Walking in between the steam vents of Mount Sibayak

The early bird catches the worm, and today I did. Yesterday, I walked around Berastagi, looking for the best spots to see the nearby volcanoes. Today, I’m doing a hike to the top of Mount Sibayak. There are motorbikes in town willing to take you up, but I’ve found a walking route online that will get me there on foot. It’s a three-hour walk crossing plenty of dirt and mud tracks, but reaching the top will be worth the effort.

Most websites advise not to go alone on foot, but there are no other tourists here, and after missing a must-do volcano in Java, I’m not letting this one slide. I’ve also been asking around to climb Mount Sinabung, but due to its unpredictability, that is not recommended.

Mount Sibayak

Mount Sibayak is an active stratovolcano overlooking the town of Berastagi. Its last eruption was over a hundred years ago, but its activity is still high. There are multiple hot springs around the volcano, and plenty of steam vents are on top of the mountain. Besides, the small crater lake is pretty acidic due to the seepage of sulphurous gasses.

Mount Sibayak is a popular tourist and local attraction as it is relatively easy to climb. In addition, it is allowed to camp on the top, making it a perfect place to watch a sunrise or sunset above Berastagi.

The smell of sulphur was the first thing I noticed when I got to the top. It reminded me of the white lake I visited in Java, although it does not have a great smell. It has something from very rotten eggs.

Luckily, once you climb further up to the viewing spots, the scent isn’t too bad, making it a great place to hang out. It’s better than standing on an erupting volcano! It was unfortunate that it had become cloudy when I reached the top, but you got to take nature as it comes.

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