how to visit bromo independently

How to Visit Bromo Without a Tour [ Bromo Independently ]

After our superb visit to the active volcano of Kawah Ijen, we continued across Java and visited Mount Bromo without a tour.   It takes quite a bit of time to visit Bromo independently, if you’re short on time, it’s definitely best to combine this with a tour – and your travel.  However, we were doing this the slow and more difficult way, so here’s how to get to Gunung Bromo without a tour.

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Most folks who visit Bromo come from the East. On a tour from Yogyakarta, that takes them to Gunung Bromo, to Kawah Ijen, and then onto Bali.  We came from Kawah Ijen, aiming to visit Bromo independently.  We arrived in Probolinggo on an 11:20 bus from Banyuwangi, which took us 6 hours, and which got into Probolinggo at 17:30.  We’d spent the previous night climbing Kawah Ijen before getting on the bus, so slept most of the way.

How to Visit Bromo

There are several ways to visit Bromo.  You can take a tour as part of a trip from Bali to Java or as part of a route from Java to Bali.  (If you’re visiting Bali, then this is a great 7 day Bali Itinerary) Combining seeing Bromo and Ijen is very popular and an easy way to see both volcanoes in a short space of time.  If you plan on visiting Bromo independently, then you’ll need to factor in the time (just getting to Bromo will take most of the day), and if you want to see the sunrise at Bromo (you really should) then you need to plan to stay at least one night unless you’re on a tour that provides the transport to get you there for sunrise.  Here are the options for how to visit Bromo.

Visiting Bromo and Ijen on a Tour

If you’re short of time, then taking a small group tour that includes both Bromo and Ijen is a great way to see both of these magnificent attractions.  You’ll save a lot of the time that visiting Bromo independently needs – and you’ll get to see Bromo at sunrise.  This combined tour is a great deal and will save you a lot of time.

Visiting Bromo from Bali

If you’re in Bali and looking to visit both Bromo and Ijen, then you can combine the two with your transport from Bali. This overland trip takes in both Kawah Ijen, Bromo and you can take it as part of your trip to Java, and also get to Yogyakarta.  It’s a super option if you’re super squeezed on time.

Visiting Bromo on a Tour from Yogyakarta, Surabaya or Malang

Moving onto to different accommodations every night or two can be exhausting (believe me, I know, we’ve been traveling for more than 9 years now!), so keeping your base in Yogyakarta, Surabaya, or Malang and taking a visit out to Bromo, knowing you don’t have to pack your backpack AGAIN is a great option.  Here are some of the best options for visiting Bromo from Java.

Visiting Bromo on a tour from Probolinggo

If you’ve made it as far as Probolinggo, then it’s easy to take a tour to get you up to Bromo for sunrise.  No waiting around for the minivans or a motorbike.  And stay in Probolinggo for one or two nights. 

Visiting Bromo independently

If you want to spend longer at Bromo than the tours offer you, then coming here independently is the best way to come.  You’ll want to stay up at Cemorro Lawang (see later for how to get here from Probolinggo) – the village near the crater for one or two nights, depending on how you plan to see the crater and the sunrise. 

How to Get to Bromo

To visit Bromo independently, then you’ll need to make your way to the city at the bottom of the volcano, this is called Probolinggo. Here’s how to get to Probolinggo.

Getting to Probolinggo

You’ll either approach Probolinggo from the west (i.e. Banyuwangi or the island of Bali), or you’ll come from the east.  So here are a few more details on how to get here.    There’s both a train station and a bus station at Probolinggo and there’s a lot of accommodation here, so it’s a good place to base yourself, especially if you plan to take a sunrise – or – sunset tour of Bromo.

There’s quite a distance between the train station in Probolinggo and where the minivans go up to Bromo from, so you’ll want to factor in the cost of a taxi or a bemo (shared truck).

Banyuwangi to Probolinggo

It’s relatively easy to get to Probolinggo from Banyuwangi, it just takes some time.  You can take a bus or a train to get from Banyuwangi to Probolinggo.  The decision will likely be made for you by what time you can leave Banyuwangi.  It’s about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Banyuwangi to Probolinggo.  The bus takes between 5 and 7 hours.  Several trains run this route and this takes about 4.5 hours. 

Book the bus from Banyuwangi to Probolingo here.  

You can book tickets for the train on tiket.com

Yogyakarta to Probolinggo

You can take either the train to Probolinggo from Yogyakarta, although you’ll need to change trains at Surabaya.  Check the train times from Yogyakarta to Probolinggo here.  The pain is that there are only two trains a day from Surabaya to Probolinggo.  For a direct journey take the bus from Yogyakarta to Probolinggo.

