All Reviews for Kilauea Volcano, Big Island

We arrived at the helipad we spotted on the way from the airport to the hotel, picked up by the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. We were the only Japanese couple there. We received instructions in fast-paced English, but as long as we could catch some words, we managed. We stored everything except our cameras and water bottles in lockers, put on life vests, and waited while watching a safety video. Everyone was excited by the sound of the helicopter returning with the previous group. After the helicopter returned and underwent maintenance, we had to wait quite a while. Due to nerves, everyone kept needing the restroom, but there was only one unisex restroom, so it got crowded.

There were about 20 people in our time slot. We were grouped based on our participation unit and weight, and we shared the helicopter with two other couples and six individuals. We communicated through headphones and handheld microphones. Even if you're not good at English, the staff is friendly and engages in conversation, so it's fine to speak in broken English.

As we ascended, background music played effectively, and the optimal music for each spot was prepared, which further lifted the mood. Unfortunately, I have a weak vestibular system, and shortly after ascending, I started feeling nauseous and couldn't look down when we approached the most scenic spot near the magma. I managed not to throw up, but I held onto an etiquette bag the whole time. The etiquette bag was stuck in front of my seat, but since I was firmly secured with the seatbelt, it was out of reach for someone petite. I couldn't reach it, so I gestured to my tall husband to get it for me, but I think those with a weak vestibular system should move it closer to them beforehand.

Unfortunately, I felt nauseous, but it was undoubtedly a valuable experience to see breathtaking spots that are normally inaccessible up close.

マウナケアビーチホテルからのピックアップで空港からホテルへ向かう道中に見かけたヘリポートに到着。日本人は私達夫婦だけでした。早口の英語で指示を受けますが、単語が聞き取れればなんとかなります。カメラとペットボトル以外はロッカーに入れて救命胴衣を装着、安全ビデオを見てその時を待ちます。前の時間帯のパーティーを乗せたヘリが戻って来る音でみんな大興奮。前機戻って来てヘリの整備やらでその後結構待ちました。緊張でみんなトイレが近くなるのですが、トイレが男女共用で1つしかないので混雑します。
同じ時間帯の組は20名ほどでした。参加単位と体重で乗る組み合わせを振り分けられ私達はカップル2組と6名で同乗。ヘッドホンと手持ちのマイクで会話します。英語が苦手でも楽しく話しかけてくれるので片言でも大丈夫です。
上昇とともに効果的にBGMが流され、スポット毎に最適なBGMが用意されているのでさらに気分が盛り上がります。
私は三半規管が弱いため上昇してほどなくして気持ちが悪くなってしまい、一番の絶景スポットのマグマへの接近で下を向くことができませんでした。なんとか戻すことはありませんでしたが、ずっとエチケット袋を抱えていました。座席前に刺さっているエチケット袋ですが、身体ががっつりシートベルトで固定されているので小柄な方では手が届きません。私は届かず背の高い主人にジェスチャーで即して取ってもらいましたが、三半規管が弱い方は事前に手元に移動しておいた方がいいと思います。
生憎気持ちが悪くなってしまいましたが、普通では立ち入れない絶景スポットを目近で見られるので、とても貴重な経験が出来たことは間違いありません。

Tour Guide was great!!!!!! Great Value!

Would suggest that you have passengers switch seats during the tour. Unfortunately we get the back seats and the viewing is not as good as the seats further towards the front. Also it was harder to talk to the guide from back there. Might be nice if halfway thru the tour everyone switch seats.

It's a special experience where you can feel the grandeur of the Big Island, including the appearance of the volcano, the flow of magma into the ocean, the townscape of Hilo, and the waterfalls in the valley. It's an experience that money can't buy. I highly recommend it! Although I wasn't a Japanese pilot, I could somewhat understand what was being said through the words.

火山の様子やマグマの海への流出、
ヒロの町並み、渓谷内の滝が流れる様子、
とにかくハワイ島の雄大さを感じることができるスペシャルな体験です。
お金じゃ買えない経験です。お勧めします！！
なお、日本語パイロットではなかったですが、
単語でなんとなく言っていることは分かりました。

Nick and Misty did a great job interacting with the group and went out of their way to make sure everyone was comfortable with the tour and the information. Our day was 12 hours long and was very enjoyable from the time we were picked up at our hotel till late in the evening. The volcano lava viewing in the evening was amazing!

