Welcome at Ternate airport by your English speaking tour-guide and transfers to your hotel. The afternoon is devoted to exploring the city.

You’ll visit the ancient palace of the Sultan, transformed into a museum. Ternate was the first region in the Moluccas to embrace Islam, with its ruler converting around 1495 under the influence of the Muslim principality of Gresik in Java. Upon his conversion, he adopted the name Zain al-'Abidin (1486-1500).

Morning transfers by speedboat to Jailolo port, on the Island of Halmahera, from there, you'll embark for a trek towards Ibu volcano.

The trail covers several kilometers of relatively flat terrain, winding through vast coconut plantations dotted with numerous wooden shelters. In many cases, it is possible to take a motorbike ride for about two kilometers, reaching an altitude of over 200 meters. The path then continues through nutmeg and clove plantations before entering the forest at around 600 meters.

After approximately 2-3 hours of hiking, you'll reach a pleasant wooden shelter known as Pos 1 (675m), an ideal spot to take a break. This shelter was once used by wild boar hunters to prepare meat before returning to the villages below. The trail then descends into a ravine (655m) filled with black sand and scattered rocks—if it has rained recently, you may even find a small water source here.

Depending on volcanic activity and wind direction, this is often where you'll first hear the rumbling of falling rocks and the distant sounds of the volcano—a particularly eerie and unforgettable experience at night. The path follows the ravine for a few hundred meters before crossing to the right side and entering the dense forest (673m).

Soon after, you’ll come across a few small grassy clearings, referred to by guides as Pos 2 (780m). The volcanic monitoring station is located to the right at around 800 meters—this is where you’ll set up camp for the night.

Difference in heights +670 m

Around 3 a.m., you set off on the final ascent to the volcano’s summit. The trail emerges on the western rim of the crater at approximately 1,250m, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the entire caldera. The crater floor is almost entirely covered in jagged black volcanic rock, a stark reminder of past eruptions.You follow the ridgeline trail as it winds its way toward an exceptional viewpoint at 1,315m. On a clear day, you’ll enjoy stunning vistas of the western coastline and, further south, the imposing Gamkonora volcano. An old, weathered sign marks this spot as "Gunung Tabaru, 1,325m," though both the name and altitude are subject to debate. What is undeniable, however, is the sheer power of the scene before you.The active central cone now dominates the landscape, expelling massive plumes of smoke with a deep, thunderous "whoosh" roughly every 15 minutes.

Ash drifts over the surrounding forest, coating the treetops in a fine layer of volcanic dust. At night, each eruption illuminates the sky with an intense, unforgettable orange glow.The outer crater rim features two high points: one to the west, believed to be the true summit, and another to the east. Currently, trekkers do not venture beyond the 1,315m viewpoint, as no established trail exists beyond this point. The highest visible peak appears within reach, requiring perhaps only a 20-minute scramble, but cutting a proper trail to the top would likely take half a day.

Difference in heights +550 m Difference in heights -1,220 m

By late morning, you begin your descent back to base camp, then continue down to the foot of the volcano, where you’ll have the chance to wash off the volcanic dust under refreshing waterfalls.

In the afternoon, a transfer takes you to Tobelo for the next leg of your adventure.

A day of relaxation and exploration: visit the bustling Tobelo market, then enjoy snorkeling or canoeing along the pristine white-sand beaches of Luari, Kupa Kupa, or Kumo, all offering calm, crystal-clear waters.

In the afternoon, transfer to Mamuya, where you can unwind in natural hot springs before returning to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Morning transfer to the village of Ruko, where you’ll hop on a three-wheeled motorbike that takes you through vast coconut plantations to the foothills of Mount Dukono.

From Pos 2 (370 m), you begin your ascent, a steady trek of 3.5 km to the initial crater rim, crossing eight small streams or ravines along the way—particularly at 647 m and 795 m, where water is often present after rainfall or during the wet season.At around 500 m, you reach the forest zone, followed by the dense cane grass typical of Halmahera’s mountains, marking the transition between the forest and the barren upper slopes at approximately 800 m. Around 838 m, you'll catch sweeping views of the smaller Mt Mamuya (933 m) and the coastline near Tobelo. Finally, at 940 m, you arrive at the outer rim, where a small hill to the left houses volcanic monitoring equipment—this peak is known as Mt Dilekene. Below, a vast expanse of black volcanic sand forms a miniature version of Bromo’s Sea of Sand.

This outer rim, known as Tanah Lapang, takes only minutes to cross and offers your first glimpse of Dukono’s active crater, with its billowing ash plumes and deep rumbles. The final stretch to the crater rim is about 1 km, taking between one hour and 90 minutes, depending on the ash cover. Beyond Tanah Lapang, an otherworldly terrain of ancient lava flows stretches out, jagged in some areas and smooth in others. When blanketed in deep volcanic ash, the landscape beneath the active crater feels truly surreal.You’ll set up camp at the last Pos (946 m) on the crater-side edge of the sand plain, where you’ll witness Dukono’s fiery night time spectacle—a natural fireworks display unlike any other.

Difference in heights +575 m

In the early hours, you resume your ascent toward the volcano’s summit. As you climb higher, the views of Mt Gogodom (1,102 m) and Mt Bale-Bale (923 m) become increasingly striking. On a clear morning, you may even glimpse the small islands off the coast near Tobelo—and perhaps the vast silhouette of Morotai in the distance.At last, you reach the rim of Dukono’s crater, standing at approximately 1,150 m. Nearly perfectly circular and funnel-shaped, the crater spans around 400 m in diameter and plunges roughly 200 m deep (a rough estimate!). With great caution, you can crawl to the very edge and peer inside—an awe-inspiring, humbling, and utterly terrifying sight. Below, the vent roars to life, releasing massive plumes of ash that rise up to 500 m above the rim before being carried away by the wind.By carefully looking over the edge, you can directly observe the vent from which eruptions burst forth from the earth’s depths. The dramatic sight of the ash clouds precedes the deep rumble that follows—an eerie reminder that sound lags behind light. Please note that attempting to reach the highest point of the crater ridge is dangerous and strongly discouraged.

Difference in heights +200 m Difference in heights -780 m

After about an hour of observation, you begin your descent back to camp before making your way down to the village of Ruko, where your vehicle awaits to take you back to Tobelo.

Transfers day to Tobelo to finally reach Ternate.