Best 3rd-party Lava/volcano hike?

[brianlojeck]

I'll be taking Princess to Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui in 2014.

 

Normally I'm very paranoid about a 3rd party tour company getting me back late or some such, but what with the islands being so easy to travel between I figure this is a good time to try something new.

 

Can anyone suggest a favorite 3rd-party Lava/Volcano type hike tour company where we can avoid some of the crowds, hopefully something that doesn't involve a gigantic school bus full of fanny packs and yoga pants. ;-)

 

Thanks for your suggestions!

[Astro Flyer]

Have you considered a rental car to easily drive to VNP? It cost us less than $40 & you can hike Kilauea caldera between the visitor's center & Halemaumau. A walk through the Thurston Lava Tube was enjoyable as was a drive to the end of the Chain of Craters road where lava may be entering the ocean if you're lucky.

 

There are many places we visited in the 80s such as Kalapana & Queen's Bath that are now buried in lava. :(

[Susan-M]

We did a lava hike with Volcano Discovery Hawaii in April and I would highly recommend them. They do private tours and small groups (we had 6 in our group). They also do tours within VNP, however, you won't see active lava flowing there (the lava tours are outside the park at Kalapana.) On a cruise stop you would have time for one or the other.

 

We did an evening lava hike (we were on a land trip) ... to do it in the daytime would be extremely uncomfortable due to the heat, so I would consider ruling that option out and focus on VNP, which is pretty amazing too!

 

Have a look at their website to see some of the options that they offer.

 

I agree with the above recommendation to consider renting a car and exploring VNP on your own. But you won't be able to see lava flowing into the ocean (or flowing at all) on your own. If your cruise ship does a sail-by at night, you'll get a view of lava if it's still flowing when you do your trip.

[diverearl]

Everyone is of course different but after many trips to the Big Island for hours to a week at a time I've yet to see anything on this island that is even in the same ballpark as Molten lava flowing into the ocean or even the Pahoehoe lava just creeping along - with the exception of the night Manta Ray (which was still a distant second).

 

Don't get me wrong I love the rest of the island from the waterfalls to black sand beach at Punalu'u the snow on Mt Mauna Kea the beautiful drive on Old Mamalahoa Hwy to the diving in the Captain Cook / Two Steps area the views along the North Shore not to forget Miss Sudy's Kona coffee in Holualoa which is by far the best medium roast coffee on earth imo.

 

But again nothing compares to the active lava / ocean entry. Just something about creation in progress, the island getting bigger and bigger right in front of my eyes.

 

As far as old cold lava (which is all over the islands and the world) or red hot molten lava on the move or churning away in a crater, again I need the hot stuff to get me all fired up (pun intended). Also as cool as it is in the daylight it is very different at night up close say less than a foot or two away with my hiking stick on fire in it is indescribable, far different than being a half a mile to a mile or more away. The sail by is great but not comparable.

 

Daytime up close

 

Night time up close

 

 

 

[Susan-M]

Diveearl - I understand your thoughts ... but what would you recommend that the OP do in order to see lava flows?

[slidergirl]

For the lava flows, it really depends on what kind of/where the flow activity is located, if any is going on. You can check the VNP website where it has a page on what's happening with the volcanos:

http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava2.htm

 

I also remember visiting the Queen's Baths and the village of Kalapana. There was a gas station in town that had a little food setup that had some wonderful manapuas. And, I remember when you could do a circle drive on the Big Island via the Chain of Craters Road instead of only having the road through Kamuela. It made a fantastic day drive.

[diverearl]

Diveearl - I understand your thoughts ... but what would you recommend that the OP do in order to see lava flows?

 

Like you told the OP in your earlier post, Volcano Discovery Hawaii , Poke-A-Stick Guided Lava Tours @ http://lavarefuge.com/poke-a-stick-guided-lava-tours/ or any other legit tour company that the hours of the hike fit their in port hours will be fine.

 

Non of the tours have any more legal right to hike the lava fields than any other group, the guides of one company at this point are no better qualified medically to help their hikers than any other in case of an emergency (like cpr qualified or lvn / rvn or special first responder equipment. If one group honestly even had better knowledge of the areas history and geology it would be better.

