Reviewed by: Michelle Matheson
Derek 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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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/08/15 |
Activity Date: | 2022/08/13 |
Reviewed by: Rainer
We have been extremely lucky with the weather and our guide Stephan. He made a fantastic job and created a memorable event for us. THANK YOU!!!!
The stargazing was unbelievable. We have never seen so many stars in the sky and Stephan explained all of them - ok, most of them .
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/08/13 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/21 |
Reviewed by: Neena Samant
What an evening!
The whole experience from booking to drop off at was seamless. The guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic to share his knowledge. He also gave an idea of the Big Island’s topography.
The main attraction is worth the money and the time you will spend. We went in a clear day and the sunset was spectacular. The guide gave a fantastic guided tour of the telescopes, the sky, the stars and the constellations.
He patiently took pictures of all the tourists and I’m immediately airdropped them.
In all a must do trip. Big shout out to the guide.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/08/13 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/19 |
Reviewed by: Adam
This was a great trip, seeing the views from 13,000 feet, watching the sunset above the clouds, and the star gazing with a knowledgeable guide, all made for an awesome trip.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/08/11 |
Activity Date: | 2022/08/09 |
Reviewed by: Marchelle
Grant was amazing. I enjoyed his jokes, enthusiasm, love, and care for the island. I hope he continues to stay blessed on this island and continues to do what he loves happily. Thanks, Grant and Deluxe volcano tour for giving me my money's worth. Everything you needed was provided and you don’t need to spend any more money because they feed you well. I could brag all day about this tour because everything about it was amazing!! If you're going to Kona book this tour with Grant!! He is knowledgeable and will make it worth it!! Mahalo
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/08/07 |
Activity Date: | 2022/08/05 |
Reviewed by: Stephanie
This tour was awesome! We would certainly book this excursion again. It was so nice to stop at the Coffee farm and learn about the interesting way they grow the coffee beans- beautiful scenery as well. Black Sands beach was amazing, so unique and picturesque. The nightcap was the best of all, seeing the volcano and its red glow..... truly amazing and something we will never forget. I definitely have to commend our tour guide, Derek, who was spectacular. He was very knowledgeable and I could tell he really enjoyed teaching us about the island and things we experiences and saw along our tour. Definitely a must do when you come to the island.
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/08/03 |
Activity Date: | 2022/08/01 |
Reviewed by: Chris Fischer
Wes and his partner did an awesome job. Wes was very professional and gave alot of information about the tour and the history of Hawaii. His partner is an amazing photographer. I would highly recommend this tour company
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/07/26 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/24 |
Reviewed by: Maiya
We 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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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/07/26 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/24 |
Reviewed by: Alyssa
If you are looking for a tour to give you a quick peak at some really fun spots with a ton of information this is the tour to take. Thia is phenomenal and gives you a ton of extra information like her favorite food spots, Beach spots, or any kind of recommendation you could be thinking of. She was so knowledgeable, engaging, and took extremely great care of our group. Couldn’t recommend it more!
Aloha Alyssa,
Thank you for your review, we greatly appreciate it! We are proud of our tours and the guides who take care of our guests on tour. Thank you for your recommendation!
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/07/14 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/12 |
Reviewed by: Cortney
Overall 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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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2022/07/05 |
Activity Date: | 2022/07/03 |
Reviewed by: J Slayton
This is a MUST do if you're going to the Big Island Hawaii. It was really a great way to see a lot of the islands best highlights. Even my husband loved it, who really doesn't like doing "tours" with groups / crowds and doing one ALL day long at that (likes his relaxation time on vacation). Our guide was fantastic, he gave us so much good information about the island, it's history, places, and everything in between. He was super attentive and made things fun as well. We would highly recommend this tour and specifically this company for a wonderful trip on the Big Island.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/06/29 |
Activity Date: | 2022/06/20 |
Reviewed by: Michael
Marcus was a very knowledgeable astronomer and answered any question our group asked.
