This is my guide on how to get to Tumpak Sewu waterfall, Indonesia, the stunning waterfall in East Java – from Tumpak Sewu tour and DIY travel options.
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Visiting Tumpak Sewu Waterfall, also known as Air Terjun Tumpak Sewu or Coban Sewu, has to be one of the best things to do in East Java, Indonesia. Getting to the stunning waterfall can be tricky, but I hope reading this travel guide will give you all the information you need to enjoy the area.
Before I arrived in Malang, I couldn’t work out how to get to Tumpak Sewu Waterfall and highly doubted I’d make it. I’d seen photos of an incredible waterfall that was very much on my radar but seemed impossible to get to as a solo traveller. The only information I could find online was clearly based on teams of influencers getting content together rather than giving realistic information on how to backpack through East Java. I found a Tumpak Sewu blog post that simply said they wouldn’t recommend going if you’re a solo female traveller.
Thankfully, once I arrived in Malang, I realised it would be easy! Tumpak Sewu is a 2.5-hour drive from Malang. It can also be combined with two other waterfalls in one day trip from Malang, so I’ll kick off this post with an itinerary for the ultimate three waterfalls day trip.
I’ve listed different transport options for solos, couples and groups and the total costs below.
Book the ultimate combined Mount Bromo, Mount Ijen and Tumpak Sewu Waterfall tour here:
Mount Bromo, Ijen Crater, and Tumpak Sewu Multiple-Day Tours
How to get to Tumpak Sewu & travel guide
THREE WATERFALLS DAY TRIP ITINERARY
1. TUMPAK SEWU WATERFALL
I set off from my hostel around 7am to ensure I’d arrive before it got too hot – the trek to see this waterfall is not for the faint-hearted! Once arriving at the car park, the entrance is clear, and you can also book a local guide for the trek down if you’re not an experienced hiker or are travelling alone. A guide will also give you background information and show you the best spots at the bottom of the waterfall.
Need a restroom? When you first arrive, there’s a toilet at the Tumpak Sewu car park. Bring tissues and hand sanitiser.
You get your first sight of the waterfall by heading to the signposted panoramic view after going through the entrance. Tumpak Sewu already looks outstanding from above – you can see why the name translates to ‘a thousand waterfalls’.
You can’t write a blog post on how to get to Tumpak Sewu without including information on the trek down! This was when the real adventure started…
The hike down to the foot of Tumpak Sewu Waterfall
Next, keep walking down the slope to get to the trek. It was a little slippy when I went, so be careful. My hostel said it would take an hour to get down, though I think it took a little less. There are no proper steps, and it is pretty steep.
In certain sections, you have to use your arms to grip the rock or bamboo beams – this was hard for me as I have no upper body strength. I do not recommend that anyone do this trek alone unless they have a great sense of balance or regularly hike.
If you’re scared of heights like me, it might even be a bit scary – where they’d attached ladders to the rock, you could see THREE ladders underneath the main ladder, which had rotted away and snapped. So tread carefully and ensure ropes/ladders are correctly attached to the rock face before relying on them to hold your balance.
But boy, is it worth it! Photos don’t do Tumpak Sewu Waterfall justice, particularly as the massive spray will drench you and your phone! It was the closest I’ve got to feeling like I’d made it to a fantasy movie location, and it felt exhilarating to be up close to such a vast, roaring 120m tall waterfall.
Notes on the hike: Check the weather beforehand. Many mini waterfalls cross the path, and you must cross a river at the bottom. It is not suitable to do this hike in the rain.
If you’re moderate fitness, you will be fine to do this hike. Just be careful and consider getting a guide if you’re not an experienced hiker, particularly if you’re solo. Although going up was more strenuous, I preferred it to going down as at least you are looking in the right direction to hold on to the rocks and ladders.
Mt Ijen Volcano – another amazing hike in East Java
2. GOA TETES WATERFALL
It’s worth visiting Goa Tetes as it’s only a 5-minute walk from the bottom of Tumpak Sewu! It’s easily signposted. Although Goa Tetes waterfall is a fantastic waterfall in its own right, I couldn’t help thinking of it as a baby waterfall after seeing the epic Tumpak Sewu! I didn’t stay here long as I couldn’t truly relax until I trekked back up.
