[ilya Two hundred years a volcano violently erupted on the island of Sumbawa, sending molten rock 40 km in the sky -. the eruption most powerful of the Earth in 500 years
In NTB, on the island of Sumbawa, stands Gunung Tambora, the second highest peak of 2,722m in area. In April 1815, the volcano may have been 1000 meters above, similar to the heights of Mont Blanc and standing as one of the highest peaks of Indonesia. It was during the month of April, it was 200 years ago, when the volcano erupted so violently, it was heard in the distance measurement of 2000 km.
In his book Eruptions that Shook the World Clive Oppenheimer, a volcanologist at the University of Cambridge, puts the number killed by the ash flows, tsunamis and famine that followed by Indonesia at between 60,000 to 120,000, making it the deadliest eruption in history. The impact of the eruption on the world will prove to be epic, as literally Tambora blew its top off, sending 160 cubic kilometers of clastic material into the atmosphere, resulting in what was known in 1816 the "year without a summer" in the world. The magnitude of the eruption is still very evident today, with a hike to the crater rim, we can see a crater 7 kilometers in diameter.
With other hikers and other members of Lava Java, we go on an adventure to Tambora on Sumbawa Island. On our flight from Denpasar to Bima, my window seat allowed me to absorb the spectacular views of Gunung Rinjani, which stands proud today as on the highest peak in the region of Nusa Tenggara Barat. Such a site of this imposing neighbor whet the appetite for what was to come on Tambora.
Our base was a nice bungalow in the middle of the coffee plantation - 20 minutes ojek up dirt tracks above the village of Pancasila. The first night we were greeted by Dutchman Rik Stoetman, an expert in the history of the eruption of Gunung Tambora which has, for several years, led a team of archaeologists. Stoetman took us to a nearby excavation site, where a team of local archaeologists discovered the remains of an old house that had been canceled by the eruption 1815 -. Exciting things on the eve of our hike to the crater
We left at 7 in the base camp, which is highly recommended especially for those planning to reach the crater rim before sunset Sun. The first hour hike takes you through the hot and humid jungle. Hikers will be rewarded with little traffic and well-marked trails through the jungle, and thanks to its reasonable distance from densely populated Java there was very little litter. For nature lovers, there probably will meet wild boars, wild chickens, and a constant serenade of birdsong sound; some signs of a dynamic ecosystem.
Quick hikers reach the crater rim in about 6-7 hours, the constants 9 hours, such as hiking can be very steep once clear of the forest and in the field of the most exposed valley. For slower hikers, it may be advisable to camp the Post 3 and Post 5, for a second night on the crater rim. Once clear of the forest vegetation decreases and the remnants of lava flow abundant eruption in 1815 can be seen from deep valleys carved into volcanic rock along black sand.
approach the crater and regularly in my last time to get on the rim, a small volcanic earth tremor occurred.
Several faster hikers in our group were already close to admire the site where the earthquake occurred, which triggered a small landslide in the caldera.
Be warned, people, this was an indication that Tambora is still active, so step carefully when visiting and camping near the edge of the crater.
We set up camp about 200 meters from the edge of the crater, which offers several places ideal for camping but a bit exposed. After resting for a good night and a bit of hot food we proceeded to climb the peak, a small but steep rocky outpost above the crater rim. A clear morning that the views were majestic and dominant Rinjani could be seen in the distance.
Indonesia offers hikers and nature lovers true adventures. Local airlines offer extensive connections throughout the archipelago for those seeking to explore. If you want to join the boy hiking enthusiasts to discover the beautiful mountains of Indonesia, Java Lava provide regular monthly increases in some of the areas off the beaten-path and Indonesia have since more a decade.
Contact secretary jennydewijani@yahoo.com to find the next touring schedule for 2015, which includes Kelud, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia. For those looking for an online reference of the mountains and volcanoes of Indonesia, the website www.gunungbagging.com provide all the information you need.