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Packages: | From Hilo - Rainbow Falls, Kaumana Caves, Solar Viewing & Stargazing with Dinner |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/06/29 |
Activity Date: | 2022/06/27 |
Reviewed by: Lal
This trip was so much more than I expected! We started with a quick tour of rainbow falls and boiling pots. our guide Marcus was exceptionally knowledgeable about the plant life and history of both places. We then explored the lava caves, which was an unforgettable experience. Finally, we got to watch a beautiful sunset, followed by stargazing. I can’t believe how much astronomy I learned in one night. The skies were spectacular and once again Marcus seemed to have an endless fund of knowledge, answering all our questions in detail. The trip was unforgettable and Marcus is clearly a great asset to his company!
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Packages: | From Hilo - Rainbow Falls, Kaumana Caves, Solar Viewing & Stargazing with Dinner |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/06/29 |
Activity Date: | 2022/06/27 |
Reviewed by: Matthew Woods
Best tour on the island Marcus was extremely knowledgeable and knew every question we had about the island. Would highly recommend!!
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Packages: | From Kona/Waikoloa/Kohala |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2022/06/24 |
Activity Date: | 2022/06/22 |
Reviewed by: Richard J
The overall experience was amazing. With the long trip to volcanoes national park, they did a great job of breaking up the trek with stops for food, coffee, snacks, and dinner. The driver was great and had lots of interesting facts to share as we traveled, and gave us his unique perspective on the island and points of interest. The night portion was amazing and it was a perfect end to the trip to see the lava glow at night. Highly recommend the guided tour over DIY!
Aloha Richard,
Thank you so much for commenting on your tour experience, we're glad you felt the experience was worthwhile! Having a guide is a real added value on a tour to the volcano. It's a long trip, but we appreciate you touring with us, and hope your stay on the island was amazing!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/06/16 |
Activity Date: | 2022/06/12 |
Reviewed by: Kshitiz
Loved the excursions, especially the evening lava glow. The tour guide was amazing, friendly, and experienced, and made sure we had a really great time
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Packages: | Evening Volcano Explorer |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/06/12 |
Activity Date: | 2022/05/20 |
Reviewed by: LaShonda Denman
Mr Jim was a very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide! The tour was very organized at each stop and Mr. Jim was very accommodating to ensure we didn’t have to wait in long lines as well!! Mr Jim loves what he does and provided myself and everyone on the tour with an Amazing experience!!! I would definitely recommend this tour to all my family and friends. 5 Star Tour!!!
Aloha, and thank you for posting this review! We're thrilled you had a good time on tour, and yes, Jim is extremely knowledgable and friendly, just a wonderful guide! Again, glad you had a great time, and we hope you enjoyed the island.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/06/09 |
Activity Date: | 2022/06/07 |
Reviewed by: Polly
Stefan is a cool guide and got us safely up and down Mauna Kea. It was very cold so I appreciated the ski pants as I came with my own gear and it wasn't enough. The night we ascended was very cloudy so unfortunately no stargazing for us but I mainly wanted to see the telescopes and that was otherworldly. Stefan gave some interesting facts about the telescopes that was appreciated and we got lucky to speak with one of the NASA scientists while up there. There was no rush and we were allotted plenty of time to take pictures and take breaks as the altitude will creep up on you. We were told we'd be refunded $100 for the cloudy skies and I received the refund a couple days later. The sandwich wasn't the best but it was appreciated while up there.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2022/05/29 |
Activity Date: | 2022/05/18 |
Reviewed by: Nono
The tour guide is awesome, friendly, easygoing and very considerate.
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Packages: | Elite Volcano Hike from Kona Hotels |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2022/05/19 |
Activity Date: | 2022/05/17 |
Reviewed by: LJLW
This was a fantastic tour to the Summit. Stephan, tour guide, was very knowledgeable and accommodating. He even took pics for us on his own camera to share with us. This is not to be missed when you are on the Big Island. Highly recommend!
