Overview
The mountain stands at just over two thousand metres and has erupted repeatedly in the modern era, most recently in 2019, when an ash column closed the site for weeks. Kawah Ratu, the queen’s crater, is the one at the end of the road: a wide grey bowl with sulphur vents and a lake that changes colour. Access depends on gas readings, and the volcanology office closes the rim without notice when the readings rise.
Highlights
Go early, before the cloud arrives and before the coach parties; the road is often clear by nine and closed in by eleven. Check the alert status the same morning, and note that stallholders and self-appointed guides at the rim can be persistent. The Ciater hot springs below the mountain are the standard second half of this trip.