Deluxe Big Island Day Tour, Volcanoes National Park & Dinner at Kilauea Lodge
Overall Rating
4.96
Great day in Hawaii!
Reviewed by: Firelight , 2023/12/16It was a great days long adventures around the island. I would highly recommend it!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/11/26 |
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Definitely do this!
Reviewed by: Susan & Dave, 2023/04/16This was a great way to see a lot in one day. The ride was very comfortable, our driver was extremely knowledgeable and engaging and we saw and learned so much!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/13 |
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Great way to get an all around tour of the island
Reviewed by: Mark B, 2023/02/12This tour was a great way to see the highlights of the entire Big Island. To start off, our tour guide, Christopher, was fantastic. He was exceptionally knowledgeable about the island, interesting to listen to, energetic, and willing to do anything needed to make our tour great. We started out being picked up at our resort in a very comfortable Mercedes van. We visited Kona Joes coffee farm where we had a good lunch. We toured the southern side of the island, and stopped at the Punalu’u Bake Shop to have excellent pastries. Next stop was the black sand beach where we watched the huge surf crashing into the rocky coast, and saw two very lazy green turtles sunning themselves on the beach. After that, we went to the Kilauea volcano crater to see it in the daytime. Wind and rain hampered this visit, so we went to dinner at a great resturant nearby. On the way, we stopped to tour the rain forest and walked through a lava tunnel. Both were great experiences. Finally, to top it all off, we say the lava eruptions at night at the crater. Fantastic experience...
Aloha Mark,
Thank you for your review, very thorough! Christopher is a gem of a guide for sure, we're so happy you enjoyed your day with us, and we hope your trip to the Big Island was great EVERY day.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/09 |
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The best tour we had in Hawaii!
Reviewed by: RnJ, 2022/12/05We had a great time! The whole tour was packed with well thought out stops.
Our guide Chris was a wealth of information on the history and culture of the island. We could not have asked for a better guide. He was engaging, attentive and professional. He never tired of the countless questions we had.
The coffee farm was the perfect setting for a quick lunch. The views were absolutely beautiful!
The dinner was nice and cozy and gave us a chance to get to know our fellow riders.
The night sky was incredible! Living in a city, we forget what the night sky really looks like beyond the skyscrapers and light pollution. Thank you for a great and for us, a very memorable tour!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/11/13 |
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Well-rounded tour
Reviewed by: Cathy Barbieri , 2022/11/05I must admit I almost didn’t book this tour because of the duration. I’m so glad we did though!! This tour was a fantastic blend experiences. Our guide was super knowledgeable and kept us engaged in conversation just enough. When we had stops to explore the coffee farm, black sand beach, lava tube, nighttime lava flow. None of the stops felt rushed or lingered too long. I would highly recommend this. It was one of the best experiences we had on our trip.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/10/10 |
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All day volcano.
Reviewed by: David/Ofelia , 2022/10/09I have to say, the the experience from the beginning was very impressive. Bruce, the tour guide reached out to everyone, he was very intelligent and very knowledgeable of all things we were doing. Bruce made sure everyone in the tour was taken care of, feed, and having a great time. At the volcano Brice made sure everyone in the group was safe and having a good time . We have been on many tours in the past and this by far was the most enjoyable tour we have ever taken. Thank you Brice for all you did.
David and Ofelia
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Aloha David and Ofelia,
Thank you for posting your review! We appreciate you taking the time to do so. Bryce is a special guide and we're lucky to have him on Team Kailani! We hope you enjoyed your time on the island!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/10/02 |
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Fantastic tour with great tour guide!