Loved the trip. Our driver Chris was very knowledgable and funny. Food was great and time allotted for each site was perfect. I would highly recommend this tour.

I am always Leary of organized tours but this one was an exception. Our guide Nick was exceptional. He went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable, and well taken care of. He has done his homework and knows the history and the island well, showing us a lot of extra things along the way such as plants, historical notes etc. it was a long day but we enjoyed every minute and would recommend to anyone.

Best guided tour by far. Very professional-able to anticipate your needs and provided things you didn't even know you needed. Chris- the owner, and our guide for the night- was fantastic. His enthusiasm was contagious. Great company, great tour. Do it!

It was great to see the expansive views of the entire Big Island of Hawaii, the volcanic craters with visible lava, and the waterfalls in the valleys, as well as swimming whales.

広々としたハワイ島全体の景色や溶岩が見える火山口や滝が流れる渓谷のほか、泳ぐクジラも見れてよかったです

We did the Circle Island Tour, small group tour which was fantastic. I cannot say enough about this tour. It was approx. 11.5 hours but the day flew by. Our driver Kevin was amazing and informed us about everything. It was a maximum 12 people which made it very enjoyable. Our lunch break we stopped at an Orchid shop and our driver had picked us up Bento Boxes, it was delicious. We saw everything from waterfalls, rain forest, black sand beach, lava tubes, lava fields, and volcanoes and so much more. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. Well worth the money.
Thank you for the great tour.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and attentive to detail. Viewing the volcano in the light and then at night was awesome. The restaurant was so cozy and had great food. Afterwards we hiked thru a fern forest to a lava tube. Amazing!

The pilot was friendly and being Japanese made me feel at ease. Unlike most sightseeing helicopters that fly for around 20 minutes, this one flew for over 2 hours, which was very satisfying.

パイロットの方も感じが良く日本人なので安心できました。観光ヘリは20分前後が多い中でみっちり2時間以上も飛んでくれて大満足でした。

I came to Hawaii Island for the first time. I wanted to see Kilauea Volcano, but it would take too long to get there by rental car, so I joined this tour. I was worried about whether the high cost of the tour would be worth it, but the experience was even more wonderful than I imagined. The pilot was Japanese and occasionally explained things in Japanese, which made it easy to understand.

However, be prepared for the possibility of cancellations due to weather conditions. We were able to go, but the next group had their tour canceled after checking in and had to go back...

初めてのハワイで、ハワイ島に来ました。
とりあえずキラウエア火山を見たいと思っていましたが、レンタカーでは行くまでに時間がかかり1日潰れてしまうのでこのツアーに参加しました。
このツアーの料金が高いので満足できるか不安がありましたが、結果は想像以上に素晴らしいものでした。
パイロットの方が日本人で時折日本語を交えて説明してくださったので理解しやすかったです。

ただ、天候によって中止になることもあるので覚悟が必要です。
私達は乗れましたが、次の時間の人たちは受付をした後中止が決まり、帰っていきました…

Although a little long in length, this tour was my favorite activity of our entire trip. We got to see a good portion of the island and its amazing landscape and learned a lot along the way. Our tour guide, Nick, was top notch. Even our two surly teens rated this one of their favorite activities, which says a lot!

The 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.

We participated in the flight at 7 AM on November 16th! We were the only Japanese participants, which made us quite anxious, but the pilot, TOSHI, who appeared was a very cheerful and wonderful Japanese person. With 20 years of experience, he was also very good at communicating. He explained things clearly to the foreign passengers, mixing Japanese and English.

The weather that day was perfect! We could see the lava from Kilauea and the lava from the Ocean Approach clearly. More than that, the breathtaking scenery of Waipi'o Valley, which can only be seen by helicopter, left us speechless. The world’s 13th tallest waterfall was flowing beautifully. According to TOSHI, it had rained the day before, and since it was the first flight of the morning, there was a lot of water flowing. He mentioned that by around noon, the water would hardly be flowing, so I recommend an early flight for those who will participate in the future.

As for the flight itself, there was nothing to complain about, but one disappointing aspect was the hotel pickup. We were scheduled to be picked up at 5:55 AM and waited five minutes early to avoid being late, but the car actually arrived after 6:10 AM. The voucher stated to contact them if the pickup did not arrive after 15 minutes, so when I tried to get the front desk to help, the car arrived just then. It was disappointing to have woken up early for this. The pickup staff did not speak Japanese, so I couldn't voice any complaints.