Surabaya to Probolinggo

If you’re in Surabaya, then you can take either the train or a bus to Probolinggo.  There are two trains a day between Surabaya and Probolinggo (book tickets here).  There are loads of buses from Surabaya to Probolinggo, so you can reserve your preferred time here.

Probolinggo to Bromo – Probolinggo to Cemorro Lawang

As I mentioned Probolinggo is at the bottom of the volcano area, but to see Bromo you need to get to the village at the edge of the crater.  It’s called Cemorro Lawang.

In Probolinggo shared minivans leave the minivan station.  This is just outside and to the north of the Probolinggo Bus station on the road called Jalan Bromo, I’ve marked it on the map later in this article.  The Probolinggo minivan to Bromo station is about 5km and a 10,000 IDR bemo ride from the train station.

Minivans from Probolinggo to Cemorro Lawang

There are no signs to the minivan “station”.  The row of small eateries (warungs), and stores selling snacks with minivans parked in front of them will tell you that you’re in the right place.

Waiting for a minivan to Cemorro Lawang

Schedule for Minivans to Bromo

Once you get to the minivan “station” all you need are 14 other folks to join you in the van.  Vans from Probolinggo to Bromo have 15 seats.  You can wait in one of the warungs, or on the bamboo platforms until those other 14 folks arrive.

The cost from Probolinggo to Cemorro Lawang is 35,000 IDR per person. That’s not the tourist rate, that’s just the rate because the only folks taking these vans are the tourists.  You may find some domestic tourists, but they’re in the minority.

Bags go on the roof (and they’re tied on) and there are 15 seats in the van. The vans will go when full.  It’s possible to negotiate with the drivers to depart with less than 15 people, but the rate will be 525,000 IDR per van.

Well, not all the time. It’s a case of supply and demand.

When we first arrived in Probolinggo (at 17:30 mid-week in the third week of August), we waited for two hours until there were a total of four of us wanting to go to Cemoro Lawang.  When the two of us walked away, the driver offered us a deal. 120, 000 IDR each to go now. We’d been waiting for 2 hours, one guy had hung around for significantly longer than us.

When we countered with 60,000 IDR per person, he came back with an offer of 75,000 IDR each. In the end, we declined and were in Probolingo for the night and tried our luck the next morning.

If you’re traveling solo, there’s also the option of a motorbike ojek from Probolinggo to Cemorro Lawang.  They go from the same location as the minivan “station”.  Just ask around and expect to pay 70,000 IDR.

Taking the Minivan from Probolinggo to Cemorro Lawang

The next morning, we arrived at the minivan stop at 0900.  Four folks had been waiting since 0400, several since 0600, and two since 0830. Our arrival made 12 people, but it was 10 am before the driver offered to leave “now” if we all paid 45,000 IDR each.

We all agreed. We lucked out with the front row of seats (normally for three) for the two of us.  (here’s a hint, be the first to get into the van.  If there are two or more of you, leave one with the bags to go on the roof and go grab those seats!)

Minivans to Bromo

The seats are tragically uncomfortable.  The best seats are either the two in the front with the driver or the front row in the back. There’s more legroom and a little more to brace yourselves with when the driver hurls it around corners.

Arriving in Cemorro Lawang by Minivan from Probolinggo

In Cemoro Lawang, the van will either drop you in one of two places.  Either outside their favorite homestay or at the only junction of note here in Cemoro Lewang.  You can see this on the map.

Most people arrive in Cemoro Lawang mid to late afternoon.  So to get on a minivan that leaves quickly your best bet is after lunch and before 4. The journey from Probolinggo to Cemorro Lawang takes “around 1 hour and 20 minutes”.  We were caught in an Independence Day carnival and wiled away 2 hours and 30 minutes in the van on the way up to Bromo.  Our return journey from Cemorro Lawang to Probolinggo took us just 1 hour and 5 minutes.  On the return the van drops you where you were picked it up from, or just across the road from the bus station.

Cemorro Lawang to Probolinggo

Leaving Bromo and getting out of Cemorro Lawang is simply the reverse of getting in. You go to where the van dropped you off.  Go back to the junction, give your bag to the driver or his mate, and wait around.  Once the van is full, or the “full van fee” is met the van will leave.

If you want to catch a train, then leave plenty of time. We left Cemoro Lawang at 09:20 and managed to make it to Probolinggo in time to catch the 11:12 train to Yogyakarta.  Surprisingly, we made it!  We had to take a yellow bemo from the bus station on Jalan Bromo for 10,000 IDR each.  The local rate might be 5,000, but the Bule or foreigner rate is double that.

