GUNUNG · Papua New Guinea

Ulawun

Ulawun (The Father)

Ulawun — foto gunung dari Wikidata P18 / Mountain photograph from Wikidata P18. Photo: source

Information

Elevation: 2.334 m
Country: Papua New Guinea (PG)
Location / Range: Bismarck Volcanic Arc, New Britain Island, West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea — about 130 km southwest of Rabaul
Mountain type: Active basaltic-andesitic stratovolcano — the highest peak on New Britain Island, one of the world's 15 Decade Volcanoes
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -5.0500, 151.3333
Difficulty: Very difficult and high-risk: a narrow, steep trail to the summit, with the top 1,000 m unvegetated and very steep; the most active volcano in Papua New Guinea, with sudden explosive eruptions (Strombolian–sub-Plinian); a licensed local guide from the landowning village is MANDATORY
Best Season: May–October (relative dry season). Always check the Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO) alert level before going — a sudden eruption can close the trail at any time
Permits & Rules: Climbing MUST be with a local guide from the landowning community — solo climbing is not allowed. Walindi Plantation Resort (±1 hour from Hoskins Airport/Kimbe) is the main operator that organizes climbs; departure at 07:30 to allow enough time to finish the round trip before dark
Hazards: Sudden explosive eruptions (Strombolian to sub-Plinian); pyroclastic flows that can reach far from the crater; ash columns up to 15–19 km (the 2019 and 2023 eruptions); ashfall and ballistic projectiles; continuous SO₂ degassing (±7 kg/s, about 2% of global volcanic SO₂ emissions). Last major eruptions: June 2019 (VEI 4, 6,800 evacuated) and November 2023 (Alert Level 4). At active Alert Level 4 the whole area is evacuated and access closed

Description

Ulawun is a 2,334 m active stratovolcano on New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in the Bismarck Volcanic Arc. Historical records document Fisher and Stehn’s August 1937 ascent from Ulamona through the Northwestern Valley. R. W. Johnson’s field report makes an important distinction: his team was flown to the crater rim on 19 March 1969, then made geological traverses on foot from camp and returned to Ulamona on 28 March. That scientific visit does not establish a self-powered ascent from the foot of the mountain to its summit. Gas research in 2016 used a ring-road and plantation paths beneath the plume, while Tuke Wilderness’s itinerary offers coastal views of Ulawun. Eruptions have changed the crater area; these historical sources do not establish that a summit route remains passable or open for tourism today. A Smithsonian report adds a 7–14 February 1970 field visit examining forest damaged by pyroclastic flows; it does not record a summit ascent. Steve Jones’s travel account, published in 2024, also documents views of the mountain from the Fathers reefs during a diving journey, rather than a climb.

Gallery

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

Routes

Jalan melingkar–jalur perkebunan: akses penelitian 2016 / historical field access

Akses penelitian historis; bukan jalur puncak wisata / Historical research access; not a tourist summit trail

In September 2016, the Chalmers/RVO team made mobile measurements by car on Ulawun’s ring-road and used two paths through oil-palm plantations to approach drone-launch sites beneath the plume. The provincial disaster office in Kimbe provided transport and guiding. This documents research access near the foot of the volcano, without claiming a summit ascent, hiking distance or current entry permission. For the 2016 logistics context, the report describes an approximately four-hour Rabaul–Ulamona boat journey, or a flight to Hoskins followed by a three-to-four-hour drive. These are historical expedition logistics, not current transport schedules or hiking times.

Source

Ulamona Mission–Northwestern Valley–puncak: pendakian historis 1937 / historical ascent

Rute historis; kondisi dan akses sekarang belum terverifikasi / Historical route; present conditions and access unverified

Catatan 1937: 2 hari naik, kembali hari ketiga / 1937 record: 2 days up, return on day 3

Bureau of Mineral Resources Record 1970/21 documents Fisher and Stehn leaving Ulamona Mission and climbing the Northwestern Valley to Ulawun’s summit in August 1937. They reached the summit in two days and returned to Ulamona the following day. The report describes a steep gorge in the upper valley. This documents a past climbing route rather than present-day travel directions: the same report records changes to the crater during January 1970 activity. It does not establish that the route remains passable, is open to tourists, or can still be completed in the historical time.

Source

Western Valley–Northwestern Valley–Ulamona: lintasan penelitian 1969 / historical research traverse

Lintasan historis dengan dukungan helikopter; bukan trek wisata terverifikasi / Historical helicopter-supported traverse; not a verified tourist trek

Johnson’s report records a camp at about 1,000 m on the north side of the Western Valley on 20 March 1969 as the base for daily geological traverses. On 27 March camp moved near the south side of the Northwestern Valley, and Ulamona was reached the next day. The team had previously been flown to the crater rim on 19 March and received helicopter resupply. These dates describe a research schedule, not an estimated tourist hiking duration; the report provides neither a GPS track nor evidence that the route remains open.

Source

Climbing Experiences

These six sources cover a historical scientific ascent, field traverses after helicopter arrival, a walking survey of eruption damage, gas research from roads and plantations, and an operator itinerary with coastal views. The Smithsonian source adds first-hand February 1970 observations of terrain damaged by pyroclastic flows. Research and regional sightseeing are distinguished from summit climbing; none establishes current permission for tourist access. Steve Jones’s travel account adds a first-hand offshore view of Ulawun during a diving visit to the Fathers reefs.

References

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