Mountain Merbabu, Dormant stratovolcano in Central Java, Indonesia

Gunung Merbabu is a dormant stratovolcano in Boyolali, Central Java, with two summit peaks separated by a wide crater rim and surrounded by dense montane forest. The slopes display different plant communities depending on elevation, while mist often wraps the upper sections and gives the terrain a humid climate.

The volcano's last eruptions took place during the 16th and 18th centuries, leaving ash layers in the surrounding plains. Since then the mountain has remained quiet, and its slopes have gradually covered themselves with dense vegetation that shapes the relief today.

The mountain appears as Gunung Damalung or Gunung Pam(a)rihan in the Ngadoman inscription and pre-Islamic manuscripts. A famous hermitage on its slopes was visited by Bujangga Manik in the 15th century. The name Merbabu, from meru (mountain) and abu (ash), only appears in Dutch records.

Several hiking trails lead to the summit, with some routes steeper and rockier than others and better suited for hikers with mountain experience. It's best to start early in the morning to avoid midday heat and allow enough time for the descent before darkness sets in.

The two summits are Syarif (3,119 m) and Kenteng Songo (3,145 m), the higher one. Three U-shaped radial valleys run down from Kenteng Songo toward the northwest, northeast and southeast, and a climb from Kopeng to that summit takes 8 to 10 hours.