# Blue Flames Ijen - Kawah Ijen blue fire and crater tours, East Java

> Independent guide to Kawah Ijen (Ijen crater, East Java, Indonesia): the blue fire, the night hike, rules and closures,
> health certificate, gas masks, getting there from Banyuwangi or Bali, Bromo and Ijen routes, prices and booking.
> Not affiliated with any tour operator, BBKSDA Jawa Timur, the sulfur mining company or GetYourGuide.

Site: https://blueflamesijen.com
Language: en. Currency: USD for online tours, IDR for park entry. Country: Indonesia (Banyuwangi / Bondowoso, East Java).

## Verified facts

- Park: TWA Kawah Ijen, managed by BBKSDA Jawa Timur. Hiking gate open 02:00-12:00 WIB.
- Closed every first Friday of the month (Ijen Rijik clean-up). 2026: 2 Oct, 6 Nov, 4 Dec. Also closes for fire, gas, weather or volcanic activity.
- 2026 closures: 19-26 Feb (search for a lost hiker), 4-27 Sep (forest fire); reopened 28 Sep 2026.
- Entry: foreigners Rp150,000 per day (since 30 Oct 2024); online only; non-refundable; name must match passport.
- Health certificate issued within 3 days of the visit is required; heart disease, asthma and breathing disorders are advised not to hike.
- Hike: Paltuding (~1,850 m) to the rim (~2,380 m), about 3 km and 500 m up, 1.5-2 hours. Complex summit 2,769 m.
- Blue fire: sulfur gas at up to ~600 C igniting in air; burns day and night, visible only in darkness; often extinguished by mining crews.
- Crater descent: advised against by the volcano agency; decided night by night; local press reported a ban on approaching the fire in Oct 2026.
- Crater lake: ~1 km wide, pH roughly 0.1-0.5, the largest highly acidic crater lake in the world. No swimming.
- Volcano alert level: Level I (Normal) in Oct 2026.

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links (partner_id 7GG5I5H). The site earns a commission at no extra cost
to the reader and says so at https://blueflamesijen.com/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD per person at the last build and move.

- Ijen Sunrise Hike, All Inclusive (Banyuwangi, or Bali hotels) - from $15 per person, 9 to 23 hours, blue fire: Descent only if your guide approves; rated 4.9 from 269 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/ijen-sunrise-hike-all-inclusive/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/banyuwangi-l150098/banyuwangi-or-bali-sunrise-ijen-vulcano-hiking-all-inclusive-t644745/
- From Bali: 24-Hour Ijen Hike (Bali hotels, ferry to Java) - from $55 per person, 22 hours, blue fire: Descent only if your guide approves; rated 5.0 from 27 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/ijen-day-trip-from-bali-24-hours/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/banyuwangi-l150098/from-bali-24-hours-ijen-vulcano-hiking-tour-all-inclusive-t817806/
- Tumpak Sewu, Bromo & Ijen in 3 Days (Surabaya or Malang, ending in Bali) - from $173 per person, 3 days, blue fire: Possible, not guaranteed; rated 4.8 from 1,345 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/tumpak-sewu-bromo-ijen-3-days/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/malang-l153180/surabaya-or-malang-3d2n-tumpak-sewu-bromo-ijen-t651913/
- Ijen Blue Fire Midnight Group Tour (Banyuwangi or Bali hotels) - from $19 per person, 9 to 15 hours, blue fire: Possible, not guaranteed; rated 4.3 from 62 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/ijen-blue-fire-midnight-group-tour/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/banyuwangi-l150098/from-balibanyuwangi-ijen-blue-fire-midnight-group-tour-t539591/
- Ijen Blue Fire Tour from Banyuwangi or Ubud (Banyuwangi, Licin or Ubud) - from $38 per person, 9 to 15 hours, blue fire: Possible, not guaranteed; rated 4.0 from 9 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/ijen-blue-fire-tour-banyuwangi-or-ubud/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/banyuwangi-l150098/mount-ijen-blue-fire-tour-start-from-banyuwangi-or-ubud-bali-t860754/
- Mount Bromo & Ijen Crater 2-Day Tour (Malang or Surabaya, ending in Bali) - from $94 per person, 2 days, blue fire: Possible, not guaranteed; rated 4.8 from 26 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/bromo-ijen-crater-2-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/banyuwangi-l150098/from-malangsurabaya-mount-bromo-and-ijen-crater-2-day-tour-t880322/
- Bromo & Ijen 2 Days with Bali Drop-off (Surabaya, Malang or Probolinggo) - from $130 per person, 2 days, blue fire: Possible, not guaranteed; rated 4.5 from 78 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/bromo-ijen-2-days-bali-drop-off/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/pasuruan-l208661/surabayamalangprobolinggo-bromo-ijen-with-bali-drop-off-t758810/
- Bromo & Ijen Private Tour from Bali (Bali, ending in Surabaya or Yogyakarta) - from $545 per person, 3 days, blue fire: Possible, not guaranteed; rated 5.0 from 1 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/bromo-ijen-private-tour-from-bali/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/yogyakarta-l349/yogyakarta-bromo-ijen-blue-fire-sharing-tour-drop-of-bali-t1090924/
- Baluran National Park Jeep Safari & Sunset (Baluran, north of Banyuwangi) - from $32 per person, 7 hours, blue fire: Not part of this trip; rated 4.9 from 64 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://blueflamesijen.com/tours/baluran-national-park-jeep-safari/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/banyuwangi-l150098/baluran-national-park-jeep-tour-with-experienced-guide-t1078279/

