Merapi Volcano Hike: Closed in 2026, What to Do Instead

The Merapi volcano hike is still closed. On 29 June 2026 the head of Mount Merapi National Park said climbing remains closed “until a time that cannot be determined”, because the volcano is on Alert Level III (Siaga). Nothing we found since then, up to 14 October 2026, reports a change. The guides that rank highest for this search describe climbs from before the closure, and some social media posts suggest otherwise, so this page sets out what the authorities actually said and what you can do instead.

Is Merapi still closed?

Yes. The national park authority (Balai Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi, or BTNGM) dates the recommendation against hiking to 22 May 2018, when the volcano moved from Level I to Level II. On 5 November 2020 it rose to Level III, and it has stayed there. The authority’s statement, as reported by Detik and Kompas on 29 and 30 June 2026, adds three points:

• Hiking is “not recommended” except for research and disaster-mitigation work.
• The 3 km radius around the summit should be kept free of activity.
• The old route from New Selo is called very dangerous. The authority lists distances of 2.3 km (gate), 1.64 km (Post I), 1.25 km (Post II) and 0.7 km (Pasar Bubrah), all within that 3 km radius.

BPPTKG, the volcano monitoring centre, reported that magma supply continued in late June, with hazard distances along the river valleys of 3 to 7 km. For the October picture, see Is Mount Merapi safe to visit?

The June 2026 reopening videos

In late June 2026 a video went viral saying residents of Selo had agreed to reopen the trail on their own after eight years. According to Kompas, around 200 local residents did climb via Selo on 30 June 2026. The organiser described it as a rehearsal before an independent opening, and said residents wanted the trail to open officially to bring work back to about 200 families who depended on hiking.

Two things followed. The park authority said the closure policy had not changed. And the head of BPPTKG told Kompas that the volcano is in an effusive eruption phase in which an explosive event remains possible at any time, and that ejected material can reach 3 km from the summit, which covers the area where the trail normally runs.

So a Merapi volcano hike advertised on social media today is not an official reopening. Residents asking for soft trekking up to Post II are asking the authorities for permission, not announcing a permit.

Old guides that still rank

Search results for a Merapi volcano hike are dominated by first-person climbing accounts. The Travel Lexx guide, for example, says its author stood on the summit three weeks before the eruption of 11 May 2018. Another top guide mentions a death in 2015. We could not find a date on two others. A guide written before 2018 describes a trail that is closed today.

The Merapi volcano hike those older guides describe, for context only:

• The route started at New Selo on the northern side, usually after midnight to reach the top by first light.
• It is roughly 9 km there and back according to Travel Lexx, with a climb of about 700 m over around 4 km according to Discover Your Indonesia.
• Most hikers needed about 4 hours to the summit.

None of that is a current route.

Is Mount Merapi safe to climb?

Not at the moment, and anyone offering a Merapi volcano hike today is working against the closure. The authorities say so in numbers. The park authority reported that about 60 people were caught hiking illegally in the year since April 2025, mostly aged 15 to 25, and that one illegal climber died in December 2025. The forestry ministry release adds that 76.9 percent of those polled in an online forum on 13 May 2026 did not want hiking reopened, citing safety.

Backindo, a travel site, adds that joining an unofficial climb can create serious problems with insurance, emergency help and responsibility if something goes wrong. If an offer says it has a permit, ask which authority issued it. The park authority said on 29 June 2026 that hiking remains closed.

Do not confuse Merapi with Marapi in West Sumatra. An eruption of Marapi on 3 December 2023 killed 24 climbers, according to Wikipedia. It is a different volcano.

Legal ways to get close to Merapi

Jeep tour on the lower southern slope

A 4×4 ride through the 2010 eruption sites is the standard alternative. Short routes run about 1.5 to 2 hours at around IDR 400,000 to 450,000 per jeep for up to four people (checked October 2026; longer and sunrise routes cost more). Our tour packages page lists the routes, the sunrise jeep tour starts at around 04:30, and the private Merapi jeep tour gives you your own car and driver-guide. Merapi jeep tour cost explains what changes the price.

Soft trekking at the foot of the mountain

The park authority notes that soft-trekking routes exist inside the national park, such as the Kalitalang viewing area. Backindo describes a walk along the Kali Kuning river from the old Plunyon bridge, past the small springs Umbul Lanang and Umbul Wadon, and a route from Kaliurang towards Puncak Pronojiwo. These are nature walks, not summit climbs, and visibility depends on the weather. Ask locally which are open on your day.

Mount Merbabu for a real mountain hike

If a summit is the goal and you cannot do the Merapi volcano hike, Backindo suggests Mount Merbabu, which sits near Merapi. Merbabu’s trails closed from 1 January to 28 February 2026 because of extreme weather and reopened on 9 March 2026 for the Selo, Thekelan, Cuntel and Suwanting routes, with Wekas following on 16 March, according to Detik. Hikers must book online, and temporary closures do happen, so check the park’s announcements before you plan around a date.

Checking any Merapi volcano hike offer

1. Ask what permit it relies on. The park authority said on 29 June 2026 that hiking remains closed.
2. Ask where it goes. Anything beyond the lower slopes is inside the 3 km radius.
3. Ask what your travel insurance says about activities against official advice.
4. Treat a very low price as a warning sign.
5. Look for a clear plan for what happens if activity changes overnight.

Next step

If you came for a Merapi volcano hike but really want the volcano, not the trail, a morning jeep ride gives the nearest legal experience of Merapi. Look through the tour packages or ask us to plan a morning that suits your dates through the contact page.