With our own bikes to Bromo

We are a retired couple (65 year) and love long bicycle trips (Europe, Iceland, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodja…) In early May we fly to Yogyakarta from where we cycle to Bali. We are not obliged to a planned route, any reservation or a predetermined program... we love freedom...

Of course we also want to visit Mount Bromo but we are afraid that the bike-climbing will be a little too heavy for us.
On the internet, we read that the easiest way to visit Bromo is from Probolingo. Then, we could leave our bikes in a guesthouse and possibly join an organized trip to Bromo.

However, I also think of the following:
Instead of Probolingo we bike to Malang where we arrange transportation for ourselves + bikes to Cemoro. After visiting Bromo (eventual 2 nights) we cycle to Probolingo which I think will be largely downhill ...

What do the experts say about this?
Do you think the proposed transport is available and do you have some idea of the cost.
Many thanks for any reply
Mark & Patricia

Hi,

It is indeed very steep to cycle up to Bromo, whether from Malang or Progolinggo.

I think it will be very difficult for you to reach Bromo directly from Malang. The direct road from Malang to Cemoro Lawang has several very rough sections, including a long stretch on the "sea of sand" which surrounds the Bromo crater. The "sea of sand" is exactly what it sounds like - there's no road, only sand. There's a local cartel which runs jeeps around Bromo, and they're the only vehicles allowed to take tourists on the sand. So in order to get from Bromo to Cemoro Lawang that way, you'd (I'm fairly sure, though it's not something I have personal experience with!) need to deal with at least 2 different vehicles. It won't be cheap. I'm also not sure how easy/safe (for your bicycles) it will be to get your bikes on the jeeps that run around Bromo.

I think you're much better off visiting from Progolinggo. You can travel from Malang to Probolinggo, either by bus or by bicycle. Find somewhere around there to leave your bikes, and visit Bromo. There's no need to take a tour - it's very straight-forward to visit Cemoro Lawang and Bromo by yourself from Probolinggo.

Thank You for your info!

While the route via Malang is more challenging and probably much more expensive, it's also more rewarding in my opinion. Biking thru the savannah has to be amazing if possible (Giora above says it's not)

In some bike-travel-blogs I read about biking through the savannah must I think this may be too heavy for my wife. I would really like to know if there is any possibility of transporting ourselves + our bikes from Malang to Cemoro

OP, I've done Malang-Tumpang-Ngadas-Bromo-Ngadas-Tumpang-Malang.
If your jeep trip start in Cemoro Lawang & end in Malang via Ngadas-Tumpang, I read this is possible but not the other way round. Another option is starting in Malang & get your homestay in Tumpang or Ngadas to phone for a jeep from CL to pick you up. This method is possible since the jeep originates in CL.

It's not savannah, it's sand. You can bicycle on it (ie. no one will try and stop you) but it's not going to be easy going! You'll probably have to walk your bikes. Not that I have much experience trying to bicycle through volcanic sands.

You can definitely catch jeeps from the Malang side of the mountain to take you across the "sea of sand" to Cemoro Lawang. The issues are:

1. Cost
2. Getting your bikes on the jeep

And the jeeps start from way up the mountain, so you'll have to head there first (on other transport) in order to start negotiating with the jeeps.

That, at any rate, is the way I see your logistics problems OP.

oh... thank you so much for the details, Giora ! If I understand everything well it is impossible to arrange transport from Malang directly to Cemoro because of the exclusivity from the jeeps across the sea of sand. In that view the best solution is indeed to leave the bikes in Probolingo and do the Bromo without the bikes.

As we come from Yogyakarta there is another question remaining : is it worthwhile to travel via Malang ?
If yes, maybe we can take a day-train from Yogyakarta to Malang and bike from Malang to Probolingo.

