The isolated island of Siau in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, is dominated by Mount Karangetang, a magnificent volcano that resembles something from Jurassic Park.
On the little island of Siau, it is impossible to walk anywhere without viewing this magnificent volcano and its two smouldering craters. It frequently spits forth rock bombs and molten lava at night, so if you’re lucky, you could even get to witness it.
I’ll talk about my 2021 hike up the Karangetang volcano in this guide, along with some advice in case you want to do it yourself.
Is It Secure?
Let’s start by discussing safety. Among the most active volcanoes in the world, Karangetang is a very active one.
Although the Indonesian government keeps an eye on any seismic activity and the local guides are well-informed, climbing this peak still carries a significant risk. It might blow up at any moment.
If you’re feeling very adventurous, you may ascend Karangetang, although for safety, most tourists simply walk halfway up the mountain and take a quick look at the burning craters from a distance (which is still a little dangerous).
Naturally, there is some risk involved in climbing any active volcano, but since this one is exceptionally active, you should continue at your own risk.
Dominik was my local guide.
The track is difficult to follow without a local guide, thus I would strongly advise doing so for this trek.
Dominik, a Siau Island native guide with years of expertise climbing Karangetang, accompanied me on our walk. Along with their dog, his brother accompanied us on the walk and assisted in clearing bush with a machete.
Dominik’s WhatsApp number is ☎ +62 853-9866-6999. Although the costs have since increased, I spent 600k Rupiah for this climb during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although we arranged things through the Kalea Beach Resort, where we stayed in Siau, he may also assist in setting up other trips and activities in the region.
Expectations for Mount Karangetang: • Beginning the Hike
I wanted to make sure I had a great view of the volcano, so my guides and I started this trip very early.
That proved to be a wise choice since as soon as we left the treeline, heavy clouds started to move in and gradually covered the peak.
At 3:15 AM, we began our hike after a 30-minute scooter trip to the trailhead on the volcano’s south flank.
Within the jungle
The wild terrain made our progress slow. The route was solid forest, and it was dark!
My guides had to use a machete to cut through the incredibly deep undergrowth because the track had essentially been abandoned during COVID. The machete has to be swung again with each stride.
We encountered a big centipede, which was more dangerous because they can bite, along with several innocuous giant green millipedes. The guides informed me that their bite is quite painful, and he positioned himself in an assault stance.
The terrain was extremely steep, muddy, and slippery, making navigation challenging. We had a lot of falls.
Lava Field, Old
We arrived at an ancient lava field under the top just in time for sunrise after hiking for almost two and a half hours.
It wasn’t much better to climb these lava rocks than to traverse the forest. Despite wearing decent grippy shoes, I fell on the rocks many times and injured my shins since some of them were mossy and quite slippery.
We pulled over in the lava field for safety. Since the volcano is infamously active, we didn’t intend to go much further and were only about two-thirds of the way to the peak.
After that, I flew my drone and explored the peak for around an hour. The fact that this volcano has two burning cones at the top makes it incredibly fascinating. So awesome!
The top was largely obscured by clouds by the time we began our descent at 7:25 AM. It took approximately an hour and forty-five minutes to descend, although it was simpler because the trail had already been cleaned.
I would love to ascend all the way to the peak and have a close-up look at the craters if I had nine lives. Karangetang was a fantastic walk with some amazing views, despite the fact that we halted before reaching the peak!
When to Go Hiking
Like Manado and the rest of North Sulawesi, Siau Island has tropical rainforest weather.
The ideal months to walk Karangetang are July through October, which are also the driest months.
In June, we travelled to Siau, and the weather was pleasant.
My Siau Island Travel Guide
I appreciate you looking! I hope this blog entry on climbing Indonesia’s Mount Karangetang volcano was enjoyable to you.
Before you travel, don’t forget to read my comprehensive guide to Siau Island! There are tarsiers, some magnificent beaches, and other sights to explore here.
