Good News For Hikers, Mount Merbabu Hiking Trail Opens Today, Monday, June 14

The condition of Mount Merbabu when viewed from Jrakah Village, Selo District, Boyolali Regency, Central Java. (Bambang Dwi Marwoto/Antara)

JAKARTA - The Mount Merbabu National Park Office (BTNGMb) began opening a hiking trail for Mount Merbabu, which is located on the border of Semarang, Magelang, and Boyolali regencies, Central Java, Monday. which was opened, as of June 14, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Junita explained that two hiking trails have been opened, namely the Suwanting climbing route in Suwanting Hamlet, Banyuroto Village, Sawangan District, and the Wekas route in Pakis District, both in the District. Magelang. The other three hiking routes, Junita said, namely the Cunthel route in Cunthel Hamlet, Kopeng Village, Getasan District, Thekelan route in Kopeng Village, Getasan District, both Semarang Regency, and the Selo route in Genting Hamlet, Tarubatang Village, Boyolali Regency, have not yet been completed. In addition, BTNGMb has also issued an announcement regarding the opening of the hiking trail. The opening of the climbing tour was stated in the announcement number PG.05/T.35/TU/EVLAP/06/2021 regarding the reactivation of the Mount Merbabu National Park climbing tour, as of June 14, 2021. Junita explained that the Thekelan and Cuntel hiking trails could not be opened because Pay attention to the Instruction of the Regent of Semarang, Number 14/2021 concerning the Extension of the Implementation of Micro Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in Semarang Regency. The Selo climbing route, Boyolali, cannot be opened, he said, because the manager of the basecamp in Genting Hamlet, Tarubatang Village, Selo District, requested a delay in the opening of the hiking trail in Selo.

This, he said, as stated in the announcement and results of coordination meetings in four sub-districts namely Getasan, Sawangan, Pakis, and Selo, that climbing activities must comply with health protocols and fulfill quotas and registration through "online bookings". a maximum of about 30 percent of the carrying capacity of the hiking trail. Online registration can be accessed through the website 'www.tngunungmerbabu.org'," he said. Climbers who will climb to the top of Merbabu must bring the results of the antigen rapid test or GeNose which is still valid as a condition for anticipating the spread of the Corona virus. He admitted that related to online booking, there may still be obstacles. "We apologize and we will continue to make efforts to improve it," he said. However, his party asked the climbers to maintain nature by climbing wisely, so that Mount Merbabu, which is located on the three borders of the district, remains sustainable. Mount Merbabu has been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic, March 2020 until June 13, 2021. BTNGMb then began to open two hiking trails, namely on the Suwating and Wekas Routes in Magelang Regency, this Monday.