A new idea coming up is leaving the bikes in Malang and after visiting Bromo bike via the south (Jember, Krikilan)...
In any case already thanks to think with us

I've never cycled on Java, so I'm not the best person to answer cycling questions. However, Java is the world's most populous island, and the busy road on the island are BUSY! It's not my idea of great cycling terrain. The roads in the south of East Java, are, I believe, rather less busy than the ones in the north. It might be more fun to cycle down there.

I didn't find Malang very interesting. I wouldn't go there especially if I was you.

That suggestion of less busy roads in the south of East Java is splendid.
In that case, as we are decided to visit Bromo, I think we have to go to Malang

@ yumseng
there went something wrong because I answered to your reply but for some reason it was not published ...
Anyway, thank you for the idea Malang-Tumpang-Ngadas-Bromo-Ngadas-Tumpang-Malang. How did you do this? Was it an organised trip? 1 or 2 nights?
As I mentioned above, if we take the south-route to Bali your info concerning visiting Bromo from Malang + returning to Malang could be very helpful

@mumpat I was in a group of 6. We chartered the angkot from Malang train station to send us directly to the homestay in Tumpang, stayed here & very early the next morning went to Bromo for the sunrise by jeep arranged by the homestay owner. After the sunrise at Pananjakan, we visited the crater, sea of sand & savanna. We also visited an ancient Hindu temple & a waterfall. Arrived back in Tumpang about 11.30am. We chartered another angkot to drop us back at Malang train station. It was an overnight trip only. I've done the Probolinggo-Cemoro Lawang route too, twice, but the Tumpang-Ngadas route is more rewarding for me.

Do a search & read from experienced Indonesian travelers writing about the jeep exclusivity not only in Cemoro Lawang but also in Wonokriti.

@ Yumseng
I think the journey time by car between Malang and Tumpang is about 30 minutes. So I wonder why we should not organise our Bromo visit from Malang.
Or was the service provided by the guesthouse so good. that it pays to go to Trumpang ?
If this is the case please tell me if we are talking about R***'s Homestay ( I searched a bit and found only 1 homestay in Tumpang )
I ask this question because following our summary plan we visit Bromo on 6-7 may. Normally we rarely make a reservation but I read that during weekend a lot of people visit Bromo and it can be crowded

You can start in Malang too, lots more accommodation choices.

There are a few homestays in Tumpang near the market area that's not online. Some are better value than others.
We overnighted here because 6 of us could share a room. We payed only IDR150K (less than SGD$20). There's lukewarm water for washing & hot water to make ourselves coffee, tea & Maggi noodles. My other 5 companions didn't want to pay much for a room : -). They had a lower budget than me so I paid the room for all of us.

@mumpat Hi,

As long as your physical strong, please through Jemplang (Gate Malang). To Pass Bromo National Park area, then down through Cemoro Lawang (Gate Probolinggo).

Greetings from Bromo
Tengger

@yumseng
The 4WD owners of Cemorolawang are members of a co-operative. They pay a subscription fee for their vehicles to carry guests to the national park. Those who do not pay the subscription fee are not permitted to carry guests of the national park. Lets say I have a 4WD and I want to drive myself to Penanjakan view point, I can only do that via Ngadas-Gubugklakah-Jemplang. If I pay the subscription fee, only then am I able to drive on to Cemorolawang. Without paying the subscription fee, I can start in Cemorolawang only if I park my vehicle there & hire a local 4WD to carry me into the national park.
I was informed of this procedure by five 4WD agents in Malang & Ngadas. Bikes do not face this resriction. The problem is finding a 4WD based in Malang or anywhere else for that matter that will carry guests from here to Bromo via Jemplang and deliver the guests to Cemorolawang. I could not find them other than those from Cemorolawang coming to Jemplang to pick me up and drop me off in Cemorolawang.
If anyone knows of an agent based in Malang or Gubugklakah that pays the Cemorolawang co-operative fee, please share the agent's contact details.

Gamxia @anoor for explaining the restrictions. I understand the problem now.

Matur nuwun @tengger. Sending you a PM.

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