Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Hilo Highlights Small Group Tour
Overview
Available languages
5 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
See two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, on a small group tour that features the natural wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Learn the history, culture and geology of the Hawaiian islands with your personal guide. Take a walk along the crater rim as you feel the heat of the volcano from steam vents. Explore an ancient lava tube in the midst of the lush Hawaiian rainforest. Enjoy the sights around Hilo including Liliuokalani Gardens and Rainbow Falls with a stop for local chocolates and coffee along the way.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately (be prepared for sun, wind and rain).
Covered walking shoes are required and a jacket is highly recommended.
Participants must be able to walk a minimum of 1 mile on uneven rocky terrain.
We do not guarantee you will see molten lava on this tour.
HOTEL pick-up is offered for select HILO HOTELS ONLY. If you are staying outside of Hilo, please plan to meet at the Hilo Mo'oheau Bus Terminal (please confirm at time of booking).
CRUISE SHIP passengers, we pick-up directly at the PORT OF HILO and will adjust the tour time as needed to accommodate your ships time in port.
For a one DAY TRIP to the Big Island, please make your travel arrangements to and from the HILO AIRPORT. Schedule your flight arrival a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the tour start time AND provide your flight details at time of booking.
Children ages 8 years and up may participate in tour. All participants must have a paid seat. We do not allow any "lap" children.
Kilauea volcano is an active volcano, you may be exposed to volcanic gas on this tour.
This tour cannot accommodate guests with wheelchairs, scooters or oxygen tanks.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Island chips
Help protect our island environment and bring your own refillable water bottle!
Professional guide
National park admission fee
We are sorry there are no options for meal purchases along the way. You are welcome to bring your own snacks for the trail, however we do not allow eating in our vans.
Gratuities
We DO NOT provide transportation from Kona or Waikoloa. Please meet us in Hilo at the bus terminal.
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park including a visit to Kilauea caldera where you will witness the dramatic changes from our recent eruption, experience the steam vents and other volcanic formations from past lava flows.
Nahuku - Thurston Lava Tube
Enjoy a hike through the Hawaiian rainforest robust with native birds and tree ferns to Nahuku (Thurston lava tube). Traverse the 500 year old lava tube where molten lava once rushed through.
Options
Volcano and Hilo Small Group
Pickup included
Reviews
251 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Volcano, fun
Ginger D,
Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great guide friendly, and knowledgeable! Had a great day so many beautiful things and very interesting
My solo adventure!
Joy M,
Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Jill was a fabulous story teller. Very knowledgeable. She provided as much information as I wanted, tailored my trip to adjust to my interests.
Great tour! So many amazing stops!
Mackenzie M,
Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Josh was an amazing tour guide! He was very knowledgeable and had so many great stories to tell. The number of stops was perfect, really enjoyed walking on the lava fields.
Great tour of volcanos national park
Tracy C,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Tour guide Julie did a great job of showing us the key sites and telling us about the islanders experience of living alongside active volcanoes.
We hit the eruption jackpot!
James L,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Josh, our driver, was very proud of his "born and raised" Big Island heritage. The Hilo area is very working-class and not touristy at all. After brief stops at the local waterfront park and Rainbow Falls, we made our way to Kilauea. At our first overlook, we experienced steam vents and saw, at a distance, evidence of a recent eruption, with silvery cooling lava flowing down the edge of the crater. We went to the Lodge for souvenirs and bathrooms only to find everyone rushing outside to the porch to photograph an active flow of bright orange lava! Although it was some distance away, the charcoal smell and some heat from the flow inundated us. We then visited a Lava Tube, a cave formed by a previous flow through a deep ravine. One unexpected highlight was a walk across a lava field with oha'i Lehman trees sprouting in the cracks in the lava. We ended our day with a stop at a candy factory. A great experience!
Do this tour, it's a small group, they take care of everything and guide, Jill, is fantastic.
Suzanne S,
Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Wonderful tour of Volcano National Park with a very knowledgeable tour guide. Everything about this tour was top notch, from the understanding personnel that realized we would all be late getting off the ship due to customs to the tour guide Jill putting us all at ease that she had everything covered. Ride in a very nice van, small group, stops at all the interesting sites in the park including the creator, rim walk (if you wanted too which we did, Volcano house visitor center, plenty of bathroom breaks, chocolate factory cookies and candy and beautiful gardens.
Volcanoes and more
elaineh0112017,
Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was my 2nd tour with Josh, and he was just as entertaining and informative as the 1st time. I got to see some different points of interest and had a very enjoyable day. Would highly recommend this tour.
Well paced tour, not...
Joey Y,
Sep 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Well paced tour, not overly strenuous with 12 people in tour group. Very friendly tour guide who mixed factual information with personal anecdotes.
Lovely trip to the...
Yuji M,
Sep 16, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Lovely trip to the volcano park! We had a small group of 4 and had a great time at the park. It’s a compacted trip, made a few stops at different scenery. The tour guide is very friendly and makes sure we all enjoyed the trip
Worthwhile and enjoyable
William L,
Jul 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Very worthwhile. Informative and allows for great overall visit to park. Wear comfortable shoes for trekking.
Related Experiences
Operated by Mauka Makai Adventures