mask and when you start seeing or smelling the fumes, put it on. You’ll be thankful for it – promise!
How to Hike to Ijen Crater with a Guide
If you’re wondering if you need a guide to hike to Kawah Ijen to see the blue flames, the short answer is no. You can go on your own or take a tour with a guide. Both options offer pros and cons, but first, let’s take a look at hiking to Ijen Crater with a tour. Afterall, it is by far the easiest way to hike to Ijen Crater.
Taking a tour to Ijen Crater typically includes transportation, a gas mask, and a guide who will help you find the blue flames. It really takes any unnecessary planning or logistics out of the picture and ensures you’ll be on time, safe, and see the best that Kawah Ijen has to offer. Depending where you’re coming from, you have different tour options.
Option 1: Book a Tour From Banyuwangi on Java Island
If you are planning to stay in Banyuwangi, most accommodations there can help arrange a tour for you. I always recommend going through your accommodation or a pre-reviewed trip online if possible. It helps to have some “responsibility” tied to it vs. a random agency in town who does not care about your experience once you’ve paid.
The best option is when planning a tour to Ijen Crater from Banyuwangi is to book a reputable tour ahead of time. Here’s my hiking tour recommendation for the Ijen Crater blue flames. It will give you the optimal experience! It’s worth noting that most tours do leave at midnight from Banyuwangi to make the 1.5 journey to the trailhead.
Option 2: Find a Tour from Bali
If you aren’t planning to stay on Java Island, don’t worry, you can still do the trek to Ijen Crater from Bali. In fact, there are multiple options from Bali, from 1 day trips to 3 day trips.
Depending on your Indonesian itinerary, I highly recommend you do both Ijen Crater and Mount Bromo while you’re on Java Island, Indonesia. They are both once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and it would be a shame to miss one or the other when you’re so close!
How to Hike Ijen Crater without a Guide
Alright, now that you know how to get to Ijen Crater with a guide, let’s take a look at your other option – going by yourself!
If you’re an adventurer and avid hiker, you can certainly do the Ijen Crater hike on your own, without a tour or guide. You will just need to rent a car or motorbike to get from Banyuwangi to Ijen Crater, and then rent a gas mask on your own.
You’ll also need to time your hike correctly to see the blue flames before the sun rises, and then stick around for the very cool experience of sunrise. This means arriving at the trailhead by around 1:30am. Since the drive from Banyuwangi to the trailhead is about 1.5 hours, you’ll want to set off around midnight.
From there, you can follow the tour groups to find your way up the path and into the crater without a guide. The path going up is easy to follow, but the climb into the crater is a bit trickier. Just watch your step. Similarly, to find the blue flames, follow the tours, they know the way!
The biggest perk of going alone is that you are on your timeline. You can stay as long (or as short) as you wish. Additionally, the entrance fee is only 150,000 RPH this way, so you will save some money.
Helpful Things to Know about the Ijen Crater Hiking Path
Whether you’re going with a guide or going it alone, know what you’re up against and asses the difficulty of the hike to Ijen Crater before you arrive!
Part 1: Hike from the Parking Lot to the Crater Rim
Time needed: Typically 1 hour
The first part of the hike to get up to the crater rim is decently steep in areas, but it is up a nice packed dirt path. Almost anyone can make this part of the hike, it might just take extra time with some additional breaks if you’re out of shape. It’s also pretty simple to climb in the dark as there aren’t a lot of obstacles.
Part 2: Hike from the Crater Rim down to the Blue Flames
Time needed: Typically .5 – 1 hour
From the rim down into the crater, you will need to scramble over lots of boulders and potentially loose rocks. This is why good shoes are so important. Take your time. Find the right foot holds.
If you are not very steady on your feet, I would not recommend descending into the crater, because remember, this is typically done in the dark with only the headlamp or flashlight to guide you.
Part 3: Hike Out of the Crater and Back to the Parking Lot
Time needed: Typically 1 hour
The way back out of the crater, you just reverse that. Scramble up and over the rocks and then trot down the packed dirt path.
My Experience Hiking to Ijen Crater
I had booked my 12:30am tour to Ijen Crater ahead of time for 350,000 RPH from my homestay, and I was ready to go!
I met a mother and son from Australia who I would be climbing with, an American and Canadian couple, and a Slovakian couple. We had an early pizza dinner together before crashing early to wake up for our midnight journey to Ijen Crater.
Driving to Ijen Crater
Our ride promptly arrived at 12:30am, and we set off on the hour plus drive. We arrived, stumbled out of the car, and started our ascent up Ijen Crater. Unlike Mount Batur, there was no food, water, or flashlights provided. You only had what you came with.
