Tanna Island when Yasur is at warning level 3

Hi there,

Mt Yasur in Tanna has recently been upgraded from warning level 2 to 3. Does anyone know if tours still go to the crater rim and if not how close do you get? Is it worth visiting or is it better to go when it is at level 2 and you can actually look inside the crater?

Thank you
Nina

{quote:title=Wikipedia Mount Yasur wrote:}{quote}
Level 0 - Low activity, access to the crater allowed; Level 1 - Normal activity, access to the crater allowed; Level 2 - Moderate to high activity, lava bombs may land beyond the crater rim, access to the crater is closed; Level 3 - Severe activity with loud explosions, lava bombs ejected up to hundreds of metres outside the crater and large plumes of smoke and ash, access to the summit zone is closed; Level 4 - Major eruption affecting large areas around the volcano and possibly other parts of Tanna and even neighbouring islands, all access closed.

Hi Nina
The above is from the Wikipedia page of Mount Yasur. Unfortunately it looks like you will not be able to get very close if the volcano is at level 2 and above. You'll probably be able to climb the mountain and level 2, but you may not be allowed to see the crater as above. I myself would love to go to Vanuatu and see Mount Yasur active as well.
Your best bet may be to wait until it has dropped to level 1, then you can look inside the crater. Otherwise it would be too dangerous for tour operators to risk going up there at level 2+.

A few years ago I was on Tanna when Yasur had level 2.5. The guided tour to the volcano, all the way up to the rim, was great, didn't feel (too) dangerous and was wonderful, although a bit scary, but fascinating. The guide told me they wouldn't go up there if it was level 3 though.

Lilau, as you have climbed Mt. Yasur, would you please describe the level of fitness needed to climb the track up. How far from ground level would it be, how difficult, etc. Would a person in their 70's with a hiking stick be able to do it?
We are going there in Feb. next year, is it the rainy season and would this affect the climb?

When you drive to the volcano over the ash plain the view on Yasur is already amazing. The trucks park at the bottom of the volcano and you climb the last bit on a ashy/sandy kind of stairway, which is not very difficult. There are rails for support. But you can take your time getting up there and take a breather on the way if necessary. I´m well into my fifties and could do it easily.

Bring something warm to wear, because it can be cold and windy up there at night, and wear long pants and trainers or hikers, as there are sharp lava rocks lying around from previous eruptions. And take a torch. Your guide will let you stay until after sunset to fully appreciate the fire works. You are actually standing on the outer rim and can see right into the crater, if you are standing on the far left side. The guide will find a safe place out of the fumes to watch the spectacle. Yasur rumbles and groans like a wild animal, there are thick ash clouds and then you hear explosions and a huge "spray" of lava bombs erupts from the crater. These eruptions occurred many times both of the times I was there.

It would be a good idea to look for an accommodation not too far from the volcano. In my case it was still half an hours drive in the back of an open truck (the 70yo person could probably sit next to the driver), which was OK and good fun too, as the roads are not sealed.

And I thought it was very cool that there was a letter box at the foot of Yasur. I took some postcards that I bought in Port Vila, put them in there and they were actually delivered. With a nice volcano stamp.

I was there in October, so can't comment on February.

Have fun, it's an amazing sight that I wouldn't want to have missed.

Thank you so much, lilau. What a great description, I am sure I can manage that and hope that the activity of the volcano doesn't rise to 3 - 5 while we are there. No worry about accom., we are coming off a small ship.

I was there a few days ago and I believe the level was 2. Some lava bombs landed on the ridges around the crater, but nowhere near the main viewing area. Of course that's no guarantee for anything. Nobody can predict what it will be like when you get there. Good luck!