The trek back up: Despite being more strenuous going uphill, I found it easier than going down. At least your always facing in the direction of the ladder or rock you’re going to cling onto!
When back at the top, you can take a break before trekking Kipas Biru Waterfall (detailed below) or find a place to relax and take in East Java’s incredible nature before returning to your accommodation. Make sure you’ve brought a reusable water bottle and some snacks too! There are small food stalls and a bathroom at the Tumpak Sewu entrance.
3.KIPAS BIRU WATERFALL
This third waterfall is truly optional, and you may well find yourself done with trekking after Tumpak Sewu. I also thought twice about it since my legs were already sore… I asked the driver, “is the hike to Kipas Biru flat?’ and he answered yes. I asked him, ‘is the hike easy?’ He said yes. I asked him, ‘is the hike purple?’ and he said yes. Hmm. I decided to hedge my bets and go anyway.
It was steep at times but more manageable than the first trek as it felt much safer – just one ladder but otherwise a clear path. The walk down was very picturesque, too, with the lush green slopes across the valley displaying other waterfalls.
Approaching Kipas Biru felt like entering a picture-perfect jungle movie set. The waterfall itself is one of those long, clean, majestic types. It couldn’t have looked more different from Tumpak Sewu, and I was glad I made the walk down in the end.
It was also amusing to see local boys rushing past me on the walk down while I was getting super tired; they seemed to bounce down the steep slope before eventually jumping into the pool under the waterfall. It beats a public swimming pool, right?
How much is the Tumpak Sewu Waterfall entrance fee?
Tumpak Sewu entry fee – 20K IDR
Tumpak Sewu’s second entrance fee (once you’ve trekked down and visited the bottom of the waterfall) – 10K IDR
English-speaking guide to take you down Tumpak Sewu (NOT REQUIRED but recommended) – no fixed price/negotiable. Potentially around 100K IDR
Goa Tetes Falls entry fee (signposted waterfall just around the corner from Tumpak Sewu after you’ve trekked down) – 5K IDR
Kipas Biru Waterfall entry fee – 15K IDR
GETTING TO TUMPAK SEWU WATERFALL
I stayed in Malang when visiting Tumpak Sewu Waterfall and Mount Bromo. This city is safe and built, with excellent accommodation options and cheap street food. As detailed below, it’s simple to work out how to get to Tumpak Sewu from Malang.
The waterfall is located beneath the beautiful Mount Semeru in the Lumajang region. Although you can’t see the mountain from the waterfall, you’re very likely to see it on the drive over!
Option One – ONE DAY DRIVER OR MOTORBIKE GUIDE
The best option for solo travellers and backpackers
At some point in your Java trip, you should get stuck in and use local transport (oh guys, you’re going to love the 8-hour local bus journeys, hahaha). But in this case, due to the sheer volume of crazy transport days already involved in backpacking Java, I’d recommend getting a driver.
The easiest ‘base’ for accessing the waterfalls is Malang – there’s a lot else to do from Malang, too (Mt Bromo being the main one). Malang can easily be accessed by bus, train or private/rented transport.
If you’re solo, you can get a scooter driver/guide for the entire day who will speak English and show you the best spots. He will take you to all three locations above for 350K IDR. (Potentially negotiable.) Pricey, but I think it’s excellent this option exists! You can book this through Malang Mador Hostel or, most likely, elsewhere too.
Solo backpackers and groups alike can get a SHARED CAR. I’ve done a lot of hikes, but I’m glad I had company on this one. The cost between passengers will be around 500-600K IDR.
My hostel was very helpful and said they’d let me know if anyone else wanted to make the waterfall day trip so I could choose this option when they found a couple who were also interested! I ended up going with a Dutch couple, which cost us around 165K IDR each for the day.
Helpful hostel for backpackers and solo travellers: Malang Mador Hostel
You can now book a tour in advance from Malang for just 11GBP / 14USD:
Tumpak Sewu and Kapas Biru Waterfalls Tour from Malang
Option Two – PUBLIC TRANSPORT FROM MALANG
The best option for anyone who wants to DIY everything and has time to spare
I spoke to one couple who said they talked to someone who got the bus and stayed close to Tumpak Sewu. The person in question didn’t recommend it as there are very few facilities and it was pretty tiring. Remember that Java is huge, so you’ll already have a LOT of travel time getting across the island.
