By Stephanie Namahoe Launiu
If you’re a cruise ship passenger docking for the day in either Hilo or Kona on the Big Island, do you have enough time for a day tour to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park?
And if there’s enough time to make it up the hill to Kilauea Volcano, is it worth the time and money?
The answer to both questions is YES! Take it from me, a lifelong Big Islander, you’ll never live it down when you tell your friends you traveled to Hawai‘i Island and never bothered to see the volcano.
Should You Take a Tour from Hilo or Kona?
Cruises differ on whether they dock in Hilo or Kona. Some cruise lines spend a day in each port. Others only land in one or the other. Most cruises will give their passengers, at the most, an 8 or 9-hour day to see local sights. Cruise ships usually want to see their passengers back on the ship in the mid-to-late afternoon to set sail about 5 or 6pm.
The town of Hilo on the eastern end of the island is only 33 miles from the volcano. When you disembark in the town of Kailua-Kona on the western end, you’ll be 95 miles from the volcano.
Common sense will tell you – if you want to do a volcano excursion in Hawai‘i – do it from Hilo.
Should You Rent a Car and Tour Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Your Own?
It’s only natural to want to get the most for your money when on vacation. Especially when there’s so much that you want to see in Hawai‘i. It seems like everything is competing for your dollar.
The day trip prices that are advertised onboard the major cruise lines are hefty. In comparison, the price of a rental car for a day seems so affordable.
There’s one major problem. If you’ve never been to Hilo or the Big Island before, you don’t know your way around. You could waste a lot of time trying to navigate a Hawai‘i volcano excursion on your own. With just 8 hours for your day trip, leave it to the local experts and enjoy a fully narrated, guided tour of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and other sights around the Hilo area. You won’t regret it.
Will You See Lava on Your Tour?
Not usually, unless Kilauea Volcano in the National Park is erupting in Halema‘uma‘u Crater. One of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea recently erupted in December 2024 and is still erupting at the time of publication. From 1983 to September 2018, Kilauea erupted almost non-stop for more than 30 years.
It’s a special privilege to witness the eruption of Kilauea. Even if fresh lava is not flowing in the National Park when you visit, there is so much to see and learn about Hawai‘i Island’s volcanoes. You’ll be amazed when you realize that you are, indeed, on an island created by thousands of years of volcanic eruptions.
Massive volcanic craters, hot steam emanating from the ground, stark landscapes of hardened black lava, underground lava tubes to explore – these are all part of what you will see on a guided tour.
Flexibility is the Name of the Game
What do you do when you want to maximize the 8 hours that you have on the ground in Hilo? What if you want to take a guided tour of the National Park AND take a helicopter to see the volcano from the air? Can you leave the group early and return to the ship? What happens if the weather is bad?
If you have any questions that aren’t answered on this website, we have just the solution for you. Call our FREE CONCIERGE SERVICE at (808) 900 – 6070, and we’d be glad to help you plan your day in Hilo and your volcano excursion in Hawai‘i. The Big Island’s tour operators and drivers are islanders with one goal: Help travelers to have an awesome day!
The Volcano Adventure Tour: The Best Volcano Excursion in Hawaii
This tour runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday
This is, by far, the best guided tour of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park along with Hilo and its surrounding areas. In just one day, you’ll explore the best that East Hawai‘i has to offer at a price that is hard to beat.
I especially like that this is a small group tour of only 12-26 passengers. If you’ve been on a big group tour before, you’ll immediately feel the difference. The experience will be more personalized, and the day’s itinerary can be more flexible. The ride will either be in an air-conditioned van or minibus depending on the group’s size on the day of the tour. We don’t recommend this tour for women who are or may be pregnant because the poor air quality within the park.
Your all-inclusive price includes:
- Pick-up and drop-off.
- An 8-hour fully-narrated guided tour of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hilo area attractions
- Admission to the National Park and Akaka Falls State Park
- Delicious picnic lunch provided by Millie’s Deli, a local favorite
What Will a Typical Volcano Excursion on Hawaii be Like?
