Big Island in a Day: Explore Volcanoes, Waterfalls and History on Hawaii’s Largest Island

Embark on a thrilling 12-hour adventure on Hawaii’s Big Island, exploring volcanoes, waterfalls, and rich history. Discover the wonders of Volcanoes National Park, hike through lush rainforests to breathtaking waterfalls, and relax on black-sand beaches. Perfect for all ages, this family-friendly tour includes lunch, snacks, and park entrance fees.

Duration: 11 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • 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.

What's Included
  • Bottled Water
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Small Group Tour lead by Professional Guide
  • Luxury Mercedes Sprinter Van Transportation
  • Lunch included
  • All fees and taxes covered
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a 12-hour nature excursion that provides a detailed exploration of Hawaii’s largest and most recent island. Discover the assorted terrains and natural phenomena, including a tour of the Volcanoes National Park. Traverse through lush rainforests to towering waterfalls and wander along black-sand beaches looking out for green sea turtles. This tour, suited for families, demands minimal walking and involves people of all age groups. It also covers lunch, snacks, drinks, and the cost of admission to the park.

  • 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
  • Itineraries may change, and refunds will not be given for closures and itinerary changes out of our control. Tours run rain or shine.
  • Vegetarian or gluten free meals are available, please advise at time of booking if required
  • Not possible for travelers require walkers/wheelchairs
Location
Kohala Coast
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(5141 Ratings)
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Robert_d
Jul 25, 2024
Great Experience and Knowledgeable Tour Guide - The tour was long, but got to see many of the highlights on the island. Our tour guide, Brent, was very knowledgeable about the sites and history of the island. All the stops were scenic and beautiful!
Review provided by Viator
Christina
Jul 14, 2024
Unforgettable day - One of the best experiences we had in Hawaii! Our tour guides name was Dreu and trying to describe him is hard because there are not enough words to say how great he was! He was so knowledgeable, funny and went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yvette
Jul 5, 2024
So fun! - Our guide, Dreu was engaging and incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the Island and culture. As for a 12 hour tour, it flew by easily. I loved it. When visiting Hawaii in the future, I would request Dreu.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michellefuhr
Jul 5, 2024
Informative and Beautiful - From the moment we met our tour guide Dreu, he was entertaining. I was in awe of the amount of historical information about the Big Island he gave us! It is a long day and the tour guide can make or break it. He did an excellent job. He has a lot of passion for Hawaii. We visited most all of the areas that were advertised and a couple others. They were all beautiful. I liked that we started the day at a coffee farm and got to try a bunch of different types of coffees. We also made a shop at a popular bake shop. Dreu had plenty of waters, a few snacks, bento lunch of chicken and rice, and we were on the road probably an hour at a time between stops , so there were plenty of places to use the bathroom. You could tell that he was trying to make sure we were all as comfortable as we could be. He filled us with history and humor. Thank you! It was with the money!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michellecy4128ay
Jun 30, 2024
Best Big Island Tour - This was an amazing 12 hour tour. We hit all of the important areas of the Big Island. Our tour guide Dreu provided incredible amounts of Hawaiian history in a light entertaining format as we visited many of top attractions on the Big Island. I highly recommend this tour as it gives a great overview of the Big Island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Delisa_k
Jun 20, 2024
Worth it! - So glad we booked this tour. Our guide, Kona Chris, was AMAZING. So informative and personable. Genuine good person that I wish lived in my neighborhood. The tour checked off all the places on our list, in a comfortable van. Not too much walking required, which allowed us to take it all in. But plenty of walking opportunities to stretch the legs, for those who choose to do so. This is the best option if you want to see the most recommended places on The Big Island. I would not want to drive those winding, high altitude roads, on our own. And the amount of information we received about each location, was valuable. Anther plus, we were able to squeeze in an extra stop to get donuts at Punalu'u Bake Shop! Helpful tips for travelers: - I brought a little tote to carry a change of shoes and sweatshirt. Some parts are chilly and the vans ac can be cold too. Plus, the big island has some rainy and very windy parts. - Eat a little breakfast, as it may be several hours before lunch. - Bring a tip. It is well deserved.
Review provided by Viator
Roberttm9306if
Jun 20, 2024
Stare at a waterfall for 30 seconds... - This is a fantastic tour. If you are new to the Big Island, this tour will show you what's out there and what you may want to return and spend more time visiting. Our tour guide David was extremely knowledgeable and made the trip a double 5-star tour. Stare at a waterfall for 30 seconds and then look to the right and see what happens
Review provided by Tripadvisor
444paulinaz
Jun 15, 2024
Felix was the best tour guide! Highly recommend booking this tour if you want to see a little bit of the whole island :) - We had THE best tour guide EVER!!! Felix treated us like his Ohana and made our first trip to Hawaii unforgettable. He was so funny and charismatic, sweet, attentive, soooo knowledgeable and he’s only been here 3 years!! He gave us so many cool stories about the island every piece of the way. He made sure we were well hydrated and provided some delicious snacks. He showed us his discovery of rainbow lava and it was the most beautiful lava you will ever see! Truly such an experience. I can’t forget the best part he saved for the end, the fruit stand!!! This was our last “unofficial” stop of the tour and it was the best and most fresh fruit I have ever had. Felix went out of his way to bring us here and share the joy the fruit stand has brought him and previous tour goers. Felix’s boss if you are reading this pleaseeeee add the fruit stand to the tour. Everyone deserves to experience this especially for their first time in Hawaii like it was for us. Will definitely be coming back and requesting Felix for all future tours :) he was the best.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mallory_c
Jun 15, 2024
Fun day - Great experience! Loved the variety of activities! It’s a lot of driving but well worth it. Just enjoy the scenery
Review provided by Viator
Sampp5373nc
Jun 14, 2024
Best Tour on the Island - Absolutely the best tour on the island. Our guide Dreu was incredibly knowledgeable about every aspect of Hawaiian life and all of our stops. We really appreciated his love and care for the Hawaiian islands. I can’t emphasize enough how great he was as a guide and highly recommend this tour in general. For being 12 hours long it flies by and leaves you wanting more. I will definitely be doing the historical and volcano trips in the future!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 14 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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