Can I really make it to the Madakaripura Waterfall, Java? River crossings, a motorcycle and ruined shoes
At a glance
Where: East Java, on the route between Malang and Bromo
Time needed: Allow around 2 hours for the waterfall experience itself
Difficulty: Moderate. Uphill walking, uneven ground, rocks and several river crossings
Accessibility: Not suitable for people with reduced mobility
What to wear: Shoes with good grip and clothes you don’t mind getting wet
Poncho: Optional, but available to buy at the entrance
Expect: River crossings, scrambling, spray and a LOT of water
Guide: Strongly recommended
Bathing suit: Entirely reasonable. I wish I’d worn mine.
In other words: this is an adventure, not a gentle waterfall stroll.
When we decided to visit the Madakaripura Waterfall on our way from Malang to Bromo, Java, I expected a short walk from the parking lot, maybe a few steps and then a lot of falling water, viewed safely from a platform. This is not what happened. What I got instead was a ride on the back of a motorcycle, a lot of scrambling over rocks and through a river, a lot of water falling on my head and a pair of completely ruined leather sandals.
Madakaripura is spectacular. But getting there turned out to be quite an adventure in itself. One I was very much not dressed for. This was not exactly what I had in mind when I was planning our Indonesia trip.
The realisation that yes, I was getting on a motorcycle
Our guide on the Malang city walk had made it all sound so easy: on your way to Bromo, why don’t you make a quick stop at Madakaripura Waterfalls? I’ve never met a waterfall I didn’t like, so of course that was a detour I was willing to make. Marc was up for it too so the guide and our driver made some arrangements and off we went.
After quite a bit of driving on narrow roads with a staggering amount of hairpin turns, we arrived at a parking lot halfway up a mountain. Our driver opened the car doors and pointed at a smiling guy standing next to what I call a motorcycle, while Marc insists it was a scooter. “That’s your guide,” our driver said helpfully and wandered off to get a cup of coffee. Hang on. Was I supposed to get on the back of one of those? At 57? Seriously? Turns out I was.
A second motorcycle materialised, I swung my leg over like this was an activity I did every day and we set off down the same narrow mountain road we’d just arrived on. Only this time, we were going downhill. I held onto the motorcycle guy for dear life. On one particularly steep section, I even closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to witness my impending spill onto the road. Somehow, we arrived without incident at a second, much smaller parking lot.
I hereby declare you waterproof
After the motorcycle ride, things initially looked reassuringly normal. We walked for about a kilometre along a perfectly acceptable uphill path with a few roots and muddy parts, and I was beginning to think that perhaps I had overestimated the adventure quotient. Then we reached the first river crossing.
My Tevas were back in the parking lot, which at this point was at the end of a motorcycle ride. Going back for them was clearly not happening. Going barefoot wasn’t an option either, not if I wanted to get across without being in agony, and there was no way I was going to stand around waiting for Marc and the guide to come back.
So I looked down at my expensive leather sandals and told them “I hereby declare you waterproof. You will do just fine.” They did not do fine. But to be fair, they did have excellent grip. This seemed like a perfectly adequate substitute for waterproofing at the time.
Not quite the gentle stroll I had imagined
After the first river crossing, the path became considerably less path-like. We were scrambling over rocks, negotiating steep steps, picking our way through the water and generally discovering that this was not quite the gentle stroll I had imagined.
Our guide was brilliant. Whenever the rocks became particularly slippery or awkward, he held my hand and helped me across. At one especially tricky point, even Marc needed a hand, which made me feel considerably better about accepting the assistance.
And then there were the river crossings. The first one had already involved a major footwear decision. We crossed the same river three more times as we made our way towards the waterfall, each time negotiating rocks, rushing water and my increasingly soggy leather sandals.
At one point we reached a bridge and stopped to put on our rain ponchos. This really should have warned us. If you are putting on a rain poncho before you have even reached the waterfall, there is a fairly good chance you are about to get wet.
Very wet.
At the time, however, I was still mostly concerned with keeping my footing and wondering how many more times my newly declared waterproof sandals were going to have to prove themselves.
The waterfall shower
Anyone who is old enough to remember the first Jurassic Park movie might recognise the scene where a helicopter lands next to a massive waterfall. This is exactly what it looked like when we finally arrived at the falls. It was green. It was lush. It looked prehistoric. A few Apatosaurs may have been hiding in the foliage. Water was crashing down everywhere. It was spectacularly beautiful.
The guide took my hand again, we waded into the river and headed directly underneath the waterfall. Water was no longer falling all around us; it was clattering down on my head, finding its way into my poncho, soaking my shorts and putting a smile on my face so wide I could still feel it hours later. This was fantastic.
We scrambled over more rocks, stood beneath another part of the waterfall and took photos in our less-than-flattering ponchos. All the while, I squealed with joy. Did I mention I love waterfalls?
My only regret was that I was wearing clothes rather than my bikini. I briefly considered chucking the poncho and jumping in fully clothed, but then decided our car driver would probably not be amused.
What a shame.
And then we had to go back
After about two hours, it was eventually time to leave. It had been quite a walk, with all the scrambling over rocks, river crossings and wading through water, but I wasn’t remotely ready to go. Still, waterfalls have this annoying habit of staying where they are while you have to leave them.
We retraced our route through the river, over the rocks and back along the slippery paths. By now I was thoroughly soaked, my leather sandals had long since surrendered, and I was having such a good time that none of it seemed particularly important.