We left the “bus station” at 10:28 and arrived at the train station, where there were no ticket lines, and bought tickets at 10:55 for the 11:12 train.   Here’s another hint, if you get those good seats on the minivan, you’ll be first out.  This means you’ll be the first to get into a bemo to get to the train station!  If you’re taking a bus or a train out of Probolinggo, then book it in advance

Book train tickets in Indonesia on tiket.com

Book bus tickets in Indonesia on 12goAsia.

Cemorro Lawang – the Villlage at Mount Bromo

A single road comes in from Probolinggo and leads to a fork, which if you take the left will take you to the Bromo Permai Hotel, and the National Park ticket office and barrier.  The right-hand fork leads to the Cemara Indah hotel, where a path takes you down to the Sea of Sands and to the Bromo Caldera for free and is also the route for the sunrise point if you wish to walk uphill for two plus hours in the dark.

Bromo Accommodation – Where to Stay in Cemorro Lawang.

The best place to stay to visit Bromo independently is in Cemroro Lawang.  The village perches on the edge of the larger Tengger caldera and allows you to walk into the Bromo National Park. You can find Bromo hotels such as the Cemarra Indah, the Bromo Permai, and others that you can book online. Most Bromo accommodation is in-home stays.  It’s cool here on a night, so blankets are generally provided, but no fans or AC unless stated by the hotel or homestay.

Cahyo Homestay Bromo, Bromo, Indonesia: The Cahyo Homestay Bromo is located in the heart of Bromo. This mid-range homestay in Bromo offers free Wi-Fi and the staff here will help you with the route to the sunrise viewpoint.  Rooms at this homestay at Bromo have a hot shower, and they provide towels too.  It’s really close to places to eat in Bromo too.  Want more information on the Cahyo Homestay Bromo?

Good Karma Guesthouse, Bromo, Indonesia: The Good Karma Guesthouse is a budget guesthouse in a great location in Bromo. This budget-friendly homestay in Bromo is in a great location for the sunrise hike to the Bromo viewpoint.  There’s free WiFi and private bathrooms available here.  There are also family-sized rooms available here, great if you’re sharing or traveling together. Check the prices of the Good Karma Guesthouse here.

Where to Eat at Cemorro Lawang

There are many warungs in Cemoro Lawang – serving standard dishes from a pot of Pot Mie (Pot Noodles) to Mie Goreng, Nasi Goreng, Gado-Gado, and soups.  Many warungs simply serve Pot Mie with a kettle and some soft drinks. You can also buy drinks and snacks from several small shops around the village.

Visiting Bromo – Walks, Sights & Views

There are three primary elements to visiting Bromo independently.

  1. Walking across the Laotian Pasir – the Sea of Sands and up the steps to the Bromo crater
  2. Viewing the Huge Tengger Crater (it’s 10km across) and the Batok volcano alongside Bromo.
  3. Seeing the sunrise from the sunrise viewpoint.

Visiting Gunung Bromo and the Tengger Crater

Tickets to Bromo National Park cost 220,000 IDR (2023 prices) for foreign visitors during the week and 320,000 IDR on weekends and 29,000 IDR for Indonesians (34,000 at weekends). There is a single National Park checkpoint on the road just after the Cafe Lava Hostel.  I’ve marked it on the map.  All these prices have been updated for 2023.

Bromo Ticket

This is where you buy your ticket. You can continue on this road, which passes the Bromo Permai Hotel and slopes down to the right.  It leads you across the Sea of Sands (a 45-minute walk) and to the base of the Bromo Crater. You can also view the Hindu Temple as you walk across the Sea of Sands. Tickets are valid for a single day and are date stamped. Tickets issued to Indonesian Nationals look different from those issued to foreign visitors (apart from the obvious price difference!).

Getting into Bromo for Free

It’s possible to visit the Bromo crater for free. If you take the right fork at the junction in Cemorro Lawang and walk up this road for 5 -6 minutes you’ll come to the Cemara Indah Hotel on your left, immediately at the edge of the crater. 

Map of Cemorro Lawang and Sea of Sands Access

You can see the full map here.

Map of Cemorro Lawang

After you’ve taken all the photos that you want (come back here at sunset, it’s pretty), take the small sandy track that you see to the right of the parking barrier box.

Horse Track down to the Sea of Sands Bromo

This is described by some locals as the “horse track”. It’s a narrow sandy track, with deep sand in places.

