Join BIG HAWAI'I TOURS captivating exploration of the Big Island's lush and volcanic windward side! -Luxury van not a 25–60 passenger coach -Pickup at the ship when disembarking allowed and return for a late, on-board lunch -Owner-guided (Fred & Maryna) -Itinerary flexed for weather/closures/eruptions -Water, island drinks, and homegrown snacks included -Suitable for all fitness levels During active eruptions, witness the mighty Kīlauea - the world’s most active volcano. On dormant days, we'll skip the long drive to the crowded park to enjoy black sand coastlines with playful dolphin pods and unique lava formations hidden from tourists. See cavernous lava tubes, majestic waterfalls, and tropical jungles, and savor locally-raised macadamia sweets. BIG HAWAII TOURS are daily curated to maximize your limited time in Hilo. This 5.5-hour morning tour can be bundled with our BIG HAWAII TOURS afternoon TROPICAL ESCAPE for a full, memorable day with guaranteed "all-aboard" for cruisers.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 22.
On this unforgettable excursion, you will have the rare opportunity to see a live volcano during active eruptions and walk through an incredible underground lava tube. Your journey continues with a perfect photo opportunity where you can take a selfie by the most iconic waterfalls in Hawai'i, followed by a delicious stop to enjoy locally grown and packaged Big Island sweets right in Hilo. Designed with cruise passengers in mind, the tour ensures you will be safely returned to your ship with plenty of time for an on-board lunch and an opportunity to freshen up before your afternoon activities begin. We will only pass through Hilo Town and catch a glimpse of King Kamehameha the Great.
Take-in the tropical beauty of this ocean-side Japanese garden and take a quick picture of Hilo Town across the harbor with Mauna Kea staring down from it's 14,000 foot elevation.
We will catch a couple picturesque waterfalls as we explore the lush, green windward side of the Big Island.
This beautiful waterfall is usually one of our first stops, depending on traffic and weather.
On days the Kilaeau is dormant, we will avoid the long drive to the crowded Nat'l Park and experience more peaceful but equally "volcanic" wonders, including this off-the-beaten path lava tube surrounded by lush jungle (does have steep steps down into the lava tube, so less adventurous travelers can enjoy the view from the top).
On dormant volcano days, travelers will get to see the unique "lava trees" caused by a fast-moving lava flow, adding to the "volcanic experience" of our tour.
See what a massive volcanic fissure in 2018 did to a residential neighborhood. A good reminder that the Big Island continues to add to its mass through fire and molten lava.
Black sand beach with natural thermal heated pools. See how the lava flow reached the ocean, eventually creating black sand beaches.
On days that Kilauea is erupting with Pele's wrath, we will prioritize heading straight to the Nat'l Park. On dormant days, we will save the long drive to the crowded park and experience the impact of past eruptions, including recent lava flows that took out entire neighborhoods and added to the size of the BIG Island.
Time permitting, you will have the opportunity to enjoy some free samples and possibly purchase a box of two of our favorite, locally raised/packaged macadamia nut sweets.
Luxurious van picks up Hilo Port cruisers right at the port (we will greet you in the terminal pavilion right next to the ship about 45 minutes after ship docks). For Hilo vacationers we can pickup right across the harbor from dock at Reeds Bay Beach Park gravel parking lot. If you're arriving via cruise ship, please provide the names of everyone in your group for port authority passenger manifest. We work with each cruise line on their specific disembarking times so don't worry about being late, and we guarantee "all aboard" return.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 525 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcanic Experience, Lava Tubes, Waterfalls lasts about 5h 30min. The itinerary has 10 stops.
Prices start at $159 per person for this Big Island of Hawaii experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 8:15 AM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Luxurious van picks up Hilo Port cruisers right at the port (we will greet you in the terminal pavilion right next to the ship about 45 minutes after ship docks). For Hilo vacationers we can pickup right across the harbor from dock at Reeds Bay Beach Park gravel parking lot. If you're arriving via cruise ship, please provide the names of everyone in your group for port authority passenger manifest. We work with each cruise line on their specific disembarking times so don't worry about being late, and we guarantee "all aboard" return.
