Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Description
Witness the explosive majesty of Hawaii with this self-guided tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Stand at the precipice of Kilauea Crater. Visit the Pu‘u Loa Petroglyphs. See the beauty of the Hōlei Sea Arch before erosion destroys it for good. Along the way, you’ll find out how volcanoes really work, what they’ve meant in the history of Hawaii, and so much more. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your journey begins at the park’s Entrance Station, Volcano, HI. First, we’ll go straight through the Entrance Gate and explore the area around the visitor center. Note: The tour is over 24.5 miles long, with more than 43 audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
It’s a recreational facility for soldiers, but its history wasn’t all fun and games. During World War II, this became an internment camp not only for prisoners of war but for innocent Japanese citizens as well.
Steam Vents are created by the heat of the Kilauea Volcano, which heats groundwater trapped in underground pockets. The steam that rises from the vents is an indicator of the volcano's underground activity.
This is where the short but sweet Sulphur Banks Trail begins. Well, I say sweet… but that’s a lie. It’s actually extremely smelly!
This spot looks out across the simply jaw-dropping and is one of the must-see spots in the park. Although the crater doesn’t look like a typical volcano, it’s actually one of the most active in the entire world!
This trail leads directly through the Kilauea Iki Crater! It’s a 3.3-mile loop that takes about three hours, but the elevation change can be strenuous.
The Thurston Lava Tube was formed over 500 years ago when molten lava flowed through the area and created a tunnel-like cave as the lava on the outside cooled and hardened while the lava on the inside kept flowing. The result is a unique cave system that visitors can explore today.
The Luamanu Crater was once filled with a dense forest… but that all changed in just one day.
Puhimau Crater is a volcanic feature located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and if travelers book an experience to visit it, they can witness the unique geological formations created by volcanic activity.
Pauahi Crater is a steep-sided pit crater that was formed by explosive volcanic activity. The crater is approximately 330 feet deep and 1,000 feet in diameter, and it is known for its interesting geological features, such as the lava spatter deposits and the fumaroles, which emit steam and gases.
Pu’u Huluhulu is a cinder cone, just like Pu'upua'i. The name means "hairy hill" because low shrubs have grown across it, giving it a fuzzy appearance from afar.
Kipukas are formed when a lava flow surrounds an area of older vegetation, and over time, this vegetation can continue to thrive, creating a unique island of life in the middle of a barren lava field. These kipukas often have their own microclimate, with different soil types and moisture levels than the surrounding area, allowing for the growth of different plant species.
This raised platform offers panoramic views of the Mauna Ulu lava flow. It’s mostly flat and gray, but look for the toadstool-shaped formations.
Pu‘u Loa Petroglyphs is a historical site located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. If travelers book an experience to visit Pu‘u Loa Petroglyphs, they can see over 23,000 ancient petroglyphs etched into the hardened lava rock.
The famous Holei Sea Arch. This picture-perfect sea cliff naturally formed into the shape of an arch!
You might notice a small building separate from the rest of the Visitor Center. That will be the Volcano Art Center Gallery, a lovely place to stop if you’re a fan of the fine arts.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Please note that an entrance fee is required to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and it is not included with this tour.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Recent Kona storms caused flooding, debris, and temporary road closures in Hawaiʻi. Conditions are improving, but parts of Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island may still have delays, cleanup, or closures.
Reviews(33)
Great information to guide you along the way! I like that it was an app and did not need cell service
Alicia, thank you for taking my Hawaii Volcanoes National Park GPS driving audio tour. I’m so glad the app gave you helpful information along the way and worked smoothly without cell service. My audio tours are valid forever and work offline once downloaded beforehand. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
This was extremely helpful and on point I would definitely recommend this it is a super inexpensive way to experience the volcanos and other points and detailed step by step directions on where to go and what to do
Felica, thank you for taking my GPS driving audio tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park! I’m so glad it was helpful, easy to follow, and gave you a convenient way to explore the volcanoes and key stops at your own pace. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
The audio tour was easy to follow and informative.
Linda, I’m so glad you enjoyed my GPS Driving Audio Tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It’s wonderful to know the tour was easy to follow and informative as you explored the park. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaiian Islands Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour Bundle. I wish you more amazing travels!
The audio was very helpful and informative! We were able to see all the highlights of the volcano and didn’t miss anything.
Rebecca, I’m really glad to hear that my Hawaii Volcanoes GPS Driving Audio Tour helped you see all the highlights and made sure you didn’t miss anything. It’s great that you found the audio helpful and informative. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaiian Islands Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour Bundle. I wish you more amazing travels!
Excellent narration and knowledge of the area! We thoroughly enjoyed our experience touring the park.
Sebby, I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed my Hawaii Volcanoes Driving Audio Tour and found the narration engaging and informative. It’s wonderful that the tour enhanced your experience while exploring the park. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
This was way better than spending $280 for a tour, informative, easy to follow, at your own pace etc. only thing that would have been nice is if it would work in reverse.
Brittany, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed my Hawaii Volcanoes National Park self-guided driving audio tour and found it informative, easy to follow, and a great value compared to a guided tour. I appreciate your note about wanting a reverse option—right now, the tour is designed to work best when started from the recommended starting point and followed along the route. Your feedback is constructive. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
It was very interesting. We enjoyed hearing the history of area. Try to make it to the arch by the sea, it was worth the drive. The app was able to keep track of where we were on our drive with gps even if we went out of order?
Cherie, I’m glad you enjoyed my self-guided driving audio tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The sea arch really is a great tip and worth the drive, so I’m happy you made it there. Yes, the tour is designed to track your location with GPS and adjust even if you go slightly off course, as long as you’re following the general route. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
The self tour was informative. It could be a little more user friendly. But if you're heading up the volcano, it's very nice to have and worth the money.
Thomas, glad to hear you found my Hawaii Volcanoes National Park driving audio tour informative and worthwhile, especially on your way up the volcano. I appreciate the note about user-friendliness and would love to understand that a bit better. Was there any specific part of the setup or navigation that felt unclear or could be improved? Your feedback really helps me fine-tune the experience, so feel free to share more if you’d like. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
Very easy and informative audio tour if you haven’t planned for your Volcanoes NP visit and activities. NP app also includes a tour option, also self-paced, but not audio(facts must be read on the NP app). NP app is free but this one is fairly low cost. Both have their merits.
Amy, I’m glad to hear you found my Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Self-Guided Audio Tour easy to use and informative. While the free National Park app is a great resource, my app offers extra features designed to enhance your visit — including GPS-triggered audio stories, offline access (so it works even without service), and a helpful “Near Me” feature that points you to nearby restrooms, gas stations, and restaurants. I appreciate your balanced feedback and hope the stories added extra depth to your Volcanoes NP experience. If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
Very informative and provided a nice tour. We thought it could have had some stops on the way down and others in the way back.
Caitlin, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed my Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour and found it informative. Thanks for sharing your suggestion about adding more stops along both directions — that’s helpful feedback, and If you're looking for more Hawaiian adventures, check out my All Hawaii Bundle, which features Maui, Oahu, and Kauai tours. I wish you more amazing travels!
