All Reviews for Hilo

After researching several options, we chose the Ultimate Hawaii Circle Island Sightseeing tour from Veltra for our mid-April 2026 trip, and it did not disappoint. Our guide, Marcus, was total pro, wWith 15 years of experience, his knowledge and storytelling made the 10-hour journey fly by.

The Highlights:

1) Coffee Farm: Stunning views and a great tasting session in the gift shop.

2) Punaluu Black Sand Beach: We were lucky enough to see sea turtles basking on the sand!

3) Volcanoes National Park: Seeing the steam vents and the scale of the active volcano was easily the highlight of the day.

4) Rainbow Falls: The best panoramic view is actually from the side of the park; the hike to the top isn't strictly necessary for the best photos.

5) Waipio Valley Lookout: Absolutely breathtaking photo opportunities.

The logistics were seamless with a prompt pickup at 7:20 am from the Fairmont Orchid. While it is a long day covering 2/3 of the island, Marcus kept us entertained throughout. Lunch, dinner, snacks, and water were all provided, making for a stress-free experience. Highly recommended!

I can say enough good things about this experience! Everything about it!

It was my first horseback riding experience, and it was an incredibly fun time. We started with a thorough lecture on horseback riding, including how to get on and off the horse and how to handle the reins. I was amazed at how quickly I could control my horse after riding!

We lined up and trotted along, crossing fields and hills until we reached the entrance of a waterfall, where we dismounted and went down some stairs to a cottage by the waterfall. Unfortunately, due to a recent storm, the wild waterfall was flowing with cold brown water! We quickly gave up on playing in the water.

We spent about 30 minutes at the riverside cottage eating snacks and our lunch before riding back. On the way back, we felt the roundness of the Earth from a hill that was different from the way there, passing through a cattle ranch. I was surprised to see the horses munching on banana leaves along the way. A little dog named Kizumo accompanied us cutely, which was very soothing.

There were three of us participating (a couple in their 50s and an 8-year-old), and this became the best memory of our trip to the Big Island. It's not accessible without a rental car, but I definitely want to recommend it to my friends. I also want to thank our experienced instructors, Lee and Jamie. Thank you very much! ^_^

初の乗馬体験でしたが最高に楽しい体験ができました。
最初にしっかりと乗馬のレクチャーがあり、
馬への乗り方おり方、手綱の操作の仕方などなど。乗馬した後に自分の馬をすぐコントロールできたのは感動もの！
一列に並んでトコトコと、野を超え丘をこえ滝入り口で一旦馬から降り階段を降りて滝のほとりのコテージへ。。残念ながら最近のストームでワイルドな滝のたもとは茶色の冷たい水！ざっと入ってすぐ水遊びは断念。
３０分位川辺のコテージで手持ちのお菓子やお弁当を食べて再び乗馬して帰路へ。行きとは違った地球の丸さを感じられる丘からウシ牧場を抜けて戻ります。途中、馬たちがバナナの葉っぱをバリバリ食べたのにはびっくり。道中、小犬のキズモが可愛く付き添うのにも癒されます。親子3人（50代夫婦と８歳児）参加でしたが今回のビックアイランドの１番の思い出になりました。レンタカーがないとアクセスできないのですが、ぜひ友人にも勧めたいとおもいます。経験豊富なインストラクターのリーさんとジェイミーさんお二人にも感謝です。ありがとうございました^_^

I loved this zipline experience! I took a friend with me, and we had such an amazing time. The instructors were so funny and down to earth. Amazing views over the waterfall.

We were hopping the volcano would be erupting when we booked the flight, but missed by 2 days. We did see the layout of the volcano and got a better understanding what happens and where it happens.

Swimming beneath the waterfalls was refreshing, and the kayaking and SUP added a fun mix of adventure

Our guide was excellent, very knowledgeable and prepared and our experience was unique with the viewing of a huge shooting star crossing the sky as a prelude to the eruption of the volcano in the distance. Unforgettable, thank you!

We had a great time with Kimo. He made us feel at ease. He was very knowledgeable and funny. He was able to answer our questions and did not make us feel dumb. He also seemed to genuinely enjoy our party’s craziness.

What a great time we had, breeze, ocean spray, turtles and a school of dolphins. Just being on the ocean is like heaven. Captain and crew were like family from the minute we step on the boat. We will be going out with them agqi.