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/05/08 |
Activity Date: | 2022/04/28 |
Reviewed by: Kara
The Black Sands Beach was unreal, it is so cool to see the crystal shine! The whole tour was filled with breathtaking views, great experiences, and yummy treats :)
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/04/29 |
Activity Date: | 2022/04/27 |
Reviewed by: Ibtihale
I had an incredible time discovering the beauty of Mauna Kea! Mr.Aoki and Wes were very nice and knowledgable. They made us feel so comfortable with the very warm jackets and their kind hospitality. I enjoyed seeing the stars ⭐️ and learning about the constellations and sipping on hot coco;) the best coco I’ve had♥️ Thank you!!!
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2022/04/28 |
Activity Date: | 2022/04/11 |
Reviewed by: Kerry Gaj
This tour is excellent. A great option for families and adventurous travelers looking to see it all in one day. From local coffee to black sand beaches to wineries to lava flows to lava tunnels to a charming sunset. The tour guys were knowledgeable and so kind and a accommodating. Shared their local stories and made sure all were comfortable. If you are looking to explore the island and don’t have a lot of time — this is the tour for you. If you want to see everything and get tips on where to go from some locals — this is the tour for you. Highly recommend 10/10.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2022/04/15 |
Activity Date: | 2022/04/13 |
Reviewed by: Robin
This was a great tour - really educational and fun. Be prepared for rain, you are in the rainforest and it rains a lot. Our guide cam prepared with umbrellas and rain jackets, which was really appreciated.
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Packages: | Evening Volcano Explorer |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/04/10 |
Activity Date: | 2022/04/07 |
Reviewed by: Jaime
I’ll start off by saying our guide, Hiro, was excellent. From start to finish he showed that he was very knowledgeable about the subject at hand and proved to be very courteous towards everyone in the group. The veggie sandwiches that he brought along for us were surprisingly delicious.
The trip itself was amazing and truly a once in a lifetime experience. Naturally I was a little anxious at first considering the high altitude but our tour guide was sure to explain everything in detail and was very considerate. That helped ease my tension a bit.
The day that we left the weather proved to be in our favor and we managed to encapsulate all that this trip had set out to be from the start. The view from the summit was amazing and when we went down to s t a r g a z e once the sun fell the energy from the group was electric.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2022/04/09 |
Activity Date: | 2022/03/20 |
Reviewed by: Donna McCurdy-Wolke
It is a long day but that is due to the distance of volcano from hotel. PJ was a great host and VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. Loved the volcano area. Something I have never experienced!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/04/04 |
Activity Date: | 2022/04/01 |
Reviewed by: Mitchell Goff
Marcus was the best tour guide I’ve ever had. I usually don’t like this sort of activity, but he was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We all learned a lot about the forests and volcanoes of Hawaii and had a lot of laughs on the way. He modified appropriately between kids and adults. He was even training someone else and he still made everyone feel like a priority. There was a mixup with the food and he went way out of his way to make it right. I was very impressed. My whole family had a really great day.
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Packages: | Elite Volcano Hike from Kohala / Waikoloa Hotels |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2022/04/01 |
Activity Date: | 2022/03/30 |
Reviewed by: Mike
Bryce our guide is who made the trip extra special. Great and intelligent conversations. Very informative, and it didn’t hurt that the volcano was fantastic.
For sure your tour will be recommended to anyone that asks!
Good job.
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2022/03/28 |
Activity Date: | 2022/03/26 |
Reviewed by: RAJ
Great experience. Our tour guide Shoyo was amazing. The tour started and ended on time. It gets very cold at the summit and we were provided jackets and mittens. Hot cocoa and sandwiches were yum.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2022/03/21 |
Activity Date: | 2022/03/13 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Beautiful tour of the Big Island of Hawaii! The volcano park is awesome!
Rating: | |
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano Tour |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2022/03/21 |
Activity Date: | 2022/03/20 |
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Aloha Marchelle,
Thank you for your kind words about our Deluxe Volcano Experience Tour and Grant, our senior guide. We're glad you enjoyed the tour and the way in which Grant conducts the tours. He is enthusiastic about his work and it shows! Thank you again for posting a review, we hope you had a wonderful time on the island!