A difficult crossing

I'm not surprised by John and Jody's bafflement on where to cross from Galudra to Perkebunan Gede. Starting in the mid-Nineties, I got lost more than once trying to cross the valley of the Cibatulempar. The valley has many waterfalls and is very deep in places. Back around 2000, we had a good route, then one dry season, the route disappeared with some major landslides. After which we did find another route but not as good as the old one. Good luck on your next try, I'll join you if I can.

Rainy days in Puncak

Scared of hiking in Puncak in the rainy season? You should be! I may have encouraged you to risk the rain in my last post, a recent escapade in the forest above Pasaripis has persuaded me to change my opinion 180 degrees!

Well, not quite... But we were reminded that an afternoon cloudburst on steep, muddy and indistinct trails deep in the forest provokes anxiety, even more than driving one's Kijang through an axle-deep Jakarta flood, wondering whether you will make it to the other side.

The goal of this walk was to cover the next section of the ring route, from the Sarongge Tea Plantation in the Sector D map to the Gedeh Tea Plantation in the Sector E map finishing in Gedeh village itself, below the tea factory.

Jody handled the GPS, I read the map, and our intrepid photographer Clarence Garay took all the pictures shown here, at great risk to his safety, sanity and equipment. Without Alex to guide us, we realised we would need all our navigational resources as we made our usual dawn start on 21 February.

The first section of the route, from the strawberry farm above the Sarongge tea plantation, was the same as on the Sarongge to Cipanas trek described below. We accompanied the early-morning commuters to the fields above Babakan Sarongge. This track serves a vast swathe of ploughed fields and at sunrise it is busy with farmers heading up and schoolchildren heading down.

About 150m above Babakan Sarongge the ring route diverges from the larger D3 track onto a smaller side path. 200m up this smaller path is another junction with a yet smaller path to the left across the fields, which may be sprouting carrots, cabbages or more exotic vegetables depending on the season. At the edge of the field we need to hop over a small rise to enter the brush and descend steeply to the Ci Anjur Leutik. The first few meters are overgrown but the path becomes clearer lower down, though still steep.

Emerging from this valley we enter more fields of cabbage and broccoli, this time pleasantly shaded by a few sparse trees. Crisscrossing paths complicate routefinding, but as long as we head southward and upward we will reach the Pasir Galudra ridge top, where we descend the ridge along the main track, busy with the familiar motorcyclists struggling up the rutted trail with sacks of fertilizer.

The descent to Galudra village offers fine views back across the valley toward Sarongge and down toward Galudra itself, with its handful of impressive villas, in spacious, grassy lots at the top end of the asphalt road. Walking time to this point was 3 hours for the 5.5km, and the first drops of rain were beginning to fall.

Drawing level with the whitest and newest of the villas below us on our left (only the four villas further down are marked on the map), we find a small path on the right that cuts back to the valley of the Ci Gadog. After a refreshing splash in the stream we climbed out onto the ridge above Pasirmalang. Reaching the ridge top itself was again tricky but by forging due south across the fields we made it onto the main up-down path, which also forms part of the D4 circle route. The ring route here accompanies the D4 circle route, ascending Pasir Malang and entering what is shown on the map as forest but is actually the "mixed garden" blend of ploughed fields and eucalyptus trees. (A WIPA D4 sign on a tree marks the entry to the "forest".)

The section across the next valley, the Batukasong, is in good condition but heavy rain as we emerged into the fields persuaded us to have lunch in a newly-built bamboo farmers' hut; the family, including husband, wife, two sons and a daughter, who were also sheltering from the rain, remembered me from my visit last year while on the D4 route, a reminder of how few foreigners pass this way.

Once the rain eased we set course for Pasir Lini, reinvigorated by a gift of delicious bananas. Our final destination, the Gedeh tea plantation, was now in plain sight, but the valleys separating it from Pasir Lini are intimidatingly steep. Instead of following the ring route marked on the map, which heads down the ridge, we sought guidance from the farmers and scouted out another valley crossing, higher up above the fields. This brought us onto Pasir Barusintok (which appears on both the south edge of the Sector D map and the north edge of the Sector E map) at an altitude of 1551m. Again the paths were somewhat confusing until we found the main up-down path, which we ascended to our day's high point of 1605m.

