Hiking to Mount Manglayang

Saturday, 25 Feb 2012: Our original plan was to climb Mount Burangrang near Bandung. We took a bus from Primajasa pool Cililitan Jakarta to Bandung at 5am. Arrived at Bandung at 7.57am, then had breakfast at Ampera restorant near Leuwi Panjang.
Took an angkot green to Cimahi Pasar Atas. Then changed to yellow angkot at Cimahi to Cisarua SPN then hired this car to take us to Pos Komando Burangrang. Unfortunately after we arrived there, the mountain was closed as it was being used for military exercise.
We changed the plan and now decided to climb Mount Manglayang in Jatinangor. From Pos Komando, we used the same yellow angkot to Cimahi. Then took angkot back to Leuwipanjang. We stopped at Terminal Elang and continued by Damri bus to Jatinangor.
From Jatinangor, we hired ojeks to Baru Beureum. Our starting point was Warung Bu Ipah. About 2.15pm we started hiking Mount Manglayang.
But at first we got the wrong track as we never been here before. We met with a local man who show us the right track fortunately. This track was steep. At some points we had to scramble to get to the top. I was glad that at that moment the weather was clear, because if it was raining i was sure the track will be much slippery and dangerous.
After 2 hours we made it and reached the east peak of Mount Manglayang. We decided to camp here as it was a good location; open to all sides. The weather still clear but it began raining from 6pm to 10 pm.
Sunday 26; after breakfas we broke the tent and continued hiking to the top of Mount Manglayang, about 40 minutes of steep track. Manglayang had some old graves at the top and this peak was surrounded by trees so we couldn't see panorama from here.
We hiked down to Batu Kuda area. Not far from the peak, we saw a big stone which was called Batu Keraton (Castle Rock). Some local people considered this stone as a sacred place and we met four locals who I thought will give 'sesajen' or presents to this stone.
At 1.30pm we arrived at Batu Kuda. Hired angkot to take us to Leuwi Panjang bus terminal and we back to Jakarta.

Trip to Mount Ciremai

on 21-22 January with four friends I went to Mount Ciremai in Kuningan, West Java.
Friday (20/1/2012) met with others in Kampung Rambutan bus terminal. We used bus Saluyu to go to Cileunyi at 10 PM, cost 25k rupiahs per person.
Saturday, around 2AM, we arrived at Cileunyi then continue to Cikijing using a small bus (we called it 'Elf'). Around 4AM arrived at Pasar Maja. The weather was cold and it was started raining but not for long.
We walked uphill then found the terminal for car to Apuy village. We hired a pickup car to take us to Apuy then continue to Pos 1. In Apuy we registered first at Ciremai Park office.
Around 8AM we started hiking from Pos 1 Apuy. It was a new shelter. The old track to Pos 2 Arban now covered by bushes. The asphalt road to Arban was abandoned since Ciremai became a national park and almost ruined.
Arban shelter used to be a small wooden hut but now its new and bigger. Continued hiking uphill, we passed shelters like Simpang Lima, Tegal Masawa, Tegal Jamuju, and Sanghyang Rangkah.
Finally we reached Goa Walet around 4PM while the weather became windy and its raining. Made camp here and got rest.
Sunday, at 7 AM we hiked to the peak while its still windy and cold. Took about 1 hour to reach it. We saw the crater and walked around but not for very long as it was quite cold. After took some pictures we walked down to Goa Walet.
Around 10 AM we broke the tents then hiking down. Now we didn't go to Apuy again but to another village, Palutungan, using another trail. The weather is fine but it was raining a bit when we almost reached Palutungan.
It was 5PM when we arrived at the village. Feeling very tired we decided to stay for the night at the house of one villager in Palutungan.
Monday (23/1) at 7 AM we used ojeks to go to Kuningan then got a bus to take us back to Jakarta.