Reviewed by: Michelle Matheson, 2022/08/15Derek was awesome! This was a great way to see a lot in one day. Started out with amazing views at a coffee farm. Derek set up a nice picnic lunch there (turkey sandwich, bag of chips, and a delicious cookie). After that we went to the southernmost bakery in the United States. Malasadas were provided (either passion fruit or original) and you had the option to purchase any additional if you wanted. Then we headed to the black sand beach where we saw a turtle. It was beautiful there. After that we head to volcano National park where we saw some steam vents and some awesome views and then volcano house where they have an incredible views of the crater. We had dinner after that at Kilauea Lodge. The food was good and the service was excellent. Surprisingly we had live entertainment too (although we were told that was rare). Then we went on a mile walk in the dark to see the lava. Really flat and easy walk for the most part. The end is mostly rocks but not bad at all. Derek provided jackets, flashlights and had a telescope set up to enhance the views and we were lucky enough to have a very active night. Highlight of the trip!! Then we walked back and headed back home. Throughout the day there's a lot of driving but derek keeps everyone entertained with lots of stories about Hawaiian history and the geology of the islands. I found it all fascinating. The ride home is a bit longer ( 2 1/2ish hours but Derek put on a movie which made the time go by fast). We also stopped on the way home and were able to do some Star gazing. Throughout the day Derek provided water and drinks and snacks so we had everything we needed at all times. Overall it was the best tour we've ever been on. Highly recommend and well worth the price! Derek was the best!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/08/13 |
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Wonderful trip
Reviewed by: Maiya, 2022/07/26We had a great time with the deluxe volcano tour. Gary was professional, knowledgeable, nice and took a very good care of us and everyone in the trip. We had a yummy lunchbox and tasty three courses dinner with the nice ambiance. Lava flow at night was amazing. Thank you so much. Recommended!!
Aloha Maiye,
Thank you for recommending our Deluxe Volcano Experience tour, we really appreciate it. Your timing was impeccable to be able to see the eruption at Kilauea at night. It's a once in a lifetime experience for most folks and we're glad you experienced it! Gary is an awesome guide and thanks for giving him a shout out! We hope you enjoyed your stay on the Big Island.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/07/24 |
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Fantastic Tour!!!
Reviewed by: Cortney, 2022/07/05Overall this tour was the highlight of my trip to the big island (night swimming with mantas came in a close 2nd). It was super interesting and well paced. Our guide, Derek, really made the trip: he was informative, jovial, and generally lovely without being too jokey or overly pedantic, which really hit the tour guide sweet spot! I was solo, but this trip could work for anyone, families, couples, whomever. There is very little walking (a mile or 2), I might’ve actually preferred a bit more, but it made the trip very accessible to people of all ages and abilities
The sights:
Seeing a bubbling pool of lava was naturally the highlight. Most tours come in the day time, when we would’ve seen essentially nothing but steam. Our guide brought a telescope, so even though the activity in the volcano was pretty low key we could see spluttering and bubbling! The coffee plantation (orchard?) was a nice buzzy start to a long day. The black sand beach was ok
A well thought out experience:
The van was large and comfortable. Bathrooms were placed often enough that I didn’t have to avoid hydrating despite my tiny bladder. Enough food and snacks to keep everyone happy. Flashlights and jackets were provided, which was crucial!
Bring:
Long pants/sweatshirt - microclimates mean that it can be super hot in Kona and misty and cool at the park.
Binoculars - though the telescope was awesome, it would have been even better to have my own so I would t have to share.
A real camera - my iPhone 13pro was fine, but with such beauty, it’d be nice to have something with a little more control!
Aloha Cortney,
Thank you so much for posting your review, we really appreciate it! Your timing was impeccable, being here when the volcano was erupting. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for visitors, we are thrilled you were able to witness it! Derek is awesome too, you're right, he's such an amiable guide. Again, thank you!
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Activity Date: | 2022/07/03 |
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Absolutely amazing!
Reviewed by: Lleur, 2022/02/08This tour was an amazing experience! The drive to Volcano National Park was beautiful and we enjoyed each stop along the way. Viewing the lava field was phenomenal! Our tour guide, Bryce, was a font of knowledge and made the day even more special. Every comfort was thought of from a clean, spacious Mercedes van, to rain jackets and warm parkas. I would do this tour again in a heartbeat!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2022/02/06 |
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Great day, seen and learned lots
Reviewed by: Anne Veghel, 2018/11/21We had a great time and seen so many sights! Our guide Brett had great knowledge and could answer all questions.