The experience is available in RU, UK, EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 15 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 18 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Big Hawai'i Tours.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Fred was an incredible tour guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the island and answered all our questions. Unfortunately, we missed the volcano because it wasn’t erupting at the time, but that didn’t dampen Fred’s enthusiasm for making our experience the best possible. At almost every stop, there was a bathroom for us to use. I highly recommend this tour for anyone seeking a truly laid-back and personalized experience.
Excellent basically personalized tour of the big Island. Fred is very knowledgeable and accommodating, taking us to out of the way beautiful spots.
We had an amazing, full day with BigHawaiiTours. Fred was the best guide and Maryna a perfect hostess. This married couple have put a lot into their tours, and it shows. We bundled both their morning Volcano/Waterfalls (this tour) and their Tropical Escape (will review separately). Because they are fairly new, they asked that we provide a TA review, even though we booked direct with them. We highly recommedn BigHawaiiTours!
Fred and Marina provide a great tour and are wonderful guides. It’s a great way to explore the island and see the sights. I highly recommend booking with them.
Excellent, fantastic, brilliant, phenomenal, best guided tour .. very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful... I highly recommend Fred and his wonderful wife , 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Mahalo!!!! We appreciate entrusting your limited time to BigHawaiiTours!
Great experience, really enjoyed the lava tour and going through jungle. Fred is amazing and gave lots of info on the island. Water falls were good too Highly recommend doing tour with Fred.
So appreciate your wonderfully positive feedback! We really enjoyed your group and we're blessed with great weather (even though Pele didn't bless us with her wrathful lava eruption). Mahalo
We had an excellent experience with Big Hawai’i Tours. Fred and Maryna were excellent hosts and very knowledgeable guides! Checking in on weather conditions to ensure the best views, and seeing so many beautiful places! We traveled very comfortably in their mini bus and they checked on us often to make sure we were comfortable or if anyone needed a bathroom break or a snack! I love supporting local businesses because they are the most invested in making sure you have a great experience or service and this held true with Big Hawai’i tours and at great prices too! Thanks for helping us make awesome memories in Hawaii and we will definitely book again when back on the Big Island 🌺🌴🌸 Trina Miller
Mahalo, Trina! We had a great day with you and can't wait to have you back on our little island (we'll treat you to our Tropical Escape)! Aloha!
Fantastic tour and was a perfect way to see a lot of the big island. The volcano and lava tubes were amazing.
Mahalo! We are grateful you entrusted your most valued element of any vacation (your time!) to BigHawaiiTours. Aloha!
We really enjoyed the off the beaten sites that Fred took us to, and appreciated the great selfies and pix that Maryna helped orchestrate. While we missed Kilaeua's eruption, we saw the real world effects of this lively volcano. Moving experience.
Mahalo! We are grateful you entrusted your most valued element of any vacation (your time!) to BigHawaiiTours. Aloha!
It was an amazing tour with good vibes and an incredible view of all the places. The information was amazing and we all learned so much. Also the food/drinks provided were excellent and the gift given at the very end was a sweet gift that made me so happy. And the length of the tour was perfect length as they were considerate of the time spent idle. Overall this tour was the best tour I have been on, in Hawaii and in my previous travel trips.
We were very moved by the kind words of your daughter at the end of our tour and by your family's positive reaction to our time with you. Now back to your "concrete jungle" hahaha! Please tell all your NY friends/family to come join our tour next time they come out to The Big! Mahalo!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcanic Experience, Lava Tubes, Waterfalls | 5h 30min | 5.0 (18) | $159 | |
 Hilo Shore Excursion: Active Volcano, Lava Tube, Waterfall and Gardens | 5h 30min | 4.9 (456) | $188 | View |
 Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcano Safari Lava Caves & Black Sand | 6 hours | 4.8 (446) | $160 | View |
 Big Island Waterfalls, Blacksand Beaches, Lava Tubes & Volcanoes | 6–7 hours | 5.0 (68) | $187 | View |
 Hilo Shore Excursion: Visit Volcano, Waterfall, Beach with Lunch | 6–7 hours | 5.0 (104) | $189 | View |
 Volcanoes National Park Adventure Tour - Hilo Shore Excursion | 7 hours | 4.4 (108) | $196 | View |
 Hilo Shore Excursion Volcano Waterfall Plants and Beach Tour | 6h 15min | — | $178 | View |