All Reviews for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The good- our guide Garry was incredibly knowledgeable about the rocks, plants, birds, very accommodating regarding bathroom breaks and stops along the way, and incredibly kind and thoughtful. We have nothing but raves for him. The company on the other hand was a bit of a pain in the butt. We first booked this tour as a party of 6, and we were told that these tours booked in groups of 9, so they would be adding in 3 additional fares to the tour group. Later they informed me that my son was too young for the group tour, but the private tour had no age restrictions. For an extra ~$400-500 we booked the private tour, since we wanted a tour that would let us see the lava glow at night, and this was literally the only tour that did that. However, even though we were paying so much extra for a private tour, they said that they couldn't accommodate us by going to any stops different from the usual tour, they couldn't start/end earlier, and they were unable to provide pick up/drop off from our hotel 15min away. Then, a few days before the tour, they called to tell us that because the lava flows stopped, they were changing the tour from 10a-10p, to 7a-7p, and adding a stop at Rainbow falls to make up for the loss of the lava flow at night. No dinner meal. Still unable to pick up/drop off from the hotel. And unwilling to make any time changes. I would have appreciated some compromise for our requests considering the extra costs of the private tour or some discount since they were both unable to accommodate our requests and had changed the original nature of the tour significantly.

I went solo. There were 2 tour guides. They were informative and funny. I threw up because of road sick and maybe too much caffeine and food coma in the morning (I assumed - I ate my bf&coffee b4 the tour started and ate their bf & tasted their coffee again). The lady guide took care of me well. Other people in the trip were nice too. Some lady gave me a motion sickness pill and some lady asked me how I was feeling. Thanks!

We went to 6-7 places. I like the black sand beach the most. Walking through the volcano tube was fun. But another volcano attraction was not I expected because we couldn’t get too close to the volcano. It was dangerous Lol. So I couldn’t get a clear pics of the crater.

Big island is a black island (in my opinion) because of dry black lava spreading all over the island.

They picked me up in the morning and dropped me off at the Kona airport in the evening. I flew for a day trip. Call them when you arrived at the airport. They need a reminder. I think my tour guides were Gary and Gabbie. I bought this trip to celebrate my bday. Great serviceThank you!

We were only on island for two days, so we had to make the most of it. Rich picked us up promptly and we set out with a total of nine passengers. The van was comfortable, and Rich had water and lunch ready for us, along with clean jackets and umbrellas for the chilly rainy segments of the trip. The drive was safe and pleasant, and Rich regaled us with information and stories. At each stop, he allowed us ample time and shared interesting information.

This was a wonderful day, and we not only saw the island but also learned a lot. Highly recommended, especially if you can get Rich as your driver/tour guide!

Awana was awesome. He did a great job from the start by getting out group of 20 together in one van. His knowledge of the island’s as well as the big island was extensive. Never a dull moment he kept us laughing and taught us a great deal. All stops were as promised. Would do the tour again

Awesome awesome awesome. We had a volcano tour on 3/8/20 with Mike. He was the best. He was especially good with our very inquisitive grandson. He was knowledgeable also!!!! He was great great great!!!!

We had a wonderful experience. Our tour guide Daniel was excellent. Informative and witty. We highly recommend this complete island tour. The steam vents at Volcanos National Park highlighted the day!!.

This was my eighth time on the Big Island of Hawaii, and the helicopter tour allowed me to see the entire island, leading to new discoveries!

今回で8回目のハワイ島でしたが、ヘリツアーによりハワイ島全容を観ることができて新しい発見がありました！

For my wife, who has difficulty walking, navigating uneven terrain is challenging, and even short distances can take time for able-bodied individuals. Therefore, instead of sightseeing by car, we chose the helicopter experience for the first time. Although it was disappointing that there was no lava flow, I was moved by the size of the crater when viewed from above. We also saw whales, and I am grateful to the pilot who helped us find them. I had requested a pilot who could speak Japanese, but since there were no other Japanese participants, it couldn't be helped. I was worried the day before due to strong winds that could have taken the steering wheel from me, but the ride was smooth and comfortable. My wife was also in high spirits. It was great to make effective use of our time.

