Reviewed by: Caren and Jan
We did the night time volcano viewing tour with stargazing through Kailani Tours Hawaii. It also included lunch, Rainbow Falls, Lava Tube and Jaggar Museum. This was one the BEST tours that I have EVER been on! It was our driver, Kawika's, first day and Kevin was his "co-pilot". We were VERY fortunate to have the knowledge of 2 excellent tour guides that could bounce things off of each other. They were both VERY personable and friendly. They took special care to make sure we were well fed, had water, jackets, flashlights, hot chocolate and cookies! The lunch was excellent and the dinner was superb! The service at the restaurant was just as good as the service from Kawika and Kevin! We ended up having some extra time due to all the pick up's being in the same vicinity, so we were able to see a couple of little extra things in the Volcano National Park - not normal - so it made the day extra special. Kawika was extremely knowledgeable about the volcanic system and was great at explaining it to us. The volcano viewing at night was the most spectacular thing I have ever had the privilege of seeing on this Earth! The weather was perfect and the view was INCREDIBLE! Kawika and Kevin set up a great telescope to view the stars through and they were also able to take photos of the volcano through it with our phones! I HIGHLY recommend this tour and the tour company! You won't regret it!
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Packages: | Special Deal! 2-for-1 Review Rebate [Deluxe Volcano Tour] |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2017/12/09 |
Activity Date: | 2017/12/06 |
Reviewed by: Virginia
The tour led by Kevin was great! He is very knowledgeable and humorous. The lunch spot had a great view of Mauna Loa. The scenery along the drive was like going through many different climates, which was amazing. The Big Islands Macadamia Nut factory was fun as I couldn’t stop eating various samples. It was nice meeting the King Kamehameha statue in Hilo. Dinners and drinks were delicious as we sat by the famous Friendship Fireplace in a historical lodge/restaurant, Kilauea Lodge by the Volcano National Park. The best part of the trip was revisiting the Mauna Loa Crater for live lava during nighttime. It was stunning! I wish I had taken the tour beginning of my vacation so I can decide where to go and explore more later. I strongly recommend this tour during the first few days of your vacation so you can enjoy the rest of your vacation.
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Packages: | Special Deal! 2-for-1 Review Rebate [Deluxe Volcano Tour] |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/12/07 |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
Reviewed by: Philip Shou
First of all, this is a fantastic trip. When we first booked the trip, we saw the 4.9 out of five rating and doubted. When we came back from the trip, all doubts were erased!
Our guide Kevin is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. We were picked up at our hotel at 12:05 noon. The lunch was served in the Mauna Lao Rest Area at 1pm. The quality of the lunch is totally out of expectations. Kevin told us they were picked up from a famous deli at 11:30 AM. No wonder it’s so good and fresh!
The Rainbow Fall in Hilo is the first highlight. We saw the rainbow as soon as we got there. It’s exactly the same as shown in the advertisement picture. Absolutely beautiful! Kevin specifically warned us not to climb on the rocks in the upper river because many people died falling into the pond under the waterfalls. We saw about 10 people on the rock that day. Two days later I saw a news that a young couple were seeing struggling in the upper River and disappeared. The lady was later found dead at the bottom of the waterfall and the guy was still missing. Very good advice from Kevin!
The highlight of all highlights is of course the view of the live volcano. The tour company’s arrangement it’s very smart. They let us view the volcano crater at sunset for about 30 minutes. Then, we were transported to a very nice restaurant nearby to enjoy a five course formal dinner. Again it is so good that it is totally out of expectation.
We were back to the volcano after dinner when it is dark and very few people there. We can see the lava glow very clearly. When Kevin set up his high quality binoculars on a stand, we can even see the lava splashed out of the crater like fireworks!
Overall, it worths all 5 stars. I would recommend this trip to anyone!
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Packages: | Special Deal! 2-for-1 Review Rebate [Deluxe Volcano Tour] |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2017/12/01 |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
Reviewed by: Tony and Emily
Kailani tours on the big Island of Hawaii was wonderful! Our tour guide Kevin, was an excellent tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and understanding and he took us to so many beautiful destinations on the island. The timing of the tour was perfect we had a beautiful lunch with an amazing view and the weather was great then he took us to see a beautiful waterfall at rainbow Falls and I actually saw a rainbow! We saw so many wonderful things on this tour. They took us out to a wonderful delicious dinner and after dinner we got to see the amazing volcano the red glow was magnificent. One of my favorite parts of the tour was when our tour guide Kevin offered to take an amazing photo that he captured in the dark from my cell phone. He was able to capture us and the red glow from the volcano behind us. True photographer status and that was just a bonus!! From what I recognized throughout the day on the tour is that there were a lot of other tour buses out there as well but I noticed that those tour guides were rushing their customers in and out of the van not giving them very much time to actually explore and learn about Hawaii. This is one thing that made Kailani tours and our tour guide Kevin stand out to me! Our tour guides patience with the group was excellent and he allowed us to really explore the land. The whole day I learned so many amazing things about Hawaii. Kailani tours made our Hawaii trip perfect. And I will cherish these memories forever. I highly recommend taking a Kailani tours if you’re ever on the big Island. I give them 5++ stars!! Thank you Kailani Tours of Hawaii.
