TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - More than 1,000 hikers participated in the Mt. Merapi trekking tour that is held on August 24. The participants were taken into a 9-kilometer trekking route along the volcano slope.

“The trekking tour becomes an alternative tourism attraction because of the Mt. Merapi’s panoramic view,” said A.A. Ayu Laksmidewi, the Head of Sleman Culture and Tourism Agency.

The trek begins and ended in tourism village Pulesari. Besides promoting to local tourists, the organizer also aimed to attract foreign tourists to participate in the trek. Among the participants are students, photography hobbyist, and tourists.

Ayu said that sub-villages along the slope of Mt. Merapi are always attractive to be visited. In addition to the enormous variety of plantations, the villages on the south and southwestern have salak pondoh fruits plantations grown. Salak pondoh is a distinctive type of salak fruit from Turi District.

The trekking route is set to pass along the salak plantations, resident settlements, and hills on Mt. Merapi slope. To participate in the tour, one only have to pay Rp25,000 fee. The fee covers t-shirt, meals, insurance, and lottery coupons.

MUH SYAIFULLAH