Volcanos and Primeval Forests - Sumatra, West Indonesia
the adventure
"...the tallest volcano in Indonesia..."
​
The invitation to spend some time with the Kersik Tuo village community in the Kerinci region came from Pak Een. With some 20 years of climbing experience under his belt, Een has acquired a reputation as the best climbing guide to the challenging Mt Kerinci volcano. He was starting to train his son, Sam, to be a climbing guide like him.
​
The Kerinci region is famous for two main natural wonders: Lake Gunung Tujuh and Mt Kerinci. So, Pak Een suggested that we hike and camp around Lake Gunung Tujuh first, before attempting a climb up Mt Kerinci together. Thereafter, we would spend some time with the small village community at Kersik Tuo.
​
Lake Gunung Tujuh, or the Lake of Seven Mountains, is nearly 2,000m above sea level. It is the highest caldera lake in Southeast Asia, surrounded by seven tall mountains and quiet primeval forests. Formed as a result of a massive volcanic eruption during ancient times, the now-extinct volcano has turned into a beautiful 4.5-km wide lake.
​
Mt Kerinci dominates the rugged landscape between the border of Jambi and Padang, on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. At 3,805m, the volcano is situated within the Kerinci-Seblat National Park that is spread over West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Jambi and Bengkulu Provinces. The park is also home to exotic wildlife, such as rhinos, tigers and elephants. As the tallest active volcano in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, it is surrounded by magnificent views of rain forests, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls that will satisfy one's craving for a rugged and challenging adventure.
​
The Gunung Tujuh hike proved to be a good climbing warm-up before the much tougher Mt Kerinci. We hiked steadily for several hours through the forest, taking care to stay on the marked trails. We were rewarded with an amazingly serene and breathtaking landscape around the massive lake, surrounded by a cool freshness in the air. And, overnight camping in the lake area was a bonus treat. We had a really good time, being at one with nature!
​
Scaling Mt Kerinci was a formidable but pleasant challenge. Thankfully, I could also draw on my experiences from climbing the many nameless mountains in Nepal and before that, Gunung Tahan of Malaysia.