And then we reached the motorcycles. This time, I loved it. The motorcycle ride that had seemed mildly terrifying on the way there was now an absolute joy. I sat on the back with the wind blowing through my hair, looking out at the beautiful green mountains and enjoying every second of it.
It was one of those moments when you realise that the thing you were slightly apprehensive about an hour or two earlier has somehow become part of the fun.
And that was Madakaripura for me. The waterfall itself was spectacular, but the whole ridiculous adventure of getting there – the motorcycle, the river crossings, the rocks, the rain, the completely unsuitable leather sandals – made it even more memorable. Apparently, I have a habit of saying yes to adventures involving questionable footing. See also: my Overthinker’s Scorecard for the Bukit Lawang suspension bridges.
I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Well, perhaps one thing. I should have worn my bikini.
Madakaripura Waterfall FAQ
Madakaripura Waterfall is in East Java, not far from Probolinggo and on the route between Malang and Mount Bromo. We visited it as a stop on the way from Malang to Bromo, which worked really well. If you’re planning a trip to Indonesia, my Indonesia travel guide has more general information to help you plan your trip.
If you’re travelling independently, you can drive or hire a car with a driver to the entrance. From the main parking area, you don’t simply walk all the way to the waterfall, however. The route involves a motorcycle ride to a second parking area, followed by the walk through the river and over the rocks to the falls.
This is another reason I would recommend arranging the visit with a local guide or reputable driver rather than simply turning up and trying to figure it all out as you go.
And yes, you really do get on the back of a motorcycle.
I speak from experience.
I would strongly recommend one. We had a guide with us and he was brilliant, particularly when the rocks became slippery or awkward. He held my hand across some of the trickier sections and knew exactly where to go through the river.
Could you probably work out the route without one? Perhaps. Would I recommend it? No. The terrain is uneven, the river crossings aren’t something I’d want to navigate for the first time on my own, and having someone who knows the route made the whole experience much easier.
Prices can vary depending on how you arrange your visit and whether transport and guiding are included. We were travelling with a guide and driver and I’m fairly sure we paid considerably more than a local visitor would. I would therefore check the current price before you go rather than relying on what we paid.
If you’re travelling independently, ask exactly what is included in the price, particularly transport from the parking area and the guide.
Yes. If you don’t want to arrange the transport and guiding yourself, there are organised tours to Madakaripura, including options from Malang and tours that combine Madakaripura with Mount Bromo.
See this Madakaripura Waterfall tour on GetYourGuide
This tour combines sunrise at Bromo with Madakaripura Waterfall
Disclosure: These are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend services that I think are useful to my readers.
It’s not a particularly long walk, but it is considerably more adventurous than I expected. There is an initial walk along a fairly normal path, followed by rocks, uneven steps, slippery sections, river crossings and plenty of wading through water. We spent around two hours at Madakaripura, including the journey to the waterfall and back. Don’t expect a gentle stroll from the car park.
I wouldn’t recommend it. The route involves uneven ground, rocks, slippery sections, steps and several river crossings. There are also sections where you need to scramble over rocks or walk through the water.
If you have significant mobility limitations or are unsteady on uneven terrain, this is probably not the right waterfall for you.
You don’t need to be an athlete, but you do need to be reasonably comfortable walking uphill on uneven ground and dealing with slippery rocks and river crossings. There is quite a lot of scrambling, and you’ll be on your feet for a while.
I managed it easily at 57, but I wouldn’t confuse that with a formal fitness assessment.
Not necessarily. You can buy ponchos when you arrive, and we wore ours for the final stretch to the waterfall. You don’t need one for the first part, unless of course you slip and fall into the river. I managed not to.
Alternatively, embrace the whole experience and just wear your bathing suit. I briefly wished I’d done exactly that.
Whatever you choose, don’t expect to stay dry.
Wear shoes that you don’t mind getting completely soaked. Proper water shoes or sturdy footwear with good grip would be ideal. I wore leather sandals and, as you may have gathered from the title of this section, this was not my finest footwear decision.
Don’t wear anything you particularly like. Even with a poncho, your shorts or trousers will still get wet.
And if you are tempted to wear a bikini under your clothes, I can confirm that this is an excellent idea.
Yes, but protect your phone or camera from the water. We were surrounded by spray, rushing water and eventually a considerable amount of water falling directly onto us.
The conditions are spectacular for photography, but they are not particularly friendly to expensive electronics. My phone is waterproof, but I still had it in a floating waterproof pouch. If only so it wouldn’t disappear into the river, never to be seen again.
That would have put a slight dampener on the day.
I’d allow at least two hours for the experience itself, and longer if you want to take your time and enjoy the waterfall rather than rushing in and out. Remember to allow additional time for getting there and continuing on towards Bromo.
Absolutely. The sandals were expensive. Madakaripura was spectacular. I’ll let you decide which one was more valuable. Just don’t wear your best leather sandals.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Further reading
How I planned our Indonesia itinerary
How I put together our rather ambitious route through Indonesia, including the destinations we chose and how they fitted together.
Erawan Falls, Thailand: hot, humid and completely worth it
Another waterfall adventure, although thankfully this one involved considerably less standing in a river wearing a ridiculous poncho.
Will I Fit? Will I Cope? The Overthinker’s Guide to Travel Adventures
Because sometimes the biggest obstacle to an adventure is the person standing there wondering whether they’re actually capable of doing it. (Spoiler: usually, yes.)
There’s more where that came from
Indonesia delivered waterfalls, jungle, volcanoes, questionable footwear and several occasions where I wondered what I had agreed to. There are more stories coming.
Come along for the ride.
