Climbing to the Top of Mount Sinabung

Since arrived in Berastagi, I had been fascinated to beautiful scenery of jungle and mountains. So, I always felt that I wanted to go into the scenery. Therefore Illia, jan,Mickey and I  who were members of interns finally decided to climb Mt. Sinabung because almost Interns also wanted to experience the mountains of Berastagi. Sinabung is one of the highest and has extremely steep course to tracking so Brahma, staff of summercamp and Ikhsan, participant of summercamp and his friend decided to go together as guides.

Mt. Sinabung at Dawn

We bought enough amount of water, chocolate bar and prepared equipment like shoes and jacket perfectly on the previous day. 20th July, we departed from our villa at 5AM and we took a car. After about 40min, We arrived to a small town and our journey was started.

Actually, There are a lot of mountains. So I usually hike the mountain as a hobby. That’s why I was full of confidence before the journey. However, It was totally my misunderstanding. Ikhsan and his friend Sepri climbed the mountain rapidly even all the interns could do, but on the other hand I was exhausted and dropped out of line. Because rough jungle area and steep rocks area were too hard to climb to me, and It’s environment was so different with Korean’s mountains.

The climbers: Jan, Me, Ikhsan, Illia, Mickey, and Sepri

 

 

My pride was hurt because Mickey was so good climber even she is woman and smaller than me. However I already couldn’t chase their pace, so I decide to climb just with Sepri, separated with them. Sinabung is wild and extremely difficult to climb but It is also truth that It is beautifuls and mystical mountain. Forest is so deep, a lot of trees make shadow so It seems like covered with green carpet. Because of the steepness and temperature, There are only small plants and some kinds of moss, and It make picture with white colored rocks, and cloud above the middle of mountain. After 4.5 hours from the begin, I could arrive to the top. It was my first time climbing  the active volcano and smoke between the peaks was so interesting. Below my feet, I could see the wide flat ground and on that, villages and small rivers make harmony. All the things I could see make me realized that I am in Indonesia.

Finally, at the top of Sinabung

We took pictures with best surroundings joyfully and ate rest of foods. And then, tiredness came suddenly so we slept just on the ground of top. “I slept with smoke and strong sunlight on the top of active volcano… Oh God..” Time was already delayed so we had to hurry to prepare to go down from there. During trip down from the top, the steepness was more dangerous, so I was very proud to myself about success climbing. After 3hours, we could arrive in laukawar and could see sunset from there. I thought “I can sure that sinabung is one of the best mountain. And It was so exciting and great experience. Yeah… but If someone suggest to me one more hiking in here, I will refuse it. Just once Sinabung in my life…”

written by: Gilsang Kim (South Korea)