An amazing day on kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and a refreshing swim near Umauma Falls.

The course felt very well run, safety was clearly a priority, and the transitions between ziplines were smooth.

My first zipline experience! There were about ten participants, and at first, we received help from the instructor to put on the necessary gear like harnesses and helmets. After that, we took a van up to the starting point on the hill. Once we arrived, we received a briefing on safety precautions for ziplining and then descended the first zipline over grass to confirm our basic movements. From there, we continued at quite a speed over a valley with three waterfalls and above the river. We took breaks along the way for hydration and fruit, enjoying the thrill of eight ziplines, including the longest one over 600 meters. (Originally there were nine, but the eighth zipline was under maintenance, so we did a total of eight.) The speed and height were a bit scary at first, but by the end, I was able to enjoy the scenery. Some experienced adults and children even went upside down while zipping, having a great time.

初めてのジップライン体験！10人くらいの参加者で、最初はインストラクターに手伝ってもらいながらハーネス？やヘルメットなどの必要な装備を装着。そこからワゴン車に乗って丘の上の方にある出発点に連れられて行かれます。到着したらジップライン滑空時の注意事項などの説明を受け1本目の草地の上のジップラインを下り基本動作を確認。その先は三連滝のある渓谷の上や川の上を結構なスピードで続けて下って行きます。途中で水分補給やフルーツをいただいて休憩も取りつつ最も長いので600mを超える長さのものを含む8本のジップラインを爽快感を味わいながら下りました。(本来9本ながら8番目のジップラインがメンテナンス作業中だったため計8本に)スピード感、高さとも最初はちょっと怖いくらいでしたが、最後の方では景色を楽しむ余裕が出て来ました。慣れている大人や子どもの中には逆さまになって下る人たちもいて楽しんでいました。

I participated because it was said that you could join without a license, but it was just a slow line of cars and not interesting at all. If that's the case, I'd much rather go to Yanbaru in Okinawa, which is a hundred times more fun.

免許がなくても乗れるということで参加しましたがちんたら列をなして走るだけでなんの面白みもなかった。これなら沖縄のやんばるんちゃの方が１００倍楽しい

I was disappointed with this tour for lack of hospitality, communication and false advertising. The tour guide is not an astronomer or someone who writes articles for astronomy mazagines or even a local Hawaiian. They are very knowledgeable, patient and friendly guides but also lack communication with the tour company. For instance, we had 10 people in our tour and they were told only 6 so he wasn’t prepared with enough hot chocolate or parkas. It may also be the reason he didn’t offer snacks or water to anyone and tried to get more people to drink coffee at 9 pm! I was also disappointed that we didn’t go to the Kona coffee farm as advertised in the itinerary and confirmed when they called. You also have to select your meal prior to arrival or seeing the options which is undesirable. Finally, when they called to confirm they told me not to bring anything - no water, jacket, hiking boots etc since all would be provided and tennis shoes were enough. First off, I came prepared with everything in my luggage but since they said not to bring a big bag or too many items we were underprepared. My son was freezing because the parkas are huge and they were passed out but left for people to get when they were freezing. Our tennis were covered in dirt and sand because we stopped at a beach and walked the sand. I would have to be informed in advance that we’re going to a beach and not the coffee farm and to have proper attire. The stargazing was nice and we saw a lot of stars and constellations but it was not pleasant because of the lack of preparation. I do not recommend this tour. If you book, don’t listen to their advice and come prepared with attire, water and snacks on top of the exorbitant price you pay. Or you could ask to go with the tour that matches the advertisement but I tried that already. Heed the warning. I didn’t and while we don’t regret it we regret the company.

It's a tour without a Japanese guide, but you can enjoy it without any problems.

First, there is a lecture about horseback riding. Then, each child gets to ride a horse, and they are very gentle, so my son had no issues riding.

We lined up and went through the grasslands, moving into the woods. Along the way, there were horses grazing, which was very cute.

After passing through the woods, we took a break at the waterfall basin. You can wear your swimsuit in advance and swim in the river or ride a paddle boat. We had about 30 minutes, so we were able to enjoy it at a leisurely pace.

After the break, we returned the way we came, and the tour ended. The entire experience was in English, and I didn't understand most of the explanations along the way, but the experience itself was very good!