Because we had extra time we got to see the rainbow falls and got to go into a lava cave. Sadly the stargazing didn't happen due to clouds and rain.
Snacks, water and food were all plenty and good. Especially dinner at kilauea lodge was excellent, be it a bit rushed.
After the recent eruptions there was no lava activity, but we can only imagine how much more beautiful the sites would be with active lava flows.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2018/11/14 |
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Volcano
Reviewed by: Loretta, 2018/11/17We had an amazing tour.
The view of the volcano was amazing. The nature could be so destructive and beautifull
Our guide was there for us am answer all ours questions.
The diner included was in a nice restaurant and the playe were very good.
I recommend this avtivities and don't worry about the volcano. It's a very nice tour
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2018/11/14 |
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Best day of the trip
Reviewed by: Brandon M, 2018/04/04The day itself started with a local Kona coffee plantation visit that included how the coffee trees are grown, picked, sorted, and roasted. Next stop was a roadside fruit stand where we were introduced to some island fruits and veggies. There was a good drive to the furthest south bakery in the U.S. where our tour guide Grant filled the drive time giving us the layout of the island. From there we visited a black sands beach and looked out for sea turtles. After the beach, we headed to Volcano Park to see the volcano during day light hours and checkout the Dr Jagger museum. Then the dinner... food was good and we had a chance to talk to other members on the tour. This led to the sun setting and the final activity... the volcano at night. The glow of the cauldron is amazing in of itself, but Grant pulled out a telescope and we not only got a close up view of the spattering lava, he also was able to record it on our phones!
Grant was a phenomenal tour guide! He was personable, full of facts and information, and delivered them in a fun, witty way. From the moment of being picked up, Grant was pointing plants and notable sights to the left and the right the entire time we were in the tour van.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2018/04/01 |
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So much fun!!
Reviewed by: Jobin McGooch, 2018/01/23From the amazing sunset to seeing lava jumping in the caldera to the unexpected rainbow at sunset, all of the scenery was beautiful. Our tour guide, Brett, was outstanding. He had fantastic knowledge of the island, answered everyone's questions, and was really funny/entertaining. His stories of Hawaiian folklore while driving between stops were great. Overall, the day was great! I would definitely recommend booking this tour.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2018/01/12 |
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This tour was AWESOME! Adam and Jim were incredible and we feel lucky to have had them as our guides.
Reviewed by: Robin and Gary, 2017/12/21Our guides made our 12 hours together seem too short and they went above and beyond to make our day the best ever. Both were extremely knowledgeable about virtually any Hawaiian subject. They picked us up precisely on time and we started our day. We were taken to a lava flow surrounded by mountains that went on as far as the eye could see. Just our first stop of seeing mother nature at its finest. We continued on to a park for a gourmet box lunch that was obviously freshly made and to get to know our tour mates better. The views and fresh air were wonderful. The Hawaiian gods of weather were certainly shining down on us. Off again for a tour around the quaint town of Hilo where we enjoyed the statue of King Kamehameha and a stop at a candy shop. We then went on to Rainbow Falls with its beautiful waterfall and scenery. We stopped along the way at steam vents from the volcano. Ladies, if you want a facial, that's the place to go. Volcano National Park was amazing. The Visitor Center had a great museum and showed us the history of the crater. This was just a preview as we would return later for a nighttime view. Leaving the crater we visited the naturally formed lava tube used in the filming of the rolling boulder scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The ferns at the park were also used as a backdrop for scenes from Jurassic Park. We were treated to dinner at the Kilauea Lodge in Volcano, Hawaii. Fabulous. After dinner we returned to the crater to view the night time glow and star gaze. We were able to get a glimpse of the lava pool where the level varies 100s of feet over a few days' time. Jim talked about the stars and pointed out several constellations. It was definitely a once in a lifetime view. Throughout the entire trip our hosts provided almost continuous commentary on the history, stories, customs, flora and fauna of Hawaii. A total 1st class experience and the highlight of our trip to Hawaii. We would definitely do this tour with them again. Mahalo!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2017/12/11 |
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Fantastic tour
Reviewed by: Sudeshna and Sumit, 2017/12/21One of the best tours in Hawaii. Our tour guide Adam was very knowledgeable and polite. We did the night viewing of the volcano tour with stargazing. During the entire trip our tour guide shared abundant histories about legends and culture from Hawaii. We stopped for lunch at a very beautiful place near Mauna Loa. Adam(tour guide) baked some delicious cookies for us too :) We covered Rainbow fall, Jagger Museum and the lava tube, out of which viewing the volcano at night was absolutely breath taking.The tour had included dinner at Kilauea Lodge(fine dining) by the volcano national park. Overall our experience with Kailani tours was amazing, we would definitely recommend this tour to all those who visit the Big Island.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/12/14 |
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THE most AMAZING tour I've been on!!!
