Gunung Andong (Mt. Andong) is a 1,736 MASL volcanic mountain located in Grabag District, Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. This mountain is within the vicinity of the prominent Gunung Merbabu and Gunung Merapi (the most active in Indonesia). Andong may not be as lofty as its neighboring mountains and may not be too high for a seasoned mountaineer but its beauty is not inferior to other mountains in Java Island. That’s why this has been a haven for mountaineers, beginners nor seasoned.
On November 24 and 25, 2013; I was invited to give a lecture in Soegijapranata Catholic University (UNIKA-SCU) in Semarang City, Indonesia. With prior knowledge about the beautiful mountains of Central Java from my good friend Arch. Anto of UNIKA, I planned to at least try trekking one rugged terrain after my lecture series.
On November 24 and 25, 2013; I was invited to give a lecture in Soegijapranata Catholic University (UNIKA-SCU) in Semarang City, Indonesia. With prior knowledge about the beautiful mountains of Central Java from my good friend Arch. Anto of UNIKA, I planned to at least try trekking one rugged terrain after my lecture series.
November 25, 2013; I was introduced by my friend Arch. Moediartianto to MAHUPA, a mountaineers’ organization of SCU and eventually planned the hike to Mt. Andong. The next day, right after my last lecture series, Pa Kris, one of the faculty members of SCU Architecture Department accompanied me to the jump off of Mt. Andong where I met Rudericus Sigit Bhima, Melisa Soediono, Rahayuta Prawira and Patricia Devina Utomo (Vina) of MAHUPA who would be joining me in the climb. Pa Kris, while along the way, shared his experience in climbing mountains during his younger years. One thing that I learned from him during the conversation is the appreciation of sunset and sunrise. According to him, the beauty of a mountain is at its best during sunrise and sunset. I then hoped to experience sunrise or sunset in Mt. Andong.
We arrived at the jump off at around 10:00 in the evening. I thought, the trekking would start early in the morning, but to my surprise, we started at 10:15 PM! Along the way I realized that this was a usual practice of Indonesian mountaineer… anyway, the trail of almost all the mountains in Java are well-established according to them. As we ascend the mountain, I noticed that the trail was indeed well-maintained and clean. The trail passes initially cut through vegetable farms, then to secondary pine forest and eventually to grassland. We did not mind the chilling 12 deg C to 14 deg C temperature… as if the mountain has a naturally ‘balance slope’ for our body to produce enough heat as we ascend to survive the cold breeze. Although it was dark, still I enjoyed the bright lights of the cities and settlements below. It was very beautiful!
We arrived at the jump off at around 10:00 in the evening. I thought, the trekking would start early in the morning, but to my surprise, we started at 10:15 PM! Along the way I realized that this was a usual practice of Indonesian mountaineer… anyway, the trail of almost all the mountains in Java are well-established according to them. As we ascend the mountain, I noticed that the trail was indeed well-maintained and clean. The trail passes initially cut through vegetable farms, then to secondary pine forest and eventually to grassland. We did not mind the chilling 12 deg C to 14 deg C temperature… as if the mountain has a naturally ‘balance slope’ for our body to produce enough heat as we ascend to survive the cold breeze. Although it was dark, still I enjoyed the bright lights of the cities and settlements below. It was very beautiful!
We reached the summit at 12:45 AM, cooked our late dinner and have a good rest as we wait for the sunrise. I woke up at 4:45 AM, the time that the eastern horizon is starting to smile for the sun. After few minutes, the mountain revealed its beauty! It was really as its best! The dramatic color of the clouds, the stars, the towering nearby mountains of Merbabu, Merapi, Telamoyo, Ungaran, Sindoro and Sumbing, lights of the city, and the contour of the land downhill produced a very spectacular sight! I did not waste time taking pictures… I took more than 180 pictures just to describe that I enjoyed the 360-degree vantage view!
After enjoying our breakfast, we started descending at around 8:00 AM. While on our way, I enjoyed the endless charming views of farmlands, winding rivers and rolling hills. Our journey was further delighted by the kindness, politeness and smile of my companions. I had to admit, I was mystically charmed by the place and by the people as well... and that time, I already looked forward to my next climb in Central Java and I intended to try the nearby Gunung Merbabu and Gunung Merapi.