bandung hotels, tourism and travel, West Java - indonesia

The last eruption was in 1948, with several very small events up to 1957.  Mt Gede and Pangrango are both young, Quaternary volcanoes, built up in the last three million years.  Mt. Gede rises to 2,958 m above sea level (a.s.l), and in clear conditions the crater wall can be seen.  The older and now extinct cone of Mt. Pangrango reaches up to a height of 3,019 m a.s.l..

You can reach the Gede crater about a five hour walk.  Mt Gede has now been quite for 50 years.  The ridge or saddle connecting the two peaks is at a height of 2,400 m a.s.l..  As you look at the volcanic complex your eye is ranging across three types of forest:

Sub-montane	1,200-1,500 m a.s.l.	Park boundary to Blue Lake
Montane	1,500-2,400 m a.s.l.	Lake up to the saddle
Sub-alpine	2,400-3,019 m a.s.l.	Saddle to summit

                 
The Forest
You are about to enter the best upland forest on Java.  The area is species rich and relatively little disturbance has been caused by people.
The walk will take you through the sub-montane zone to the lower edge of the montane forest.  Sub-montane forest contains more species than the park’s higher, cooler areas.  The forest (Cibodas forest) is a reserve forest.  Set up  in 1889 is certainly one of the oldest, formally established, tropical forest reserves on earth; botanists have described it as “the pearl in the crown of Java”
The park around Mt Gede and Pangrango also is internationally known by bird watchers and professional ornithologists.  With around half the bird species found on java occurring here.  

All along the length of the path, you can found the three kinds of monkey and one species of gibbon. All are commonly observed but you must walk quietly, look and listen.  Try scanning open trees for dark round ‘blobs’ with tail hanging down!  Youngsters are also frequently seen.  The striking color/markings of young leaf monkeys is thought to help maintain parental interest.

Found only in western Java, the javan gibbon is the world’s rarest gibbon.  Gede Pangrango is home to about 100 gibbons, which may represent 10% of the total population.  The gibbons, which may encountered all along the walk to Cibeureum but is most frequently observed between marker stones 17-23.  Listen out for its loud, booming call: “Owa.”  Gibbons are monogamous and youngsters have to fend for themselves of two adults and one offspring.

One way back you may might like to see if you can spot of the following:
Animals commonly seen

Chestnut-bellied partidge	(Arborophilia javanica)  Brown bird, short tail, often in family groups searching the forest floor.
Sunda whistling-thrush	(Myiophoneus glaucinus) A dark blue-black, medium-sized, plump thrush with a strange, haunting call.
Kulh’s sunbird	(Aenthopyga eximia) Often found around large white trumpet-shaped flowers
Monkeys & gibbons
Squirrels	Plenty around if you are observant!  Some are very good gliders.
Treeshrews	(Tupaia spp)  Bushy tail, like squirrel, but with a pointed head.  Noisy; calls bird-like.
Lesser gymnure	(Hylomys suillus)  Looks like a large shrew.  Pointed nose, very short tail.
Lizards	Green Crested Lizard (Calotes cystalatus).  Not a chameleon but can change color to brown/black.
Skinks	These are smooth, fat lizards with small heads; often brown in color.

 

Animals infrequently seen :

 

Tree frogs	Many around but difficult to find.
Wild pig	Two species Eurasian wild pig (Sus scrofa), Javan warty pig (S. verrucosus).  Pigs are common but shy and often heard around in the undergrowth.
Leopard cat	(Felis bangelensis) A little larger than the domestic cat, with a mottled coat.
Leopard	(Panthera pardus)  Unmistakable, rare and shy.  If you see one, take a picture and tell us!
Asian wild dog	(Cuon alpinus)  Very rare but call occasionally heard.
Small clawed otter	(Aonyx cinerea)  Lives by rivers but commonly travel through the forest.
Stink badger	(Mydaus javanensis) Black with a white stripe down its back.
Pangolin	(Manis javanica)  Long and scaly-coated; quite common but difficult to see.
Deer	Lesser mouse-deer (Tragalus javanicus). Barking derr (Muntiacus muntjak)
Colugo	(Cynocephalus variegates) Grey, small head, large body, often hangs upside down.  Flaps of skin along sides of body used for gliding.