Hilo Shore Excursion: Active Volcano, Lava Tube, Waterfall and Gardens
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Big Island of Hawaii, USA
- 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience some of the Big Island’s top attractions during this day trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the sights around Hilo. Learn all about volcanoes as you marvel at Halema'uma'u crater and explore the massive Kilauea Volcano. Visit Rainbow Falls around the town of Hilo and stop to indulge in local chocolates and fresh island coffee. Receive personalized attention on a small-group tour.
- Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park without having to drive
- Get an up-close look at Hawaii's volcanic activity
- See historic lava flows along the 'Chain of Craters’ Road
- Includes the national park admission fee, for no costly surprises
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Private transportation
- National park admission fee
- SnacksIsland chips
- Bottled waterHelp protect our island environment and bring your own refillable water bottle!
- LunchWe 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
Pickup details
CRUISE SHIP PICKUP INSTRUCTIONS: Upon disembarking the cruise ship in Hilo, head through the passenger terminal and look for your guide standing to the left near the pre-arranged tour operators with a sign that reads "Mauka Makai Adventures". Please check in with your guide 15 minutes prior to tour start time. We have scheduled the tour to coincide with the cruise ship’s arrival and will be waiting for you onshore. HILO AIRPORT PICKUP INSTRUCTIONS: Please schedule your flight to arrive at the Hilo Airport a MINIMUM OF 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE TOUR START TIME. We require your airline flight number and arrival time to schedule pickup at the airport. As you disembark the airplane head towards Baggage Claim “D”. Look for the tour operator parking area near the restrooms. Our vans are marked with the logo "Mauka Makai Adventures". HILO HOTEL PICKUP INSTRUCTIONS: We provide pick up service at Hilo Hotels along Banyan Drive only. Please meet your tour guide near the front entrance to the lobby, our vans are marked with the logo "Mauka Makai Adventures." We may also contact you prior to the tour to make arrangements for a meeting time and location. ALL OTHERS MEET AT HILO MOʻOHEAU BUS TERMINAL: If you are driving from Kona, Waikoloa, or another part of the island, please meet us at the Hilo Mo'oheau Bus Terminal (329 Kamehameha Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720). There is free parking adjacent to the bus terminal. Look for our van parked in the parking lot with the "Mauka Makai Adventures" logo on it.
Itinerary
Receive a morning pickup from your Hilo hotel, Hilo Airport, or Hilo Port. You’ll continue on a drive through some of the Big Island’s historic sugar plantation towns as you make your way to Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Explore this unique volcanic area with your group, stopping to visit attractions including the steam vents and Halema'uma'u Crater. You may even witness a volcanic eruption. Trek through the nearby rainforest to visit Thurston Lava Tube, where you can learn more about how volcanoes form, erupt and cool. You will see additional lava flows as you continue on a drive along the ‘Chain of Craters’ Road.
After stopping to enjoy the beauty of locally grown orchids, continue to Hilo, where you'll sample island treats at a chocolate factory and visit Rainbow Falls. Finish the day with a drop-off back at your original pickup location.
Explore this unique volcanic area with your group, stopping to visit attractions including the steam vents and Halema'uma'u Crater. You may even witness a volcanic eruption. Trek through the nearby rainforest to visit Thurston Lava Tube, where you can learn more about how volcanoes form, erupt and cool. You will see additional lava flows as you continue on a drive along the ‘Chain of Craters’ Road.
After stopping to enjoy the beauty of locally grown orchids, continue to Hilo, where you'll sample island treats at a chocolate factory and visit Rainbow Falls. Finish the day with a drop-off back at your original pickup location.
1
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Nahuku - Thurston Lava Tube
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Chain of Craters Road
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Rainbow Falls
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Big Island Candies
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Lili'uokalani Gardens
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Youth ages 10 years and older only are allowed on this tour. All participants must have a paid seat. We do not allow children under the age of 10 years old.
- Covered walking shoes are required and a jacket is highly recommended.
- Participants must be able to walk a minimum of 1 mile on uneven terrain.
- Operates in all weather conditions (be prepared for sun, wind and rain).
- 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.
- 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.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 438 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Kim_B, Jul 2026
Josh was a great tour guide and shared many stories about the island. As I hurt my knee prior to this excursion, he was very accommodating. Took us to many beautiful sights that we soon will not forget. If you have the chance to do this tour with him or Jill you will not be disappointed.
Loretta_H, Jul 2026
Our Hilo tour was a wonderful experience! Visiting Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and exploring the incredible lava tubes was truly unforgettable. The scenery was breathtaking, and learning about the island’s volcanic history made the experience even more meaningful.
Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, sharing fascinating facts and stories throughout the day. He kept the tour engaging, answered all of our questions, and made sure everyone had a great experience. We never felt rushed and had plenty of time to enjoy each stop.
If you’re visiting the Big Island, I highly recommend this tour. It was the perfect combination of natural beauty, history, and outstanding hospitality!
Robert_M, Jul 2026
We had Josh as our tour guide, and he was all around awesome. He had a great deal of knowledge about Hilo and the volcano having grown up in the region and also having worked at the Volcano National Park previously.
He knew all the best spots to take us for both the lava viewing (got very lucky to have the volcano vent go active on our tour day; day before and after there was no lava flowing).
The Rainbow Falls were a nice surprise - very beautiful there! Great photo opportunities there on your first stop.
The last stop was the candy shop, which was exceptionally delicious and very artisan. Highly recommend the shortbread cookies and the Ice Cream Pie w/chocolate crust.
All in all was a fantastic experience that we will never forget. Mahalo Josh & Jill.
Kim_W, Jul 2026
This was a great experience that had a little something for everyone. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we leaned a lot about the landscape, culture and history.
