A member of the Student Nature Lovers of the University of Indonesia (Mapala UI), Mochamad Aqil Fajar Asyabani (25), officially began an extreme expedition titled 'Menapak Bumi: Bike-Hiking Java-Bali-Lombok'. The journey, which flagged off from the Mapala UI Secretariat in Depok on Sunday (5/7/2026), challenges Aqil to cycle solo to Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, while climbing 13 mountains scattered along the route.
In his mission, Aqil aims to conquer mountains with elevations over 3,000 meters above sea level (masl), including Mount Pangrango, Ciremai, Arjuno, Argopuro, up to Mount Rinjani. In total, the Philosophy graduate from UI's Faculty of Humanities will cover a travel distance of 1,634 kilometers with a total elevation gain of 23,550 meters.
Aqil explained that the journey will take about 54 days, aiming to arrive in West Nusa Tenggara by next September. He adopts the principle of human power entirely, using a bicycle as his main mode of transportation between hiking points. Upon arriving at the foot of each mountain, the bicycle will be left at the basecamp before he continues the climb to the summit on foot.
The major inspiration behind this daring effort comes from world ultra-endurance athlete Kilian Jornet. Embracing the spirit of self-reliance and minimalism, Aqil wants to prove that physical limitations can be overcome through thorough mental and physical preparation. He is also collaborating with local Mapala communities in various regions as stopover points and climbing partners during the journey.
The Chairman of Mapala UI, Salman Muzhaffar Hanif, highly praised this individual initiative. He views the program as a representation of today's adventurous spirit, which is more progressive and independent. Mapala UI has ensured full support in terms of networking and facilities to guarantee the expedition mission runs smoothly and safely to the finish line.
