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On our Northern Sumatra trip we spent one night in Berastagi, and there was one main reason for stopping here: to climb Mount Sibayak for sunrise.
After several days relaxing in Bukit Lawang, we travelled by taxi through the mountains to Berastagi. The drive itself was beautiful, taking us through the green landscapes of northern Sumatra before reaching the town.
The following morning, we were up long before sunrise and heading towards Mount Sibayak, an active volcano just outside Berastagi.
Getting from Bukit Lawang to Berastagi
We travelled directly from Bukit Lawang to Berastagi by taxi, which was an easy way to make the journey between the two.
It’s also a very scenic drive. As you head towards Berastagi, the landscape becomes increasingly mountainous, with plenty of views along the way.
If you’re travelling through northern Sumatra, combining Bukit Lawang and Berastagi works particularly well. We went from orangutan trekking and rainforest in Bukit Lawang to climbing a volcano in Berastagi, despite the two being relatively close to each other.
Where We Stayed in Berastagi
We stayed at Nachelle Homestay for our one night in Berastagi and found the owners incredibly sweet and welcoming.
They also offer Mount Sibayak trekking, which made everything very easy. We joined a small group of 3 from the homestay and went with the husband of the family as our guide rather than arranging a separate tour in advance.
With such an early start, being able to organise everything directly where we were staying was particularly convenient. We could simply get up, meet the group and head out together.
Where to Eat Near Nachelle Homestay
Another advantage of staying at Nachelle Homestay was having plenty of good local food right outside the door.
There are several bakso warungs nearby, where you can try the Indonesian meatball soup you’ll see all over the country. We also ate at Cafe J.Vayona, just a short walk from the homestay.
We were only in Berastagi for one night, so we didn’t explore the wider restaurant scene, but we certainly didn’t need to travel far to find somewhere good to eat.
Hiking Mount Sibayak for Sunrise
Our hike started well before sunrise while it was still completely dark outside and we reached the top at around 6:15 am, as the morning light was beginning to appear over the surrounding landscape.
We didn’t find the Mount Sibayak hike particularly difficult. There is some climbing involved, but compared with some of the other hikes we’ve done, it was relatively manageable.
Having a guide also meant we didn’t need to think about navigating the trail in the dark. We could simply follow the group and concentrate on the walk.
Sunrise at Mount Sibayak
Once we reached the top, the landscape opened up around us.
Mount Sibayak is an active volcano, and the crater gives the summit a completely different feel from a normal mountain viewpoint. Steam and volcanic gases rise from parts of the crater, surrounded by rugged volcanic rock and mountains in the distance.
It was also noticeably colder at the top than we’d been used to in Sumatra. We wore our thin puffer jackets and were glad we’d brought them, particularly while standing around waiting for the sun to come up.
Watching the landscape slowly appear as the morning light came in was worth the early start.
Even without the sunrise, the volcanic landscape around the crater makes the hike interesting in its own right.
Visit the Sulfur Hot Springs After the Hike
The morning wasn’t quite finished once we’d climbed back down.
On our way back to Berastagi, we stopped at the sulfur hot springs near Mount Sibayak.
After getting up in the middle of the night and hiking up and down a volcano, sitting in the warm water was a very welcome way to finish the morning.
The pools are naturally heated by the geothermal activity around Mount Sibayak, with views of the surrounding volcanic landscape.
If your Mount Sibayak tour includes the hot springs, bring swimwear with you. We’d definitely recommend adding them rather than heading straight back to Berastagi after the hike.
Do You Need a Guide to Hike Mount Sibayak?
We hiked Mount Sibayak with a guide arranged through Nachelle Homestay, and for a sunrise hike we’d happily do the same again.
Starting in complete darkness makes navigating an unfamiliar trail more difficult, and having someone who knew the route meant we didn’t have to worry about finding our way.
It also made the whole experience incredibly easy to arrange. We didn’t book a separate Mount Sibayak tour before arriving in Berastagi. We organised the hike through our accommodation and joined a group from there.
If you’re staying elsewhere in Berastagi, it’s worth asking your accommodation whether they can arrange a Mount Sibayak sunrise hike.
What to Bring for a Mount Sibayak Sunrise Hike
You don’t need huge amounts of equipment for the hike, but there are a few things we’d recommend bringing:
- Comfortable shoes with decent grip
- A light jacket or thin puffer jacket
- Water
- A headtorch or torch
- Swimwear if you’re visiting the sulfur hot springs afterwards
- A small towel
- Camera or phone
Don’t assume that because you’re in Sumatra it will be hot. Berastagi sits at a higher elevation, and before sunrise on Mount Sibayak it can feel surprisingly cool.
How Long Do You Need in Berastagi?
We only stayed for one night, which was enough for what we’d come to Berastagi to do.
We arrived from Bukit Lawang, stayed at Nachelle Homestay, explored a little around the area and got up early the following morning to hike Mount Sibayak. After the hike and a stop at the sulfur hot springs, we continued our journey.
There are other things to see around Berastagi if you want to stay longer, but we didn’t visit them, so we can’t tell you whether they’re worth adding.
If Mount Sibayak is your main reason for visiting, an overnight stop can work well.
Is the Mount Sibayak Sunrise Hike Worth It?
For us, yes.
We didn’t spend enough time in Berastagi to write a complete guide to the town, but stopping here for one night worked perfectly as part of our journey through northern Sumatra.
The hike wasn’t particularly difficult, the volcanic landscape around the crater was beautiful, and soaking in the sulfur hot springs afterwards was a great way to finish the morning.
After the rainforest and orangutans of Bukit Lawang, spending a night in the mountains and starting the next morning on top of an active volcano gave us a completely different side of northern Sumatra.
If you’re travelling through the region, Mount Sibayak is well worth adding to your route, even if, like us, you only have one night in Berastagi.
