Small Group Big Island Twilight Volcano and Stargazing Tour
Description
See rare black sand beaches, visit the famous Kona Coffee Farm and the magnificent Volcanoes National Park including Thurston Lava Tube, Chain of Craters Road, and past lava flow. Finish the adventure with stargazing near Mauna Kea. Experience the Big Island’s most spectacular natural splendors on this small-group tour with a professional local guide sharing knowledge of the history, cultures, and geology of the island. Lunch and Dinner included in the tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Take a tour of a Kona Coffee Farm to learn about the harvesting and milling process while sampling Kona Coffee and Tea. Enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the beautiful Kealakekua Bay.
Taste famous Hawaiian sweet bread and malasadas at this local favorite bakery
Relax and take it all in at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, a great place to spot marine life from the shore, like Hawaii’s green sea turtles.
Various stops are made to view magnificent volcanic eruptions during the day and twilight, as well as past lava flow sites and craters, condition permitting. In addition, your certified tour guide provides an educational and insightful narrative about the volcanoes as you visit steam vents, Kilauea Crater Lookout, a portion of the Chain of Craters Road, and the crater rim trail.
Walk along a bridge that gives you a literal inside look at Hawaii, as you follow it to the eerie Thurston Lava Tube, a 600-foot-long (183-meter) cave formed hundreds of years ago by an underground river of magma.
Your guide will take you to a secluded and ideal location for stargazing. Depending on weather condition, you will observe stars, planets, galaxies, moon, and much more while your guide shares interesting legend and lore of the sky.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up only from all major hotels and resorts in Kona and Kohala Coast. If you are staying at a vacation rental in Kona, you will be directed to the closest hotel to be picked up. If you are staying at a vacation rental in Kohala Coast or near Hilo, you will be directed to one of the locations below to be picked up. The back parking lot by the two yellow umbrellas at Queens' Marketplace in Waikoloa Foodland Farms at The Shops at Mauna Lani ( 1330 Mauna Lani Dr, Waimea, HI 96743 ) The supplier will send you a confirmation email with the exact pickup location and time. Please call the supplier if you don't receive an email.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children under 5 years old are not allowed to participate
- Vegetarian or gluten free meals are available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Some walking on uneven ground is involved
- Itineraries may change, and refunds will not be given for closures and itinerary changes out of our control. Tours run rain or shine.
- Not possible for travelers require walkers/wheelchairs
Reviews(1,702)
We did the absolutely magical Twilight Volcano and Stargazing Tour with Felix as our guide. I knew we were in for an excellent day as soon as we met Felix. He is a sensational guide and wonderful person. He answered all our questions, was crazy knowledgeable, and kept us laughing the entire tour. I learned and saw and experienced so, so much during this adventure! I can't cover it all in a review, but here are some things that are worth noting: The van was clean, comfortable, and had chargers at every row of seating. Make sure you bring a charge cable, because my phone battery was really put to the test with how many pictures I took over the 12-ish hour tour. Felix did have a few extras for guests who forgot their cables. He also had ginger chews for those who might get a touch of motion sickness, plenty of water bottles during the tour, raincoats, and warm jackets. We felt incredibly pampered. And, yes, we DID need the raincoats and jackets at different points during the tour! I had read a few reviews about the weather and brought sweatpants to throw on under my sundress for the night portion of the tour - this turned out to be a GREAT idea. The sites are honestly magical. It was our first time seeing a black sand beach, wild sea turtles, an active volcano, lava tubes, Pele's hair, cute green geckos, and so many other things that you can only find in Hawaii. Volcanoes National Park is otherworldly in its beauty. Felix even made time to swing by the NP gift shop for us - we had asked at the beginning of the day if it was possible to get our stamp and some stickers. The shop also has really cosy hoodies! Felix is the BEST. There was no eruption during the day while we were in the park, but during dinner we could see her starting to go off on the live webcam from the NPS that the restaurant keeps on the TVs. Felix took us back to multiple viewing sites after dinner and we saw the glow of the lava at night! Beyond amazing. I almost had to be dragged away. Both lunch at the Bay View Coffee Farm and dinner at the Lava Rock Cafe were very good! Quality portions, excellent ambiance. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed the coffee tasting at the farm. Bakery had some fun treats but was pretty packed. Unfortunately, stargazing was a bit of a dud due to the full moon. Still way more stars than you could see from a city, but not the views of the Milky Way that I was hoping for. Felix showed me pictures from other nights on his phone and, holy cow, totally insane views on a lesser moon kinda night. Overall, completely brilliant tour. I wish I'd had time for one of their combo tours. Maybe next time. HIGHLY recommend!
Felix is very knowledgeable and the tour is a lot of fun! I learned a ton about volcanoes and the history and legends of the island. Definitely worth it! The stargazing was a great way to end the day, and we were well fed all day. He even brought chews to help make sure no one got car sick, and the ride was comfortable and safe. Definitely recommend this one!
Well organized itinerary, very friendly and knowledgeable guide, family friendly, worth it and would recommend!
Aloha! I think our guide would better be described as an artist. From the moment he picked us up until he dropped us off 13 hours later, he created an experience not just a tour. He started with sharing about the districts each of us were staying in, allowing us to each be characters in the adventure he designed. We learned about the eruptions from the past and present, how the people, culture, and roads have been affected, and we tasted and saw so much of the island. He was incredibly timely, allowing for us to hit everything planned, even adding in a second stop at the active volcano because it became more active after we left for dinner. There are so many little things he did throughout the day that added to the fullness of the adventure, I don't want to spoil the surprise by describing them all. But along with the Monday volcano tour, you could also schedule his Wednesday waterfall tour, things to consider... Best guide on the island! Hands down worth the cost!
Our family of 5 thoroughly enjoyed the entire day. Our guide, Todd, was friendly and extremely knowledgeable of all relevant aspects of the island including the geological/volcanic, history, language, agriculture/coffee, and astrology. We had some tough weather in the National Park but Todd helped us get the most out of the day. The stops along the way were enjoyable and well timed. The food was quite good. I would recommend this excursion for anyone interested in a full day of fun, education and experiences.
We had an amazing day on our private tour with Derek; his knowledge and genuine enthusiasm are seemly limitless! It was a very comfortable, safe ride and we packed a lot in! Even though we've been coming to the Big Island for years, we learned and saw things we wouldn't have if not for the tour. We generally don't do touristy things and are not "tour people" but we really enjoyed this experience and highly recommend.
Absolutely amazing you get to see so much of of the island. Learned about the culture, history, and folklore, and nature. Stargazing was amazing! It is definitely a must do!! And our tour guide was so informative, funny and accommodating. Worth every penny. Book in advance for this tour tends to sell out. And if you can request Henry that was our guide he just makes so enjoyable 😉
Felix was an outstanding tour guide—professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly thoughtful. He went above and beyond to make this long day tour enjoyable and fun from start to finish. Some examples of his exceptional service: he thoughtfully brought ginger candies to help with motion sickness. During dinner, we noticed flames visible from the crater, and he took the group back out so we could experience this amazing sight. Another highlight was the stargazing session. Felix’s passion and knowledge of the night sky made it truly memorable as he pointed out different constellations and the Milky Way. His enthusiasm, attention to detail, and genuine care for his guests made this long tour memorable. Highly recommended!
We had an amazing day and got to see so many things on the island. Derek is a great tour guide. We loved the coffee farm, the bakery, the black sand beach, and especially the volcano and stargazing. The meals were also very good. I highly recommend this tour!
It was amazing 👏 and our tour guide Henry was very informative and entertaining made it so enjoyable 😉 would recommend it to everyone and also Henry 😊 Loved it!!