 

The time spent AT the flow is the biggest difference imo and at this point they all spend 45 minutes to one hour viewing the lava with the biggest difference being the price of the hike.

 

I don't endorse any particular tour group - just the hike itself if at all possible.

 

My point is simply that as great a day as one can have in VNP seeing the sights it is no comparison to standing at an active lava flow.

[Susan-M]

Diverearl ... I did recommend Volcano Discovery, but suggested that they rule out the lava hike and instead do a tour in VNP (which Volcano Discovery also does.) I think that hiking over hot hardened lava for hours in the daytime heat & sun to get to the surface and ocean entry flows would be difficult to tolerate for those unaccustomed to hiking in those conditions. (Although, maybe the OP is used to hiking in those conditions?)

 

Since they are only in port for the day, the evening hike isn't an option.

[brianlojeck]

Thanks for the advice, all!

 

(to see flowing lava, I'd hike in the heat)

[Susan-M]

Good to hear that you're up for the challenge.:) Hopefully the lava will still be flowing next May ... it's an awesome sight to see and to be that close to it! I'm not sure how many companies do daytime trips, but Volcano Discovery does custom tours and will pick you up/drop you off at the port. Kalapana Cultural tours is another that would likely provide a custom tour to fit your time in port. Other companies have specific tour times - e.g. Poke a Stick's tours are at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

 

You'll need to carry quite a bit of water (probably 2-3 quarts). A man died on a daytime lava hike a month or so ago (heat/dehydration) ... but he and his friend tried to do the hike on their own ... a terrible mistake. Some of the hazards of hiking the lava field (even with a guide) are mentioned in this article about the hiker's demise.

 

I don't mean to be overly negative ... just feel that it's worth knowing what's involved re the hike. We had originally booked a daytime hike for our trip this past April, but after doing more research, decided it wasn't something we wanted to tackle & changed it to an evening hike.

[diverearl]

consider renting a car and exploring VNP on your own. But you won't be able to see lava flowing into the ocean (or flowing at all) on your own.

 

 

 

Sorry but this is completely false - anyone physically able can access the lava legally from either side of the flow, just not from the end of Hwy 130 at the public viewing area.

 

 

 

If your cruise ship does a sail-by at night, you'll get a view of lava if it's still flowing when you do your trip.

 

 

 

It's not that the sail by isn't worth staying up for (imo), but once you've had you're picture taken poking your hiking stick into the lava catching both the stick and the lava on fire you probably won't be showing a single picture (typically blurry and distant - unless you have GREAT equipment and knowledge of the camera) you took of the sail by (a mile away).

 

I think that hiking over hot hardened lava for hours in the daytime heat & sun to get to the surface and ocean entry flows would be difficult to tolerate for those unaccustomed to hiking in those conditions. (Although, maybe the OP is used to hiking in those conditions?)

 

 

 

I agree it is a long hot walk (that requires lots of preparation and knowledge if done on your own) - to one of the coolest natural sights they will probably ever see in their life !

 

 

 

Some things are just worth the effort in my opinion.

 

See my problem is, I don't try to think for the people asking questions here I just tell them my experience and figure they are smart enough (or are with someone who is) to know their OWN physical and mental limits. That being said I guarantee you if they don't, then there are plenty of others on CC and TA that will quickly fill them in on their perceived limitations - I promise.

 

 

Your own post told them right answer

We did a lava hike with Volcano Discovery Hawaii in April and I would highly recommend them. They do private tours and small groups (we had 6 in our group.

 

Poka a stick also will do private hikes for groups with specific needs, as will almost any of the other tour operators.

 

Going to the Lava flow is no more strenuous then any other hike in VNP or any other area with open areas and many hikers do these hikes everyday, you just need to be a competent hiker not a happy go lucky non thinking tourist or local. If you don't know how much water to bring walk out with a guide or someone who does.........

 

Diveearl - I understand your thoughts ... but what would you recommend that the OP do in order to see lava flows?

