As the Christmas and New Year holidays approach, Mount Bromo, one of Indonesia’s most popular tourist destinations, is set to welcome an influx of visitors. Many tourists crowd the site on New Year’s Eve to witness the breathtaking first sunrise of the year.
To manage the anticipated surge in visitors, the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (BB TNBTS) has announced an increase in the daily visitor quota during this period.
The Head of BB TNBTS, Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, confirmed that the quota for visitors to Mount Bromo has been raised by 1,000 people per day from 23 December 2024 to 2 January 2025. This change brings the total number of daily visitors allowed in the area during the festive season to 3,752.
“The TNBTS Centre has increased the daily quota for visits to the Bromo area and its surroundings by 1,000 people. The total number of visitors permitted during the Christmas and New Year holidays is now 3,752 per day,” Rudijanta stated, as reported by Antara.
The implementation of this additional visitor quota will be in effect from 23 December 2024 to 2 January 2025.
Rudijanta further explained that there are three official entrances to the Mount Bromo tourist area: the Cemoro Lawang entrance (Tengger Lautan Pasir Resort), the Wonokitri entrance (Mount Penanjakan Resort), and the Jemplang entrance (Coban Trisula Resort).
“All prospective visitors and tour operators are required to purchase tickets online. This measure is designed to prevent congestion at the entrance points,” Rudijanta noted.
Additionally, on-site ticket purchases will only be available at Ranu Regulo. However, these transactions must be cashless, using the QRIS system provided at the entrance to the Ranupani Resort.
Closure for Wulan Kapitu on 30 December 2024
It is also important to note that Mount Bromo will be closed for one day during this period. On 30 December 2024, the Tengger Caldera will not be accessible to tourists because of the observance of Wulan Kapitu, a sacred ritual in the Tengger community.
The Tengger tribe will conduct the Wulan Kapitu ritual, a long-standing tradition celebrated during the seventh month of the Tengger calendar, which is considered holy. This ritual, steeped in spiritual significance, is an opportunity for the Tengger people to connect with God through various ceremonial practices.
The peak of the Wulan Kapitu ritual begins on Sunday, 29 December 2024, at 6:00 PM WIB and continues until Monday, 30 December 2024, at 6:00 PM WIB.
During this period, the Tengger Caldera will be closed to ensure the rituals are conducted in a solemn and undisturbed manner. Motorised vehicles will also be prohibited, except in emergency situations.
Wulan Kapitu, which translates to the seventh month in the Javanese calendar, holds deep spiritual meaning for the Tengger people and remains an integral part of their cultural heritage.
