Mount Marapi (Gunung Marapi), Bukittinggi

A popular recreational place for locals, and lesser known amongst tourists. Came on a Saturday morning and our group were the only people on the peak. The hike can be done in a day. That said the climb wont be easy without a minimum level of fitness. We reached the peak slightly after 5am and were ill prepared for the wind and cold (~5degrees)

What a wonderful hike ! we started bit before midnight from the control point. entrance was 25k IDR. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, good warm clothes, flashlights, food and water with you. To get up it took us around 6 hours. the trial is easy to follow but some steps are quite high and tricky to do ( especially in the dark) there is might be moments when you are completely alone on trail or going together with local kids ( with tents and all the camp gear) Sad part is atet there is a lot of trash , and no place where to put it ... We did took ll of our trash back and made sure to bring also others back as much as we could ! Sunrise view is stunning, mixed with the huge crater and complete emptiness. It definitely made one my favourite hikes. You get on top of the mountains and top of the clouds with small opening towards the city and jungle. On the way back we spent less time and energy but still 4,5 hours. Track was wet and slippery in some places as well foggy for the period we had to go trough the clouds. No need for personal guide if you have some bravery and experience in hiking. How ever guide is not a bad choice to make your trip more secure and contribute to local community. Check more photos from my IG @mrgints I acne also give other tips around Sumatra, Bukkittingi, Psaman , Padang and other not so discovered places around West Sumatra.