足が不自由な家内にとっては、凸凹したところを歩いたりするのは困難で、健常者にとっては短い距離移動でも時間がかかったりするので、車での観光ではなく、初体験のヘリを選択しました。溶岩が流れていなかったのは残念でしたが、火口を上空から見ることが出来、その大きさに感動しました。また、鯨も見ることが出来ました。捜して下さったパイロットに感謝。日本語の出来るパイロットをリクエストしていましたが、他に日本人参加者がいなかったので仕方ありません。前日の午後は車のハンドルが取られる程の強風だったので心配しましたが揺れもなく快適。家内もハイテンションでした。時間が有効に使え良かったです。

Pick up was right on time!
Our guide Matt was very knowledgeable and passionate about Hawaii island from legends to Hawaii original plants and animals. He kept entertaining us until his voice got hoarse! My favorite part of the tour was definitely the lava tube. it's really amazing!! The way to and from the lava tube is super bumpy and rough. If you get motion sickness, you should take medication for it. I brought kids (12 and 10) with us and they enjoyed themselves as well. Hiking was very mild so anyone can enjoy this tour, I think.

It was my first time on a helicopter. I boarded it thanks to the opportunity provided by "Tōdai Ō." We were blessed with great weather, with no wind or clouds, making it a very elegant journey.
It was quite a distance from Kona, and the round trip was challenging. However, I highly recommend it as we got to see the crater from above, as well as the beautiful ocean and ʻōhiʻa lehua. It was an exhilarating two hours from start to finish.

人生初のヘリコプターでした。東大王がきっかけに搭乗しました。お天気に恵まれ、風も雲も無く、とても優雅な旅になりました。
コナから距離があり、往復は大変でした。ですが、火口を上空から眺めたり、綺麗な海やオヒアレフアを見れたり、おすすめです。終始大興奮の2時間でした。

I have visited Oahu, Hawaii several times with friends. However, I wanted to see the volcano, so I participated alone for the first time. The flight I booked was canceled, but I was recommended another course and joined that instead. Due to the weather, I couldn't achieve my original goal, but I enjoyed the experience of riding in a helicopter and traveling alone. I was able to participate with peace of mind thanks to the prompt response I received. Thank you very much.

ハワイ、オアフ島は何度か友人と訪れています。
ただ、火山が見たくて一人初めて別行動で参加させて戴きました。申し込んだ便は中止になり別のコースをお勧めして戴き参加しました。天候の為当初の目的は果たせませんでしたが。ヘリコプターに乗れて一人旅を経験できて楽しかったです。敏速な対応をして頂き安心して参加出来ました。ありがとうございました。

What a thrill it was to fly over the various lava fields and craters on this lovely island. The pilot was very informative and told us stories about some of the people who were affected by these lava flows. He also explained what had happened in the past and what is happening now to the changing landscape as we viewed from above. A highlight of our trip for sure!

From the moment we took off to the theme song of Hawaii 50 (one of my highlights), this ride was sensational. From the front row, we soared over volcano craters, lava flows, waterfalls and macadamia nut farms. To miss out on seeing Big Island from the air in a helicopter is to miss out big time. Save money in every way you can before your holiday to include this in your Hawaiian itinerary. Sara our pilot was super friendly and very knowledgeable about everything we saw below us and very keen to answer all our questions. Although I wondered if the ride would be scary, it was not at all. We sat in comfortable chairs, safely buckled up, and soared through the sky as if on a magic carpet. This helicopter ride was one of the best activities I've ever done in my life and I will never forget it. Thank you to everyone who worked to make this a wonderful experience.

We had a great time on this tour. We were able to see many different places on the island and our tour guide Awana had great knowledge of the island. The tour is a lot of driving but the van is decently comfortable and they have frequent stops to get out and stretch.