 

Several vendors offer private hikes (I walk out on my own) to the lava during the hours any ship is in port. I typically don't do the research for the posters I just tell them what I've done and what I thought of it. None of the tours have medically trained guides that I know of with even basic CPR training, and they don't carry special first responder equipment so other than time spent at the flow and starting points for the hike, I don't see any differences in tour operators.

 

Several of the posters (not the one above which did hike out) I've seen on these two boards (Cruise Critic / Trip Advisor) state that they have never even been out to the flow, yet they think it is to dangerous to go there for what ever reason they have heard or read about BUT then they go on to recommend a tour guide they have never used? makes me wonder a little, huh.

 

There have been 11 drowning on Kauai (that I know of) so far this year and several shark attacks on the islands (with another fatality one just this week) but I'm still going surfing, diving and swimming when I get to Kauai this fall.

 

A lady died on the Kalalau trail earlier in the year (good advice - if the river is FLOODING WAIT for it to recede before continuing ;) but again I'm going to hike to Kalalau Beach, spend a couple of nights and hike back out to join my (wiser and waiting - slept in a comfortable / dry bed while I sleep in a hammock under a plastic sheet) wife for the rest of the holiday.

 

And for the adventurous ones, go to Queen's Bath on Kauai for a feel of the oceans real power - just don't get between the lagoon and the Pacific to sit on the rocks, those rogue waves that ARE surely COMING can Kill You.

 

My point is that most of the "dangerous activities" are plenty safe if done right.

[Susan-M]

Sorry but this is completely false - anyone physically able can access the lava legally from either side of the flow, just not from the end of Hwy 130 at the public viewing area.

 

Maybe they can physically access it, but figuring out where it is is another matter.

[Susan-M]

Brian, here's a link to some helpful info on lava viewing, posted by a lava guide, on the Island of Hawaii Tripadvisor forum.

[diverearl]

Maybe they can physically access it, but figuring out where it is is another matter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Susan-M]

I'm sure this is getting a bit confusing for the OP who is looking for a tour (good choice since they are only in port for probably 9 hours and will likely only have about 5-6 hours to do the hike.)

 

My comments above re not doing it on your own pertains to the OP's situation. I understand that Diverearl knows how to do it on his own, but realistically, it's not something that a first time visitor to the area, with a fairly short day in port, is going to be able to do on their own (although maybe Diverearl did?). And the fact that the OP is reluctant to go with a 3rd party operator is even more indication that a DIY lava hike is not a consideration.

 

Brian, I think you can trust all of the guides mentioned above. I hope that you have a great day doing the lava hike or at VNP ... and a fantastic cruise!

[HiloSunshine]

Legitimate tour guides in Hawaii that are registered will have to be First Aid/CPR certified. Some will even have to have a certification to administer oxygen depending on where they go for their tours. The hike out to lava from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entry is too long. The flow is much closer to the Kalapana side. We did a hike with C Big Island Tours yesterday and it took about 2 hours to reach the flow. And it wasn't even fast paced. Check out this guys facebook site. He's always in that area doing hikes to take pictures (he's a photographer). He says he did it from the National Park and it kicked his @$$. But at least his pictures are recent.

https://www.facebook.com/tom.kualii?fref=ts

[HiloSunshine]

Legitimate tour guides in Hawaii that are registered will have to be First Aid/CPR certified. Some will even have to have a certification to administer oxygen depending on where they go for their tours. The hike out to lava from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entry is too long. The flow is much closer to the Kalapana side. We did a hike with C Big Island Tours yesterday and it took about 2 hours to reach the flow. And it wasn't even fast paced. Check out this guys facebook site. He's always in that area doing hikes to take pictures (he's a photographer). He says he did it from the National Park and it kicked his @$$. But at least his pictures are recent.

https://www.facebook.com/tom.kualii?fref=ts

 

Facebook is also a wonderful source of pictures and information. Usually, if you have a company in mind, find it on facebook. If they're up to date, you'll find pictures of recent tours done. Just a suggestion to get you going.