Mount Merbabu Climbing Route for Beginners
Mount Merbabu is a mountain located in Central Java with an elevation of 3,142 meters above sea level. Merbabu is famous among nature lovers for its beauty, featuring vast and beautiful savanna fields.
To reach the summit of Merbabu, climbers can choose which route to take. There are 5 routes available for climbers, namely the trekking / climbing route through Selo, through Suwanting, through Wekas, through Gancik, and through Tekelan. Each route has its own level of difficulty and different views.
Among the five routes, the most frequently used is the climbing route through Selo. This is because passing through Selo allows climbers to take a more relaxed pace with a route that is not too extreme, making it suitable for beginners.
Post 1 Selo: A Long Friendly Route for Beginners
The Selo route is located in Pakis Hamlet, Tarurabatang Village, Selo District, Boyolali. This route takes about five hours to reach the summit of Merbabu. It is indeed longer compared to other routes like Suwanting, which only requires about three hours if done without breaks. However, Selo is more friendly for beginner climbers as the terrain is gentler compared to other steeper routes.
Climbers will experience a fairly long journey when heading to Post 1 from the basecamp location. It takes about an hour and is considered the farthest track from all the existing posts. At Post 1, there are also many monkeys, so climbers must be careful not to be disturbed by these animals.
The Selo View is Still Amazing
Although it is gentler compared to other routes, making it easy to traverse without feeling overly fatigued, Selo still offers stunning views. When climbers first arrive at the basecamp, they are immediately greeted by the sight of Merapi located to the south of Merbabu. From this point, it feels like climbers could almost touch Merapi directly.
The gentle condition of the Selo route does not mean it is as smooth as a toll road. Selo still has hilly paths that require physical strength to navigate. However, the fatigue will be instantly rewarded upon reaching Post 4 and Post 5. At these two posts, there are vast and beautiful green savanna fields. Usually, climbers will use these two posts to set up tents and spend the night there.
Merapi and Selo
Merapi is the first sight upon arriving at the Selo basecamp. Not only that, Merapi will greet climbers again at Post 3 before they encounter the tiring ups and downs of the trail.
Merapi seems to be the climbing companion for climbers passing through the Selo route. Because, Merapi will continue to accompany climbers to the summit of Merbabu after Post 5 until Kenteng Songo, the highest peak of Merbabu.
What is unique about Merbabu is that this mountain has three peaks, namely Kentang Songo, Triangulation Peak, and Syarif Peak. All three peaks can be conquered by climbers who feel unsatisfied with just stepping on one peak.
For those who have never climbed a mountain and are interested in climbing Mount Merbabu, they must prepare themselves well. Although the Selo route is known to be friendly for beginners due to its gentler slope compared to the other four routes, the track, especially after Post 3, will truly drain the energy of beginners.
Climbers must also pay attention to their physical readiness. Moreover, Merbabu is known for its unpredictable weather, so insufficient preparation can be dangerous.
Author: Nisa Maulan Shofa
