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Common Questions Answered

We hope to provide you with as much information as possible to help guide you in choosing a tour experience with us. If you have further questions, please contact us with any additional inquiries.

The primary difference between these two tours is the Big Island Highlights Day Tour is a daytime tour that includes the Winery and Rainbow Falls. The Deluxe Volcanoes and Dinner Tour focuses on the volcano, seeing a possible eruption at night, and enjoying an elevated restaurant dinner.

We always recommend sturdy close-toed shoes, a hat or sun protection, and a sweater if you get cold easily.

We offer just about everything. Our shared daily tours are our most popular, but we have tour specialists that can customize and design tours for private and group tours of all sizes. We utilize several different vehicle types to accommodate nearly all budgets and preferences. Our fleet is constantly growing, so we can handle groups of nearly any size. 

Kailani Tours Hawaii will provide your meals, snack baskets, beverages, hiking gear, light jacket (rain), umbrellas, flashlights, other related gear for all weather conditions, and items to help with car sickness/nausea. Please come prepared with close-toed shoes, a hat or sun coverage, a camera, and a sweater if you get cold easily.

That time will be specific to your booking and depends upon your selected pickup location. Please make sure to double-check your pickup location and the exact pickup time is written on your confirmation so you do not miss your tour. Kailani Tours’ Reservation Team will reach out two to three days before your tour to confirm your dietary needs and the exact pick-up time to ensure timely departures.

If you are not staying at a Resort or Hotel on our list of 40 pick-up locations on the West side of the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, then we have multiple centralized spots available with free and well-lit parking in the Kailua-Kona and Waikoloa areas. This is very important to have scheduled as early as possible. In the event you need to cancel your tour, you will need to know when your cancellation window expires. For the Express tour: Pick up is at the Target on Makala Boulevard in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi.

Although we don’t offer regular transportation services, we offer luxury VIP transportation options for private tours and groups. For routine airport shuttle services, please contact Speedishuttle, Kona Taxicab, UBER, Lyft, or several taxi companies on the island.

While cameras are welcome, drones are not allowed in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. 

Though we have a compact collapsible wheelchair available for guests, our guides cannot push/assist with wheelchair mobility. Our tours are active and require some physical exertion. While on tour guests may experience some or all of the following: a large step up into the van, tight aisles, steep hills in either direction, stairs, uneven surfaces, wet surfaces, and loose sand. If you have any questions or would like to know more details about the physical aspects of your specific tour, please contact Kailani Tours staff at 808-938-4057 or [email protected].

Kailani Tours prefers small-group experiences, generally booking no more than 12 guests per vehicle. The Mercedes fleet consists of 15 passenger vehicles. If you’re looking for something even more intimate, private tours can also be arranged.

Yes, you’re more than welcome to join our shared daily tours or select a private SUV for a more intimate and personalized experience. 
While our fleet is growing daily, we primarily operate 15 passenger luxury Mercedes Sprinter mini-coaches and Smartliners. We also have recently purchased a line of SUVs available for small groups, private VIP services, or airport transportation. 

You will be given the opportunity to exit the vehicle to enjoy the lush and unique landscapes of all the points of interest. All walks are optional and it is up to you how far you walk at these destinations. The Thurston Lava Tube is the most strenuous part of the tour with roughly 15 steps down, a twenty-minute or 1/3 mile hike through the tube, and roughly 20 steps up.

All tours were designed to make sure that we make frequent bathroom stops. Guides will point out recommended bathroom stops and will help plan the next one. If bathroom stops are a priority, please call us directly and we will make sure your guide is aware of any special requests. We’ll do whatever is possible to ensure a comfortable and worry-free touring experience.

We plan for a full day of touring when exploring Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, so each full day tour is approximately 11 hours. While that may seem like a long day, our guides make frequent stops to coffee farms, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and other exciting locations to add to an amazing full day tour. We aim to spend more time outside of the vehicle than inside to maximize the tour day. We’ve designed our tours to create a relaxing day of sightseeing, comfort, and entertainment to create the ultimate touring experience. 

Our tours are experiential with a focus on natural beauty and wanderlust. Some of our tour locations offer items for sale and you’re more than welcome to purchase items while on tour. Kailani Tours does not receive any residual benefits from visiting any of our tour locations. Our vetted partners are trusted, and we love to share their offerings with our guests.

This tour includes a variety of refreshments and snacks in the vehicle and covers all tastings, meals, and entrance fees required. We work closely with coffee roasters, wineries, and other establishments on the island to bring you exclusive tastings and experiences.

There aren’t any facilities on board. However, we plan to make frequent restroom stops throughout the tour. 

Tips and gratuities are not required, they are greatly appreciated though. Your guide works hard to keep you safe, entertained, and satisfied for 11+ hours. The wealth of information you’ll be exposed to is impressive. The guides spend a lot of time training and perfecting their skills for you. So, if you enjoy yourself, if your guide gives impeccable attention to your needs, and if you feel safe in their care, then show them your appreciation for a job well done! Of course, this is only a recommendation but common tipping for full-day excursions ranges between $20-$40 per person.

Hawaiʻi laws do not permit the consumption of or an open container of alcohol in any vehicle. There are stops on the tours that offer adult beverages that you are able to purchase specifically. We ask you to remember restrooms are not always readily available and motion sickness is already a common occurrence on island roads. We ask that you drink responsibly while in our care. Kailani Tours reserves the right to ask a guest to disembark if necessary.