Walking
Vanuatu on Ambrym
Ambrym's
ash plain, volcanos and mountains offer some of the best
trekking and hiking in Vanuatu. The Lonely Planet guide
book says trekking across the ash plain is one of the best
walking adventures in the South Pacific. Ambrym is the second
most popular island for volcano tourists (Tanna
is first). Some visitors travel on specialised volcano tours
(larger groups), a growing number are travelling inpendently.
Trekking
the ash plain and volcanos
The interior of Ambrym is an enormous volcanic ash plain
with two active post-caldera cones. There are three or four
access points to the ash plain and volcanos (refer to the
map on our Ambrym page). Most tourists walk from the west
or the north. At Meltungon and Lalinda trucks can drive
about halfway to the ash plain along dry riverbeds. We haven't
heard of many tourists trekking the Endu track but it's
surely possible and the people of Endu are interested in
tourism development. We haven't walked all of the routes
below so please contact us
if you can update this information.
| Ambrym
volcano tracks |
Difficulty |
Distance
to Mount Marum Volcano
(km) |
One-way
Trekking Time
(hours) |
| Ranvetlam
- north |
Easy |
12 |
4
to 5 |
| Meltungon
- southwest |
Moderate |
c.
15 |
5
to 7 |
| Lalinda
- west |
Moderate |
c.
15 |
5
to 6 |
| Endu
- east |
? |
c.
24 |
? |
Note
that access from north Ambrym
is closed from the 1st of September to the 31st of December,
every year. It is said the yams
will go dry if someone visits the volcano during this period.
Volcano access from west and east Ambrym is always open.
If you
have time and are prepared for camping it is highly recommended
to take two days and walk across the ash plain from north
to west Ambrym or vice versa. Note there are no camping
facilities on the ash plain and no water sources. You'll
need a tent, sleeping bag, a warm top, a rain jacket and
drinking water (3 or 4 litres should be enough). This is
real backpacking, not merely travelling with a backpack.
If north Ambrym is closed then you can loop around between
Meltungon and Lalinda or even Endu.
It's
possible to do a return day walk to the volcanos from Meltungon
but it's a very long day (10 to 14 hours) and you will have
to leave very early in the morning (at 3 to 4 am). Day walks
are shortest from Ranvetlam.
Volcano
walking fees listed below are much the same from all access
points. For example, a guided return day walk would cost
4000 Vatu or an overnight trek is 7000 Vatu without any
porters. At Meltungon and Lalinda, a truck transfer halfway
to the ash plain costs about 1500 Vatu, one way (3000 Vatu
from Baiap). Exchange
Rates.
| Ambrym
volcano fees |
Vatu |
Basis |
| Entry
Fee |
2000 |
|
| Guide |
2000 |
per
day |
| Porter
(optional) |
2000 |
per
day |
| Overnight
surcharge |
1000 |
per
night |
Hiking
the mountains of Ambrym
Ambryms forest-covered mountains are enjoyable day hikes.
The most accessible peaks are Mount Tovuo in the north and
Tower Peak (Wusantepan Leplep) in the south.
Mount
Tovuo (1141m) is easy bushwalking through hill gardens and
then cloud forest with orchids and unusual birds. On a clear
day, there are great views across Ambrym and to neighbouring
islands from the mountain top. A guide from Fanrereo village
costs 1000 Vatu. Solomon Douglas Bungalows
at Ranon can book a guide.
Tower
Peak (999m) is accessible from Lalinda. We haven't climbed
it yet and don't know what the forest is like. Expect excellent
views on a clear day. A guide costs about 1000 Vatu.
Walking
to get around Ambrym
Walking is an effective way to travel on west Ambrym with
easy walking along truck roads as far east as Lalinda. Note
the Lonely Planet guidebook consistently underestimates
the distances. Our estimated distances and times are presented
below.
| Ambrym
Walking |
Distance
(km) |
Time
(hours) |
Conditions |
| Craig
Cove to Wakon |
6 |
2 |
Bush
track and beach |
| Craig
Cove to Polibetakevar |
8 |
1.5 |
Truck
road |
| Craig
Cove to Meltungon |
10 |
2 |
Truck
road |
| Craig
Cove to Baiap |
8 |
1.5 |
Truck
road |
| Craig
Cove to Lalinda |
27 |
5.5 |
Truck
road |
| Lalinda
to Maranata |
9 |
2.5 |
Truck
road and beach |
| Maranata
to Ulei |
28 |
6+ |
Bush
track and beach |
| Lalinda
to Endu |
35 |
8? |
Shortcut
across the ash plain |
Walking
across to southeast Ambrym is sometimes done by more adventurous
tourists. Lalinda to Maranata is easy, you follow the truck
road to near halfway and then follow the beach. Maranata
has no village, only a Seventh Day Adventist school. They
have a spare house where you can sleep overnight for about
500 Vatu including meals. The school principal can arrange
a guide. Sunday (the SDA Sabbath is on Saturday) is the
best day to find a guide. It's a good idea to overnight
at Maranata and allow plenty of time for the final walk
to southeast Ambrym. It does not look far away on the map
but the walking is slow.
It used
to be a simple beach walk from Maranata to southeast Ambrym
but coastal erosion has produced difficult obstacles just
around the point from Maranata. This walk is hazardous at
high tide with a heavy backpack. It is said one can pass
around the bad sections at low tide. The safest route from
Maranata to southeast Ambrym follows the old truck road,
passing through the bush around the rough sections of coastline
and then coming out onto the beach around halfway to the
first village. It's longer but you needn't worry about tides.
An interesting
alternative walking route across to southeast Ambrym passes
from Lalinda to Endu via the ash plain. Villagers from Endu
regularly pass this way. You can hire a guide for 2000 Vatu.
It looks like a very long day walk.
Last updated: July 2005 by Stephen.
|