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Elite Volcano Hike From Hilo Elite Volcano Hike
4.8
16 Ratings
Hilo
Embark on an elite volcano hike from Hilo and explore the stunning Kilauea Caldera. Discover the aftermath of the historic 2018 eruption and visit iconic sites in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Join a small-group tour with deli-style lunch and dinner included.
Embark on an elite volcano hike from Hilo and explore the stunning Kilauea Caldera. Discover the aftermath of the historic 2018 eruption and visit iconic sites in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Join a small-group tour with deli-style lunch and dinner included.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Kaumana Caves Park - Our first stop is Kaumana Caves, part of the lava tube system that brought lava as close as 1.5 miles from downtown Hilo in 1881. Take a peek inside the dramatic cathedral-like space.
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Next travel to the crown jewel of the Big Island, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Briefly visit the…
- Kaumana Caves Park - Our first stop is Kaumana Caves, part of the lava tube system that brought lava as close as 1.5 miles from downtown Hilo in 1881. Take a peek inside the dramatic cathedral-like space.
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Next travel to the crown jewel of the Big Island, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Briefly visit the Kilauea Iki Overlook before heading off on foot down the paved road to Keanakakoi. Check out the activity here from the historic 2018 eruption which buckled the road and caused racks and sinkholes. You’ll get a birds-eye view of the Kilauea Caldera and the enormous Halema’uma’u Crater, along with views of the trail you will take into the Caldera. This trail has been used to hike into the caldera since being established in 1846. Mark Twain was once rescued by native guide Alex Lancaster using this trail. It’s about 2 miles roundtrip taking you past the famous Sulphur Banks, through ancient forests of tree ferns, some as old as 1,000 years. Look for native birds, such as the yellow ‘amakihi and the red ‘apapane. Huge boulders came to rest here during ancient rock slides and eruptions. Look for marks left by previous visitors such as Benjamin Boyd, a Scot, and John Webster, a California artist, from back in 1851. Reaching the floor of Kilauea Calder there is an incredible rock slide to your left, evidence of the 2018 eruption, and Halema’uma’u Crater before you. The Crater increased in size during the eruption with the lava lake draining out of it leaving behind an enormous 1,000 foot deep pit.
- Volcano House - Return to civilization at Volcano House for some beautiful views.
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Dinner
Additional Information
Elite Volcano Hike
Embark on a 2-mile journey down the Halema’uma’u Trail into the Kilauea Caldera, and explore the remnants of the significant 2018 eruption along the coastline of Kilauea. Enjoy a comprehensive tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which includes the Kilauea Visitor Center, Sulphur Banks, the Kilauea Iki Overlook, Volcano House and…
Elite Volcano Hike
Embark on a 2-mile journey down the Halema’uma’u Trail into the Kilauea Caldera, and explore the remnants of the significant 2018 eruption along the coastline of Kilauea. Enjoy a comprehensive tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which includes the Kilauea Visitor Center, Sulphur Banks, the Kilauea Iki Overlook, Volcano House and much more. The tour is conducted in a small group setting and a deli-style lunch and dinner are provided.
Location
Kaumana Caves Park
Kaumana Drive, Mile Marker 4
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(16 Ratings)
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1 star
David
Nov 6, 2024
Great tour and guide to Kilauea. - We were met at the port of Hilo from our cruise ship, The Pride of America by Victor. There were only 8 in our group, so it was very easy to interact with all of them and Victor.
We left the port and our first stop was Rainbow Falls, just out of town. Hilo had eleven inches of rain the night before, which meant the falls were very beautiful and created the rainbow effect, as the name suggests.
After this, we set off for the 45 minute journey up to Kilauea. On the way Victor kept us entertained with many interesting facts about the big island of Hawaii and its volcanos.
We arrived at the visitor centre and then prepared for our hike. Victor checked that we all felt we were up to the physical challenge and ensured we had adequate water and rain jackets (didn’t need them).
The hike is 3.5/4 miles around the crater rim and then down in to the crater, so there is a steep descent and ascent, which will be challenging for some, but fortunately not a problem for our group. The views from the top are spectacular and it feels unworldly on the surface of the crater, walking on fresh volcanic lava.
The volcano stopped erupting in September 2024, but there are still many active steam vents, which you get close enough to, to feel the heat. Not sure if I am disappointed I missed this or not, but there was a 4.8 magnitude earthquake there just a few hours before we arrived!