It winds back on itself several times and you’ll get great viewpoints on the way right down to the Sea of Sands. There is no ticket office or any ticket checkpoint this way and you can walk all the way around the Tengger Crater, up Gunung Batok and Bromo, and enjoy the park.

View of the Sea of Sands Bromo

From the Hotel Cemara Indah across the sea of sands to the base of the 253 concrete steps that rise to the top of Bromo took us 40 minutes walking.

Walking Across the Sea of Sands

Before getting to the steps, there’s an uphill slog that takes perhaps 10 minutes (it’s sandy and a little slidey).

Steps up to the Caldera

The steps will take around 8-10 minutes to go up, depending on how many times you stop. 

At the top of the Caldera Bromo

When you’re done seeing the crater, then walk back down the steps, or run down the sand, you’re filthy and sandy now anyways and it’s fun.

Running Back down from the Caldera

If you visit Bromo as part of a sunrise Jeep tour, after your sunrise viewpoint at Penanjakan, your jeep will drop you in the center of the major caldera – near a “Toilet” building.

Return the same way. (when you’re returning, head for the right-hand red and white communications towers).

Seeing Bromo without Sunrise Crowds

Visiting the Crater in the afternoon will give you the solitude that a morning visit (when 99% of tours visit) does not. The mid to later afternoon light also gives beautiful views over the Sea of Sands to Gunung Penanjakan, which is the point where everyone heads for sunrise and the iconic views of Bromo.

Seeing Bromo at Sunrise

If you decide to take a jeep tour from Cemorro Lawang, then to get to the sunrise point they drive INTO the Tengger caldera (hence you HAVE to pay the National Park fee), through the caldera and up the other side, then up to the Bromo sunrise viewpoint on Gunung Penanjakan. Our jeep left Cemoro Lawang at 03:50 and we arrived at Viewpoint 1 at 04:28.  We then had to hike up for 10 minutes to the actual viewpoint, returning to the jeep for a 06:00 departure.

The jeeps return the same way in reverse.  We were in the crater again by 06:20 and had walked to the base of Bromo’s steps by 06:38 and at the top by 06:45.  Our jeep departed the crater parking at 08:00.

Walking from the “parking” near the toilet building in the center of the Tengger caldera to the uphill slope area takes 10-15 minutes.  That’s why they drop you here, next to where you can hire a horse to take you to the base of the steps (and back if you wish).

Note that there are usually 80-90 jeeps on these morning tours – with 5 people per jeep, you can expect 400 people.  They won’t all be at the rim of the volcano at the same time, but you shouldn’t expect to get any peace and quiet!

Bromo Sunrise View Points

If you’ve traveled to Bromo independently, you can get a sunrise view of Bromo from several different places.

  1. from the Bromo Caldera rim
  2. by walking up to the viewpoint on Gunung Penanjakan
  3. by taking a Bromo jeep tour to Penanjakan and to Bromo-Tengger Caldera afterward

Here’s how to get to all those sunrise points.

1. Sunrise From the Bromo Caldera Rim

Walk down past the ticket checkpoint and pay the entrance fee, take a torch, and warm clothes. Alternatively, see a Bromo sunrise for free by heading down the “horse track” immediately to the right of the Cemara Indah Hotel Parking booth and pay nothing.  In both instances, walk across the Sea of Sands and head up the steps to the rim of Bromo.

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2. Gunung Penanjakan Bromo Sunrise Viewpoint for FREE

You’ll need to set off from Cemoro Lawang around 02:30, as this hike will take around 2-3 hours. The route goes up past the Cemara Indah Hotel, this map may help. It’s steep and it’s dark. And a set of hiking poles as well as a headlamp will definitely help.

Map to Sunrise View at Bromo

3. Taking a Mount Bromo Tour for Sunrise

You can organize a jeep tour with your homestay, or with the driver of the minivan who brings you up or possibly with the Cafe Lava Hostel who ran a shared jeep service. Make sure you organize this the night before.

Bromo Sunrise View

The standard jeep tour will take you to the Bromo viewpoint on Gunung Penanjakan where you can watch the sunrise.  This will be with 400 plus new close friends. 

Crowds at Bromo sunrise

But you will get to take in the views over the entire Tengger Caldera.  The jeep takes you back down to the center of the caldera.  You’ll have around 90 minutes to hike up to the Bromo Caldera Rim and back. The jeep will then return you to the Cemoro Lawang village center (by the Cafe Lava Hostel or the road junction).  You could of course hike back to the village in about 40 minutes).

