GUNUNG · Vanuatu

Ambrym (Marum & Benbow)

Ambrym

Information

Elevation: 1.270 m
Country: Vanuatu (VU)
Location / Range: Pulau Ambrym, Provinsi Malampa, Busur Vulkanik New Hebrides, Vanuatu (Pasifik Selatan)
Mountain type: Gunung api perisai basaltik dengan kaldera selebar ±12 km; dua kerucut kawah aktif — Marum (1.270 m, titik tertinggi) dan Benbow (1.159 m)
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -16.2496, 168.1227
Difficulty: Berat & multi-hari. Pendakian ke kerucut Marum dan Benbow menuntut kebugaran baik: menembus hutan hujan lebat lalu menyeberangi dataran abu kaldera yang gersang menuju basecamp, biasanya 2 hari 1 malam (bisa diperpanjang 3 hari 2 malam). Wajib memakai pemandu lokal
Best Season: Musim kemarau Vanuatu (kira-kira Mei–Oktober) untuk peluang cuaca terbaik; sepanjang tahun bisa hujan lebat yang membuat jalur hutan dan dataran abu berlumpur
Permits & Rules: Tanah adat (custom land): wajib membayar biaya kunjung/'custom fee' kepada pemilik tanah dan memakai pemandu terdaftar. Ikuti arahan Vanuatu Meteorology & Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) — akses dapat ditutup saat level bahaya vulkanik naik
Hazards: GUNUNG API AKTIF. Gas vulkanik pekat (SO2) dan hujan asam — air hujan di gunung TIDAK layak minum (menyebabkan batuk), jadi wajib membawa air ±4,5 L. Bahaya lain: lontaran batu (ballistic), hujan abu, letusan mendadak (letusan besar Desember 2018 menguras danau lava dan meruntuhkan lantai kawah), dataran abu tanpa sumber air, hutan lebat, dan cuaca berubah cepat

Description

Ambrym is a basaltic volcanic island in Malampa Province, Vanuatu, and one of the most active volcanoes of the New Hebrides arc. Its centre holds a caldera about 12 km wide — the scar of a huge Plinian eruption around the first century AD — with a desert-like ash plain of roughly 100 km². Two crater cones rise within it: Marum (1,270 m, the high point of Ambrym) and Benbow (1,159 m). For decades both craters were world-famous for their glowing red lava lakes, visible at night — a magnet for volcanology expeditions and extreme cinematographers who would rappel/abseil down the crater walls to the lava-lake edge. But a major fissure eruption on 15–16 December 2018 caused the magma level to drop suddenly; the lava lakes drained, the crater floors collapsed, and the nighttime glow once seen from neighbouring islands vanished. Ambrym remains a dramatic volcano-trekking destination even without permanent lava lakes: a 2–3 day trek through dense rainforest and across a grey ash plain to still-degassing crater rims. Trips run over custom land with local guides, typically from the Ranvetlam/Craig Cove side.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Grand Traverse Ambrym (lintas gunung api, multi-hari)

Sangat berat — ekspedisi berpemandu

Beberapa hari (opsi ekspedisi 8–9 hari)

A longer expedition option traversing the Ambrym volcano complex — combining ascents of Benbow and Marum with a crossing of the caldera ash plain and a descent to a different side of the island. Suited to those wanting a full volcanic experience and extra weather buffer; still requires guides, custom-land permission, and self-sufficient water/supply logistics.

Source

Trek Marum & Benbow (2 hari 1 malam) dari Ranvetlam / Craig Cove

Berat — butuh kebugaran baik, wajib pemandu

2 hari 1 malam (dapat diperpanjang jadi 3 hari 2 malam)

The signature route to the two active crater cones. From the island's northwest side (Ranvetlam, near Craig Cove), the trail climbs through dense rainforest before emerging onto the desert-like caldera ash plain to a base camp. From here trekkers head to the still-degassing rims of Marum (1,270 m) and/or Benbow (1,159 m). You must carry your own water (~4.5 L) because rainwater is acidic and unsafe to drink. The trek runs over custom land with registered local guides; check VMGD volcanic hazard status before setting out.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Experiences on Ambrym centre on the volcano trek to the Marum and Benbow cones — one of Vanuatu's most challenging adventures. Trekker and cinematographer accounts describe climbing through dense rainforest, crossing the desert-like caldera ash plain to a base camp, and reaching degassing crater rims. Older footage records the era of glowing red lava lakes (including rappelling/abseiling down Marum's crater wall to the lava edge), while more recent clips and expeditions document conditions after the December 2018 eruption drained the lakes. Recurring themes: mandatory local guides and custom-land fees, thick sulphur gas, rainwater that is unsafe to drink so you must carry your own, and demanding weather and ash-plain terrain.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.