From this point, we turned left to seek the path that enters the forest to descend to the river. (It is in square C10 on the Sector D map, and in square M'10 on the Sector E map, above the monkey symbol.) We did eventually discover the well-concealed path, but from this point things become a little hazy, as teeming rain obliterated my notes and deterred Jody from recording GPS points. Dim light under cloud and forest canopy makes it hard to read the map, even when the water has been wiped off. Interestingly, the thick vegetation saves us from having raindrops pounding on our head, but the whole forest seems to soak up water like a sponge, so that it quickly seeps through to the skin.

The descent to the river here is steep, overgrown and muddy, producing a treacherous journey down to the stream, which, as we arrived, was quickly turning into a torrent. At first we failed to find the path on the other bank and waded downriver to search for it, only to eventually discover that the right bank path is actually a few meters above the crossing point, not below it. Finding this path gave us a great sense of relief, though we were still very far from out of the woods. Numerous dead-end woodcutters' paths soon led us astray and left us disoriented, dashing our hopes of crossing directly through the forest to the Gedeh tea plantation. Certainly in future we will assess the potential difficulty of long forest crossings more carefully before attempting them in such a deluge.

Finally we decided to descend to the river to the crossing point above Curug Gaol, return to the left bank and then climb back out to Pasir Barusintok. We wearily descended the main up-down path, to meet up with the E1 circle route at 1326m (square M'15 on the sector E map). This route offers a much more comfortable route across the final valley, although a major landslide has torn out a broad section of the mountian side at one point. Once safely past the landslide, we soon entered the tea plantation, which was mostly shrouded in mist that blocked out the usual spectacualr views. But the route was still a comfortable stroll, rounding the top end of the plantation to get on the right ridge for the descent to Gedeh village.









This was journey's end for me as I stayed in one of the tea factory's two guest bungalows (contact telephone: 0263 261724) . They are by the road in the village and offer simple facilities in the cool climate of a tea factory vilage. Clarence and Jody drove straight on to Jakarta for a well-deserved bath and a rest. Including our various diversions we covered over 19km. Time on the trail was 10 and a half hours, most of it with intermittent or heavy rain. Next time I will be taking an extra rain cape!

Hiking above Cipanas- the ring route in sector D

Scared of hiking in Puncak in the rainy season? Don't be!

We took that chance on the slopes above Cipanas last February 7th and were rewarded with a lovely hike- cool, sweat-free and with beautifully clear air looking up to Gunung Gede and down across Cipanas and the Cianjur plateau. Yes, there was rain, but just enough to cool us down without soaking us, and just enough mist to build suspense as we wondered what would be unveiled as it cleared.

Alex, Chris Starkey, myself, Jody Randell and our photographer Clarence Garay (not seen in photo) made a dawn start in the chilly strawberry fields beside the Sarongge tea plantation. (GPS point 9251453 724690
, alt.1339masl; on the sector D map this is in square L16, where the word "strawberries is written above the end of the asphalt road).

Our first sector was to the historic kampung of Babakan Sarongge, where we were lucky enough to enjoy the hospitality of village founder Pak Rosidi. After reading the story of the kampung in the sector D guidebook (pp 40-43), it was a pleasure to visit in person and be warmed up by the sweet tea and interesting tales.

From Babakan Sarongge we followed the D3 route in reverse. This passes first through mixed forest and vegetable garden, where motorcyclists haul vegetables up and down the rutted tracks (see photo).

It then veers into the forest. A landslide at the entry point forced us to cling on to the roots in the hillside for a moment but the rest of the path proved quite simple to follow- having Alex with us no doubt boosted our confidence we were on the right route!

After emerging from the forest just above D3 point B at the National Park sign at 1528 masl ("We guard and protect the animals' bodies and ecosystem" it says), we left the D3 path, heading upward toward Gunung Gede along the boundary between the forest and the fields.

A couple of hundred meters up this path joins the D2 route, which we followed in reverse, reentering the forest at GPS 9251475 0722618. Map users should note that there is a three-way fork at a clearing not marked on the map some 400m after the forest entry: take the center path to keep climbing up to D2 point C, where a friendly WIPA sign is posted on a tree. At 1706masl, this was our highpoint for the day.

Here the path leaves the forest again to enter what is called mixed garden. As Alex points out in the guide, this is supposed to be a reforestation project with a mix of eucalyptus trees and crops. However, the farmers make sure that their vegetables get the lion's share of the light, resulting in the rather scrawny-looking trees seen in the photo.

Continuing along the D2 route in reverse, we rounded the top of the deep gash known as Legok Bangke (Valley of Corpses, allegedly so-named after the 1965 massacres of communists) and shortlyarrived in Gunungputri village, enjoying the clear skies and views across Cipanas below.

