Volcano Express Tour: Kona Departure

Explore the wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on this luxury small-group tour limited to 13 people.

instant confirm • free cancellation

  • 8 Hours

Volcano Express: from $239

8 Hours

Lunch

Easy

Overview

This 8-hour small-group tour caters to adventurous travelers who want to experience Hawaii’s mighty volcanoes. It lets you discover the stunning natural beauty of the Big Island’s volcanoes on a tour limited to 13 people. Enjoy round-trip transportation in a luxury Mercedes Mini-Coach with towel services, refreshments, and local guidance on this volcano day tour.

  • Duration 11 hours
  • Complementary Kona Coffee
  • Learn about the traditions, customs and history of the Hawaiian people
  • Hot towel service in the vehicle, carefully selected meals and refreshments, and expert local guidance

The Experience

Highlights

  • A carefully planned route of the Big Island’s top 3 highlights
  • Spend most of your day at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, entrance included
  • Stand at the top of the Kilauea volcano looking down into the craters
  • Admire the mighty Rainbow Falls in Hilo
  • Appreciate the majestic sea turtles of Punaluʻu black sand beach
  • Fuel up with included lunch to maximize your time at the sights 
  • Enjoy hot/cold towel service and refreshments all day
  • Choose from Waikoloa and Kailua-Kona departures

Itinerary

On this volcano tour, you’ll have many moments to appreciate the incredible power of nature. Here’s what you can expect during this small-group experience.

Centralized Pickup

Welcome aboard our luxury Mercedes-Benz sprinter, and allow Kailani Tours the pleasure of guiding you in ultimate comfort on your all-inclusive Volcano Express Tour. We have two (2) designated centralized pickup locations including Waikoloa and Kailua-Kona departures. Please see additional “Start Point” information provided below.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: Punaluʻu Bake Shop (Kona Departure)

Visit the southernmost bakery in the U.S.! Arrive at the charming roadside bakery, known for its delectable assortment of baked goods. Watch busy bakers make delicious treats as people choose Hawaiian sweetbreads and Portuguese malasadas from the glass cases. Bonus: Your guide will pre order malasadas so you can skip the line and enjoy the snack. If time permits, take advantage of the opportunity to gather extra baked goods at your own expense.

Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The crown jewel of the Big Island contains two of the world’s most active volcanoes — Kilauea and Mauna Loa. We visit the Visitor's Center, feel the hot steam vents, and go to the Kilauea and Kilauea Iki craters. It is then a short 20-minute hike through a 500-year-old cave called Nahuku or the Thurston Lava Tube. This cave sits at 3,900 feet elevation, which is only a fraction of the Mauna Loa peak at 13,679 feet elevation. The visitors’ center hosts interesting and interactive displays. Your guide will teach you about volcanic activity on the Big Island. They will explain the types of volcanoes, how they form, lava flow, and their impact on the environment. Please note: In the event of an active lava flow or an eruption that poses a threat, we will not be able to access certain parts of the park for safety reasons.

Refresh at Rainbow Falls (Waikoloa/ Last Stop - Kona)

On this stop, expect to step into a lush oasis of fragrant blooms and serenading birds. Follow the gentle mist, which leads to the renowned 80-foot Rainbow Falls. Cascading over a lava cavern into Wailuku River, it's said to shelter Hawaiian Goddess Hina. On a sunny day, light reflects off the mist created by the falls and often creates a vibrant rainbow.

Treat Yourself to Big Island Candies (Waikoloa Departure)

The smell of freshly baked shortbread pulls you into the air-conditioned showroom, filled with neatly displayed colorful boxes. Check out a range of Hawaiian snacks made with locally sourced coffee and macadamia nuts. You can buy these delicious treats as souvenirs (at your own expense).

Centralized Drop-Off

After your tour ends, you will head back comfortably to the starting point in central Kailua-Kona where your adventure began.

Select date, guests, and preference for ticket availability

Start Point

Start Times

Day Tour Start Time- 7:45am
Night Tour Start Time- 2:30 pm

Pickups available at all major west Hawaii hotel and resorts. Please select your pickup location upon booking.

Inclusions

  • Binoculars & Umbrellas to Use at Your Leisure
  • Park Entry Fee: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
  • Tour Led by Passionate Guides with Local Knowledge
  • Hot Towel Service & Refreshments Available as Needed

Additional Information

  • Wear closed-toe comfortable walking shoes, please no flip flops for your safety
  • Dress in easily removable layers for optimum comfort throughout the many microclimates this tour encounters
  • Bring a lightweight jacket, we have umbrellas available for you to use if needed
  • Bring your phone and/or camera chargers to use in the Sprinter

Cancellation Policies

  • Cancellations confirmed prior to 48 hours of the tour start time are eligible to receive a refund in full.
  • No refund is possible if cancellation attempt is less than 48 hours prior to the tour start time.

