Kilauea Volcano Unveiled
NEW ACTIVITY AT KILAUEA … an exciting summit eruption began on 12/21/2020 and as a result Hawaii Forest and Trail has adjusted the time of this tour so that you will be at Kilauea Caldera at sunset … the red hot lava causes an unforgettable glow in the steam clouds pouring out of the crater in a sight you will never forget!!! The altered tour time means a late morning start time and a finish time around 10pm – 11pm. Both lunch and dinner will be included on this tour.
The May 2018 Lower East Rift Zone eruption caused sudden and enduring changes, not only in the areas affected by the active vents and flowing lava, but also at the Kilauea Summit inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Numerous small earthquakes and ground collapses forced the park to close for several months. Now that Kilauea has gone quiet, the park has reopened and Hawaii Forest and Trail now offers the Kilauea Volcano Unveiled tour to give you a look at the changes that have happened in 2018!
There is no better way to explore the park than in the company of one of Hawaii Forest and Trail’s Interpretive Naturalists. They will show you the “must see” places within the park while you learn about their geological and historic significance. You’ll really get an idea of how big the Big Island is during the course of this 11-12 hour full-day tour. And you’ll appreciate that someone else is doing the driving. Starting from Kona, you will travel up the coast over desolate lava flows for about a half hour before proceeding up the rolling pasturelands on the flanks of Mauna Kea. Turning onto the Saddle Road that traverses the island between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, you’ll see a dramatic and diverse landscape of ranchland, sub alpine dryforest and rainforest, with striking features such as cinder cones, lava flows, lava tubes and kipukas. Continuing on, you will drop down to near sea-level on the way through Hilo where you begin the final climb to the summit of Kilauea and the lush entrance to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
On this in-depth park experience, your interpretive guide will illuminate the historic events that recently changed the landscape of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park forever! Learn about the magma chamber, and how its sudden draining away of lava caused the entire summit area of Kilauea to deflate and how the crater changed in size.
During the park experience you’ll enjoy 2-3 miles of moderate hiking around the park’s dynamic terrain. The exact hiking route will vary depending on weather and volcanic conditions. While there is no current lava activity at the time of this writing, that can change quickly. If there is an active flow inside the National Park that can be safely accessed with a short hike, Hawaii Forest and Trail will include it in your itinerary.
After leaving the park, you’ll drive off-road to a private lava tube that is only accessible to Hawaii Forest and Trail guests. This cave is known for its bright yellow microbial mats growing on and accenting the walls of the cave.
By the end of the day, you’ll have traveled over 300 miles and experienced an elevation change (the tour goes up and down a few times!) of over 30,000 feet.
Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
Pick up: Between 10:30am and 11:00am
Check In: Departure is from the Hawaii Forest and Trail Store (73-5593 A Olowalu St., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 Click to view map) OR the Waikoloa Queen’s Marketplace (69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa, HI 96738 Click to view map). Select your departure point when selecting a tour in your reservation form.
Duration: Approximately 12 hours
Reservations: For those staying in Hilo, we don’t recommend this tour as a large portion of the cost of this tour is for transportation to and from the Kona side of the island.
Tour includes: Lunch, beverages, National Park entrance fees, dinner, water
What to Bring & Wear: Comfortable walking shoes, long pants, and a light jacket. Close toed shoes are required.
Gear Provided: Day packs, flashlight and helmet (for the lava tube), walking sticks, warm clothing and rain ponchos.
Group Size: 14
Restrictions: Guests should be in reasonably good physical condition and able to hike on uneven or rocky terrain. This tour sometimes encounters cool, wet, or muddy conditions.