Sunrise at Bromo

If you take a jeep tour you HAVE to pay the National Park fee.

Be aware that the route that the jeeps take goes through the National Park.  There is NO WAY to avoid paying the national park fees if you take the jeep tour.

You can get to the same (or stop at a slightly lower) viewpoint by doing the hike instead of taking a jeep.

The jeep tours arrive back into the Bromo Tengger caldera at around 06:30, they will park in the center, near to a building marked “Toilets”.

Map of Bromo Sunrise Points & Cemorro Lawang

You can see the full map here.

Map of Bromo Crater

What to do in the Caldera at Bromo

If you’ve traveled to Bromo independently and want to spend longer in the bigger caldera, then you can take a horse ride, wander around or get some breakfast.  I recommend the breakfast, it’s really, really good.

Bromo Horse Ride Tour

You’ll be besieged by locals with horses at this point, offering you the chance to ride the horse to the base of the steps up to the caldera and back. The horse tour price depends on your ability to negotiate, and again on supply and demand. The walk will take you around 20 minutes to the base of the steps and 8-10 to climb up the 253 steps.

Horse Rides in the Caldera at Bromo

Bromo Breakfast in the Tengger Caldera

En route to the caldera, there are also various stalls selling Bakso, coffee, water, soft drinks, and Pot Mie. I can recommend the bakso and coffee for breakfast after you’ve tackled the caldera steps.

There are benches under tents to sit on and stay away from the sun.  There’s nothing much to stop the chain-smoking locals who are just waiting and watching for your eyes to water and your nose to run from the very very spicy sambal.

Breakast in Bromo

Map of Visiting Bromo Independently

You can see the full map here.

Map to Visit Bromo Independently

[Probolinggo bus station and minivan station, probolinggo train station Minivan station in cemorrow lawang, Horse track to crater, National Park ticket checkpoint, Sea of Sands, Jeep Road to sunrise, Crater, sunset viewpoint,  sunrise viewpoint free (!)

Popular Indonesian Routes to Travel

FAQ about visiting Mt Bromo

Here are some of the questions we get asked about visiting Gunung Bromo.

Do you need to stay at Bromo to see the sunrise?

No.  You do not need to stay up at Cemorrow Lawang to see the sunrise at Bromo.  You can stay in either Probolinggo or other cities and take a tour.  You don’t need to stay at the crater.

Is it cold at sunrise at Bromo?

Yes.  It’s cold at sunrise at Bromo.  You’ll want to take a light coat or a fleece.

Do you need a mask at Bromo?

You’ll be offered (for a fee of course) masks (surgical masks) on your way up – this is primarily for the dust.  You’re walking on very fine volcanic sand and it is pretty dusty (bring your own mask or a scarf). The sulfur fumes at the top aren’t very strong, just stand upwind of where they’re blowing. We found no requirement for a mask or a gas mask on either of our trips up this caldera.  (unlike Kawah Ijen)

What are the scams at Mt Bromo?

While there is an official National Park fee for foreign tourists, the Lava Hostel folks (and other jeep drivers) will offer to “consolidate” if you pay them a slightly reduced amount instead. If you do this, your jeep is waved through the checkpoint and you are unlikely to receive a ticket from the National Park.

If you want to have more of a chance of your tourist dollars actually reaching the National Park organization, then you can offer to pay at the ticket checkpoint when you pass through in the morning. Be sure to exit the jeep and pay at the ticket office itself, and get a ticket.

You may get offers of “door service” when they will sell you the ticket.  You are, though paying over the odds and may not receive a ticket, which means that your fee is going straight into someone’s pocket.

Also if you can pass for an Indonesian national or are of Asian descent, you may be charged full foreign tourist price, but only receive an Indonesian ticket. Demanding a ticket that covers the amount that you hand over reduces in some small way the amount going straight to those who are ripping you off.   The Vietnamese girl in our jeep paid foreigner rates and was given an Indonesian ticket. An instant backhander for someone!

Travel Tips for Exploring Indonesia

Final Words on How to Visit Bromo Independently.

The Bromo area is beautiful, the landscape is lush as you drive up, while the Sea of Sands is desolate and has the feel of the vastness of Mongolia. The village of Cemorro Lawang is sleepy and peaceful.  While the accommodation prices may be high for Indonesia comparatively speaking, it’s a chilled-out place that we enjoyed immensely. Visiting, even independently comes at a price, though – in both time spent getting there and seeing the main attraction whilst you’re there.  Enjoy!  We had an amazing time here and here’s some assistance if you’re looking for more amazing Indonesian landmarks to explore!

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