Kabini - The call of the wild

This wasn’t meant to be a drive through a forest and see Tiger pugmarks. Unlike my previous experiences with wildlife, Kabini promised the real thing, an immersion into the animal kingdom, a call to the wild! So when, I saw a Tiger’s stripes pass stealthily behind the grass on my first safari, it reconfirmed my notions about the place. Unfortunately, that was it for the big cats – there were alarm calls, rushes to spots of sightings, but the felines remained elusive. It was surprisingly, a bunch of wiry little canines that gave me the wildlife experience. Wild dogs, who individually look ever so innocuous, are actually as a pack the best hunters in the jungle with a strike rate of 8/10, as I am later told by Vincent, the naturalist at the Bison. Well it wasn’t really a hunt like I wished - just the pack pushing an elephant out of their territory. It might seem dreary and boring, but it was the real deal, all said and done. And to watch the puny little fellas push back an elephant was quite the eye opener. Watch and enjoy!

TIPS:

• We stayed at the Bison which is the only resort with a view of the national park. You can get a more ‘luxurious’ tent or machan experience here as well (there will be insects but fewer)
• If convenience is more your style, try Jungle lodges, run by the government – they are the only ones who can run safaris (so wherever you stay, you have to do the safari through them) and they have built up rooms
• You have the option of the boat safari and the jeep safari – Boat safaris are better for birds and water animals like otter. The jeep safari scores on all others.
•   Most people come to Kabini via Bangalore, but it given the option you should try Kozhikode – it’s a different scenery and a better one. Alternatively, if you are game for a slightly longer drive, try Coimbatore (you will pass through Mudumalai and Bandipur on the way). We went via Coimbatore-Coonoor (stopped here for 2 days)-Ooty and it was worth it – got quite a few animals before we reached Kabini.

Mt. Bromo : Sunrise, sulphur and selfies

It’s perhaps one of the most touristy things I’ve done on my solo trips. Every website, blog or discussion board around Mt. Bromo had enough and more to say about the hordes that visit the crater every day. Nonetheless, a visit to an active volcano seemed like quite the adventure back home in India – nothing could be further from the truth. But, there’s a glimmer of hope for those who want to stay away from the crowds. Getting to Mt. Bromo alone and without wheels may not be a great adventure, but it sure gets you closer to people and the land.

The Tengger caldera from Seruni point

Across the sea of sand

Tengger houses

Smoking Mt. Bromo

It’s pretty noisy for a small village at 3 in the morning. But, this is when the sleepy Cemero Lawang roars to life with dozens of four wheelers. Sunrise over the Tengger caldera with its apostles  - Bromo, Batok and Semeru – is what is creating all the ruckus as tourists get ready for a short trip to Seruni point (sunrise point), about 200-250 mts above the village. Some also go the top of Mt. Pananjakan or to the top of Mt. Bromo . I prefer an early morning hike and am there in an hour. Sunrise is uneventful and “selfied”. Later Semeru gives us a burp of smoke and ash much to our delight. 

However, the walk down Mt. Pananjakan is the real deal. With the sun out, the Tengger potato fields reveal themselves along with the crude but neat houses in them. The people are up and about, mostly in the fields though.

Inside Poten temple with Mt. Batok in the background

About 75 mins later, I am at the foot of Mt. Bromo across the eerie sea of sand. In fact, more eerie than the Lautan Pasir, is the poten temple. Dedicated to Bromo (derived from ‘Brahma’, the Hindu God of creation), it stands lonely and desolate, almost taunting Mt. Bromo to annihilate it. It’s quite the opposite of what you would witness in India as people almost ignore the holy structure and head for the crater above. And these are a lot of people – a few score– all for sulphur fumes at the top. Most people take horses up and they are quite the nuisance. After weaving past them, I get to the stairs and up to the crater, where I can peer down into the volcano. The others are having a ball too - the selfie sticks are out again. Did I mention this place is touristy?

Crowds going up Mt. Bromo

Mt. Bromo – DIY 

Itinerary from Surabaya Intl. Airport, costs in thousand Indonesian rupiah

1. DAMRI bus to Bungarasih bus terminal : 25
2. Bungarasih to Probolinggo: 29 (you get an option of express and economy bus, I took express)
3. Probolinggo to Cemero Lawang: 50 (Here you shift into a mini bus. Exit the bus terminal onto the main road and turn left, you will see a few mini buses parked there. Costs are variable depending on number of people and the bus wont move till it is full, unless others are willing to pay more. In my case I was told it was 525k for the entire bus of 15 ppl which works out to 35 per head. And after waiting for about 2 hrs, we managed to get 10 ppl, with the cost at 50 per head)
4. Homestay : 200 (I stayed at homestay UDIN right before cafe lava hotel. If you are early, you can get one of the bigger hotels for a similar rate, but don’t count on it)
5. Food: Max 40 w/o alcohol per head per meal. Plenty of places around for local food
6. Entrance ticket: 220 ph. (Rarely checked – nobody checked my ticket – but you might not want to take a risk)
7. Cemero Lawang to Surabaya – same route/way back

TIPS

• Mt. Bromo is an active volcano and last erupted in 2011, however, the eruptions are not frequent. Mt. Sumeru on the other hand spits out ash/rock every 15-30 mins.
• Cafe lava hotel gives you a map of the region for free
• For good views of the volcanoes, move towards Lava view lodge
• If you take the jeep for the sunrise tour (sunrise pt. + Mt. Bromo + a couple other points) it will cost you about 125k per head. However, even with the jeep, you will have to climb up the last leg to Seruni and climb up to Mt. Bromo.
• Horses are also available but they don’t take you all the way to the top either. (When I went to Seruni point, there were some who took jeeps, and then horses, but still had to walk up the stairs for 10 mins.
• The way from Cemero Lawang down to the sea of sands, is by a narrow dirt road near cemero Indah hotel
• Dont miss the views of Mt. Arjuna in the distance on the way down from seruni point
• There are a couple of shops where you can pick up local souvenirs from the bromo hat to fridge magnets
• Do NOT take direct buses from Surabaya to Cemero Lawang, stop at Probolinggo and switch – there are no direct buses and you are likely to get cheated
• I took a Simpati sim card (Telekomsel) and it worked fine. Not sure about others.
• Cemero Lawang is about 2,200 mts high and the mornings/nights can get nippy (It was about 16 deg in the morning in April)
• If you arrive to Cemero Lawang early (by noon), go to Mt. Bromo. Most of the crowds come in at sunrise and immediately after. By noon, you are likely to have the place to yourself.