日本語ガイドが居ないツアーですが、問題無く楽しめます。

最初に乗馬についてのレクチャーがあります。続いて子供も1人一頭馬に乗りますが、とても大人しいので息子も問題無く乗っていました。

一列に並んで草原を抜け、林へと進みます。途中草を喰む馬も居てとても可愛かったです。

林を抜けて滝つぼの所で休憩。予め水着を着ておいて川で泳いだりパドルボートに乗ることが出来ます。30分ほど時間があるのでゆっくり楽しめました。

休憩後、来た道を戻ってツアーは終了です。
全編英語で途中の解説はほぼ分かりませんでしたが、体験自体がとても良かったです！

We are a family of 4 with 2 teenagers, we had a great time with our guide at the stargazing tour. Our highlights were the lava caves, watching the sunset as well as stargazing. The sky was unbelievable and we learned a ton with our very knowledgeable guide.

Highly recommend.

Sam was fantastic - really gave us all an exceptional tour of the night sky and was very knowledgable and great with the kids too!

Zip line over 250 foot waterfall. Great fun. Mirabell & Calista were fantastic guides, made our day.

Riding the UTV was an unforgettable adrenaline rush through stunning landscapes—pure adventure from start to finish. The guides were fantastic and made the whole experience safe, fun, and absolutely thrilling!

The team is always doing a great job and provide a fantastic experience.

I would recommend this adventure for anyone who is a first time or experienced rider. The horses are well trained and the guides were awesome. Even the light rain didn’t dampen the experience. What a great time.

We enjoyed a great day learning and exploring the Volcanos, Craters, Lava Tubes. The bus was clean and on time, the tour guide (Torrie) was really good and informative. The lunch was really good as was the dinner. Overall it was a great experience. I would definitively recommend this company and tour.

Keele and Chandinwere great guides and super helpful. The swimming hole was amazing!

I highly recommend this experience! The guides were friendly and attentive and thorough. There were gorgeous cows on the trail and it was great to see them up close as we rode through. The scenery was great and we had lots of fun. Well worth the money for the experience.

If you like adventure in an area you have not explored before, this is for you. We had a side-by-side thrilling ride to an amazing waterfall. The view is breathtaking and the water so refreshing. Water was great to cool off and clean up a bit. Amanda, Alysha, and Saire were excellent guides. They were very helpful and extremely personable. We highly recommend this Big Island adventure.

I love zip-lining. I had done it in Japan before, but this one is on another level. Gliding while overlooking the canyon is just amazing.

ジップラインが好きです日本でもやったことはありましたが、こちらは別格です。
渓谷を見渡しながら滑り抜けるのは、気持ちよ過ぎです。

We went snorkeling and saw turtles! It was nice to have a guide to show and teach us. We had a great time!

We enjoyed our day. The staff were organized and very friendly. They ensured everyone was safe and comfortable. The grounds were beautiful and we enjoyed being able to explore the property and look at the waterfalls. We had a nice time sitting by the waterfall and having time to enjoy going in the water. We were a bit disappointed by the ride itself as were are more seasoned and experienced riders. The pace was very geared to beginners and some guests had no clue what they were doing and that slowed the activity. We also hoped to have a ride close by ocean and that isn’t part of this activity, not their fault. I should have looked into that more. We basically road around through trails in a field. One last bit of advice, they should chill the drink they serve better. We appreciated though being provided a drink and snack part way through.

Great zip line experience! Beautiful scenery. Always felt safe. Guides were awesome! I was worried about transportation from cruise ship and back. We caught a taxi and same guy came back to pick us up. No problem.

The zip line gradually becomes higher and longer, designed to be more exciting and high-speed, making it a lot of fun. The guides are also great at getting everyone excited, creating a sense of togetherness as we all enjoy ourselves. It's true that if you can't speak English, you might miss half of the conversation, but even so, I was able to participate in the discussions and feel the enjoyable atmosphere.

ジップラインは次第に高く、長いものになり、よりエキサイティングかつハイスピードになるよう構成されていて、すごく楽しいです。
ガイドの方も盛り上げ上手で、みんなで楽しもうという一体感があります。
確かに英語ができないと、話半分になっちゃいますが、それでも話の中には参加でき、楽しい雰囲気を感じることはできました。