Vanuatu Expedition

Halo! Welcome to Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 5 pm at your accommodation tonight. If you arrive with time to spare before the welcome meeting, maybe head to the heart of the city for Port Vila's produce market and the waterfront promenade, just a short walk away.

Today, you'll discover some of Efate’s best spots. A scenic drive will take you to the exclusive kayak base on the Rentapao River. Immerse yourself in Vanuatu’s rainforest and get a glimpse of village life as you paddle. After a French-style lunch at the river’s edge, transfer upstream to the river cascades, a great place to swim, relax and shake off any jet lag. You'll be back at your hotel by mid-afternoon, giving you some time to discover more of Port Vila and choose a place for your optional dinner tonight.

It’s an early morning start today for your Air Vanuatu flight to the island of Tanna. After an included local lunch, set out on the first of your Tanna hikes. Hike to one of the world's largest banyan trees, perched high on a ridge overlooking the coast. Your path there will loop back through scattered villages, gardens and rainforests – a great opportunity to meet some of the local people going about their daily lives. Next is a scenic drive across the spine of the island to your bungalow accommodation, located at the foot of the active volcano. This afternoon, drive along a rutted road to the rim of the volcano (the option to walk to the crater carpark is also available for those who would prefer it). You'll feel the ground shaking and hear the volcano rumbling as you approach. Finally, as you arrive at the crater rim in time for sunset, you'll witness the incredible show of Strombolian eruptions that await as it gets dark. Return from the volcano for a late dinner at your bungalow.

This morning, you have the option to visit the volcano a second time, for sunrise. After breakfast, start today with a visit to a John Frum village ('cargo cult village') hidden in the rainforest at the foot of the smouldering volcano. Road conditions permitting, you'll have a short dip in the Sulphur Bay hot springs and visit Port Resolution, named after one of Captain Cook’s ships, to explore this remote village. Enjoy lunch back at the bungalows before returning to the other side of the island to our new accommodation for tonight at Whitegrass. Tonight visit a nakamal (kava bar) for a shell of kava. Watch the sunset with your group, keeping an eye out for the whales that cruise along the coast (from July to September).

After breakfast, you'll head into the jungle-clad hills to a kastom village. The community here has long rejected modern life and conserves many aspects of a traditional lifestyle. Learn about traditional rites of passage and the local Prince Phillip movement as your leader guides you around the village. As you explore, you’ll gain insight into a community at the cusp of making decisions about the future and how tourism can help conserve long-held practices. Stop for lunch at a local cafe in town, then it's time to say goodbye to Tanna and head to the airport for an afternoon flight back to Port Vila.

Today, you’ll travel from Port Vila to Pele Island, a tropical island renowned for its marine conservation area. Take a scenic drive along Efate's west coast to Emua Wharf, stopping at a coffee roastery along the way. Then it’s a short boat ride to Pele Island. When you arrive, sit down for a local lunch on the beach. Take another short boat ride to Taloa Village on neighbouring Nguna Island to visit the historic church and community sites on a village walk. Later this afternoon, go snorkelling in the lagoon (weather permitting) or in the marine conservation area. Expect lots of tropical fish, the occasional turtle (if you’re lucky) and plenty of hard corals and small canyons to explore. Your accommodation for the night is at bungalows on Pele hosted by the village women.

This afternoon, you'll have the option to take a boat over to Nguna for a challenging volcano walk. Alternatively, you can go for a few easier walks around Pele's villages for a chance to learn about the community’s conservation efforts through the Nguna-Pele Conservation Network. Then it's time to return to Efate for lunch at a locally owned restaurant. Take in the lovely views across the islands, then drive back to Port Vila, this time along the east coast road, with a stop for a swim at one of the beaches or coves around Eton village. There are lots of roadside markets to explore and plenty of photo opportunities. Make one final stop at a distillery, for a delicious tasting of local liqueurs. Arrive back at your Port Vila accommodation in the evening. Celebrate a trip well-travelled with an optional farewell dinner with your group.