All in all, a great day out visiting one of the world’s most famous volcanoes, the day made more enjoyable but the excellent guide, Victor. Thanks again and would definitely recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chu_c
Jul 17, 2024
Great experience ever - When i landed the volcano and saw amazing views and plants, it was really worthy to hike here!!! very nice guide and very great experience ever!
Review provided by Viator
Penny_c
Dec 2, 2023
Wonderful volcano hike - The hike around the volcano was awesome! Kyle did a great job telling us so many interesting facts about the island. The entire tour was very interesting and enjoyable. I would recommend this tour for anyone wanting a unique experience. The waterfalls was really neat even if it was raining.
Review provided by Viator
Wmcmahon1345
Sep 19, 2023
Magical experience - We did the hike during the recent eruption of Kīlauea. The hike down to the crater was as described and required a reasonable level of physical fitness, due to the 500 ft of descent and then, after a walk across the crater, climb back to the start point. One of the people on the tour was having some difficulty on the climb, but our guides Andre and Victor were fantastic. They were extremely knowledgeable and kept everyone entertained, while making sure that noone was left behind.
Following the hike and lunch, we went to the view point, from which we could see the eruption. We were about a mile away, but could feel the heat from the volcano on the front of our legs, while our backs were warmed by the sun. Victor lent us binoculars for a better view and we were told why a closer encounter would not have been a good idea. We were also taken to the steam vents, where we could safely feel some of the heat from underground.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Becca
Jul 11, 2023
Neat way to see the volcanos in Hawaii - Marcus was our guide and we enjoyed the tour with him.
**It is 4000ft up, so take a light sweater/jacket - even in the summer. It was around 85 when we left the cruise port for this adventure and was down to 64 when we entered the park to start the hike. The wind made it feel cooler. I ended up spending $50 on a sweatshirt at the visitor center that I prob didn't need after all but was initially freezing when we got out of the van. I did warm up on the hike and took it off but just note to take a light jacket.
The volcano park is nice, lots of cool things to see. The volcano hiking was fun and interesting, the area is really neat. Loved walking down on the lava beds and lower floor areas of the volcano. It was steaming but no red flowing lava when we were there but was some the week prior.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maureensu3846ww
Dec 7, 2022
Elite Volcano Hike - Nate is the best. He went out of his way to give us extra time, knowledge, and experiences. Legend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kather1990
Dec 19, 2021
Very unique experience - Scott was such a great guide, very informative, patient and knowledgeable. He even helped us outline our itinerary in later trip in Hilo. I would recommend to everyone around me.
Review provided by Viator
Kathleendurkin314
Sep 25, 2021
Otherworldly. So amazing. Go on this tour!! - Tour guides Scott and Krystal were amazing. They were knowledgeable about EVERYTHING and made the trip really fascinating. We learned so much more than we would have if we tried to do it ourselves. The hike was just strenuous enough (and I'm not in great shape). The tubes were way cooler than I expected and the steaming craters were astonishing-- otherworldly. Great tour all around.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N3607yapatg
Jun 24, 2021
Amazing Tour and Worth The Price - I would highly recommend this tour. Krystal is a great guide and you'll learn so much about the island, the culture, the flora and fauna, the history of eruptions, the science behind predicting them and then you'll see the wake left behind from large lava flows. The hike in Volcano National Park is only slightly steep and the hike through a lava tube is not taxing at all, just narrow in places. This is exactly what we were looking for in a volcano tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J6491rznicolep
May 25, 2022
Great sites but not Elite Volcano Hike - Sorry to say that we were disappointed. Before the constructive feedback, the destinations/sites along the tour were excellent and the hosts were friendly (Mike and Krystal); it's obvious that Krystal knows a lot and when she had the opportunity to inform the group she was excellent. However, we booked for a small group but there were 9-10 in the group. We were not at the same physical fitness levels therefore the elite hike was like a slow, painful walk. This tour could be described as a walk versus hike anyway ... aside from the cave tour, you could wear sandals and be fine. The tour is listed for 9 hours, yet each activity is 20 mins + 3 hrs + 30 mins; I guess this should have been a red flag. Getting to and from the sites took some driving time but most of the day was spent "killing time" which was really like a waste of time and money. I get that you need to span a good timeframe to be able to walk down to the volcano by day and then see the red glow by night ... but this was a painfully slow day. There are so many wonderful things to see and learn and we feel the time could be much better spent if organized differently. Despite the exceptional knowledge from Krystal and friendliness of Mike, we would have done this privately and gain so much more.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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