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Tanna Adventures ....

A tropical travel experience of untouched scenic beauty & cultural insight.

Painted girl in Kastom Colours with Tanna adventures

GREAT 'TANNA ISLAND' TOURS .

INSPIRING 'TANNA' WALKS.

Tour 1 - The Classic Mount Yasur Trip.

Tour 2 - Port Resolution / Shark Bay Trip.

Tour 3 - Mt Yasur Volcano - "THE BIG DAY OUT"

Tour 4 - Blue Cave Trip.

Tour 5 - BlackManTown / Giant Banyan Trip.

Walk 1 - Second (Lenuingao) Waterfall & Beach Walk

Walk 2 - 'Kastom' Trails Walk to Esso's.

Walk 3 - 'Kastom' Trails Walk to Black Magic.

Walk 4 - First (Lenuanatuaiu) Waterfall Walk.

Home Page >> Tanna-Adventures - Great Island Tours and Inspring Walks >> Travel Tour 1 - The Classic Mount Yasur Trip.

..... MOUNT YASUR VOLCANO.

Mount Yasur is the most visited volcano in Vanuatu and is relatively well behaved, making it ideal for observation by travellers. This being said, all volcanoes can be unpredicatble and at times ash and molten boulders are flung high and wide around the volcanoes base. It has been eruping continuously for centuries, but is fairly easily reached being only 360 metres to its summit.

A visit to the Volcano requires a one and a half hours rugged 4WD drive from the main centre, each way. This of course is considerably shortened by staying with Esso and Rachel at Tanna Adventures-Accommodation 'Nima' . Essos skill at taking travellers across the barren ash countryside while being pelted by ash pellets is unsurpassed.

The volcano is under the control of the Volcano guides, who help vistors gain safe positions along the crater rim to view the spectacular performances. The best times to view the volcano is at dusk, and travallers leave at about three oclock and return after eight.

......... MT YASUR WARNINGS.

DEFINITION OF LEVEL OF VOLCANIC ALERT (www.geohazards.gov.vu)

Vanuatu Volcanic Alert Level (VVAL)

Mount Yasur Volcano is a Stratovlcan basaltique - Basaltic Volcano. Yasur Volcano has a base about 1.5 km wide. Captain Cook observed Yasur in 1774, and its volcanic activity has been reasonably constant since that time. Periods of intense activity have been observed in 1974, 1975, 1977 and 1994.

The main threat posed by eruptions of Mt Yasur are the fall of ashes and acid rains on the White Sands, which are located on the coast near to the volcano itself. However, Geohazards Vanuatu have a system of Volcanic Alerts for all Vanuatu Volcanoes as follows :

Level - 0
Normal low-level activity.
Level - 1
Increased activity, danger near crater only.
Level - 2
Moderate eruptions, danger close to the volcano vent, within parts of Volcanic Hazards Map Red Zone.
Level - 3
Large eruption, danger in specific areas within parts of Volcanic Hazards Map Red and Yellow Zones.
Level - 4
Very large eruption, island-wide danger (including areas within Red, Yellow and Green Zones).

Diagram showing the risk zones of volcanic action for Mt Yasur Volcano

For the most part, Mount Yasur is well behaved, providing a 'show' for vistors to the cone, allowing them up close and personal, while not posing serious threat to vistors safety. However, all volcanoes can be unpredicatable, and obtaining the latest information is always advisable. Warning bulletins are issued by :

www.geohazards.gov.vu

Vulcanian Volcanic Activity ........ Vulcanian eruptions occur as a series of discrete, canon-like explosions that are short-lived, lastingminutes through to hours, usually with fast ejections of bombs and material. Once the volcano "clears its throat," however, the subsequent eruptions can be relatively quiet and sustained. Vulcanian eruptions are more explosive than Strombolian eruptions with eruptive columns commonly between 5 and 10 km high.

Also see the
BIG DAY OUT

Travel Tour 1 - The Classic Mount Yasur Volcano Trip.

[Updated May 2019]

* Photo supplied by Tony Morley (Resource Exploration & Production Photography - Archean Photography)

Mount Yasur - Experience the awesome power that is Mother Nature ........ Travel Tour Overview from Middlebush: • The classic Mt Yasur tour is designed to have visitors at the Volcano at twilight, so as to be able to observe it when the colour, vigor and energy of its eruptions are the most visible. Leaving via 4WD over unsealed roads through the central Tanna highlands, various stops are made to view spectacular outlooks of both Yasur Volcano and the the east Tanna coastline. • Arriving at the Ash plain, visitors take in the panoramic view, the vegetation and differing textures and forms surrounding the base of the volcano. Visitors are taken around the mountain to the entrance of the Volcano Reserve, which is attended by the official Volcano Guides. Your entrance payment into the volcano area is included within your cost. • Arriving at the makeshift carpark about half an hour to three quarters of an hour prior to dusk, visitors climb a set of steps (approx 100 or so ) to a lower viewing area, which has sweeping views over the full summit. Depending on the vigor and ferocity of the activity, good views are obtained of flying lava, debris and venting fumes, along with the loud booming sounds exhibited by Mount Yasur. • For the more adventurous (nearly everyone), a short but steep climb around the back of the initial viewing up to the rim takes about half an hour. The steepness requires some exertion, and the virtigo at the top of the Yasur volcano rim is not for the faint hearted. Generally each group is assigned a volcano guide with torches to look after you, but there is no fences or pathways, and you really feel a part of something raw and untouched. The view of the caldera is spectacular and provides a natural fireworks display to match any that is man made. • After approximately an hour to an hour and a half, the guides shine the way back down from the volcano rim, back to the waiting vehicles. • Return to starting point in the dark, but with the time seeming to be much shorter due to the excited discussions abouty what everyone has seen and experienced. Arrival back is about 8.00-8.30 pm. • Arrangements for dinner should be made prior to leaving so that it will be ready on return. Overview Travelling from the Whitegrass Coast : • If the tour is taken from any of the accommodation along the whitegrass coast, then approximately 1 hour can be added to the tour time (half an hour each way). Classic Mount Yasur Trip - Travel Timeframe: • Approximate timeframe is 6 hours from leaving Middlebush. This depends on road conditions, weather and the activity of Mt Yasur itself. • Approximate travel time by 4WD from Esso's Nima to the base of Mount Yasur is 1.75-2.00 hours ( each way). • Approximate time at Mount Yasur Volcano is 1.50-2.00 hours.