Lawu Mountain, Active volcano in East and Central Java, Indonesia

Lawu Mountain is a volcano straddling the border between East and Central Java in Indonesia, rising to 3,265 meters above sea level. It divides into three peaks named Hargo Dalem, Hargo Dumiling, and Hargo Dumilah, each surrounded by thick pine forests and alpine meadows.

Hindu and Buddhist communities revered the mountain during medieval times, and religious structures made of megaliths and stone appeared on its slopes. The last known eruption took place in 1885, after which it became dormant and has shown only geothermal activity beneath the surface.

The name Lawu means "superior" in Javanese, and the mountain is also called Wukir Mahendra Giri, a threefold "mountain" referring to its three main peaks. The New Javanese Serat Manikmaya lists Lawu among the eighteen sacred mountains of Central Java, and the god Parwatarajadewa is said to reside there. In the Babad Tanah Jawi, Lawu is the place of the final moksa of Prabu Brawijaya, also called Sunan Gunung Lawu.

Five hiking routes lead up to the summit, with the Cemoro Sewu path considered the easiest and requiring about seven hours to reach the top. Temperatures can drop sharply at higher elevations during the night, so pack warm clothing and gear for changing conditions.

The name Lawu means "superior" in Javanese, and the mountain is also called Wukir Mahendra Giri, three Javanese words for mountain, matching its three main peaks. Older sources give the mountain's original name as Katong, meaning god, recorded in the Tantu Panggelaran and linked to the ruins of Mount Meru.