Reviewed by: Caren and Jan, 2017/12/09We did the night time volcano viewing tour with stargazing through Kailani Tours Hawaii. It also included lunch, Rainbow Falls, Lava Tube and Jaggar Museum. This was one the BEST tours that I have EVER been on! It was our driver, Kawika's, first day and Kevin was his "co-pilot". We were VERY fortunate to have the knowledge of 2 excellent tour guides that could bounce things off of each other. They were both VERY personable and friendly. They took special care to make sure we were well fed, had water, jackets, flashlights, hot chocolate and cookies! The lunch was excellent and the dinner was superb! The service at the restaurant was just as good as the service from Kawika and Kevin! We ended up having some extra time due to all the pick up's being in the same vicinity, so we were able to see a couple of little extra things in the Volcano National Park - not normal - so it made the day extra special. Kawika was extremely knowledgeable about the volcanic system and was great at explaining it to us. The volcano viewing at night was the most spectacular thing I have ever had the privilege of seeing on this Earth! The weather was perfect and the view was INCREDIBLE! Kawika and Kevin set up a great telescope to view the stars through and they were also able to take photos of the volcano through it with our phones! I HIGHLY recommend this tour and the tour company! You won't regret it!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2017/12/06 |
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Extraordinary Trip!
Reviewed by: Philip Shou, 2017/12/01First of all, this is a fantastic trip. When we first booked the trip, we saw the 4.9 out of five rating and doubted. When we came back from the trip, all doubts were erased!
Our guide Kevin is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. We were picked up at our hotel at 12:05 noon. The lunch was served in the Mauna Lao Rest Area at 1pm. The quality of the lunch is totally out of expectations. Kevin told us they were picked up from a famous deli at 11:30 AM. No wonder it’s so good and fresh!
The Rainbow Fall in Hilo is the first highlight. We saw the rainbow as soon as we got there. It’s exactly the same as shown in the advertisement picture. Absolutely beautiful! Kevin specifically warned us not to climb on the rocks in the upper river because many people died falling into the pond under the waterfalls. We saw about 10 people on the rock that day. Two days later I saw a news that a young couple were seeing struggling in the upper River and disappeared. The lady was later found dead at the bottom of the waterfall and the guy was still missing. Very good advice from Kevin!
The highlight of all highlights is of course the view of the live volcano. The tour company’s arrangement it’s very smart. They let us view the volcano crater at sunset for about 30 minutes. Then, we were transported to a very nice restaurant nearby to enjoy a five course formal dinner. Again it is so good that it is totally out of expectation.
We were back to the volcano after dinner when it is dark and very few people there. We can see the lava glow very clearly. When Kevin set up his high quality binoculars on a stand, we can even see the lava splashed out of the crater like fireworks!
Overall, it worths all 5 stars. I would recommend this trip to anyone!
