The name "Semeru" is derived from Meru, the central world mountain in Hinduism, or Sumeru, the abode of gods.

[9] Semeru is regularly climbed by tourists, usually starting from the village of Ranu Pane to the north,[citation needed] but though non-technical, it can be dangerous.

Soe Hok Gie, an Indonesian political activist of the 1960s, died in 1969 from inhaling poisonous gases while hiking on Mount Semeru.

[18][19][20][21][22] A fresh eruption started on 4 December 2022, as monsoon rains collapsed the mountain's lava dome, provoking evacuations.

As stated in legend, it was transplanted from India to create the island of Java; the tale is recorded in the 15th-century East Javanese work Tantu Pagelaran.

On that journey, parts kept coming off the lower rim, forming the mountains Lawu, Wilis, Kelud, Kawi, Arjuno and Welirang.

Research has predicted that the lake will disappear by about 2025, unless the vegetable plantations on the hillsides are replaced with more ecologically sustainable perennials.