An overnight crossing into East Java
Ijen Blue Fire Trek
The overnight crossing to Java to climb Ijen in the dark for the blue flames, and the turquoise crater lake at sunrise.
- Duration
- Overnight
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- From
- IDR 1.850.000 per person
Ijen burns blue at night. Sulphuric gas escapes the vents under pressure and ignites, and the flames run down the rock in rivers you can only see before dawn. It is a genuinely strange thing to stand in front of.
The climb starts around one in the morning, which is why this runs overnight rather than as a day trip. Menjangan is the closest base in Bali to the Gilimanuk ferry, so the crossing is short. The walk up is about three kilometres and takes most people ninety minutes.
Itinerary
00:00 — Leave Menjangan
Down to Gilimanuk for the ferry across.
01:30 — Paltuding trailhead
Briefing, headlamps, and gas masks.
02:00 — The climb
Ninety minutes to the rim, then down into the crater itself.
04:00 — Blue fire
The flames fade as the sky lightens, so the window is short.
06:00 — The crater lake
Turquoise, and vast, in the first proper light. Then down and home.
What’s included
- Ferry crossing both ways
- Transport in Java
- Licensed Ijen guide
- A gas mask, which you will want at the vents
- Headlamp and park entry
Not included
- Accommodation before or after
- Meals beyond a packed breakfast
- The trolley service up the mountain
Plan your trip
Send us your dates and the size of your party, and tell us what you would like to do. We will reply with availability and prices from across the region, and arrange the accommodation, trips and transfers as a single booking.
- No deposit to hold dates while you decide
- One enquiry covers the stay, the trips and the transfers
- Local operators and hotels, booked and confirmed for you