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
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The BEST tour in Hawaii
Reviewed by: Tony and Emily, 2017/12/01Kailani tours on the big Island of Hawaii was wonderful! Our tour guide Kevin, was an excellent tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and understanding and he took us to so many beautiful destinations on the island. The timing of the tour was perfect we had a beautiful lunch with an amazing view and the weather was great then he took us to see a beautiful waterfall at rainbow Falls and I actually saw a rainbow! We saw so many wonderful things on this tour. They took us out to a wonderful delicious dinner and after dinner we got to see the amazing volcano the red glow was magnificent. One of my favorite parts of the tour was when our tour guide Kevin offered to take an amazing photo that he captured in the dark from my cell phone. He was able to capture us and the red glow from the volcano behind us. True photographer status and that was just a bonus!! From what I recognized throughout the day on the tour is that there were a lot of other tour buses out there as well but I noticed that those tour guides were rushing their customers in and out of the van not giving them very much time to actually explore and learn about Hawaii. This is one thing that made Kailani tours and our tour guide Kevin stand out to me! Our tour guides patience with the group was excellent and he allowed us to really explore the land. The whole day I learned so many amazing things about Hawaii. Kailani tours made our Hawaii trip perfect. And I will cherish these memories forever. I highly recommend taking a Kailani tours if you’re ever on the big Island. I give them 5++ stars!! Thank you Kailani Tours of Hawaii.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
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Fantastic Time with a great Tour Guide!
Reviewed by: Gabe F., 2017/11/22My wife and I were celebrating our Honeymoon in Hawaii and were lucky enough to have a full day of entertainment with this tour! The Big Island can require a lot of driving time to get to see the numerous sights it has to offer. The tour we booked provided us with an experience I know we would not have gotten on our own. I cannot speak anymore highly of our awesome Tour Guide Jim Carey (I know and yes he has the same name). He made the whole experience that much more memorable by his genuine appreciation for Hawaiian culture. He was extremely knowledgeable about EVERYTHING which made the tour in depth and interactive. His added commentary was great while visiting the waterfalls and volcano. The day flew by and we were continuously more and more impressed with everything the tour offered. The provided lunch and dinner were both delicious. Every part of the day flowed very well and it was capped off by our last stop back at the volcano to stargaze. We were able to set up the telescope and see the lava erupting in the volcano! I definitely would recommend this tour to anyone and everyone and I can't thank our tour guide enough. Jim made the whole experience 10 times better! Thanks Jim!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/09 |
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Don't Drive Yourself- Take the Tour!
Reviewed by: Len from ABQ,NM, 2017/11/21After a self-guided drive and tour of the Haleakala volcano in Maui, I decided to let a professional do the drive from Kona to the Kilauea National Park. After reading many of the TRIP ADVISOR reviews (97% excellent), I felt confident this was the tour for my wife and I. It did not disappoint! I hate bus tours because it seems you spend half your day loading and unloading the 50+ passenger buses. Our 11 person tour allowed us to spend much longer times at each wonderful stop with no pressure. Our guide, Kevin Hasting, just said “Come back when you have seen enough.” Fantastic! In addition, Kevin had an encyclopedic knowledge of Hawaiian culture, lifestyle, history, geography, ecology, you name it. He was also an excellent storyteller between stops which made this tour a unique and personal adventure. Lastly, Kevin was so proficient at navigating the Eastern Coast, Hilo area and park that he was somehow able to adjust his routes and timing to avoid the many rain squalls and downpours common to this area. I cannot say enough about how great this tour is. Don’t drive yourself, you will miss so much. One piece of advice. Take some warm clothes with you as it gets cold at night at the high elevations. I carried a light windbreaker jacket, a hoodie, a knit cap and a pair of pullover slacks to put on at night. I ended up giving my hoodie to a fellow passenger to wear who was shivering. The tour does provide emergency blankets and jackets.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/14 |
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Kailani tours deluxe Volcano and Stars
Reviewed by: Michelle Jarrett, 2017/09/28Deluxe is the word! As if the natural awesomeness of a live volcano,a national park and stars was not enough this trip also includes a tasty picnic lunch and a 5 star dining experience for dinner. Add to this an extremely knowledgeable guide who serenades you with ukulele, tells amazing Hawaiian myths, provides astronomical binoculars to improve photographs taken on your phones and cameras of a live volcano at night and leads a sing-along on the way home.
