The Bromo volcano

If you come from Cemoro Lawang over the rim of the huge Tengger caldera (diameter approx. 10 km), you get the impression that you are looking at the smoking Bromo volcano right in front of you in the centre of the caldera. But this impression is false, it is actually Mount Batok. Mount Bromo lies directly behind it and the smoke rising from the crater of Bromo gives the impression that Mount Batok is the active volcano.

If you then drive down the winding road into the Tengger caldera, you realise that the tarmac road ends there and the path continues through the gigantic ‘Laut Pasir’ sand sea of black volcanic ash. I have to admit that the ride on my heavy motorbike through the deep, fine sand was quite demanding.

After a few exhausting kilometres, you finally reach some huts in the middle of the sea of sand with stalls selling all kinds of souvenirs and street food. From here you continue on foot, unless you pay one of the horse guides for carrying you the last few kilometres to Bromo on horseback.
Of course, I set off on foot.

The path first leads through the sea of sand past Mount Batok towards a monastery built at the foot of the volcano. 
Mount Bromo (2,329 m) behind it is easy to recognise as its entire peak has been blown off and the crater is constantly emitting white, sulphurous smoke.

Shortly after the monastery, the path begins to become increasingly steep and rocky until you finally find yourself in the middle of a gigantic field of solidified lava.
A few hundred metres before the summit, you reach a small plateau where the horse tours end and the horse guides wait for the returning tourists.
The last few hundred metres are a long, steep climb up to the crater rim of Bromo.
The higher you get, the more spectacular the view over the lava field and the Tengger caldera with its sea of sand.
Once you reach the top, you are rewarded with loud hissing, thick sulphur clouds and a spectacular view down into the crater of Mount Bromo.
Every now and then, the view down into the crater is blocked by the stinking sulphur clouds, but if you wait a little, you can occasionally catch a glimpse of the bottom of the crater, which is widely covered in a yellow layer of sulphur.
Unfortunately, you are not allowed to walk all the way round the crater rim as it would be too dangerous.

To my surprise, I was suddenly almost completely alone up there at around 10am. Only 1 other tourist was still taking photos. When I had parked my motorbike down by the stands, I had come across dozens of tourists, but they all had disappeared now. This was probably due to the fact that most tourist tours to Bromo are offered either at sunrise or sunset. However, as I didn't want to ride my motorbike in the dark, I was now almost alone.

After I had taken enough photos and videos, I made my way back.
While riding my motorbike through the deep sand, I even almost got stuck once on the way back and was only able to free my motorbike from the deep sand with a lot of effort.
I was definitely glad when I finally had a tarmac road under my wheels again.
But the trip to the hissing crater of Mount Bromo was definitely worth it anyway.