Meeting TOSHI, who shares the same last name, made for an unforgettable day for us. Thank you!

１１月１６日の朝７時のフライトに２人で参加しました！
日本人の参加者は私たち夫婦だけで、かなり不安でしたが、登場してきたパイロットのTOSHIさんがとーっても明るくて素敵な日本人でした。２０年のベテランでとーってもお話上手。
一緒に搭乗した外人さんにもわかりやすく、日本語と英語を交えて説明してくれました。

この日の天候は最高！キラウエアの溶岩も、オーシャンアプローチの溶岩もしっかり見えました。それよりもワイピオ渓谷では、ヘリコプターでしか見れない壮大な景観、言葉が出ないぐらい感動してしまいました。世界で１３番目に高い滝は、しっかり水が落ちていました。TOSHIさんの話では、前日に雨が降り、朝１番でのフライトだからたくさん水が落ちている、とのこと。昼ぐらいには水はほとんど落ちないでしょう、ということなので、これから参加する方は早い時間のフライトをお勧めします。

フライトに関しては、何の申し分もないぐらいですが、１つ残念だったのが、ホテルの送迎に関して。
５時５５分のお迎え予定で、遅れないようにと５分前には待っていましたが、実際に車が来たのは６時１０分過ぎ。１５分過ぎて迎えが来ない場合は連絡をください、とバウチャーに書いてあったので、連絡しようとフロントに動いてもらったら、車が来るというタイミング。頑張って朝早く起きたことを残念に思ったスタートでした。お迎えのスタッフは日本語ができない人たちなので、文句は何も言えませんでした。

同じ苗字のTOSHIさんとの出会いは、私達夫婦にとって、忘れられない１日になりました。
ありがとうございました！

The experience was awesome. I would recommend it to everyone. The tour operator was great and showed amazing forethought by providing water, wipes, jackets, and flashlights. Dinne at the lodge was delicious. In addition, our tour guide,Nick, was knowledgeable about the culture.

On October 17, 2016, I participated in a helicopter tour of the Big Island starting at 8:20 AM. It was my first time on a helicopter, so I was both nervous and excited. The moment we took off was just as I imagined, and the sensation of rising was incredibly interesting. The helicopter I boarded had windows made of clear acrylic down to the floor, giving me a real feeling of floating in the air, which was amazing.

We took off at 9:20 AM and headed towards the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, passing over a U.S. Army base. It didn’t look as red as it did the night before, but due to recent significant magma rise, I could see some red lava moving in parts of the crater. The helicopter continued flying along the coast, where we witnessed the lava ocean entry. This is where lava flowing from the crater enters the sea, causing the water to boil violently and steam to rise, creating a spectacular sight.

After that, we landed at Hilo Airport to refuel and took off again 15 minutes later. This was also a restroom break for us. In the second half of the tour, we flew north along the east coast and saw the waterfalls in Waipiʻo Valley, which can only be accessed by helicopter. When the helicopter got close to the cliffs to see the waterfall up close, it was thrilling.

On the way back, we ascended above the clouds and enjoyed the view of the sea of clouds and the towering Mauna Kea. After a safe landing, we returned to the hotel and went shopping at a large shopping mall called Queens' Marketplace until it was time for our flight back to Oahu. I bought local specialties like Kona coffee here. This concluded the main event of my trip.