This was a long day but easily the best tour our family has ever taken. Booking via Veltra tours was easy, even from overseas.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2017/09/06 |
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Best Tour Guide EVER!
Reviewed by: AZSKY, 2017/09/23This is an absolutely terrific tour and worth every penny. Our family has visited the Big Island many times but we learned so much from our energetic and knowledgable tour guide, Kevin. Absolutely adored the gorgeous candy facility stop on the way to the volcano. This store is beautiful and we ended up purchasing client gifts which were efficiently ordered and shipped back to the mainland. The dinner stop at the Kilauea Lodge was amazing. I ordered a Cosmopolitan cocktail which was presented just as chic and lovely as any found in a Five Star hotel bar. Good meal enjoyed in a cozy spot among new friends. Back to the night lava viewing at the volcano which was utterly amazing. The warm coats and flashlights provided by Veltra made the experience even more enjoyable.
Last but not least I must give kudlos to Kevin, our tour guide. This man has truly done his homework and is passionate about educating his guests about the gorgeous Island of Hawaii. Thank you, Kevin for making each and every one of us feel important.
GREAT TOUR!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2017/09/20 |
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Awesome tour
Reviewed by: Beth, 2017/06/30I cannot say enough good about our tour guide, Shannon. She was very knowledgeable and very passionate about Hawaii and the things she shared with us. She got so excited about Valcano National Park which made her group excited. She took care of every detail for everyone on the tour. I would go on any tour Shannon was leading.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/06/27 |
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Michigan Visits Hawaii
Reviewed by: Carolyn K., 2016/12/05The day we six (6) friends took this tour was fantastic. Our guide, Nick, was super. He was attentive, interesting, and very funny. We covered a lot of ground and learned a lot about the big island. Had a great lunch and a fantastic dinner. Recommend this tour for sure.
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience! We are delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic day with Nick and enjoyed all of the sights and treats throughout the day. He is an amazing guide, with top notch hospitality, who genuinely loves sharing some of our favorite spots on tour. Mahalo for your recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2016/11/13 |
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The most wonderful day in Hawaii
Reviewed by: NORMA BARAJAS, 2016/05/06This tour was astonishing, we had our best time in Hawaii. Starting, our host Jim Carey a gentleman, expert story teller of Hawaiian culture. On the road we could see lava tubes, alien landscapes, the marvelous Mauna Kea where is an astronomical observatory and we had a windy delicious pic nic lunch. Near the city of Hilo, we had our second stop for seeing the Rainbow Falls, a fantastic view of the beauty and force of nature. Not far, Hilo, a rainy city, where is the University of Hawaii and the unforgettable chocolate factory where one can find all kind of delicious chocolates, candies, cookies, macadamia nuts. No one can leave that place without a full bag while Jim Carey is calling you with the sound of ukelele. Also you can take pictures of the statue of king Kamehameha in a park. Then, we took our way to Volcanoes National Park, which welcomed us with a warm fumarole that wet us in a strange but nice sensation. Then, the first wonderful breathtaking view of the Kilauea volcano, a vision like we were in Mars. The museum shows what the nude eye can’t see in a volcano, like Pele´s hair and lava forest. After, an outstanding landscape, the lava river, an unbelievable wonder full of mystery. We took a path through the rainy forest, where the flowers and the tree of Pele’s legend grow in the middle of volcanic rocks. Then Jim took us to a cozy restaurant, with a chimney attended by his owner. Dinner was awesome, very tasty, as the special passion fruit tea. At night we had the vision of fire in the middle of the night, the Kilauea's dancing lava took our breath away, an unforgettable moment, almost mystical. Pictures can’t catch that beauty, but the telescope that Jim takes with him did.
