May 1–2 | Mount Lawu, Central Java
On May 1–2, Abovee Outdoor had the opportunity to organize a private hiking trip to Mount Lawu via the Candi Cetho trail for a company. This journey became one of our most memorable experiences, involving 22 participants and 38 crew members, making it one of the largest crew deployments we have handled for a single hiking trip.
Starting the Journey from Candi Cetho Basecamp
The journey began at Candi Cetho Basecamp at 8:00 AM. To ensure that every participant received proper assistance throughout the hike, the group was divided into five smaller teams, with each group accompanied by several crew members.
The journey to the campsite took different amounts of time for each group. Some participants arrived at the camp at around 4:00 PM, while the final group arrived at approximately 8:00 PM. Throughout the journey, every group was accompanied by our crew.
A Comfortable Night at the Campsite
Once all participants had arrived at the campsite, dinner became a time to rest and enjoy the evening together. The participants were served traditional Solo-style chicken soto, followed by a relaxed evening of conversations with the group.
To provide a more comfortable camping experience, Abovee Outdoor prepared 15 tents, complete with tables and chairs as part of the campsite setup. A dedicated toilet tent was also placed at the end of the tent area to accommodate the participants’ needs.
At around 9:00 PM, participants gradually began resting and preparing for the early-morning summit journey.
Summit Journey to Mount Lawu
At approximately 4:00 AM, participants who joined the summit began preparing for the climb. Before departure, the crew conducted a briefing to make sure everyone understood the route, conditions, and group arrangements.
For the summit journey, the participants were accompanied by five crew members and divided into several groups according to their individual conditions and abilities.
During the ascent, some participants decided to turn back. Our crew continued to accompany them throughout the descent, ensuring that no participant had to make the journey back alone.
At around 6:00 AM, the participants began reaching the summit area. Some of them also took the opportunity to visit Mbok Yem’s Warung, a well-known spot on Mount Lawu, before the group eventually decided to return to the campsite together.
Returning to Camp and Sharing the Moments
Upon returning to the campsite, participants were welcomed with a hearty meal of traditional Solo-style fried rice. After resting and refueling, the campsite once again became a place for casual conversations, laughter, and group photos before everyone prepared to leave.
The descent to the basecamp was carried out gradually, with several crew members continuing to accompany the groups along the way. Some groups reached Candi Cetho Basecamp at around 1:00 PM, while the final group arrived at approximately 6:00 PM.
Despite the different arrival times, every group continued to receive assistance from our professional crew until all participants safely completed the journey and reached the basecamp.
Closing the Journey Together
Once everyone had arrived at the basecamp, the trip concluded with a final meal served as a buffet. It was a fitting end to two days filled with experiences—from the hike to the campsite and the summit journey to the moments of togetherness throughout the trip.
For Abovee Outdoor, this experience was a meaningful expression of trust from our client. Handling 22 participants with the support of 38 crew members gave our team valuable experience in managing a large-scale private hiking trip while ensuring that every participant received proper assistance throughout the journey.
Abovee Outdoor is ready to organize private mountain trips for companies, communities, and private groups across various mountain destinations throughout Indonesia.
