Gunung Ciremai, highest mountain in West Java via Apuy

Gunung Ciremai sits at an altitude of only 3,078 metres, but it is the highest peak in West Java. Described as a challenging hike by Gunung Bagging, I find it just moderately challenging compared to peaks of a similar altitude like Agung in Bali. There are three main approaches on this mountain. The most popular approach is the Apuy trail via Majalengka followed by the Sadarehe trail and the Palutungan trail. In this ascent of Ciremai, I've taken the Apuy trail. Being rather remote and way off the tourist radar, Apuy is not readily accessible from major cities like Jakarta. This expedition began on 5th July 2026. I flew to Jakarta from Singapore, then took a morning train to Cirebon the next day. This was the most comfortable part of the journey to the foot of Ciremai. The next leg involved uncomfortable rides from Cirebon on local angkots to the town of Majalengka and then Apuy. This is the method suggested by AI and the only good thing about this advice is the cost. The total fare was just about 20,000 rupiah. An infinitely more comfortable alternative I discovered (on the return trip) is a Grab booking! 200,000 rupiah - still very affordable and well worth it. Moral of the story, AI calculates accurately doesn't feel the ground. As usual, I got a local warung to find me a guide. These folks are very well-connected. It only takes a few phone calls for them to find you your man and it's often much cheaper, sometimes better than someone you find online. A young man by the name of Iksan arrived and brought me up to his homestay at the base camp village high above the town area. It was a very spartan place with sleeping mats in the hallway and a bedroom that looked more like a storeroom. As it turned out, I'm not the only hero carrying my personal stuff up Gunung Ciremai without a personal porter. Mas Iksan was managing both guide and porter responsibilities alone. Iksan's wife drove us to the starting point and unlike Arjuna-Weilirang, registration here was a breeze. Only scary thing is, they need your passport to be deposited at the ranger station. The other scary thing is the breakfast at the warung here. It didn't taste fresh and I threw up later. The trail begins easily all the way to Pos 1 after which the challenging stretches began. From Pos 2 onwards, it felt a lot like Agung with root stairs that seem to cascade down the steep sections. Vegetation thinned out towards Pos 3 and Pos 4 where there were climbers camping. We pushed all the way to Pos 5, the usual campsite. Mas Iksan showed off his skill and strength, pitching tents and cooking all by himself. I killed the rest of the afternoon making videos and taking selfies. Chicken soup for dinner and it was miles better than the crap at the base camp warung. Estimated time from campsite to summit is 3 hours, so we set off at 3.00am or about 3.15am to be exact. It's not accurate to say that I woke up at 3,00am because I hardly slept. The main thing that made it difficult was the hard ground and the thin mattress. Anyway, I soldiered on in the dark and the cold. Ciremai has a boulders zone just like Mt Apo and it starts not too far above the campsite. It's quite a challenge. The slopes are steep and slippery not from dampness but from coarse sand on hard, angled rock. I could have taken just 2 hours to reach the summit but it was still dark and it would quite pointless waiting for sunrise on the cold and windy crater rim. After resting for about 30mins below the summit, I ascended when there was first light. It was of course, a visual treat with a stunning crater with sheer walls and with Slamet, Sindoro, Sumbing peering out from the clouds in the distance. The true summit, however, required a little bit more climbing around the crater rim. Iksan guided me there not just to claim the summit as a formality but to gain a different vista. Overall, Ciremai was a rewarding climb that is not too taxing. You don't have to climb so high or so hard for the awesome views that the summit of Gunung Ciremai can offer.