Your local tour driver will keep your day as flexible as possible. This is important because island weather is known to change quickly. A sunny morning could change into a rainy afternoon. Road conditions may be unpredictable because of traffic, road work or unpredictable hazards. But experienced local drivers who know the area well to be in charge of this volcano excursion in Hawai‘i.
A typical tour day starts with a 30+ mile ride from Hilo to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. You will hardly notice the gradual climb from sea level to 3000 foot elevation. On the way you’ll pass dense rainforest jungle and small rural towns.
Once you arrive at the National Park, you’ll spend much of the day exploring the dramatic landscape of past and present volcanic eruptions. You’ll only be able to explore a tiny fraction of this immense 523 square mile national park. Both Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes are inside the Park and are considered two of the most active volcanoes on Earth.
The other sights you’ll likely visit are:
- Halema‘uma‘u Crater Overlook – At this overlook you’ll see the expansiveness of this crater inside Kilauea’s main caldera. Hawaiian legends say that this massive Crater is home to Pele, the Volcano Goddess.
- Iki Crater Overlook – This smaller pit crater is next to Kilauea’s main caldera and is now a solidified lava lake.
- Steam Vents – It will amaze you how much molten lava runs deep underground when you watch hot vapor seeping up through the cracked surface.
- Nahuku Lava Tube – It’s cold and chilly as you walk through this huge lava cave that was created over 500 years ago when a river of hot lava ran through it and created a large air bubble that burst leaving this cave tunnel behind.
- Chain of Craters Road – Your tour driver will take you down this winding 20 mile well-paved road to ocean level. You’ll pass ancient remnants of eruptions, volcanic craters, and traces of the lava flows that entered the ocean.
After finding a spot to enjoy your picnic lunch, you’ll head back down to Hilo town.
If any tour passengers have booked a helicopter tour going back to the Volcano to view it from the air, the driver will head to Hilo Airport to drop them off.
Afterwards, you’ll drive along the coastline heading away from Hilo for about 13 miles through a picturesque town called Honomū. At the back of the town is Akaka Falls, with its 442-foot drop. There’s a short hike to a viewing platform where you can feel the power of the waterfall. You’ll have a great vantage point for taking photos.
Then you’ll return to historic Downtown Hilo where you’ll visit Rainbow Falls. The 80-foot-tall waterfall got its name from the rainbow that often forms on the waterfall mist after heavy rain.
After viewing Rainbow Falls, your driver may take you along Hilo’s Banyan Drive that is lined with banyan trees planted by famous visitors such as aviator Amelia Earhart, President Richard Nixon, and musician Louis Armstrong to name a few.
You might also make stops at the King Kamehameha Statue and Lili‘uokalani Gardens, a beautiful 24-acre Japanese-style garden fronting Hilo Bay with a close-up view of nearshore Coconut Island.
Note: If pressed for time, let the driver know if you’d rather leave the group early and take an Uber from Hilo to the Harbor on your own at the end of the day.
Some final notes on Volcano Excursions…
- If you want to return to the cruise ship before the tour has ended touring Downtown Hilo, let your driver know. There are taxis and Ubers in the downtown area that you can catch back to Hilo Harbor from there.
- Be prepared for unpredictable weather. Bring sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, a light jacket for chilly temperatures or light rain. Wear closed-toe shoes, not sandals or “flip-flops”. I recommend wearing jeans or other long pants, but you could pack shorts in your bag if it gets too hot.
- Make sure your cellphone is fully charged in the morning because you’ll want to take a lot of photos. If you have a mini flashlight, throw it in your bag.
- Bring your binoculars when you pack for your trip to Hawai‘i. You’ll have lots of times when you’ll want to use them.
- For this tour, there’s no charge for children under two years of age. But they won’t have their own seat. There’s a discounted rate for children ages 3-11. Be aware that commercial tour vehicles aren’t required by law to have child safety seats. Also, this isn’t the most child-friendly tour since much of the terrain you’ll encounter at the National Park isn’t easily maneuverable with a stroller.
- Most of all, have a great day in East Hawai‘i. I can almost guarantee that you’ll want more time on the island, and like many other visitors, you’ll return again…