Alex left us at this point, 10.9km and 5 h 30 minutes from our start point, while the rest of us enjoyed a pleasant coffee break at the Gunungputri angkot terminus (9252846 722210). The trip between Sarongge and Gunugputri would certainly be a satisfying walk in itself, combining as it does some of the best sections of the D3 and D2 circle routes. But our further goal was to reach Cibodas and link up with the Cibodas-Taman Safari route we covered in December. We left the D2 route to head up toward the Botanical Garden, at first on the asphalt road, and then on the footpaths marked on the map with the red ring route arrows (of course we were following the arrows in reverse). Note that where the footpath turns off the asphalt road, the agrotourism resort has cemented the ridgetop path down toward Gunung Batu, and even built a pleasant lookout shelter. This shelter was particularly fortuitous as this was the one sector of our walk blighted by rain.

But the rain soon let up, bringing fresh, clear skies and a fierce breeze, enabling us to enjoy both great views of Cipanas and the spectacle of those bamboo windmills that usually seem to be lying dormant beside the fields. On this occasion, the owners were out in force to lend support as a wind strong enough almost to blow us off the path set the blades whirring like helicopter propellers. To see these in action, follow the ring route footpath across the Walen valley rather than the asphalt road that passes trhough the Botanical garden.

Our 14km route finished just below the Cibodas tourist area entry gate, which was the starting point for our previous hike over Puncak to Taman Safari. The large car park here has a variety of warungs, providing generous portions of nasi goreng and a selection of Indonesia's most popular beers. The price is half that of Jakarta bars and the air is ten times cleaner!

more on puncak traverses

Writing a book on the ring route, as you suggest Alex, certainly sounds an exciting proposition. All these mental maps, data and photos need to find a good use. I hope we can soon post some info about the ring route in the sector D area around Cipanas.

Backtracking to Taman Safari, I certainly agree with Alex that the most "normal" route between Joglo and Taman Safari gate would be along the edge of the tea plantation i.e. after descending Gunung Joglo arrive at Point B on the C3 route and then turn right to follow the C3 route in reverse back to point A, then veering left to contour along the top of the tea plantation.

We instead turned left at point B, descending steeply toward the Taman Safari boundary fence. That path was indeed steeper and rougher than the C3 path, so not ideal near the start or finish of a long day, but we had an "ideological" desire to pass as close to Taman Safari as possible.

I didn't get a chance to explore further over Christmas as I was diving in Lombok.

ButI did have a chance to reread Alfred Russel Wallace's classic travelogue "The Malay Archipelago". I actually read that book shortly after I first arrived in Indonesia, and rereading it now that I have actually visited many of the places described I was even more impressed than the first time with Wallace's enterprise as a naturalist and with his many-faceted insights into Indonesia.

The most relevant section for this blog is in the chapter on Java, which Wallace visited in 1861. After a few weeks around Surabaya and Gunung Arjuna, Wallace caught the steamer to Batavia, before setting off to explore the Puncak and climb Gede and Pangrango. He felt disappointed by the Buitenzorg Botanical Gardens (he had by this time spent several years in Eastern Indonesia), he describes heading up toward the "Megamendung Mountain" with a hired horse and porters. But he soon decided to get off his horse and walk, so inspired was he by the "villages imbedded in fruit trees and pretty villas" as well as by the system of terrace-cultivation, which was "I should think, hardly equalled in the world."

After passing a fortnight staying in a roadkeeper's hut near the pass to collect wildlife specimens, he moved on to begin his ascent of the mountains, describing the landmarks familiar to those who climb Gede or Pangrango today: the "governor-general's country house at Tchipanas", the branch of the Botanic Gardens, the picturesque waterfall and the hot spring where the torrent "foams over its rugged bed, sending up clouds of steam". At that time, there was a "hut of open bamboos at a place called Kampung Badak" and Wallace stayed there to keep out of the "thick mist and drizzling rain" in between his ascents to the top of the two mountains.

For Wallace, who had spent most of his time in Indonesia's lowland forests, the thrill of the trip was in observing the change from tropical to temperate flora as he ascended the peak and in considering how European style plants, such as strawberries, raspberries and the "rare and beautiful Royal Cowslip" could be found on an isolated mountain peak south of the equator. He speculates that during a previous ice age temperate flora had spread right across the tropics, but then retreated up the mountain slopes and into the higher latitudes as temperatures rose.

