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Big Island in a Day: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, Sightseeing, History

Big Island in a Day: Volcanoes, Waterfalls, Sightseeing, History

Overview

This 12 hour nature tour offers an in-depth look at Hawaii’s youngest and largest island. Explore the diverse landscape and natural wonders, including a visit of the Volcanoes National Park, walk through rainforests to soaring waterfalls and stroll black-sand beaches as you scan the horizon for green sea turtles. This family-friendly tour requires easy walking and introduces people of all ages to the island, and includes lunch, snacks, refreshments, and park entrance fees.

City: Big Island of Hawaii

Mon 18 Nov

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $220.32

Make a reservation

Mon 18 Nov

Starting at $220.32

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Bottled Water

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Small Group Tour Lead by a Professional Guide

Luxury Mercedes Sprinter Van Transportation

Lunch

All Fees and Taxes

Additional Info

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately.
Children under 4 years old are not allowed to participate
This tour only departs from Kailua Kona and Waikoloa on the Big Island of Hawaii
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands

What To Expect

Kohala Coast

Pick up guests from resorts along the Kohala Coast while enjoying a narrated tour with unique landscape and scenic view.

Kailua Pier

Drive through the historic Downtown Kona, home to the summer palace of Hawaiian royalty and oldest church in Hawaii.

Bay View Farm

Take a tour of this Kona Coffee Farm to learn about the harvesting and milling process while sampling Kona Coffee and Tea.

Punalu'u Black Sand beach

Dip your toes in the sand at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach and scan the horizon for green sea turtles on the shore

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Explore the wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, including steam vents, the Halema’uma’u and Kilauea Iki crater lookouts, past lava flow sites, and take a short hike along crater rim trail and lava tube.

Nahuku - Thurston Lava Tube

Walk along a bridge that gives you a literal inside look at Hawaii, as you follow it to the eerie Thurston Lava Tube, a 600-foot-long (183-meter) cave formed hundreds of years ago by an underground river of magma.

Hilo

Drive through historical Downtown Hilo, the largest city on the island.

Rainbow Falls

This 80-foot falls plunges over a natural lava cave and into the Wailuku River below. On a sunny day, rainbows appear in the mist of the falls, making for a magical view.

Akaka Falls State Park

This towering 442-foot (135-meter) waterfall plummets into a lush ravine at the center of a state park. You’ll enjoy a short walk through the vegetation for an up close view and plenty of photo ops.

Waipi'o Valley

The views stop you in your tracks at the Waipio Valley lookout, where a dramatic backdrop of lush cliffs drops into the sparkling blue ocean

Parker Ranch

Driver through the scenic green pasture of Parker Ranch, home of the Hawaiian cowboys and one of the largest ranches in the US.

Show 8 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (1000)

MikeC102

Nov 2022

The entire trip was fantastic. The Kona Coffee Farm was very good, as was sampling the coffees. They really are good. The Punalu’u Black Sand Beach was very cool. Our guide explained how it was formed. We saw a sea turtle and a sea snake. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was one of the highlights. The views were perfect. Walking through the Thurston Lava Tube was a lot of fun. Seeing both the Akaka Falls and the Rainbow Falls was beautiful. We also saw one of the islands wild pigs along the rail to the Akaka Falls. The plant life was exceptionally beautiful. I saw a few species that were completely new to me, with the Crown Ginger flower looking almost alien to Earth. The size and colors were way cool. We made it to the Waipio Valley lookout point in time to enjoy the incredible view. So many surprising things: Although just a lunch, it was probably the best lunch I ever had on a day tour like this. It was even warm and the flavors were very good. The bus itself was roomy, which is a good thing considering you drive over 300 miles. The one thing, person actually, that tied everything together and made the experience so much more than just seeing wonderful sights was our guide Jacklyn Ballard. Wow! She knows geology, plant and animal life, geography, and a lot of history regarding the origins of the Hawaiian people and their cultural growth. I don't know how she kept talking and was always pointing out little facts about buildings, beaches, like the Magic Sand Beach, and shops while we were driving around. She also answered all questions we were asking throughout the trip. She kept us well hydrated and had multiple snacks to keep us going, as well as a surprise trat at the end. She was so considerate about everyone's specific needs. That woman is like the Eveready Bunny and was always so darn happy. She truly loves her job and her love of Hawaii was contagious to everyone on the trip.

katecP690TS

Nov 2022

Took the tour yesterday & cannot give enough kudos to the tour & in particular, Jaclyn, our guide. It was a FULL day tour beginning with pick up at our hotel at 7:10 till return after dark around 6:30 PM. We experienced a comprehensive tour of the Big Island including a fantastic view of the volcano caldera, waterfalls, a black sand beach with an up-close view of a sea turtle, a stop at the Kona Coffee Plantation including free samples & the absolute best homemade banana bread for sale, We literally rode around the island, a 300 mile adventure in a day. BUT these are just places. Jaclyn gave us a thorough appreciation of Hawaiian culture, history, geography, language, crops & natural resources, and an abundance of suggestions that might appeal to our groups diverse interests & time constraints. AND..... this young woman is a fabulous storyteller, has a great sense of humor, a willingness to please her guests & encourage a love of her island that is contagious. We had a great lunch, water bottles & snacks offered frequently, & comfortable timing for bathroom breaks. Take my advise & book a trip through this company & if you’re fortunate enough to get Jaclyn as your guide, you can be assured of a quality & well-worth-your-money full day trip of the Big Island in Hawaii.

tanyaj967

Nov 2022

What a great way to experience all the Big Island has in a single day! Mia our tour guide was absolutely fabulous. She intermixed history, local traditions and folklore as we traveled around the Big Island from Kona, to a coffee factory, to Black sand beaches and an AMAZING Portuguese Bakery (get malasadas for a snack and a sandwich for later, everything was so good and tasty). We then headed to Volcano National Park to view the crater from a couple different vantage points and to walk through a lavatube then headed to different water falls and the most spectacular valley/overlook. It was 100% a long day, but I would absolutely do it again. There were lots of snacks and water/juice on the tour ride and several opportunities to stop and view the amazing sites (and use the facilities). Mia even had a star rating system for the restroom facilities we encountered which was very appreciated by the ladies 😂. There were USB charging ports in the van so take lots of pictures (but bering a charging cable if you need one). Highly recommend this tour and Mia as your tour guide!!