Mount Kelimutu

MOUNT KELIMUTU LAKES

" Myth of Kelimutu"

" Place. A big thunderstorm came and built three lakes: the first one, where the nuts and the gold have been burried, was red; a blue one was on the place where Meja and Konde had stood (Lake of Youth); at the place of the king with the three grand children was the thrid lake (Lake of Ancestors).

Since these days, the natives believe, that, when a human being dies and has only done good things, he will find the eternal peace in the Lake of Ancestors. But if he was very evil, he will be punished whith tortures forever in the red lake. Those ones, who have done both good and evil, will find themselves in the blue lake. As you can imagine, there is a real rush in this lake - because of that, depending on the number of your good and evil deeds, you may increase or decrease. "

Mount Kelimutu with its three colors lakes, in a local language called Kelimutu Tiwu Telu is one of the main volcanoes in Flores island. After eruption in 1886 the mount remained three crater lakes with formerly distinct colors; red, blue and white. The colors, however, have changed continually since the eruption of Mount Iya in Ende in 1969. The changes of its colors make Kelimutu different from others and become one of the attractive places to be seen.

According o the scientists, the changes caused by the geological and chemical processes in the bottom of the lakes. It could be also resulted from refraction of the sunlight, the bacteria populations and the chemicals dissolved in the water.

Kelimutu has been determined as one of the National Parks with 5300 Hectares large, which is known as Kelimutu National Park. It sorrounded by forest with the rare floras and faunas such as palm trees, pine, mountain fig (casuarina yunghuniana), red wood (pterocarpus sp), edelweiss, hog (sus vitatus), javan porcupine (hystrix javanica), the giant rat (papagomys armandvellei), monkey (macaca fascicularis) and gerugiwa (kind of bird). besides natural conservation, this park is also exploited for tourist attraction gathers with parks like Leuser National Park, Kerinci, Komodo, Ujung Kulon and others.

There was a myth about the mountain. Local inhabitants believe that Kelimutu is the last place for their spirits resided and given name as Tiwu Ata Polo (Rek Lake) refers to The Giants, Tiwu Ko’o Fai Nuwa Muri (Blue Lake), to The Orphans, and Tiwu Ata Bupu (White Lake) to The Old Men. The spirits would reside on those three lakes conformed to their social status after passing the gateway called Konde Ratu.

For locals, this mountain is holy, and a token of God’s blessings, which provides fertility to the sorrounding lands.

A phenomenon of three colored lakes of Kelimutu has become one of Flores’ main natural tourist destinations. The spectacular view and dramatic sights on peak of Mount Kelimutu left a deepest impression to all visitors who come and visit it. When you are at the Inspiration Point, you can view the natural panorama and beautiful sunrise. Apart from its cool climate and wonderful panorama, Three Colored Lakes of Kelimutu keeps special features as the only one of tourist attractions on earth to visit, to feel and to remind.

East Nusa Tenggara’s natural wonder and one of Indonesia’a most mysterious and gramatic sights that can be found on top of this mountain, some 66 kilometers from Ende, or 83 kilometers from Maumere. It has a unique and spectacular view on its three crater lakes with their respective colours. The colours, however, have changed continually since the eruption of Mount Iya in Ende in 1969.

The surrounding village are good places serving as bases for visits to Kelimutu, particulary those who wish to have a more leisurely pace and enjoy the views along the road between Ende and Maumere, or spend more time in Kelimutu. Those little villages are also known for their excellent weaving-all hand-made, still using natural dyes.

The village of MONI is set out along the length of the road that runs from Ende, northeast to Maumere. It's full of losmen and restaurants, but is still a relaxed place to spend a few days, with great walking in the surrounding hills. Behind the Amina Moe losmen and opposite the market is a rumah adat , where occasional evening dance performances are held (Rp3000) and traders hang around trying to sell ikat. There is no bank, post office or Telkom in Moni.

The summit of Keli Mutu (1620m) is a startling lunar landscape, with, to the east, two vast pools separated by a narrow ridge. The waters of one are a currently luminescent green that seems to be heading for bright-yellow, the other was, a few years ago, a vibrant turquoise, and is now deep magenta. A few hundred metres to the west, in a deep depression, is a pure-black lake. The colours of the lakes are apparently due to the levels of certain minerals that dissolve in them. As the waters erode the caldera they lie in, they uncover bands of different compounds and, as the levels of these compounds are in constant flux, so are the colours. In the 1960s, the lakes were red, white and blue, and locals predict that within years they will have returned to these hues.

Every morning at around 4am, an open-sided truck takes travellers from Moni up to Keli Mutu, returning at about 7am (Rp10,000 one way, minimum five people, plus Rp1000 park fee). The best view is from the south crater rim, looking north over the two sister lakes; the trails that run around other rims are extremely dangerous - tourists have disappeared up here. A much nicer alternative to returning with the truck is to walk back down to Moni, which takes about three hours, with rolling grassy meadows flanking extinct volcanic hills, and views all the way to the sea. Practically the whole walk is downhill, but always bring water and wear good boots. A shortcut by the PHPA post cuts off a good 4km from the road route, takes you through some charming local villages and past the waterfall ( air terjun) less than 1km from central Moni, which is a great spot for a dip after what can be a very hot walk. A little further down is a hot spring, the perfect place to soak weary feet.

Buses from Ende (1hr 30min; Rp15.000) and Maumere (5hr; Rp20.000) stop here about three times a day, the first one at about 11am and the last at about 3pm; ask at the losmen. For such a small isolated village, the cuisine in Moni is impressive.

Lakes like gemstones
Gunung Keli Mutu is located in the south of Central Flores, about 40 kilometers northeast of Ende. The volcano consists of three craters, each filled with a colored lake. The lakes got their color because of the mineral deposits, which resolve in the water.

Because of the changing amounts of minerals the color of the lakes changes over time; the last decades the lakes used to be dark-red, light green and light blue. The bald and grey landscape around the lakes makes this phenomenon even more spectacular. It's no wonder that the lakes are sometimes compared with gemstones.

Visit to the lakes
The starting point for the climb of the Keli Mutu is Moni, a village along the main road from Ende to Maumere. In the 1970's the lakes were only reachable by foot or by horse. You had to start at two in the morning; it's a heavy trip which takes about three to four hours to reach the summit.Only fanatic people do it this way, mainly by horse, which is a bigger torture than walking when you don't have a saddle. Take a guide with you; outside the nights with full moon, chances of getting lost are big.

Nowadays trucks pick up the 'climbers' around 4 in the morning in Moni. The trip takes 45 minutes to the summit. The walk back is a lot more fun after the lakes have been disclosed when the clouds and fog is gone. You ought to be at the viewpoint around 5.30, the place is an ugly concrete slab which can be reached via a concrete stairs. It can be cold there; bring along warm clothes and maybe come warm coffee or thee.