Wallace refers us to "Mr. Darwin's Origin of Species, chapter 2" for a fuller explanation of this phenomenon.

And I refer readers to chapter VII of Wallace's "The Malay Archipelago", which is widely available in Jakarta book shops, probably somewhere near the WIPA Puncak Trek Guidebooks. It's even available in full text online, for those with glare-proof eyes. It really does offer a fascinating view into Indonesia as it used to be.

Comment on a Puncak Traverse

What a joy to read John's splendid post of the Puncak traverse! John and Jody have opened my eyes to some alternative routes that I have never explored since I began walking the foothills in 1991. Sorry I couldn't join you that day but thanks for the invite.

I now link back to a 30 October posting about the C3 detour on my blog. Your journal illuminates an important alternative exit for route C3. After climbing from the ex-outpost (point C) to Pr Mandalawangi and reaching point D, one can return to point B by way of Gn Joglo, as you have done. This circuit would be less hazardous than the ascent to the Puncak and would bring one back to the Start. Further, I remain curious about the path leading up Gn Gegerbenteng from the saddle point on Pr Mandalawangi, mentioned on 30 Oct. The path was not there some years ago when I passed this way. Given the deteriorating conditions on the Gn Gegerbenteng traverse, I would not be surprised if the locals have opened a new traverse higher up the mountain. I look forward to exploring this alternative myself next year, if someone else does not get there first.

I am curious about your route beyond point B. In your place, I would probably have gone from point B to point A, then turned left on the stone road and contoured around the upper end of the tea plantation, where you seem to have ended up anyway. Which of these routes looks preferable to you?

At the rate you guys are going, you'll soon finish trekking the ring route in sectors B, C, D, and E. You are innovating as you go along. How'd you like to write a guidebook to the ringroute in those 4 sectors, with photos and GPS coordinates?

Pitcher plants in Puncak

I'd like to add a couple of photos to the account of the Cibodas to Taman Safari walk below.

Besides the large mushroom in the picture we also found a small pitcher plant during the ascent of Gunung Joglo. Does anyone know if these are common in the Puncak forests? Are there lots of different kinds? Are they climbers or ground-growing? We haven't found many, but perhaps that's because we haven't been looking very closely!

The view is looking down toward the Puncak Pass hotel and surrounding area from Pasir Pangsalatan, just before reaching the Puncak ridgeline. To the right is the view back toward Cipanas from the same spot. This section of the route is quite thickly wooded so we were lucky to find a small opening in the vegetation to shoot these pictures.

Cibodas to Taman Safari- A Puncak Traverse

After our November walk between Taman Safari and Arca, we contemplated the next enticing stage of the ring route, a traverse across the Puncak ridge from Cibodas on the Cianjur side to Taman Safari on the Bogor side. Although it would be possible to break this into shorter sections, the prospect of connecting Puncak's two most celebrated tourist attractions- Cibodas Botanical Gardens and Taman Safari Indonesia- with a single "classic" hike was too enticing to resist.

And so it was that we (i.e. Jody Randell and I) set out on Saturday December 13th, starting at 6.30 from just in front of the large entrance toll gate to the Cibodas recreation area.

Using the Sector D (Cipanas) map we mainly followed the red ring route arrows, (though of course in the reverse direction to that marked on the map). From the crossroads 100m below the gate, descend northwest and take the footpath to the left of the lone villa. This turns into a comfortable asphalt track that winds into the valley past a dilapidated tennis court. Take the footpath on the left shortly after the tennis court, cross the concrete footbridge over the stream, cross the vegetable fields for 50m and then head left up the slope toward Hartono garden. (We must have missed the earlier stream crossing marked on the map.)

Enjoy the fine views back toward the villages along the Cibodas road and then enter the cool shade of the beautiful Hartono garden, keeping on the uppermost of the various flower-lined footpaths. (The more leisurely D1 circle route allows ample time to explore the gardens in all their glory.) Exit the garden at the north gate, continue 100m or so and then head right up the slope through the cabbage fields. We got lost in the tomatoes but the farmers were there to set us back on the right track, past the large water tanks onto the ridge top. Once there, one's position is unmistakeable as it affords sweeping views of Kampung Gegerbentang in the valley on the north side, Gede and Pangrango beyond the forest to the south, and all the hills and plateaux of the Cianjur regency spread out behind you.

