If you're staying in Indonesia for vacation, especially in the region of middle or eastern of Java, and wanting to experience a little of the Indonesian wildlife, you can come to this unique place. After get pleased exploring the great temple of Borobudur, Malioboro street in Yogyakarta or Jatim Fashion Carnival in East Java, you can doing a savanna walking tours in Baluran National Park.
In this park you can do a nature adventure just like we could do at African safari wildlife parks.
Baluran National Park is situated in eastern Java. The Park covers a total area of 22,500 hectares comprising lowland forests, mangrove forest and the large area of savannah. The park is surrounded by three mountains, Mount Baluran, Ijen and Mount Merapi, Yogyakarta. Baluran National Park itself is named after that the extinct volcano Baluran.
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| Image: klikhotel.com Savanna landscape of Baluran |
Once you entering the park's area, you will feel different kind of sense. In stark contrast to the green sceneries which is so easy to find elsewhere on the Java island, the Baluran National Park will looks totally has its exceptional wonder as it consists that the predominantly open grassland. The 40% swathes of fertile savannah where wildlife roam free, will remind us to the wild scenery of Africa. Yeah, the place looks really like an African savanna in Nigeria, Tanzania or Kenya with its diversity of native savanna plants and animals. Therefore it is called Africa in Indonesia or The Little Africa.
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| Image : tekno.tempo.co Deer in the Baluran's savannah |
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| Image: kumparan.com Buffaloes on the large grassland of Baluran National Park |
You can watch wildlife there. According to a random survey, the Park is habitat to 26 mammal species among which are the banteng (Bos javanicus), the wild water buffaloes, the ajag (wild java wolf), rusa (Cervus timorensis), leopards, the munchak deer, the mouse deer (Tragulus javanicus) and also mangrove cats, squirrels and monkeys. Additionally, Baluran is also habitat to 155 types of bird species.
The Banteng are specific to Baluran, and are therefore become the Park’s mascot.
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| Image: rosasecolodge.com Banteng Bull the mascot of Baluran |
Trekking in The Savana of Baluran National Park
Baluran has two main stations. Bekol is located in the middle of the national park where you can observe the savanna animals. The second is Bama, a place on the beach where you will find simple cottage. From your cottage, you can go straight to the beach. It is better to walk from the main beach through the mangrove forest ecosystem and you will find better beach with better view there. |
| Image: cheaptotours.com Beautiful scenery from Bama Beach |
From Bama beach you can walk to Bekol and observe the animals there and then go back to Bama. Late afternoon is the best time to do savannah walking tours to see animal activities. Just go for a walk from your cottage, explore the area and further observing the animals in Bekol. On the way we can see many native species of the trees that you will not find anywhere else in other region of Indonesia. Even it's different from Australian savanna plants.
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| Image: sportourism.com Buffaloes crossing the road within Baluran's Park |
When we move beyond the park we will really have the feeling that we are in Africa! Especially in the dry season, where the savanna landscape become more exotic with its yellowish coarse grassland. The hot and dry temperature at a sunny day will make the adventure become felt greater as if we are doing African exotic safari.
The first stop in Bekol has only about 5 km from Bama. In Bekol you can climb the tower from where you can watch the whole region. Sometime the animals aren’t visible at any time. Just remember it's not a safari zoo which we can see various animal here and there. We have to be patient and lucky enough to see those beautiful creatures.
Actually the best time to observe them is during the rainy season when they drink water from the lakes that are mainly situated around Bekol. If you lucky you can see group of deer, wild buffaloes doing the mud-jacuzzi in the lake's part which the water being absorbed and monkeys of course.
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| Image: mongabay.co.id Water buffalo enjoys the mud jacuzzi |
If you want see them closer not just from the tower, keep silent and stepping quietly as some of those wild animals could be so shy and very sensitive to any sounds and movements.
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| Image: travelingyuk.com Observe the wildlife in Baluran National Park from the tower |
During the dry season, the land parches and water becomes scarce also makes the tropical savanna plants almost bare. While when it rains, water slides over the black alluvial land and forming water pools especially along the southern part of the park that connects Talpat with Bama Beach.
When you visit Baluran during the rainy season, you wouldn't see the park's mascot. During this time the Banteng bull and some solitaire animals usually prefer to wander in the forests, although other animals like peacocks, wild fowl and mouse deer do come out to the ample water holes and can still be observed.
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| Image: travelingyuk.com The peacock comes for drinking |
Also read: Raja Ampat Exotic Island to Vacation in Indonesia
Safer Than The Real African Safari Trips
Every safari has an element of danger, many of the animals you'll encounter can be dangerous. That's what makes it exciting to do safari trips in African savanna.
But, what if you're a nature lover but isn't a risk seeker, which you really want to get the African Safari dream, but at the other side you're doubtful about safety? Will you feel secure if you come across a group of African lions?
When you come to this The Little Africa in Indonesia, You don't need to be worry, no cheetahs or lions in Baluran. Only the predator ajags we can find here. You can enjoy the safari tours in a topless or sideless Landrover, even you can be walking free along the walking paths without worry a hungry lion pounce on you.