## Guide pages

- https://blueflamesijen.com/guides/ijen-blue-fire-explained/ - Why Ijen's blue fire burns blue, why it is not lava, the 2026 lighter video, the ban on going near it, and where else on Earth sulfur burns blue.
- https://blueflamesijen.com/guides/ijen-hike-difficulty/ - How hard the Ijen hike is: 3 km and 500 m up in 1.5 to 2 hours at night, the crater descent, fitness, kids, Bromo compared and Indonesia's tougher hikes.
- https://blueflamesijen.com/guides/ijen-tour-from-bali/ - Ijen from Bali: the 22-hour day trip, the Gilimanuk to Ketapang ferry, doing it yourself by bus and train, and why a night in Banyuwangi is the better plan.
- https://blueflamesijen.com/guides/bromo-or-ijen/ - Bromo or Ijen: the two volcano nights side by side, how hard each is, Bromo's 2026 fire and alert status, and the 2 and 3 day routes that do both.
- https://blueflamesijen.com/guides/is-kawah-ijen-safe/ - Is Kawah Ijen safe? Sulfur gas and masks, the health certificate, who should not hike, the crater descent, the acid lake and past Ijen closures, all sourced.
- https://blueflamesijen.com/guides/is-ijen-worth-it/ - Is Ijen worth it in 2026? What you see without the blue fire, what a night really costs, who should skip it, and the miners and how to photograph them.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-10-20: https://blueflamesijen.com/blog/ijen-closure-days-2026-2027/ - Kawah Ijen closes on the first Friday of every month. The 2026 and 2027 dates, which night hike that cancels, other closures and the ticket refund rules.
- 2026-10-08: https://blueflamesijen.com/blog/ijen-blue-fire-descent-2026/ - Can you climb down to the Ijen blue fire in October 2026? The reported ban, the volcano agency's advice, the pipe works and how to check on the night.
- 2026-09-28: https://blueflamesijen.com/blog/ijen-reopens-after-fire-2026/ - Kawah Ijen reopened on 28 September 2026 after a forest fire shut it for 24 days. The timeline, the new rules, and what it means for your tour booking.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- The blue fire is not lava. It is burning sulfur gas; Ijen's lava is not visible to visitors.
- No tour can guarantee the blue fire: the descent depends on rangers, gas readings and the mine.
- Ijen is not 'closed' when the blue fire is out: the rim, sunrise and lake stay open unless the park closes.
- A guide is strongly recommended but not a published legal requirement for the rim walk.
- From Bali, an Ijen day trip is about 22 hours door to door, most of it road and ferry.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant guide. Closures and rules change; verify close to your travel date.