My husband and I booked the Deluxe Circle Island Tour with Kailani Tours online @hawaiiactivities.com a few weeks before we left for our 20th anniversary on the Big Island. We loved our driver/tour guide Alana from the beginning...she was so personable, caring and knowledgeable (a former teacher). The Mercedes van was very comfortable for the 7 people on our tour and we were well provided for with plenty of water and snacks (even with my gluten free limitations). The tour was fabulous, from the Kona Joe coffee farm, lunch/tour at Volcanoes Natl Park, amazing Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, all the way to Rainbow Falls (yes, we saw a rainbow there) and beautiful Akaka Falls! It was great to see the highlights of the island at the beginning of our vacation to get the "lei" of the land so to speak, on the Big Island. This way the remainder of our trip could be spent leisurely exploring the Kohala Coast where we were staying. We highly recommend it to everyone!

The tour was wonderful! Rob, our guide, was very knowledgeable and friendly. We had plenty of time at each of the stops, and really got to explore the island. The hikes in Volcanoes National Park were easy, and we got to see a variety of areas and sites. The waterfalls and black sand beach in the afternoon were beautiful. Absolutely loved the day and the tour!

The total experience is awesome! We had a looong day without questions. But the guider made sure the tour was full of fun, stories and care, we didn't feel exhausted.
Started from the lava cave, which is cooler than I expected. Black beach is beautiful. The newly formed lava flow is stunning, also sad when we heard stories from local residents, sorry for their loss. Didn't spend much time in the national volcano park, but it was exactly what we needed, also good timing enjoying the sunset there. 3-courses dinner in the volcano house was perfect, with yummy food and wonderful view overlooking the whole crater. Last but not least, stunning stargazing with professional telescope. Sorry I'm terrible at remembering people's name, thanks very much, our lovely & kind & interesting driver & guider!

The overall experience was very good. This is our first Helicopter ride and it turned out to be an excellent one. Though we did not get to see real fire ( no active lava in Hawaii now), we could see the steaming volcano at close up. The pilot Steve was very good, answering all our queries with patience. The narrative was good throughout the trip. Overall 50 minutes was worth the money. I paid additional $100 for copilot seat which was on higher side. This is one reason why I rated 4-star and not 5-star.

If you have small children, I think 15 minutes is enough. They don't have much concentration.

I have the impression that helicopters are expensive no matter where you ride them in the world, but I think it might be a good experience in life.

To be honest, you can see similar scenery from a Cessna, but taking off straight up without a runway feels different!

小さい子供が居るのであれば15分で十分だとおもいます。集中力がらないので、、

ヘリは世界中どこで乗っても高いなと言うイメージがありますが、、人生の経験としてあったほうが良いかな？とおもいます。

正直な所、セスナでも同じような風景は見れますが、助走無しで上に飛ぶのはまた違う気がします〜！

What an amazing experience! It was so interesting to learn about the volcano, the island and all the beautiful landscapes. It made me want to learn more about it all. Our pilot was very professional and fun. He had a plethora of knowledge about the island and we felt very safe in his hands. It was a fabulous tour.

Hawaii Island is much larger than I expected. There are many breathtaking views that can only be seen by helicopter. Waipi'o Valley was the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen in my life. It was an experience worth more than the price.

ハワイ島は、思った以上に広い。
ヘリコプターでしか見ることのできない絶景がたくさん。
ワイピオ渓谷は、人生で一番美しい景色でした。
お値段以上の感動です。

The weather was worrisome with many clouds, but the sky tour was amazing.
I wonder how the back four-seat area feels when you're in the middle?
Sitting in the front passenger seat made me feel like a pilot.

雲の多い心配な天気だったけれど、空の遊覧は最高でした。
後ろの4人席は中側になるとどーだろう？
助手席指定しての前席まん中は操縦者気分でした。

After reading the detail for this tour we were extremely disappointed with what we experienced. We were a party of 4 who were split over 2 different tours. We thought this was due to weight restrictions which we couldn't understand because we are all average but in hindsight realise it was because we all wanted doors off. The pilot was great gave lots of detail and interesting facts. The flight was wonderful experiencing doors off just unfortunate the tour has not been revised since the lava stopped flowing and you spend the majority of the flight flying over blacken ground which becomes boring very fast. We were looking forward to seeing the waterfalls but this was a quick fly over and back to base so felt let down with this also. We had another couple on our flight as did my sister on her flight and all eight of us were extremely disappointed with what our tour delivered for the cost. The company really need to change the itinery for this tour to make it an experience to remember as it obviously once was when the lava was flowing.

