Grojogan Sewu

Grojogan Sewu means a thousand cascades, and the main fall drops about eighty metres down a rock face on the western flank of Mount Lawu above Tawangmangu, in forest at around a thousand metres where the air is noticeably cool. Reaching the base means going down roughly a thousand concrete steps from the entrance, which is easy and pleasant on the way down and a hard climb back in the humidity. There is a pool at the bottom used for swimming, smaller falls along the route and a picnic area. Macaques live in the forest and are practised at taking food. It has been a recreation site since the Dutch period and is heavily developed with stalls, and the Tawangmangu area is a hill resort for Solo with sate kelinci - rabbit satay - as the local dish.

What you actually see

• An eighty-metre fall - dropping down the rock face into a swimming pool.
• About a thousand steps - the descent from the entrance and the climb back.
• Cool hill forest - a thousand metres up on the flank of Lawu.
• Bold macaques - working the paths and stalls for food.

When to go

May to September; weekdays for space. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The climb back up is genuinely hard in the humidity. Weekends are crowded and the path is lined with stalls. Macaques snatch food and bags. Flow drops in a dry spell.

Nearby

Tawangmangu is at the entrance; Mount Lawu and Candi Sukuh are above.