Back in the van a great surprise waited for us. Like a love detail, a hot coco and cookies appeared to warm us. On our road back more than one fell asleep dreaming of the most wonderful day of their lives. Mahalo from Colombia.
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such a wonderful day with Jim. He truly loves sharing his songs and stories of Hawaii with our guests, helping them to connect with our island while on tour. We are delighted that you enjoyed all the stops and treats throughout the day. Dinner at the Kilauea Lodge is so special and always helps our guests warm back up on those cold Volcano nights! Mahalo for your recommendation and we hope to see you next time you visit the Big Island.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2016/04/27 |
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Wonderful experience. Must Go!
Reviewed by: Yuki, 2016/05/06We started the morning with very warm welcome with big smile of the guide in front of our hotel lobby. His name was Jim Carey. Since we were Japanese visiting from Japan, he was concerned about the tour being conducted in English. We said we were Okay, try to keep up. He kindly told us that he would try to speak.
As we started the actual tour and as we picking up the more new guests, he explain the schedule of the day again and again. so everybody know how that day is gonna be.
As we were on the move, he had full of stories of scenic locations, Hawaiian history and cultures.
At the lunch, we had Pick-nick lunch at the base of Mauna Kea, we had the Chicken Caesar wrap at very fine environment. When it was time to go, Jim was not calling out the guest but he was playing songs with the Ukulele to let people know that it is time to go, what a kind way to notify!!
After that we went to Hiro, there we did not have much time to stop so Jim was explaining lots of stuff as he drove by. Then after that we went to the Rainbow Fall, although we could not see the rainbow, it was beautiful fall.
Then here comes the main event, the volcano. We visited the steam vent and couple of other scenic points and a little hiking it was very interesting and felt really good to hike in unusual volcanic environment. Only thing was that rain came and went repeatedly. Then we moved to the location of Lava tube. It was awesome!! Here also, Jim had a wonderful stories to tell. We learned a lot of stuff from him.
Then we moved to the lodge/Restaurant for the dinner. Surprisingly the dinner was much better quality than we expected. After the dinner, when we got out of the restaurant, it was dark but very clear sky, we went back to volcano and saw lava splash and million stars with Jim's stories. Totally different face the volcano showed us from earlier that day.
All activities were finished and on the way back to the hotel, we are so tired and fell asleep. Best tour ever!!
Aloha and Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience! We are delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful day with Jim. His love for Hawaii shines through his songs and stories of the islands. It sounds like you folks had no problem keeping up and really enjoyed your day! Excellent! Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you next time you visit the Big Island.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2016/04/27 |
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The Best day of our honeymoon!
Reviewed by: Guilherme Marinho, 2016/05/04First of all, I would like to thanks hawaiian activies for appear on my google search!! As me and my wife didn't know about this activie, we search on google and find the website. We were very excited from the begening because of what the people were saying about eh tour. And we were right to be. The Tour is more than amazing, from the day before, I received a call in my hotel room to confirm the pick up time and he was there in the next day about 11:30h. He was Jim Carrey (no, not the famous one haha, but was so brilliant as the other!). Our tour guide was more than fantastic, a lot of histories about legends and culture from Hawaii than you could imagine. We had lunch in the way to Hilo, in a such nice beautiful place close to the Manua Lea. After that we took our way to Hilo, but before we went to the beautiful rainbow fall, not so beautiful, but very nature, in the midle of a forest, we loved. Hilo was a nice surprised, we went to a Candie Shop from Big Islands, huge store and my wife fall in love, she loves chocolates haha. After that we went to the volcano site at day, before dinner, was such a nice surprise, first time close to a active volcano. And every time with the histories from our brilliant guide. The dinner was one of the best parts of the tour, the best soup ever, and a very friendly restaurant, we loved every moment. After sunset, we return to the volcano to see the magic at night and we were really surprised and satisfied. I want thank Jim and everyone envolved, was one of the best days of our lives, and the best day of our honeymoon!! Guilherme Marinho and Aline Amaral.