Fortunately, I had packed my headlamp and some water. The first bit of the journey was fairly flat, then there were steep inclines, and eventually more flat. Most of the trail to the top was compact dirt and easy to climb up. Within an hour, we were at the rim of the crater.
Descending into Ijen Crater in the Dark
The climb is far from over once you reach the top as you then descend into the crater in hopes of finding the famous blue flames in the darkness. The climb down is more precarious as you have to monkey down the rocks to the bottom near the lake.
People must go single file at this point with one right after another, except of course for the rude few who decide they want to beat others and cut off the other climbers.
Additionally, there are sulfur miners working to carry 50 – 100kg baskets of sulfur out of the crater who we occasionally ran into and made way for. To be clear, it took three guys to pick up one of their loads! Definitely make space for them.
Arriving at the Bottom of Ijen Crater with the Sulfur Fumes and Blue Flames
Eventually, we reached the bottom and were greeted by a strong sulfur smell. We were provided gas masks to protect against the strong gusts of sulfur which choke up your lungs and eyes. It’s truly terrible!
Fortunately, we were rewarded with the blue flames easily visible in the pitch black which still surrounded us. These famous blue flames of Ijen Crater are created by the combustion of the sulfuric gases.
An hour later, dawn broke. We could finally behold the full size of Ijen Crater as we were standing in the middle. From the yellow clouds of sulfur to the glowing blue lake and the rocky walls, which we somehow climbed down in the dark, the sight was unreal.
Climbing Out of Ijen Crater
After taking it all in, the climb back out of the crater began. It was a much easier task as you could see what you were climbing! An Italian couple even complimented my excellent trekking – ha! The view from the top was probably the most rewarding. Here you could see the full crater in all of its glory and the surrounding volcanos.
And then, it was back down the side of the crater to our car. By the time we got back to the car, it was about 7am and the sun was high above and in full force.
How to Spend the Rest of the Day After the Ijen Crater Hike
After the Ijen Crater hike, our tour promised a stop at a coffee plantation, a breakfast break, and waterfall swim. Unfortunately, our driver skipped this part – boo!
One of the girls complained and the Homestay owner we booked it through called him back to take us to these places in the afternoon. (This is part of why I recommend booking through your accommodation if possible!)
The coffee plantation was underwhelming as the driver literally stopped at a coffee tree field and said go for a walk. From there our hopes sank, but it turns out the waterfalls were really nice!
The waterfalls were a local spot where we ended up being a tourist attraction as the only non-Indonesian, non-Muslim people there. The water was freezing but refreshing.
Then it was off to lunch. Weirdest part of lunch being the cheese they put on the banana split. I mean… I was having cheese withdrawal but didn’t expect to find it on ice cream!
The rest of the afternoon was spent swimming and relaxing at the homestay. A welcome change from our early morning hike.
Where to Stay in Banyuwangi, Indonesia
Banyuwangi is a small town but offers plenty of budget accommodation options. In fact, you’ll find private rooms as low as $10 USD here. For maximum comfort, I recommend selecting accommodation that offers a pool as the days were quite warm!
Here are some hotel recommendations for Banyuwangi to help you find the right one for you:
- Best Budget Hostel in Banyuwangi: Ijen Backpacker
- Best Budget Hotel in Banyuwangi: Nitha Homestay
- Best Mid-range Hotel in Banyuwangi: eL Hotel Royale Banyuwangi
- Best Luxury Hotel in Banyuwangi: Ijen Resort and Villas
Search all hotels in Banyuwangi, Indonesia.
Where to Go Next in Indonesia
Having conquered the midnight hike to Ijen Crater, it’s time for your next adventure!
From Banyuwangi, you will likely either be coming or going to Bali. As I had just come from Bali, I was making plans for the other likely nearby destination: Mount Bromo, an active volcano near Probolinggo. Since the Australian mother and son (16 years old) were also headed that way, we plotted it out together and set out early the following morning for the bus.
Find all details about how to get to Mount Bromo from Banyuwangi in my Mount Bromo post. Or plan additional Indonesian adventures with these posts:
- Yogyakarta: Culture Capital of Indonesia
- Day Trip to Borobudur and Prambanan
- Jakarta: Capital City of Indonesia
- 4 Day Boat Trip to Komodo Island
- Renting a Motorbike to Get Off the Beaten Path in Lombok
- Gili Trawangan: The Island Life
- Kuta, Bali: Paradise for Australians
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