A Piece of Africa in Java: Baluran National Park

Bayangkan padang savanna yang luas, langit yang biru dan binatang yang bergerombol. Tinggal di kota besar, pemandangan seperti itu adalah pemandangan langka, mungkin anda sudah bosan melihat gerombolan manusia di pusat kota, deretan gedung tinggi menjulang dan langit yang tertutup polusi asap kendaraan.

Imagine a vast savanna, the blue sky and group of animals. For those living in a big city, these sights are rare. We probably tired of seeing too many people on the street or shopping malls, row of tall buildings and grey polluted sky.  

When the soul is leaving

"Africa Van Java," sebutan bagi area taman nasional yang terletak di Kecamatan Banyuputih, Kabupaten Situbondo ini. Untuk mencapai "Afrikanya Indonesia" ini anda tidak perlu keluar dari Pulau Jawa karena justru di ujung Jawa inilah anda dapat melihat savanna bagaikan di Afrika.

"Africa Van Java,"  that's what people called this national park in Banyuputih District in Situbondo. To get this "Africa in Indonesia" you even don't have to get out of the main island in Indonesia since its situated at the tip of east Java. Here, you can feel savanna which sometimes might feels like Africa.

Berkendara ke Taman Nasional Baluran cukup menyita waktu. Namun anda tidak akan menyesal, setidaknya saya sama sekali tidak menyesal saat melihat savanna ini meski belum memasuki waktu musim kering yaitu waktu terindah Taman Nasional Baluran dimana anda akan merasa seperti di Afrika.

Driving to the Baluran National Park is quite time-consuming. But you will not regret it, at least I do not regret the moment I arrived, seeing this savanna, although during my visit it wasn't dry season yet. It would be totally different and beautiful during the dry season and that is when people say you'll feel like you're in Africa.

Monkey business

Feels like God open the door to heaven, magical!

Nama baluran berasal dari nama Gunung Baluran yang ada di area ini. Jika sampai di lokasi ini jangan lupa untuk trekking sedikit ke menara pandang karena dari sana anda dapat melihat pemandangan luas Taman Nasional Baluran, lengkap dengan gerombolan banteng yang jadi penghuni tetap area ini.

The name "Baluran" came from the mountain in this area with exactly the same name. When you're here, don't miss trekking to the viewing tower where you can see wider view of Bekol savanna, with group of bulls which are the permanent resident of this area.

They're going home :)

Tidak hanya banteng, saat sore hari saya terpesona dengan senja yang seakan "memanggil" monyet-monyet di taman nasional ini untuk "pulang." Iringan binatang ini dengan latar belakang senja sangat indah, rasanya seperti ada di Afrika, meski saya sejujurnya belum pernah kesana.

Not only bull, during the afternoon I was fascinated with the dusk which seems "calling" the monkeys to "go home." These animals with sunset as background, it does feels like I was in Africa, even though honestly I haven't been to the wild in Africa.

So, do you wanna get wild?

@marischkaprue - from Baluran to Africa (someday)

Photos by Ferry Rusli & me

NOTES:

• Terdapat Trip Organizer yang menyediakan open trip ke Taman Nasional Meru Betiri seperti Fun Adventure, 3 Days trip biasanya dengan harga Rp. 899.000,- 
• There are Trip Organizer which provide open trip to Meru Betiri National Park. Fun Adventure 3 days trip usually cost Rp. 988.000,- 
• Contact Fun Adventure di +6281 23410 5848 
• Contact Fun Adventure  +6281 23410 5848