Amazingly it turns out that a small number of hikers have reached the true summit (Gunung Pintau) – mainly expeditions by harcore student hikers. I don’t know how long it takes, probably 2 or 3 days as they must have cut the trail to the peak. I’m trying to find out more… for now here’s a picture of the trig at the summit….
http://akonak.dagdigdug.com/files/2008/10/pintau1.jpg

I hiked to this volcano in Sept 2, 2011. That was my first experience to hike this volcano. The smell of the sulphur gas often made me had to stop my steps for a while. The views were spectacular, either the way to the top or above the crater. Still above the crater, after I went down from Antenna Peak, I met three guys from Italy. I helped to take few pictures for them, and one of them took two pictures for me too with Antenna Peak as the background. I took many pictures there along the journey and above the crater with my camera, but only two pictures with me inside the picture. At least I’ve got two documentations that may say that I really have ever been there. Thanks to the guys from Italy, hope to see you again someday, somewhere.

I’ve had my eye on another trip to North Sumatra for quite a while so I booked a last minute ticket and headed out of Jakarta for Idul Fitri. Brastagi was about as busy as usual when I arrived – a handful of tourists but plenty of rooms still available. I ended up at Wisma Sibayak, a lovely place near the cabbage monument at the turning for the road to Sinabung. Had a lunch at the excellent Raymond Cafe and headed up Gundaling Hill for a view of Sibayak and Sinabung. Geleng, the Brastagi institution himself, showed up and agreed to take me up Sibayak for dawn the following day. I told him I really wanted to try to get to the highest point of the mountain range – a forested peak that looks pretty remote on Google Earth.
Next morning, Geleng turned up with an angkot at 3am and we set off up the road. The driver dropped us off halfway up the road which runs almost into the crater itself. By just 4.30 we were on the outer rim of the volcano, listening to the fabulous roar of the fumaroles down by the crater lake. But we were there far too early – first light is not until 6.30. We waited patiently with some Indonesian students who appeared to have spend the entire night slowly working their way up, step by step, presumably stopping every ten minutes for another Pop Mie. We were very lucky with the weather when first light did finally arrive – pretty spectacular scenes as banks of clouds swirled and drifted over what is an amazing volcanic landscape. The top of Sinabung peeped out over the clouds.
With regard to the names of the peaks on Sibayak, there seems to be a bit of confusion. In the Wisma Sibayak info guidebook, the ‘top’ is called Batu Marlunglung. Try that in google – no results! The little pyramid peak on the outer rim generally seems to be known as Puncak Antene – the antenna peak – even though there is not actually an antenna there at the moment. The higher peak above the crater lake cliffs is known as Tapal Kuda (horseshoe) or Tapak Kuda (horse’s hoof). We headed up onto the Kuda peak just after first light. From the top you can see the true ‘summit’ of Sibayak which lies about 800 metres further to the northwest. Geleng had never been there nor had he heard of anyone who had been there. It’s remarkably remote and hostile terrain – no trails, deep crevices in the rock, dense vegetation. Perhaps a few of the hikers who never made is back to Brastagi are still over there somewhere. There was also a plane crash here in 1979 – presumably over on the jungle slopes rather than the actual crater area.
The Kuda peak is definitely the best viewpoint – and not many hikers climb up this side from the main trail through the crater.
We were down at the hot springs in Semangat Gunung in less than 2 hours – the water is a perfect temperature and you get a great view back up the side of the mountain from here. The only trouble is sorting out transport back round to Brastagi – about 13km. The angkots only leave when they’re full (maybe only every 2 hours!) so you’ve basically got to charter one. Rp70,000 isn’t too bad really.
I would love to climb this volcano again – it’s just so easy and spectacular if you’re lucky with the weather. The easiest 5-star gunung in Indonesia.

this is a very easy hike but well worth it.the town close by (brastagi) is the starting point and a very quaint place.its quite similar to bukittingi in west sumatra.you dont really need a guide but i took one anyway and im glad i did.if you get a good one he will take you off the beaten track and you will get up close to lots of fumeroles and will cook an egg in the hot springs at the top
the best part is soaking in the hot springs at the bottom.if you are on the way from medan to danau toba then you must do this climb.it only takes a couple of hours up and even less coming back down.if you are looking for a tougher climb try sinabung.you can see it from sibayak and althoguhi havnt done it the locals tell me its not easy.ill take their word for it.