Lisa_R, Jul 2026
Informative. A great way to get a feel for the island. Guide very knowledgeable. Nice to have native guides.
Mabry_H, Jun 2026
Great tour of Rainbow falls, Volcano Park, and Liliuokalani Park! It lasts about 3 1/2 hours. We had a great time.
Todd_S, Jun 2026
Great experience with knowledgeable tour guide and driver. Josh was fantastic! He gave us so much information about the island.
ERIC_H, Jun 2026
Take lots of pictures and videos. The sights are amazing and Jill did a magnificent job telling the history of the island.
Robin_H, May 2026
Our tour, led by Jill, was very informative and fun. We enjoyed Jill’s stories of life on a volcano and her kindness. We saw much more in one day than we could have on our own and had so much fun!
Lois_L, May 2026
Great tour great tour guide!! Rainbow falls was beautiful and the volcano was awesome. Relaxing tour with lots of interesting stories and history.
Mark_T, May 2026
Our guide, Jill, was very knowledgeable and a great storyteller! We saw some great sights and had a wonderful experience.
Bethany_K, May 2026
Josh was an amazing tour guide, super knowledgeable and funny!! Very attentive and the snacks were a bonus
Gretchen_F, May 2026
Very easy to find the tour guide at the Hilo cruise terminal and Josh was an excellent guide. Rainbow Falls is very pretty but I’m originally from Buffalo, NY so Niagara Falls makes me pretty biased on the magnificence of other falls. Great experience at Volcanoes National Park, and I enjoyed the brief stops at the Gardens and macadamia nut factory.
Perry_W, May 2026
Jill was great and when we told her that Kilauea was erupting she took us straight to it! We had great views of it and got out of the park befor it got crazy busy!
Douglas_R, Apr 2026
What a great tour!! Jill was a fantastic host and was so pleasant, knowledgeable, and kind. The transportation was excellent with only 12 total guests. The itinerary was excellent and the tour of the volcano was spectacular. A true must do when in Hilo! Once again a spectacular day, don’t hesitate to book this tour.
Laurie_Y, Apr 2026
The walking was doable. Great view. Great variety of experiences. Comfortable ride to and from excursion
Rick_O, Apr 2026
Josh was very knowledgeable and entertaining. He had lots of great stories about the islands history
Jeanne_H, Apr 2026
Jill was an excellent tour guide. I highly recommend this company for anyone who visits Hilo. Very informative and knowledgeable. It was a pleasure ❤️
Deanna_J, Apr 2026
A great way to spend an afternoon! Multiple stops along the way with opportunities to buy souvenirs. Great guide!
Jamie_F, Apr 2026
Amazing day seeing the Hilo and Volcano National Park. Jill was a wonderful guide and all the stops were seemless.
John_E, Apr 2026
The tour guide was amazing. Although the Volcano had erupted the day before and we were not able to access the entire park, he made sure we had an opportunity to see it and the lava tubes. I had a great time. Highly recommend.
Christine_G, Mar 2026
Bucket List♥️This was one of the best times of my life. I could have not imagined having a better ambassador for your island. Thank you for sharing your culture and knowledge with us.
Lee_R, Mar 2026
This volcano tour was absolutely incredible—easily one of the highlights of our trip! The landscapes were unlike anything we’ve ever seen, from dramatic lava fields to breathtaking crater views. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the whole experience both fun and informative.
Robin_C, Mar 2026
Jill was a fabulous tour guide. Highlight of our tour was seeing the March 10 eruption at Volcano National Park! Rainbow Falls was breathtaking as was Liliuokalini Gardens. The Big Island chocolate factory was a great stop too - especially all the delicious samples. Jill was great with communication pre-tour. Highly recommend this company & tour!
Catherine_N, Mar 2026
Jill was an informative guide and pointed out the sights on the tour. Her directions were accurate and I would certainly be happy to take another tour with her
Keith_H, Feb 2026
Jill was our driver. Our tour was within a Mercedes van, and both were wonderful! First stop was Rainbow Falls. This was a very nice, picturesque waterfall, but unfortunately, due to the recent drought, there wasn't enough water spray to create the "rainbow" effect. The Volcanoes were really interesting to walk near the caldera's and see the craters edge. The Volcano House offered an additional perspective on the caldera, and was a cool place to see. We missed the most recent eruption by about a week. Although, there was still residue from the previous eruption on the roofs of the buildings. Next up was the Lava Tubes, which are the caves left behind from a lava flow. Very interesting to see this and how it was formed. The gardens were very nice, with a view of the bay in Hilo.
I would suggest this tour, as it covers a variety of different locations.
Bobby_H, Feb 2026
Josh was awesome! He had a great personality and was so informed about the sites we saw as well as historical information about the island. Probably the best guide ever. He was so knowledgable about each place we went. The entire trip was a learning experience. Kilauea Volcano was my favorite. Use his excursion.
Scott_S, Feb 2026
Josh was the best guide ever!! He was very knowledgeable and kind. We saw a lot and learned a lot along the way. Found out we love taro chips! From the volcano stops, park, lava beds to the chocolate store, it was a wonderful experience.
Kelvin_L, Feb 2026
We highly recommend this excursion! Our tour guide Jill was very knowledgable and gave us lots of history about Hilo and the Hawaiian Islands. She was born and raised there, so she knows her stuff! We were on the Pride of America cruise and we saw a nd learned a lot more than we would have through a ship sponsored excursion. The price was well worth it!
Momathan, Feb 2026
Very scenic, rainy but delightful thanks to the trip person who commandeered the van and provided wonderful perspective historically and locally.
From $187.95
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Hilo Shore Excursion: Active Volcano, Lava Tube, Waterfall and Gardens
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