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Hiking Mount Andong via Sawit: A Beginner-Friendly Sunrise Trek

#hiking #mountain #nature #indonesia

Experiencing the golden sunrise of Mount Andong. A perfect hiking destination for beginners with stunning views of Mount Merbabu and Merapi.

Hiking Mount Andong via Sawit: A Beginner-Friendly Sunrise Trek

Mountain stats

Elevation 1,726 masl
Distance 2.5 km
Duration 1.5 - 2 hours
Elevation gain 450 m
When to climb Dry Season (May - Sept)
Difficulty easy
🚌 Public transport access

Bus to Magelang -> Ojek to Sawit

🚗 Private vehicle access

Direct to Basecamp Sawit

Large parking area available for cars and motorcycles

Mount Andong, located in Magelang, Central Java, is often dubbed as “the mountain that never sleeps” due to its popularity among hikers. Standing at 1,726 meters above sea level, it offers one of the best sunrise views in Java without demanding an extreme level of physical fitness, making it an ideal choice for beginners.

Trail Overview

The hike via Sawit is straightforward and well-marked. Here is the visual flow of the journey:

graph TD
  A[Basecamp Sawit] -->|Welcome Arch| B[Pos 1 Watu Pocong]
  B -->|Pine Forest| C[Pos 2 Watu Gambir]
  C -->|Steep Stars| D[Pos 3 Watu Wayang]
  D -->|Ridge Walk| E[The Peaks]
  E --> F[Puncak Alap-Alap]
  E --> G[Puncak Andong]
Mount Andong Hiking Route via Sawit

The Journey Breakdown

Our journey started from Basecamp Sawit, the most popular and well-managed entry point.

Checkpoints & Conditions

CheckpointDurationTerrainNote
Basecamp - Pos 120 minsPaved/DirtGentle slope via vegetable fields
Pos 1 - Pos 230 minsDirt/RootsEntering pine forest, getting steeper
Pos 2 - Pos 330 minsStone StepsHardest part, “Devil’s Stairs”
Pos 3 - Summit15 minsOpen RidgeStunning views of Merbabu
Tip

Best Time to Start

Start hiking at 3

AM if you want to catch the sunrise at 5
AM at a relaxed pace. It avoids the rush and gives you time to find a good spot.

Summit Views

Reaching the peak just before dawn, we were greeted by a sea of clouds. As the sun rose, the golden light painted the sky.

Warning

Crowd Alert

On weekends, the summit camp area can get extremely crowded with tents. If you prefer a quieter hike, aim for a weekday or do a “tektok” (day hike without camping).

If you are looking for a quick yet rewarding getaway into nature, Mount Andong via Sawit is undoubtedly one of the best options in Central Java.

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