Gunung Ungaran, Stratovolcano in Semarang, Indonesia.
Gunung Ungaran is a stratovolcano in Semarang rising to 2050 meters (6726 feet) above sea level with multiple summits and a broad forested cone. Steaming fumaroles mark its southern slopes, while tea plantations, pine forests and open grassland cover the middle and upper sections.
Volcanic activity left behind two fumarole fields that continue to release sulfur gases and show traces of earlier eruptions. In October 1945 the slopes became the site of military operations between Indonesian forces and Dutch troops during the independence war.
Local people regard the volcano as a sacred site and visit its slopes for rituals linked to waterfalls and geothermal springs. Hikers often meet pilgrimage groups traveling before dawn to pray at special forest spots.
Several hiking trails lead up from the base of the volcano, with the town of Ungaran on the eastern side offering the easiest access. Most visitors start early in the morning to return by midday before fog and afternoon rain sets in.
The upper forests are home to Philautus jacobsoni, a small tree frog that researchers have not documented in decades. The species was thought to have disappeared until recent field studies brought reports of its possible survival in remote sections of the volcano.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