2016/10/17は、
朝8:20からハワイ島ヘリコプターツアーに参加しました。
ヘリコプターに乗るのは初めてなので緊張しながらワクワクしていました。
搭乗して飛び上がった瞬間は想像通りとはいえ上昇感覚が大変面白かったです。
今回搭乗したヘリは窓が足元まで透明なアクリルで出来ていて、
本当に空中を浮遊している実感が有り、すごかったです。
9時20分に離陸し、
米陸軍基地の上空を通過してハレマウマウ火口に向かいました。
前日の夜に見た時ほど赤く見えませんでしたが、
ここ最近マグマ上昇が顕著だったため火口の一部に赤い溶岩がうごめくのが見れました。
ヘリはそのまま沿岸沿いに飛行し溶岩のオーシャンエントリーを見ました。
これは、火口から流れ出した溶岩が海に流れ込み
その熱で海が激しく沸騰して水蒸気が立ち上っている場所で、大迫力でした。
その後、ヒロ空港に給油のため着陸し15分後離陸しました。
人間は、ここでトイレ休憩でした。
後半は東沿岸を北上し、ヘリでしか行くことのできないワイピオ渓谷の滝を見ました。
滝を間近で見るため断崖絶壁のすぐそばまでヘリが近づいたときはスリル満点でした。
帰りは雲の上まで上昇し、雲海とそびえたつマウナケア山を鑑賞しました。
無事着陸後、ホテルに戻りオアフ島に帰る飛行機の時間まで
クイーンズ・マーケットプレイスという大型ショッピングモールに行き買い物をしました。
ここで地元特産のコナコーヒーなどを買いました。
こうして今回の旅のメインイベントが終わりました。

This was by far the best tour we had done in Hawaii. Marcus the tour guide was top notch. Marcus knew so much about the area, the culture, plants, animals and was just a funny great person to be around. You ride in style in the plush Mercedes van. He took you to many different area's and we even got to see lava flowing, served lunch and to end the night a 5 star restaurant. Everything was included in your price of your tour. By far a MUST do while in Hawaii. You will not be disappointed in this tour or Marcus.

Great tour with Jim Cary as guild very funny and knows his history of the town and events.

The Japanese staff provided a fun and entertaining helicopter cruise tour. We went with the intention of seeing Kilauea Volcano, but we were told that Waipi'o Valley is the number one spot. When we flew through the valley, we saw a rainbow from the waterfall, and I found myself moved to tears.

Since it's a place you can only reach by helicopter, it's definitely not overpriced. The grandeur of nature makes your worries seem insignificant. I can definitely recommend this experience. You can also purchase a DVD with footage of our flight route, the inside of the helicopter, the commentary, and background music (it was around $45). I will definitely ride again next time.

日本語スタッフさんがおもしろおかしくヘリクルーズツアーをしてくれました。
キラウエア火山目当てでいきましたが、ワイピオ渓谷がNo1と伝えられ、いざ渓谷のはざまをヘリで飛び、滝からの虹も見れ、気づいたら感動で泣いてしまったくらいです。
ヘリでしか行けない場所なので、決して高くない。そして、悩んでることとかがちっぽけだと大自然の迫力にやられます。確実におすすめできます。
自分達が飛んだルートやヘリ内の様子、トークやBGMが詰まった世界で1枚のDVDデータも購入できます。（＄45くらいだったかな）次回もまた絶対乗ります。

This tour was absolutely awesome. Chris and Nick, our guides, were very knowledgeable and fun. They clearly pride themselves on what they do, which makes them stand out from the average. The meals were good, especially the beautiful dinner. We had the steak which was fantastic, and the service was perfect and so friendly. We saw beautiful sights all day, ending at the volcano which gave us a good show. Would do again in a heartbeat. Thanks guys!

Jim Cary was our tour guide and he did a great job. He was extremely knowledgable of the Hawaiian and Polanisian culture which made the day that much better. The vehicle was not as comfortable as I expected a Mercedes to be, definitely the only downfall of the whole trip. All in all, a high 9/10

I used the service on September 25, 2015.

As expected, Big Island‼︎
The views from the sky were breathtaking.

The opportunity arose on our first day in Hawaii Island when we found the helicopter pad, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, on the way from the airport to the hotel‼︎
Originally, we planned to go to Kilauea, but the moment I saw the helicopter... I couldn't suppress the desire to see everything from above(^^;;

On our last day on Hawaii Island, we had a morning flight at 7 AM to Honolulu, and fortunately, we were blessed with clear skies. We were able to fully enjoy places and views that we could never have accessed on our own, and we had a wonderful time.

