Yogyakarta located at the bottom of Merapi Mountain, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Despite that, it is a famous tourist destination, especially for the lava tour Merapi. Many people purposely visit Jogja (Yogyakarta famous nickname) just for off-road jeep touring at the lava remnant. Along the way, there will be several stops that still connected about this volcano mountain. These stop destinations are such as Museum Sisa Hartaku (en: The Remain of My Possession Museum) and Bunker Kaliadem. Moreover, Jogja is one of among the top tourist destination in Indonesia. You will get plenty of choices to fill your time there aside for the lava tour. Here below are what you have to do in planning your lava tour Merapi:
1. Know What You Hope for
Lava tour Merapi has different tour packages according to the duration and its route. There are short route for 1,5 hours, medium for 2,5 hours, and long for 4 – 5 hours. Aside from these packages, there are also sunrise package and amazing package. The price will be different for each package. Make sure you know what you want your tour would then choose the package based on your preference. And the price is for renting the jeep (capacity for 4) and its driver, who will also be your guide.
2. Choose the Right Time
They said the best time for lava tour Merapi is at the dry season when the mountain view is clear. And also, rain will make the route become slippery and shorten the visibility of the area. Another advantage, you’ll get a fuller experience without getting wet while touring. The local way to foresee the weather is by analyzing the weather of the night before. When it rains at night, 90% the next day is going to be sunny. And if the night before is cloudy, better to postpone your trip, because the probability for rain is high.
3. Book Your Jeep ( Whatsapp : +62857 4104 6900 )
Once the previous point cleared, the next thing on the line is booking the jeep. The cheapest is $30 USD for short route (1,5 hours) and the most expensive is for $46 USD for the long route (4 – 5 hours). There are many operators that provide car ren, but they are actually under one umbrella. The most recommended car model is land-cruiser, as it can go down on places that bigger cars can’t afford.
4. Get the Best Attire to Protect
The usual problem that often happened when touring is about the attire. Not only in lava tour Merapi, but also at other tours. The best attire is what makes you comfortable, from clothes to shoes. The area is lack of vegetation due to volcano eruption, so better to wear long-sleeved clothes to protect from the sunray. For the footwear, a pair of sneaker is the best choice for moving comfort. And because the place is dusty, prepare for masker and sunglass. Lastly, Lava tour Merapi is not only an adrenalin-rush tourist destination. Before it became a tourist object, it was some people village, houses, and even their livelihood source. The tour can be a reminder of how small human is, compared to nature.