Ambrym - guide recommendations

Hi everyone,

My friends and I are travelling to Ambrym soon to see the lava lakes (hopefully). I’ve heard that Ambrym is not touristy at all and so I’m trying to arrange accommodation and a guide beforehand. Can anyone recommend a good place to stay and a good guide to do the trek to the craters? Any contacts (e-mails, phone numbers) are highly welcomed. Thank you!

Yulya

My standard recommendation is Edwin/Ra in Ranvetlan village in the North.
The village has cheap (VT2500 or so) bungalows, too.
And they are empty most of the time so don't worry about booking in advance (which would be hard).

More bungalows here.

http://www.positiveearth.org/bungalows/MALAMPA/ambrym.htm

If you want a guide ask around whatever village you stay in. You should get someone for about 1000.

Thank you All!

I think I have more questions now. :)

Do guides usually provide tents, sleeping bags, food or should we take our own? Do they also have ropes to take us down to the crater of Benbow?

How difficult is the trek itself? Does it involve climbing the rocks or just walking uphill?

Can't wait to see the volcanoes!

Or more than a little. :-)

The guides are likely to have nothing except for knowledge of the route.
Which is all I think is needed, as it is indeed just walking uphill.

What do you mean, uncle_sav? No chance to see lava lakes?

I've read about ropes to descend into the crater on this website http://www.positiveearth.org/bungalows/MALAMPA/johnmelkrem.asp

anyone done the trek with that guide Joses? He seems to have everything. :)

Maybe you should turn the expectations down a little.

I have never heard of any guide with his own camping or climbing gear. They can't afford it. Besides, there are no outdoor supply shops in Vanuatu unless you count dive places. It might be risky to expect the stuff to be laid on for you.

You usually get the chief's son or cousin or something. It will be a young guy with no more than bare feet, shorts and a t shirt. If you can find someone to stay up there overnight he will want about 5,000.

I know nothing about Joses.

It will be a young guy with no more than bare feet, shorts and a t shirt

...and a bush-knife. I was always intrigued by their skill with a bush-knife.

We've just returned from Vanuatu. Lava lakes are still there. We saw one in the Marum crater. It was very foggy and rained a lot but we were still able to see it when it cleared up for a short while. We camped on the ash plain with our guide and two porters. Joses, our guide, has all the camping gear (tents, sleeping bags, cooking utensils etc). You can find him in Lolinda village.

Well I have never seen anyone in Vanuatu selling tents or sleeping bags. I shall have to look again when I am there next. Maybe the Chinese in Vila.

At least you saw what you wanted which is the main thing.

uncle_sav, Joses told us that he got his camping gear from his kiwi friends. His tents are Kathmandu brand and sleeping bags are Macpac.

I wish it was better weather and we had more time on Ambrym though.