Reviews

Cassandra Pringle
@CassandraPringle
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The best tour we have had on our trip! You really do get to experience the very best sights of the Big Island, all in one day. From the volcanoes, black sand beaches, turtles, coffee and wine, you are truly spoilt. Our guide Zachary was awesome, very knowledgeable, funny and keeps the tour running at a good pace.

The vehicle was comfy and we were given loads of tasty snacks and meals along the way! Well worth it!
Chris L
@Chris L
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June 2023, we did the island tour 11 hour trip with Kailani tours. Debra was our tour guide for the day. She is an AMAZING tour guide. So much knowledge about the island, the volcanos and everything we drove past. She is an amazing story teller. If you ever want to know the story of Captain Cook and the big island, ask her!!!! The tour did not seem long even though it was 11 hours. My teens were both engaged for the entire trip! The coffee was great, though there needs to be some cream and sugar. 😀. The snacks were brought out at just the right times, she had plenty of waters and juices for the entire van. The van was very nice and always at a comfortable temperature. I would highly recommend this tour and even more so, Debra as the guide. Thank you for making our vacation day totes amazing!!! Maybe we will see you in PHX some day. 😀😀
Kelli Melton
@KelliMelton
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We booked the big island circle tour and had the most amazing time! Chris was our tour guide and he was the absolute best! A local of the island and showed us all there is to see and have great recommendations of spots to visit later! I couldn’t recommend this tour enough! 10/10
Brittany Dintaman
@BrittanyDintaman
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Great experience! Our guide Sam shared with us lots of knowledge about the island. This was one of my favorite experiences of the trip! We loved all of the stops and never felt rushed. There were 11 people total on the tour. I definately recommend you do the Big Island Highlights Day Tour on the Big Island, then rent a vehicle and go back to the places you want to spend more time.
Beth Camero
@BethCamero
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What a great tour! It was very long and I wondered if it would be too much for me but there were plenty of breaks with meals and snacks and drinks.

We saw the black sand beach and big sea turtles, a beautiful coffee plantation, a winery complete with wine tasting, a stop at the southernmost bakery in the US, the beautiful Rainbow Falls, and the VOLCANO! The driver/tour guide ,John Gary, was knowledgeable and pleasant. The Mercedes van was quiet and comfortable.

I highly recommend this Big Island Highlights Day tour if you are on the Big Island.
Calbert Lai
@CalbertLai
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My wife and I did the 11 hour Big Island Circle and Volcanoes Tour.on our first full day on the Big Island. It was an absolutely fabulous experience! The tour took us around the island. We saw some key sites and gave us some ideas of where we want to explore more deeply on the rest of our trip. I would recommend doing this tour early on your trip. It will give you a great survey of the entire island. You will then be able to focus the rest of your time here on what you really enjoyed. Our guide/driver, Kona Chris, was absolutely fantastic! Very energetic, knowledgeable, friendly, and entertaining. The tour included food in several beautiful settings. They had good food, table settings, and drinks. A well-organized and first class event. Highly recommended!
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FAQs

o We want to accommodate all dietary needs and restrictions of our guests including, but not limited to: vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free, lactose-intolerant, or any food-related allergies.Please, notify us immediately if anyone in your party has dietary restrictions.


By notifying us early, we are best able to prepare your tour meal, snack, and beverage needs accordingly. Should there be no contact by 12:00 PM, the day prior to your tour, the meals ordered on your behalf will default to regular with no restrictions. Since gathering these details is time sensitive, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Though we have a compact collapsible wheelchair available for guests, our guides are not able to push or 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, a private tour can also be arranged for your party.

Tips and gratuities are not required, though greatly appreciated. Your guide works hard to ensure you are feeling safe, entertained, comfortable and satisfied for 11+ hours while on tour. If you find your guide to provide exceptional service, you are welcome to thank them through gratuity.

Infants, toddlers, or children under 5 years of age are not permitted on public tours. A private tour will need to be secured for families traveling with small children.

To abide by Hawaiʻi State Law, all children 3 years and younger must be in a proper safety seat.

Children aged 4 to 7 who weigh between 40 and 80 pounds and are less than 57 inches tall must be in a booster seat.

We have all child seat options available upon request. Please, notify us of your children’s age and seat requirements as soon as possible.

We have luxury SUVs available for small parties (1-4 passengers) and Mercedes Sprinter or Smartliner Mini-Coaches for large parties (4-12 passengers). The most common reasons for guests to choose a private tour over a public tour include the ability to go at your own pace, a customizable itinerary with tour flexibility, customizable timing, customizable pickup/drop off locations, upgraded meals/snack baskets/beverages, enjoying time with your own group, a more intimate experience, any age is permitted, and you’ll be placed with a tenured guide.

Passionate Guides

Our guides know the area — and its stories — better than anyone. Expect history, local folklore, and the untold legends of this magnificent island.

Convenience and Ease

Everything we do is designed to help you have an unforgettable, premium experience from start to finish

A True Love of the Land

We take pride in being able to share culturally significant stories as we take you from Kailua-Kona’s coffee region to Punalu’u Black Sand Beach and Kilauea Volcano.

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