Leave from Bengkulu City in the early morning and journey up the winding mountain road to Curup. Along the way you will pass scenic overlooks of the jungles and valleys. After eating lunch in Curup, head to the base of Bukit Kaba, check in, and begin your expedition.
Alternatively, you can get an earlier start if you spend the prior night in Curup. Depending on your fitness level, you can choose to take the easier gravel trail or the more difficult jungle trail. The 2-3 hour hike can be challenging at times but the view from the top is well worth the effort.
When you have finished choosing a camping spot, you can either rest and enjoy the beautiful panoramas or make your way to the Thousand Stairs nearby. These steps (only 300+) lead to the ridge of Kawa Hidup (the active volcano) where you can see steam gushing from the crater below. Head back to the your campsite, eat dinner, and watch as the sky fills with thousands of stars above.
Wake up to the sun rising over the valleys below. After breakfast, begin your morning of exploration. Head down into a small valley and back up as you hike to the ridge of Kawa Mati (dormant crater). As you walk along the ridge you may smell sulfur rising from the cauldron below.
Descend into the dormant volcano and be amazed by the bizarre bright neon green pool that seems like it’s science fiction. After resting at the nearby lake, you can choose to climb up the rock wall dividing the two craters. As you near the top, you will see steam rising and hear the hiss of Kawa Hidup (active crater). Appreciating the active crater from a safe distance is definitely recommended.
After you have fully appreciated the views from inside the mountain, you will climb back out of the dormant crater and back to camp. Following lunch, you will descend the mountain (about 2 hours) and can choose to stay in Curup or head back to Bengkulu that night.
*Optionally as a Day Hike — for those in good physical condition interested in a quick trip to bag the peak, a day hike is possible with an early morning start from Curup city. You will need to be in Curup by 8am and will return to Curup around 5pm. The cost for a day-trip to Kaba is Rp. 1,400,000 and includes transportation to/from Curup city, lunch, guide, and all necessary permits.