Let yourself get lost in the savanna trekking in Baluran, enjoy the scenery and the wildlife. For the visitor who have no enough time to explore, maybe get an opinions such as no animals, just a grassland! Only monkeys! Stay and explore Baluran areas for at least 5 hours, you can get what this place promises. Just look harder, you would see deer, Japan water buffalo, native wild fox, Java mice, wild dogs, some kinds of monkeys, hornbills, eagle, peacocks, buffalos, the bantengs, snakes, many monitor lizards and frogs, tons of insects, squirrels, a fox, Javan kingfishers and a lot of other birds and more.
Although there're no giraffes or zebras, also the predators cheetahs and the lions, we can still have the feelings of the wilderness athmospere of arid African desert if we aware that this Park is habitat of a wild leopard (but don't worry, they're barely found wandering around at the day not like African lions or cheetahs). And also the fact that this place is habitat of the Banteng bull. |
| Image: topindonesiaholidays.com A group of deer in The Little Africa, Baluran |
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| Image: nowjakarta.co.id The leopard, predator in the Asian savanna |
Mount Baluran
After get contented observing the main land, it's suggested to just wait for the sunset and you will get the magical sense of the panoramic savannah view with Mount Baluran in the background. So awesome! Better than in the mid day for sure. You could see some buffaloes, monkeys and deers crossed the road accompanied by insects sounds. You can also hear bird sounds during this time. |
| Image: pedomanwisata.com Sunset in the savanna with the wildlife |
Seeing the Mount Baluran stands at the center of this large Park, watching over its pristine environment which is extremely dry, will remind us to the Tanzania savanna with the great Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. Baluran really duplicate the African savannah landscape!
The relatively small, dormant volcano of Baluran is located on the extreme tip of Java Island. The highest peak is Gunung Aleng (1,256 m). The mount can be climbed from the western side starting at Karang Tekok and Wonorejo and then reaching the savanna Bekol/Bama by walking, with car or motorcycle.
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| Image: goodnewsfromindonesia.id Amazing view of savanna when sunset with Mount Baluran in background |
The relatively small, dormant volcano of Baluran is located on the extreme tip of Java Island. The highest peak is Gunung Aleng (1,256 m). The mount can be climbed from the western side starting at Karang Tekok and Wonorejo and then reaching the savanna Bekol/Bama by walking, with car or motorcycle.
A permit to enter the Park and to climb the peak should be negotiated/obtained from the Baluran National Park office at the main entrance to the park at Batangan, 13 kms before Bekol or 21 kms from Karang Tekok and 35 km from Banyuwangi.
Karang Tekok is the last village along the highway from the west of the Surabaya side, and 12 kms after Asembagus before ascending into teak plantations in the foothills of Mount Baluran.
Enjoy your adventure to the summit first by tracing the trail which leads through beautiful teak plantation on the western side of the mountain and then through increasingly dense forest to the crater rim. Sometimes you would find the trail is overgrown and faint and may require a whole day to reach the top, therefore an overnight camp maybe necessary.
Along your climbing, before reach the top of Baluran mountain there is a crack in the form of valley named Lembah Kancip (Kancip Valley). In this location we can see many faunas, especially rare birds. The place is favourited by the researchers or nature photographers by sneaking around to see the wild animals.
How to get to Baluran National Park
To visit the Baluran National Park, you can reach it from Surabaya, capital of East Java. Travellling overland takes around 6 hours.If you drive by yourself, from Surabaya, driving via the northern coastal road east you will pass the towns of Pasuruan, Probolinggo, and Situbondo. After Banyuputih, the road turns south. Do not take the road further east to the village of Bilik. Before you reach the village of Wongsorejo turn left and you will see the sign: Visitor Center. This is the entrance gate to the Baluran Park.
Alternatively, you can also drive from Sitobondo to Bangandengan. Some 60 km distance.
Little bit confusing for foreigner! So, to make it easy, get bus from Surabaya city to Banyuwangi. At the station in Banyuwangi, you can rent/find a car, drive you for a few rupiah to main entrance at Batangan (Wongsorejo). There at the park's gate, we had to register in ranger station. Rangers need to know who is in the park. This is mainly due to tourist safety.
The Baluran National Park is in fact on the highway connecting Surabaya with the city of Banyuwangi from where ferrries take cars and passengers to Bali’s west coast. So that, Baluran is also easily accessible from Bali island.
To explore the park's areas, you can go with car, motorcycle, becycle, landrover or even by healthy walking tour. The road within the park is asphalted and can take two cars in opposite directions. Around Bekol and Bama are trails for tourists and students. Goes for the walking paths is much more fun to hike and explore the region.
In the park, there might be no need for a guide as it's safer then the real Africa. You can be your own little adventurer in the savanna and the mangrove forrests. It is great that you can spend your time in a way you like.
An Asian exotic safari trip to Baluran would give us a precious journey. Despite it couldn't be classified as the best savanna or best jungle safari in the world, you can choose this place as alternative of the African safari.
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