After a 2-year hiatus (thanks to Covid), National Day Pendaki is back! I climbed Gunung Agung in Bali on National Day 2022.
At Knapsack Treks, NDP stands for National Day Pendaki. There is actually a story behind this project. A long time ago, I had this plan to climb all the 3,000m peaks (12 of them) on the island of Java. I called it Java3000. It was inexpensive, highly doable and I was in my early 40s. However, work and family commitment robbed me of the opportunity to accomplish this dream.
I’m in the latter half of my 50s and semi-retired now, but time is running out. If I ever want to accomplish Java3000 at all, it’s now or never. But I want to make it a bit more meaningful than just bagging peaks at random. Someone who climbs for the sake of the summit and the summit alone is not respecting the heavenly scenery. Since August is the best month to climb in Indonesia, why not summit a 3,000m peak – any one for that matter, on National Day?
I started this NDP – National Day Pendaki in 2016 when I climbed Gunung Merbabu 3145m on National Day. The following National Day in 2017, I climbed Gunung Rinjani 3726m in Lombok. Getting rid of the “Java” allows me to go further. I did NDP 2018 on Gunung Sindoro 3136m. Then, it’s Gunung Lawu 3265m for NDP 2019. I climbed Semeru in 1997, but I feel like doing it again for NDP.
What next? Perhaps Kerinci in Sumatra (highest volcano in Indonesia) or Arjuno/Weilirang in East Java (two peaks at one go). Maybe even Raung which require technical climbing. Watch this space.
The infamous Java3000
- Gunung Pangrango (3019m)
- Gunung Cireme (3078m)
- Gunung Slamet (3432m)
- Gunung Sindoro (3138m)
- Gunung Sumbing (3371m)
- Gunung Merbabu (3142m)
- Gunung Lawu (3265m)
- Gunung Welirang (3156m)
- Gunung Arjuna (3339m)
- Gunung Semeru (3676m)
- Gunung Argopuro (3088m)
- Gunung Raung (3352m)