Aloha and Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience! We are so glad you chose to let us show you some of our favorite spots on the Big Island. Jim is truly a fantastic guide who genuinely loves sharing his songs and stories of Hawaii. We are so happy to hear that you and your wife enjoyed all of the stops along the way. Big Island Candies is a chocolate lover's dream with all the amazing goodies and samples they offer! Dinner at the world famous Kilauea Lodge is always so scrumptious and a great way to warm back up on those cold Volcano nights, before heading back into Volcanoes National Park. The majestic lava lake inside of Halema'uma'u Crater leaves such a lasting impression on everyone who gets the opportunity to witness the night time glow. Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/04/25 |
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Thumbs up! Magnificent sceneries & Wildlife!
Reviewed by: Rach, 2016/04/04I just took a Kailani Tours Hawaii trip to Kilauea Volcano recently. It was a very enjoyable and breathtaking experience with Chris, who is very knowledgeable and passionate about the tour!
From the beginning to the end of the tour, it was on schedule and pleasant to be part of. Chris was very informative and well prepared for everything (water, hot chocolate, umbrellas, heavy jackets, hot towels, etc).
From driving along Saddle Road to picture taking at Rainbow Falls to walking through the Thurston Lava Tube, and much more, It was one of the best tours I have ever taken.
I would definitely recommend the tour to anyone who wants a rewarding trip with magnificent sceneries and wildlife!
WOW!
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such a magnificent day with Chris. He is a wonderfully knowledgeable guide who genuinely loves what he does! Mahalo for your thumbs up recommendation! We hope to see you next time you visit the Big Island for some more fun with the Kailani Tours 'Ohana!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2016/03/27 |
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Worth Every Cent Spent! A Definite MUST DO!
Reviewed by: Alan L, 2016/03/23Our tour guide Mike was fantastic. After a bit of confusion on picking up passengers, we started heading east across the Big Island on Saddle Road in a very comfortable Mercedes van. Mike has a wealth of knowledge, both cultural and local, so he made the tour feel almost personalized for everyone. We stopped at the Mauna Kea Recreation Area for a tasty, fresh lunch. Weather was perfect to see both volcanoes. We stopped along the highway to walk on the lava and see and he explained the different types. We continued to Hilo and watched a video about the volcanes, and then we stopped at Rainbow Falls. Mike knew the best places for nice pictures. After taking the scenic route and getting downtown Hilo, we learned more history about various buildings and the Kamehameha statues around the islands and stopped at Big Island Candies for some tasty samples and quick shopping. Time for the main event!
We went into the Volcanoes National Park. We stopped by some active steam vents and then the Jaggar Museum to see the active crater. Mike tooks us to see other craters and lava flows and stopped to let us walk around and see various formations created by the flow. We went deeper and deeper into the park, making our way almost to the ocean, and then stopped at the Thurston lava tube. Very unique!
From there, we headed for dinner at the Kilauea Lodge. Great atmosphere, great food, great service! Definitely try the soups! After dinner and after dark, Mike took us back to the Jaggar Museum to view the lava glow. Mike must have called on Pele to part the fog, because we were able to see and take pictures of the glow. He provide binoculars and jackets to those who needed it.
Now, heading back to the Kona side at night, we finished the volcano video and watched an "update" video that showed all the eruptions since 1983. We stopped across from the Mauna Kea Rec Area for stargazing. Mike point out constellations, planets, galaxies, stars. BEAUTIFUL!
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear you had such a fantastic day with Mike! Dinner at the Kilauea Lodge is such a special treat, and we agree that their soups are a must try to help warm up on those cold Volcano nights. We love when the fog parts and our guests get to enjoy that magnificent glow so clearly. Those clear skies also make for some amazing stargazing as well and we're glad to hear you enjoyed it! Mahalo for the wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/03/20 |
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Aloha Susan and Dave,
Thank you so much for your kind words! It is a lot to see in one day for sure. We pride ourselves on having engaging guides with knowledge of all things Big Island. We're glad you enjoyed your tour and hope your time on the Big Island was enjoyable!