Mount Gede is located between Cianjur Regency and Sukabumi Regency, West Java and this mountain is a stratovolcano type with an altitude of 2,958 masl. Mount Gede last erupted in 1957. Mount Gede is surrounded by mountainous forests that are rich in various types of flora and fauna and is one of the natural laboratories that are widely used as objects of research. Mount Gede is included in the Gede-Pangrango National Park area which in 1977 was designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and also as a Sister Park with a State Park.
There are many beautiful natural tourist areas and become one of the destinations for both domestic and foreign tourists. Some of the main tourist attractions on Mount Gede are as follows:
1. Blue Lake
Telaga Biru has an area of 5 hectares and is located at an altitude of 1,575 masl (about 1.5 km from the Cibodas entrance). The beauty of this lake is reflected in the bluish color of the water caused by the abundance of blue algae in this lake.
2. Gayonggong Swamp
Rawa Gayonggong is after passing the first climbing post or after the goods checkpoint. We will pass the bridge over the swamp, this is the location of Rawa Gayonggong. The natural scenery here is so enchanting, shady trees line the view of towering mountain peaks. He said that the bridge in the swamp is a place for leopards to cross every 3 months.
3. Cibeureum Waterfall
The next view is Cibeureum Waterfall which has a height of about 50 meters. Located at about 2.8 Km from Cibodas. The existence of red moss around the waterfall is the background for the naming of this waterfall.
4. Hot springs
Apart from the lake and waterfall, there are still hot springs. It takes about 2-3 hours to reach this hot spring via the Cibodas route. The location of this hot spring is located about 5.3 Km from Cibodas. To pass through this road, there is a rope to hold on to, because this hot spring is in the middle of the hiking trail.
5. Kandang Batu and
Kandang Badak at an altitude of 2,220 masl or about 7.8 km from Cibodas, you will find the last post before reaching the path to the top of the mountain. This location is widely used as a place for camping, has a large area with shady trees and many food and drink sellers.
6. Suryakencana Square Edelweiss Field has an altitude of 2,750 meters above sea level with an area of about 50 hectares. Edelweiss flower beds are suitable as photo spots. The location which is often known as Alun-alun Suryakencana is touted as one of the best locations in Indonesia which has the most beautiful views of the Edelweiss Park. It should be noted that at this location it is prohibited to pick Edelweiss flowers.
7. The summit and crater of Mount Gede
At the top of Mount Gede, there are three crater peaks that are still active, namely Lanang Crater, Ratu Crater and Wadon Crater. To reach the top of this crater, it takes about 5 hours from Cibodas. At this peak, the sulfur smell is so strong that it can be minimized by using a mask. From the top of this mountain, you can see the beauty of the cities of Cianjur, Sukabumi and Bogor from above.
