GUNUNG · Vanuatu

Mount Gharat

Mount Garet / Gunung Gharat (Gaua)

Information

Elevation: 797 m
Country: Vanuatu (VU)
Location / Range: Pulau Gaua, Kepulauan Banks, Provinsi Torba, Vanuatu (Melanesia)
Mountain type: Gunung berapi somma aktif — kerucut aktif di dalam kaldera tua, berdiri di tepi Danau Letas
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -14.2830, 167.5160
Difficulty: Trek hutan terpencil dengan pemandu; catatan pendakian kawah lama tidak membuktikan akses saat ini.
Best Season: Jadwal bergantung cuaca, transportasi antarpulau, dan arahan VMGD; jangan menganggap musim tertentu menjamin akses kawah.
Permits & Rules: Atur pemandu dan akses lahan melalui tuan rumah setempat. Periksa buletin VMGD sebelum berangkat; kunjungan historis bukan izin memasuki zona bahaya kerucut.
Hazards: Gas vulkanik, hujan asam di kawasan yang terpapar, dan kemungkinan erupsi dengan sedikit atau tanpa peringatan. Buletin VMGD 27 Agustus 2026 mempertahankan zona bahaya di kerucut. Hutan basah, penyeberangan danau, dan perubahan cuaca menambah tantangan.

Description

Mount Gharat, also called Garet (797 m), is a volcano on Gaua in Vanuatu’s Banks Islands. Its cone stands within a caldera partly occupied by Lake Letas. Guided trips in the area may involve lakeside overnight stays and canoe crossings; a 2009 sailing account also documents a forest walk from Lakona Bay to a lake-and-Garet viewpoint without climbing the cone. Checked on 13 September 2026, the VMGD page displayed Level 2 (Major Unrest). Gaua Bulletin No. 18 of 27 August 2026 keeps the cone within the danger zone, with continuing SO₂ emissions and thermal anomalies. Older crater ascents do not confirm present access; itineraries need to follow official guidance. A 2015 trip account documents an extra night at the lake because rain delayed the ascent.

Gallery

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

Routes

Danau Letas dan Garet — lintasan historis berpemandu

Menantang; akses kerucut perlu pemeriksaan resmi

1–3 hari sesuai pengaturan lokal

The tourism listing describes a guided Lake Letas and Garet trek. Its crater section is a previously promoted itinerary, not confirmation that the cone can currently be entered. Check the VMGD danger zone referenced in the profile before agreeing an itinerary. The operator makes the trip subject to natural conditions; its offered duration does not guarantee completion on schedule.

Source

Lakona Bay — titik pandang Danau Letas dan Garet (catatan 2009)

Trek hutan berpemandu; akses kini perlu dikonfirmasi

Sekitar 5 jam pulang-pergi dalam catatan 2009

Harmonie documents a guided walk from Lakona Bay to high ground overlooking Lake Letas and Garet. The trail passed through forest with vines and large trees; the party took about two hours uphill and five hours round trip. This is a historical viewpoint route, not Garet’s summit or cone. Current timing and access need confirmation with local guides and must follow VMGD guidance.

Source

Siri Waterfall — trek kawasan Gaua tanpa puncak

Menantang; perlu kebugaran untuk medan tropis

Sekitar 8 jam pulang-pergi dari pesisir

An area walk from accommodation near the airport to Siri Waterfall. The tourism office estimates four hours outward and a return before dark. This is a Gaua-area destination, not a route to Garet’s summit; local access still needs checking. From Paul’s or Chief Victor’s lakeside camp, the same source describes about 1.5 hours to the waterfall; this is a different starting point, not the duration of the coastal trek.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Six sources cover two trekking videos, three lake/cone trip accounts and a viewpoint walk from Lakona Bay. The 2015 account adds a documented rain delay. These are past journeys; the viewpoint is not the summit, and present access must follow VMGD guidance.

References

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