Heading up the ridge we passed a plantation of temptingly juicy arbei and then, 1 hour 30 minutes after setting out, we entered the forest, passing a wooden sign marked Pasir Buntu. The first section in the forest is a pleasant stroll on a narrowing, with occasional vistas right beyond the Cibodas parking area and on to Gunungputri village (start of the D2 circle route). Freshly painted steel posts have been planted every 100m along the route, which is obviously popular with woodcutters. (At this point we transfer from the western edge of the Cipanas map square D' to the eastern edge of the Cisarua map square J.)

After the 1000m marker the path forks, with the steel posts taking the right fork to Legokbabah and our ridge path heading left, marked by friendly orange ribbons tied on a tree here and there. The heart poundingly steep stretch begins as you approach 1500m altitude but the path is mostly dry and offers a firm footing. Higher up the gradient slackens but the path becomes tougher as it veers right off the ridge line and becomes narrow and treacherous. To compensate, the occasional clearings in the vegetation afford broad views across to the Puncak watershed, the radio towers familiar from the C3 and C4 circle route, and all the hotels, villas and restaurants on the Cianjur slope.

Eventually, with 5.5 km covered in 3 hours shown on the GPS, we reached the four-way junction on the Gegerbentang ridge, a comfortable rest stop with enough space to pitch a tent. From here, the summit of Gegerbentang (2042m) is temptingly close, less than 200m above us. But with many kilometers and an unfamiliar trek over Gunung Joglo still ahead of us, we decided to leave the summit for another day. (The quickest route up and down is probably from Cibodas and back down the same way, or descending directly to the Puncak highway.)

From this junction, our route (the middle of the three paths before us) contoured around the northwest slope of Gegerbentang, passing over plenty of fallen trees that threatened to block off the route but never quite did. The distant wail of the loudspeakers from Cibodas, that had accompanied us on the ascent, was replaced by the alternative wail of the speakers from Gunung Mas, wafting in and out of the mist that now shrouded us against the wooded slopes. After reaching our day's high point of 1900masl we descended the western ridge of Gegerbentang. After several hours on unfamiliar paths, the fourway clearing which is point D on the C3 circle seemed comfortingly familiar and pleasantly silent, as the loudspeakers finally faded completely. At this point we were 7.9km and four hours from our start point, but fortified ourselves with sandwiches and fruit.

(On the map the marked ring route passes through Kampung Mandalawangi, point C on the C3 circle route, and then follows the lower C3 path along the side of the valley.
Alex, in his trekking blog
http://puncaktrek.blogspot.com/2008/10/high-altitude-detour-on-route-c3.html
describes two routes for passing from Kampung Mandalawangi to the Puncak ridgeline as part of the C3 walk. One route involves ascending from Kampung Mandalawangi to the 1900m high point mentioned above, then descending as we did to the point D clearing where we stopped for sandwiches and continuing the C3 path as marked on the map. The second route involves ascending from Kampung Mandalawangi to the 1900m high point, then contouring around Gunung Gegerbentang to the fourway junction on the Gegerbentang ridge i.e. our route in reverse, and then descending toward the main Puncak highway.

I walked the C3 route twice last year; the first time it was hard to find the marked trail from point C to point D and both times it was hard to find the last section of the trail approaching point E as the path seems to peter out in some secondary forest growth. As an alternative route from point C to point E, I guess it would be best to follow Alex's second route, asending from Kampung Mandalawangi to the Gegerbentang west ridge, and then contouring around to the Gegerbentang north ridge. The path was treacherously slippy but easy to follow whereas the D to E path marked on the map was treacherous and difficult to follow.)

But now let's conclude our sandwich break at the C3 point D clearing and begin the traverse westwards over Gunung Joglo.

From the clearing the Gunung Joglo path first descends to a broad saddle and then rises again before following a flattish ridgeline. The path here is surprisingly well-trodden and marked by blue ribbons strung on trees. There are a couple of indistinct passages and one section atop a small knoll in serious need of a machete, but on much of the flat ridge top the tree cover is light and the path remarkably reminiscent of a walk in the park! The only obstacles are the inevitable thorny creepers and occasional low-hanging branches. Keep in mind also that this is leech country. Leech haters can take the well-known precaution of dipping socks in tobacco juice, while the more leech-friendly might simply wait for a rest stop before hauling the little creatures out from under a bootlace and flicking them away.

