MT. MERAPI 2.930 M & MERBABU 3.145 M

OVERVIEW

Mt. MERAPI 

Mount Merapi, Gunung Merapi (literally Fire Mountain in Indonesian and Javanese), is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta Province. It’s the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548.

It’s located about 28 kilometres north Yogyakarta city. Thousands of people live on the flanks of this volcano, with villages as high as 1,700 metres (5,600 ft). In 2004 an area of 6,410 hectares around Mount Merapi has been established as a national park.

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Merapi is very important to Javanese, especially to those who lives around the crater. As such, there are many myths and beliefs attached to Mt. Merapi.

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Although most nearby villages have their own myths about the creation of Mount Merapi, they have numerous commonalities. They believed that when the God had just created the Earth, Java was unbalanced because of the placement of Mount Jamurdipo on the west end of the island. In order to assure balance, the Gods ordered to move the mountain to the centre of Java. However, two armourers, Empu Rama and Empu Permadi, were already forging a sacred keris at the site where Mount Jamurdipo was to be moved. The God warned them that they would be moving a mountain there, and that they should leave; Empu Rama and Empu Permadi ignored that warn. In anger, the God buried Empu Rama and Empu Permadi under Mount Jamurdipo; their spirits later became the rulers of all mystical beings in the area. In memory of them, Mount Jamurdipo was later renamed to Mount Merapi, which means "fire of Rama and Permadi."

It takes about 7 hours to reach the summit of Merapi from Selo route (Boyolali).

Mt. MERBABU 

Mount Merbabu is a dormant stratovolcano in Central Java Province. Merbabu means 'Mountain of Ash' in Javanese.

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Mount Merapi was directly adjacent on its south-east side, while the city of Salatiga is located on its northern foothills. A 1,500m high broad saddle lies between Merbabu and Merapi, the site of the village of Selo, Java and highly fertile farming land.

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There are two peaks; Syarif (3,119 m) and Kenteng Songo (3,145 m). Three U-shaped radial valleys extend from the Kenteng Songo summit in northwesterly, northeastly and southeastly directions.

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Merbabu can be climbed from several routes originating from the town of Kopeng on the north east sideside, and also from Selo on the southern side.