Option Three – RENT A SELF-DRIVE MOTORBIKE OR PRIVATE DRIVER (Tumpak Sewu tours)
The best option for getting to Tumpak Sewu people on a higher budget or experienced motorbike drivers
People on a higher budget are known to rent a driver for a series of days in East Java. This seems to be the option of choice for non-budget travellers. You’ll have complete flexibility of where you want to go, stop at any point, and sit back and relax on the long drives.
Similarly, you can rent a scooter but bare in mind Java is MUCH more extensive and less tourist-friendly than Bali! East Java is not a touristy area, and the locals expect anyone riding a scooter down the winding roads to be very confident. If you were to have an accident, you could be far from a hospital, and no one speaks English. Unless you are an experienced scooter driver, East Java is not the place to practice.
What to take to Tumpak Sewu Waterfall
If you want to swim or get close to the water, take a dry bag or sack to keep your phone or other electronics safe.
Take comfortable clothes that are good for hiking. You should wear walking shoes, sneakers, or walking sandals that you know are comfortable hiking in and have a good grip.
It’s essential to take sunscreen, water, and snacks.
To avoid using plastic bottles in Southeast Asia, I used a Water To Go bottle.
The filters used in their BPA free water bottles are created based on technology originally developed for the NASA space programme. These provide safe water from any non-salt water source in the world.
Read more on the Water to go website and use the code HAG15 if you like what you see to get 15% off.
Is Tumpak Sewu worth the hassle?
Absolutely – everything I did in Java was worth the hassle! That’s why it’s my favourite trip yet. I’m working on giving as much detail as possible in my upcoming Java guides so other travellers – particularly solo backpackers like myself – can enjoy crazy experiences like this!
If this Tumpak Sewu travel guide was helpful, feel free to pin it for later! And thanks for reading. 🙂
More Posts on Java
My Complete Java Guide & Itinerary
Tumpak Sewu looks absolutely stunning. I’m pinning & saving this article for later, because there’s no way I couldn’t add Java to my bucket list now that I have seen this amazing blog post!
It was so interesting to read your journey to those 3 waterfalls! I would love to see them, the biggest one is impressive, but the 2 others seems also really cool!
What an epic trek and these waterfalls are INSANE! Loved all the details you included about visiting and what to expect.
Ohh best of luck with your trip! I hope the advice came in helpful
Oh dear thank you thank you so much,I’m also a solo budget traveler.im going to east java on 25th November.i just tired to find accurate information for tumpak..it would be help for me…
Wow! This is so spectacular! I wish I had more time to spend in Indonesia when I go in December, because I would definitely visit this place. Thank you so much for sharing and adding Indonesia back on my list, before I even go for the first time.
Ahh that’s so sweet! There are so many islands of Indonesia, it’s the perfect place for multiple unique visits. ☺️
Hey! Yes that covers the full car, so you shouldnt pay more than that for one person. I booked through the above listed hostel who were very very helpful in answering my questions. Have dorms with excellent privacy (more Japanese style large capsules sort of haha) or private rooms, though I’m sure they’d be happy to assist guests staying elsewhere 🙂
Thanks! I’ve been trying to plan for months as a single travelled also and been having the same problem. Did you arrange for the driver at the hostel … and if I failed finding another tourist interested do you think the 500-600k cover the cost of a car that wasn’t shared?
This driver wasn’t a guide but it was very very cheap to get one at the entrance! If you did the one with a motorbike, he will be your English speaking guide and go down with you. If you’re in a share car, you will be okay going down together. I don’t know other prices than the ones listed here but am sure you can bargain in malang. Def go with the guide if you go alone! They’ll show you the best spots and you’ll feel a lot safer x
Thank you so much for this post! I’ve been trying to get as much information on Tumpak Sewu as possible, as I really want to go there but not necessarily break the bank…! Could I ask you how much in total did you pay for a one day driver? And was the driver a guide too? What I mean is, did he do the waterfalls with you? Thank you!