My day's trek started from headquarters of the Buena Vista Foundation, situated in the scenic Cisarua district; home of senior outdoorsman, Dr Robbie Ko. This is the view from his verandah. For more info about staying at Buena Vista, send email to speleoindonesia [at] indo.net.id
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Terrian map showing the Jagowari Toll Road in the top-middle of the map and Bogor to the left .
The mountains of Gede and Pangrango are in the middle of this
satellite image; the main West Java highways to Sukabumi, Cianjur,
Bogor and Jakarta can be clearly seen. "Gunung" means mountain and
"puncak" means summit and is also the place name for the area trekked
on this page.
The Puncak Highlands lie in the shadow of the volcanically active Gunung Gede. The soil brings forth lush and fertile crops, such as these rice paddies, on my way to the Puncak Highway, a 5 min walk from Dr Robbie's house.
While waiting by the main road for the next passing mini bus to bring me to the Puncak , I snapped these buffalos plowing a farmer's rice paddy.
The front seat view from a West Java mini bus on the crowded Puncak "highway".
I am using the excellent and the highly detailed Cisarua trekking guidebook (see www.puncaktrek.com), I got down from the minibus on the other side of the "Puncak" (summit) at the Hotel Bukit Indah and found my way to the middle point of Trek C4, as detailed in puncaktrek.com's Cisarua guidebook. The above view looks back to Gunung Gedongan, a part of the trek I did not do, as, being lazy, I choose start trekking the C4 route from the highest point (not far from the highway), walking downhill.
From the Puncaktrek Cisarua guide book: "The route contours 1440m around Sumbul hill." This the view looking to Cisarua.
"Break into the open and enjoy a view of two tea estates." That's the Puncak Highway in the middle of the pic.
"The paragliding site in Riung Gunung."
"The route contours down to a valley on the tea estate for 1225m."
" .. contour down in scrub on a dirt road to the tea gardens."
" .. the route now winds its way west for 1320m." Note the concrete RRI tower, which is a Puncak landmark.
"Cross a small valley with a spring L." (I turned around and took this photo facing the way I came, so the stream comes from the R in this pic.)
"Go R onto a stone road amid tea and scattered cinnamon trees (1330masl)."
" .. the route now winds its way west for 1320m in tea and forest."
Harvesting Gunung Mas tea.jpg
For those who are not familiar with the where this area is, click on this map to see where Puncak is in relation to Jakarta.
--end of trek --
Trail notes on Ciawi trek B4 are here:
http://indonesia.outdoors.googlepages.com/ciawidistricttrekb4
Trail notes on Citeko trek C1 are here:
http://indonesia.outdoors.googlepages.com/c1citekotrek3