The English guide was entertaining and explained things in a clear manner, sometimes seriously, and he engaged with us throughout the flight. At the scenic points, he maneuvered the helicopter 360° so that everyone could see the same view. Thanks to the pilot's kindness and cheerfulness, the atmosphere was relaxed throughout the journey♪
For my husband and me, who were visiting Hawaii Island for the first time, it was the perfect activity.
And this year, our late summer vacation will be... Maui!
I think we will be relying on VELTRA again.
I'm looking forward to it☆

2015年9月25日に利用させていただきました。

さすが、Big Island‼︎
空から眺める景色はどれも圧巻でした。

きっかけは、ハワイ島初日、空港からホテルに向かう途中に見つけたヘリポート、ブルーハワイアンヘリコプターズ‼︎
元々、キラウエアに行く予定でいましたが、ヘリを見た瞬間…上から眺めたい欲望が抑えられませんでした(^^;;

ハワイ島最終日、お昼にはホノルルへ向かう為、朝イチ7時のフライトでしたが、運良く晴天にも恵まれ、決して自分達だけでは行けない場所、見れない景色を十分に堪能でき、素敵な時間を過ごすことが出来ました。

英語ガイドでしたが、面白おかしく、時には真面目に分かりやすく説明して下さり、何かと声を掛けて頂き、絶景ポイントでは全員が同じ景色を見れるよう360°操縦してくれます。パイロットの優しさと陽気さで、移動中は終始和やかムード♪
初ハワイ島の私達夫婦にとっては、ピッタリのアクティビティでした。
そして、今年も遅い私達の夏休みは…マウイ島！
VELTRAさん、またお世話になると思います。
今から楽しみです☆

Guide was very informative. He talked about everything we were seeing and was easy to listen to. The only concern I had was that the tour company needs to adjust expected arrival times to account for other pick ups and traffic.

I participated for the first time with my mother, husband, and eldest daughter. Hawaii Island is not just about Kilauea! It was a series of moving experiences. Thank you very much.

母と夫 長女と四人で初めて参加しました。
ハワイ島はキラウエアだけではないのですね！
感動の連続でした。ありがとうございました。

I signed up for the helicopter tour because I wanted to take in the expansive views of the Big Island and see the flowing lava.

During my visit, the lava was at a lower flow rate, so I couldn't see much of it flowing, but I was able to witness the red masses burning through the trees.

Additionally, I could view areas that are difficult to reach by car, such as Hilo and the northern mountainous regions and waterfalls, from the air.

Although it is expensive, it was a satisfying sightseeing flight.

ハワイ島は広いので、空からぐるっと眺めたいのと、流れている溶岩が見たくて申し込みました。

溶岩は丁度少な目の時期でしたので、そこまで流れている感じは見ることができませんでしたが
赤い塊が木々を燃やしている様子は見ることができました。

また、ヒロ方面や北部の山岳地帯・滝など
車では行きにくい方も空から眺めることができました。

高額ではありますが、満足できる遊覧飛行でした。

It was a great tour with a great guide. He loves his job, he know a lot of things on Hawaiian culture. It's a deluxe tour with a lot of attention! We will never forget that tour!

Jim Carey was a fantastic tour guide. His stories and knowledge of the volcano, stars and planets was excellent.

Mike Nelson was the best guide! He knew everything about the island - and catered to our needs. He gave us options based on our interests and prior experience on the island. He did his best to give us a good understanding of the people, history, culture, and economy of the island. Knew local legends, astronomical information, plant and animal facts, as well as best "tips" on everything from restaurants and beaches, to coffee and desserts.

I must start this review with big Mahalo to our tour guide Jim Carrey, you made this tour great and memorable for my wife Laura and myself. My suggestion would be for anyone interested in a great tour on the Big Island that is focused on cultural, geological, flora and fauna ecosystems of the island to book this tour for the beginning part of their stay, since it will open a number of the other visits and adventure that one can do on their own. Bring a camera and warm clothing, but if you forget your jacket don't worry your tour guide Jim is prepared with a number of coats to lend to those that had forgotten theirs. This whole day tour is packed with interesting place to visit, local folklore and legends. Jim is such a great narrator that makes the whole Hawaiian culture alive during the tour. You will be introduced to multiple Hawaiian chants, songs and legends during the entire day. Food is exquisite and plentiful, tastefully prepared to satisfied everyones need and desire. The crown jewl of this tour is night visit to Volcanic National Park for night lava viewing and star gazing. Jim is so knowledgeable in field of celestial observations and he comes prepared with a strong pair of binoculars that are powerful enough to give you glance of lava inside crater and to offer great view on planets and constellations visible from the craters edge.
Once again Mahalo to Jim Carrey and his company for offering us a unique view on Hawaiian culture and beautiful eco-system that is so different then anywhere on the planet.