The summit of Gunung Joglo (1844m) is a broad, thinly-wooded knoll with a large space for several tents, though still pleasantly free from the plastic garbage that often mars forest shelter sites. On the west side the path soon starts to drop quite steeply; the cautious will tread gingerly throughout the descent. Eventually there is an almost sheer 3 meter drop requiring hand holds and the path joins the C3 circle route in a grassy clearing. Head right for 50m, then left to descend to the narrow shelf which is point B on the C3 route.

From this point, which we reached 6 hours 30 minutes and 10.8 km after setting out, the shortest exit, and the safest in bad weather, would probably be to turn right along the C3 path down to the Gunung Mas plantation and out via the tea tracks. We, however, set our course for Taman Safari, taking the path down to the left. After passing a large camping area, where there is also a path diverging up the slope, the route desends steeply; if anything it is steeper, trickier and more overgrown than the route down Gunung Joglo. Avoid the woodcutter's path off to the right, which appears to be a dead end, and keep descending until you come to a t-junction where a white plastic pipe runs just under the soil. A few meters to the left water gushes from a hole in the pipe, offering a welcome chance for a wash and a drink refill.

The path to Taman Safari heads to the right, following the pipe downwards and passing a concrete dam before finally joining a betterl-trodden and flatter path. Head right here to pass a raised concrete water tank and then hear a stream that comes in from the right. Just before the stream is a grassy trail on the left toward Taman Safari. Our hope of a shortcut to the tiger enclosure was foiled however by the park's wire boundary fence, a steep drop on the other side and some vicious stinging nettles that will plague anyone who has survived the pricks and thorns of Gunung Joglo unscathed. We returned to the stream, crossed it and then contoured up out of the valley, looking across to the park's spreading flame trees and African tulip trees, nestled beneath us. As we came down Gunung Joglo we had begun to hear the loudspeakers and exultant shouting of the visitors at the outbound center, and now we were able to glimpse them, as well as a few cars touring into the herbivore section of the park. While walking the C2 route last year, we even manged to spot zebras and elephants, but on this occasion they appeared to be well-concealed under the shady leaves.

On emerging from the valley the complexion of the landscape changes again and you face tea plantations with their crisscrossing paths, neatly spread villas and their manicured lawns, a sharp contrast to the dense, unruly vegetation of the last eight hours!

Turn left as you enter the tea and follow the boundary on the left between the plantation and the scrub for about 200m. Dip out of the tea plantation onto a narrow footpath to the left, hemmed in by the mesh boundary fence of Taman Safari on one side and an iron fence marking off land for villa construction on the other. Over the precipice on your left are the auxiliary buildings and entrance roads to Taman Safari, reminding you of the impressive size and scale of the whole enterprise. This path emerges at the corner of a field, where you proceed right for 30m to find the head of an asphalt road.

At this point the rain, which had been menacing all afternoon, finally began to teem down. The timing was fine by us as from this point the walk is simply a pleasant jaunt past the intriguingly varied villas, including several under construction, of the Cibereum hillside. At 4.00p.m., 9 hours 30 minutes and 17 km after starting out, we rolled into the Cibereum market square to indulge in warmly grilled corn and somewhat less warm beer.

What a satisfying hike! How glorious that travelling from Cibodas to Taman Safari can mean so much more than a traffic jam! What a sense of new vision one gets from linking those two so familiar landmarks of Puncak tourism in a novel, and, for us, previously unimagined way!

I would certainly be interested to hear from anyone who has walked this route before.

For anyone thinking of following us I can recommend the route highly, although one should certainly become comfortable first using the WIPA maps and hiking over the various kinds of terrain shown on them, as this is an arduous day's hike. But we went at a sedate pace, and fit and experienced walkers would probably require much less than our 9 hours 30 minutes.

It would be a challenge to cover the route in the opposite direction, from Taman Safari to Cibodas, but I believe our route was preferable. First, for those returning directly to Bogor/ Jakarta, it cuts down the potential length of the traffic jam on th eride home! Second, it involves less climbing, starting from 1280m, climbing to 1900m and then descending to 1070m. Third, the most spectacular scenery, on the Pasir Pangsalatan above the Hartono garden, is encountered early in the morning, before the clouds roll in. Fourth, the most treacherous parts of the hike, contouring around Gunung Gegerbentang, are also encountered fairly early on, before fatigue saps away the balance and spring that are necessary to keep a safe footing on the subsiding footpaths.

I hope the above description inspires a few people to head out and explore the beautiful Puncak countryside. Our walk certainly inspired us to feel gratitude and respect for the people who originally cut the trails, and the people who mapped them!