Mount Sibayak Sunrise Hike from Berastagi with Hot Springs

4.98

(124 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the sulfur smell—kind of sharp, not quite rotten eggs but close. We were still half asleep when our guide, Pak Dedi, handed out flashlights and grinned at us like he knew what we were in for. The path up Mount Sibayak was rocky but not too hard, just enough to wake up my legs. It was still dark and quiet except for the crunch of gravel and someone’s phone alarm going off behind me (which made us all laugh). I kept thinking: why am I doing this before sunrise? But then the sky started turning that weird blue-grey and I forgot about being tired.

At the top, the wind was colder than I expected. You could see Mount Sinabung off in the distance—just sitting there with a little haze around it—and all the hills rolling out below Berastagi. Our guide poured hot coffee from a battered thermos while we tried to take photos with numb fingers. There was this moment where everyone went silent at once, just watching the sun creep over the Karo Highlands. Someone tried to name all the villages you could spot from up there; I think they got maybe half right.

Afterwards, we headed down toward these hot springs (I think it was called Air Panas by locals). The water felt fizzy against my skin—like soda water almost—and honestly I didn’t want to get out. The air smelled like wet stone and something metallic. Pak Dedi told stories about hiking here as a kid, which made me wonder what it’s like growing up with volcanoes in your backyard. Anyway, if you’re looking for a day trip from Berastagi that isn’t just snapping photos and leaving—this sunrise tour has a way of sticking with you. I still think about that view sometimes when I can’t sleep.