Since my mother has difficulty walking, a tour that involves a lot of walking was not possible, so I signed up for this one. It takes about an hour and a half to drive from Waikoloa, but the road is almost straight, so I was able to get there without any mistakes using Google Maps. There are no doors, so the wind comes in strongly, making it quite cold. My mother seemed to really enjoy the best position next to the driver, as she could see both the front and the surroundings. We were also able to see how the lava flows into the sea while circling around the crater. Definitely worth it!

足が悪い母がいるので、がんがん歩くツアーは無理なので、こちらに申し込みました。ワイコロアからレンタカーで1時間半くらいですが、ほぼまっすぐの道なので、Google mapで間違いなくいけました。ドアなしなので、風はガンガン来ますので、寒いです。母は運転手のとなりのベストポジションで前も周りも見えてすごく楽しかったみたいです。火口もくるくる回ってくれて、海にどのように溶岩が流れていくかも見れました。価値あり！！

The tour was nice and Big Island is beautiful, but our tour guide gave an extensive history of Big Island which felt removed and disconnected from what we were seeing. The guide was asked multiple times from other people on the tour about things they had noticed during the tour but the guide was stuck on the historical narrative and refused to talk about "politics", yet the questions being asked were quite simple and relevant to what we were seeing. He was very knowledgeable but it made for a very tiring and boring ride. It would be great if he could break up the historical narrative with some more present-day information about Big Island.

My first time on the Big Island! For our 30th wedding anniversary, my husband chose this tour for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The view of the Big Island from the sky was amazing. The highlight of this tour is landing at a waterfall. The waterfall, which can only be accessed by helicopter, is breathtaking. I highly recommend experiencing the growing beauty of the Big Island.

初めてのハワイ島！結婚30年の記念に一生に一度の体験をってことで主人がこのツアーを選びました。空からのハワイ島は素晴らしかったです。このツアーの目玉は滝への上陸です。ヘリでしか行くことのできない滝は絶景です。成長してるハワイ島をぜひ体験してみて欲しいです。

This was a great helicopter ride over volcanoes, waterfalls, and the rain forest. The staff treated us great, including safety procedures. I can say I was nervous. However, the staff was assuring to me along with making sure all of us were safely seated. I highly recommend this excursion. It was a great day. Love, love, loved it. I would do this again.

The Japanese pilot was very entertaining, providing a detailed explanation of the Kilauea volcano's crater. It was cloudy until we reached the town of Hilo, but it was sunny when we arrived at Waipi'o Valley. We had about a 30-minute break for landing at the waterfall. I'm glad I was able to experience something so unique in reality.

日本語パイロットで　とても楽しい機内　キラウエア火山の噴火口を詳しく説明、ヒロの町に行くまで曇ってましたが　ワイピオ渓谷に行くと晴れてて　滝への着陸で３０分位の休憩　なかなか体験出来ないことが　現実に体験出来て良かったです。

Fun, exciting ride...fascinating volcanic sites and amazing number of waterfalls!

I thought I would never ride in a helicopter due to my fear of heights and the fact that it's not cheap, but on the recommendation of a friend who had previously visited the Big Island of Hawaii, I decided to give it a try this time. I participated in a two-hour course that allowed me to see both waterfalls and Kilauea Volcano, and those two hours were truly an emotional experience, filled with goosebumps and tears. The Big Island has many magnificent views that you can't see by car or on foot, so I really want everyone to experience the scenery from the sky at least once. If possible, I would love to join this tour again and again!

高所恐怖症であるかつ、値段も決して安くないのでヘリコプターは一生乗らないと思っていましたが、以前ハワイ島にいった知人の勧めで今回乗ってみることに。私は滝とキラウェア火山の両方が見れる2時間のコースに参加したのですが、この2時間は本当に感動のしっぱなしで、鳥肌と涙の止まらないツアーでした。ハワイ島は車や徒歩では見れない壮大な景色がたくさんあるので、是非皆さんにも空からの景色を一度みていただきたいです。可能ならば何度でもまたこのツアーに参加したいほどです！