Gede-Pangrango
is an internationally famous bird-watching site, however observing birds in
mountain forests is difficult. An early starts ise desirable. although birds
often remain active
all day. Many species travel around in mixed flocks, which
means that after quite a long period of seeing very little, you may find
yourself at the centre of a sudden burst of confusing activity. Most
bird-watchers take a slow stroll through the forest, but others, less
energetically, sit down at a shelter and wait. Both techniques yield results.
For
those overseas visitors who are familiar with Indonesian birds it is often easier
to start in the Cibodas Botanic Gardens, where birds that frequent the forest
edge are most easily seen. Several common birds of agricultural areas can also
be "ticked" here. Once in the forest there is no real need to climb to
the top of the mountains unless you particularly
want to see the volcano
swiftlet and the island thrush. Most of the
birds are to be found in the submontane forest, though a walkinto
the montane forest will probably afford views of species such as the
rufous-tailed fantail. For bird-watchers with more time, it is worth visiting
more than one location. Hornbils, for instance, are most easily seen on the
southern side of the park, which is at a lower altitude than the Cibodas area.
It
is very useful to get up-to-the-minute information, particularly for rarities
such as the Javan hawk-eagle and the Javan scops-owl. Often
bird-watchers leave lists and comments at Fredy's Homestay in Cibodas, where a
record book has been started.
For additional information it is worth contacting
the Oriental Bird Club in the UK, or:
Periplus
Editions' "Birding Indonesia"
(publication date 1997) features Gede-Pangrango. For identification, "Birds of
Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali" is indispensable. Hoogerwerf
has written a very detailed, and well-illustrated book in Dutch about the birds
of Cibodas (De avifauna van
Tjibodas en omgeving (Java)), but it is now a collectors' item. Holidays
and Sundays are usually busy and not a peaceful time to watch birds on the main
paths. There are quite spots in the forest, but finding them entails using the
smaller, less well-defined trails.
The
Entrances Gates
Visitors
usually enter the park by one of four gates: the Cibodas, Gunung Putri and
Selabintana Gates, all give access to the peaks; the Situgunung Gate gives
entrance to a lake area set aside mainly for family-style recreation. A
Conservation Education Center, with talks, is being set-up at Cisarua, and a
4-km loop trail has been established recently at Bodogol, which is intended to
be of particular interest to bird-watchers.
Cibodas
Gate
This
is the most popular entrance gate and is the site of the park headquarters. From
Jakarta (100 km/2.5 hr) take the toll road to Ciawi
and then proceed along the main Bogor-Bandung road. The road takes you over the
spectacular Puncak Pass and through the Gunung Mas Tea Estates (open
to the public). Once at the top of the pass a 7-km drive will bring you to the
Cibodas turn-off. From Bandung to the turn-off is about 80 km/ 2hr. If you are
using public transport, go to Kampung Rambutan (Jakarta's main bus terminal), or
to the main bus terminal in Bogor (Baranang Siang bus terminal) or from Bandung
(Leuwi Panjang bus terminal). Make sure you get on a bus which goes "via
Puncak" and ask to be set down at the Cibodas road junction. Mini-buses
(called "Odong-Odong") from the main road to Cibodas are frequent
until 8 pm, after which time you may have to take a motor bike from the road
junction.
The
Cibodas road climbs steeply for about 3 km and is lined with a marvelous display
of flowering plants. The people of Cibodas are probably the biggest suplliers of
ornamental plants in West Java. Many are skilled in the art of bonsai. At
Cibodas, next to the National Park are the famous Cibodas Botanic Gardens. There
are plenty of places to stay in the area. Both the National Park and the Cibodas
Botanic Gardens have pleasantly situated guest houses and youth hostels.
Remember to bring light sweater; nights are refreshingly cool.
Gunung
Putri Gate
The
Gunung Putri gate is used far less than the Cibodas entrance. The gate lies
about 15 km from Cibodas and can be reached from Cipanas: a distance of about 7
km. The local villagers are enthusiastic vegetable growers, supplying the
supermarkets of Jakarta as well as narby communities. To get to Gunung Putri,
take a minibus from Cipanas to the bus terminal at Gunung Putri Village. Buy
your ticket at the Park office near the terminal, then walk the 3 km to the
entrance gate (45 min). Accomodation is difficult
to find at Gunung Putri so people tend to stay arround Pasekon, just outside
Cipanas.
Selabintana
Gate
The
Selabintana entrance gate (Pondok Halimun), at Cipelang, lies at the foot of a
steep-sided, wooded valley. The 10 km drive from Sukabumi takes around 30
minutes and the road climbs up through tea plantations and vegetable fields. The
area is a popular destination but, because lanes are narrow and public transport
limited, the area it retains its quiet, rural charm. To reach the Selabintana
Gate from Bogor, take a bus to to Sukabumi bus station and then a minibus to
town centre. From Cibodas, via Cianjur, get off in Sukabumi town centre. Wait at
the roundabout near the Yogya Departement store for a Selabintana bus and ask
for the Pondok Halimun turning. From the turn-off, the park gate is still a 1-2-hour
uphill walk, so charter a minibus, take a motor bike or, if tou have plenty of
time, wait for a public mini-bus. The 6-km ride to the park gate passes through
tea estates which provide interesting walk.
Situ
Gunung
Gate
The
recreation area of Situgunung ( sundanese name for Mountain Lake) is about 70
km/1.5
hr from Bogor, and lies on the south side of the National Park near
Sukabumi. (it is managed by a state-owned company, "Perhutani"). From
Bogor take the Sukabumi bus as far as Cisaat. From Bandung/Cibodas, via Cianjur,
change at Sukabumi bus station and catch a minibus to Cisaat. Once at Cisaat,
take another mini-bus to Situgunung (10 km). Access is good, and during the
holiday periods the recreation area is well visited. There are few if any
homestays at Situgunung, but new facilities are planned, so visitors wishing to
stay overnight usually find accomodation at Cisaat. In Situgunung there are two
waterfalls: Curug Cimanaracun and Curug Sawer.
Scholl
Parties And Other Groups
The
National Park is keen to expand its education programme and encourages visit
from all types off school: Indonesian, International and schools from overseas.
The park has several important educational roles to fulfill: in educating local
school children so that communities
bordering
Gede-Pangrango come to feel a close relationship with their local park: in
providing an experience of tropical forests to children living in urban centres
such as those of Jakarta and Bandung, so that they too came to appreciate and
take pride in the rich wealth of their country's wildlife; and, internationally,
as a core zone of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, the park has a role in
Global Environment Education. The National Park also encourages university
students to carry out appropriate studies.
At
Cibodas the Wisma Cinta Alam is worth to visit. This small but very attractive
display centre house photographs, plant/animal
exhibits and geological models. There is also an excellent lecture
theatre where, if advance notice is given, parties can watch several
slide programmes (Indonesian and English) relating to ecology, fauna and flora
of the park. A herbarium is also being established that can be used by those
wishing to undertake botanical studies. A major project has begun (1996) to
build a Conservation Education Centre
at Cisarua.
Should
you wish to bring school parties to the park, please contact the Park
Headquarters for advice on where to stay, guides, educational materials and
discounts. It is worth remembering that afternoon rains are frequent and heavy
between November-April, and that at all times of the year an early start is
desirable. Waterproof clothing is worth considering and a change of clothes
makes the journey home far more comfortable. For groups camping overnight, it is
very important to instruct students to bring warm clothes and sleeping bags.
