Puncak Pass Area
Snaking through sleepy tea plantations and terraced fields, the road over the 1500m - high Puncak Pass between Bogor and Cianjur rolls through some of West Java's most sensational scenary. But sadly the Puncak area has fallen victim to its own beauty : usually gridlocked the highway is lined by an ugly sprawl of overpriced motels, factory shopping outlets monium ( and buses are not even allowed to use the highway because of the congestion) That said, there are a couple of plesant highland hotels
Taman Safari Indonesia
Just east of Cisarua, about 12km from Bogor, is the turn off to
Taman Safari Indonesia. A drive trough safari park with animals including zebras and red pandas, children's rides, animal shows, a pool and plenty of restaurants. A park bus does tours for those without a car.
Cibodas
Cibodas, the next village over the Puncak Pass is famous for its stunning gardens, The Kebun Raya Cibodas, which are an extention of the Bogor botanical gardens. Spread over the steep lower slopes of Gunung Gede and Gunung Pangrango at an altitude of 1300m to 1440m, these lush gardens are one of the dampest places in Java. The Dutch tried to cultivate quinine here ( its bark is used in malaria medication), through the East Javan climates proved more suitables.
You will find an outstanding collection of ferns, palms, 65 species of eucalypt, Mexican mountain pines, and glasshouses bursting with cacti and succulents. Aroad loops around the gardens, passing via Japanese garden with its cherry trees, and there are also paths leading through forests of bamboo to impressive Cismun waterfall
Gede Pangrango
The Cibodas garden are right next to the main entrance to Gede Pangrango National Park, the highlight of which is the climb to the 2958m peak of the volcanically active Gunung Gede, From the top of Gede on a clear day you can see Jakarta, Cirebon and even Pelabuhan Ratu on the south coast.
From Cibodas, the trail passes Tegala Biru which is a blue green lake, Cibeureum Falls lie just off the main trail. Most picnickers only go this far, trhough some continue on to the hot springs. The trail countinue to climb another to Kandang Badak where a hut has been built on the saddle between the peaks of Gunung Gede and Gunung Pangrango. Take the trail to the right for a hard 3 hour climb to Pangrango. Most hikers turn left for easier, but still steep, 1.5 hour climb to Gede, which has more spectacular views. The Gede Creater lies below the summit, and you can continue on to the Suryakencana Maedow.
The 10km hike right to the top of Gunung Gede takes at least 10 hours there and back, so you should start as early as possible and take warm clothes ( night temperatures can drop to 5 celcius degree), food, water, and a torch (flashlight)