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Packages: | Special Deal! 2-for-1 Review Rebate [Deluxe Volcano Tour] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/12/01 |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
Reviewed by: James Sturm
We had a fantastic time with our Kailani tour of the Big Island that we booked through Veltra. I’ll go through each category of the trip one by one and leave my detailed thoughts:
GUIDE
Our guide, Kevin, was a former U.S. Navy electrical engineer and was quite knowledgeable about the island. He spoke on the microphone throughout the trip, always providing new and interesting information, but never repeating himself or sounding boring. I got the sense that he wasn’t just trying to fill space, but rather that he genuinely had lots of things to share about the island. I also appreciated how he had studied some Hawaiian and was able to translate a number of names and titles to us in English and explain the cultural and linguistic origins.
ITINERARY
I was stoked to get to see Volcanoes National Park because it was on my bucket list and it was beautiful. The guide provided night-time binoculars so we could see the magma spitting out of the volcano crater at night—truly spectacular. Plus, the itinerary was designed so that you avoid the large crowds at the volcano, making stops before and after it erupts. Hilo was nice but quick, so I’d say if you really want to explore the town of Hilo you should go on your own. This one makes a brief stop in Hilo but really just uses it as a jumping off point to explore the volcano.
FOOD
The lunch was pretty simple but fresh – sandwiches with turkey, hummus, and avocado in various varieties. The dinner is quite special though as the lodge is quite intimate, very cozy and offers great food.
TRANSPORT
The transport is a Mercedes 12 seater van with a co-pilot seat, then three rows of three and one row of four. Even if you get a middle seat it’s not bad, because the windows are essentially panoramic on the bus and they are extremely clean. The black leather interior was very comfortable and not one on our ride got carsick.
Overall I highly recommend this tour!
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Packages: | Special Deal! 2-for-1 Review Rebate [Deluxe Volcano Tour] |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2017/11/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
Reviewed by: Gabe F.
My wife and I were celebrating our Honeymoon in Hawaii and were lucky enough to have a full day of entertainment with this tour! The Big Island can require a lot of driving time to get to see the numerous sights it has to offer. The tour we booked provided us with an experience I know we would not have gotten on our own. I cannot speak anymore highly of our awesome Tour Guide Jim Carey (I know and yes he has the same name). He made the whole experience that much more memorable by his genuine appreciation for Hawaiian culture. He was extremely knowledgeable about EVERYTHING which made the tour in depth and interactive. His added commentary was great while visiting the waterfalls and volcano. The day flew by and we were continuously more and more impressed with everything the tour offered. The provided lunch and dinner were both delicious. Every part of the day flowed very well and it was capped off by our last stop back at the volcano to stargaze. We were able to set up the telescope and see the lava erupting in the volcano! I definitely would recommend this tour to anyone and everyone and I can't thank our tour guide enough. Jim made the whole experience 10 times better! Thanks Jim!
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Packages: | Special Deal! 2-for-1 Review Rebate [Deluxe Volcano Tour] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/11/22 |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/09 |
Reviewed by: Len from ABQ,NM
After a self-guided drive and tour of the Haleakala volcano in Maui, I decided to let a professional do the drive from Kona to the Kilauea National Park. After reading many of the TRIP ADVISOR reviews (97% excellent), I felt confident this was the tour for my wife and I. It did not disappoint! I hate bus tours because it seems you spend half your day loading and unloading the 50+ passenger buses. Our 11 person tour allowed us to spend much longer times at each wonderful stop with no pressure. Our guide, Kevin Hasting, just said “Come back when you have seen enough.” Fantastic! In addition, Kevin had an encyclopedic knowledge of Hawaiian culture, lifestyle, history, geography, ecology, you name it. He was also an excellent storyteller between stops which made this tour a unique and personal adventure. Lastly, Kevin was so proficient at navigating the Eastern Coast, Hilo area and park that he was somehow able to adjust his routes and timing to avoid the many rain squalls and downpours common to this area. I cannot say enough about how great this tour is. Don’t drive yourself, you will miss so much. One piece of advice. Take some warm clothes with you as it gets cold at night at the high elevations. I carried a light windbreaker jacket, a hoodie, a knit cap and a pair of pullover slacks to put on at night. I ended up giving my hoodie to a fellow passenger to wear who was shivering. The tour does provide emergency blankets and jackets.
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Packages: | Special Deal! 2-for-1 Review Rebate [Deluxe Volcano Tour] |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/14 |
Reviewed by: Meredith
We really enjoyed our trip to Volcanoes National Park! We walked in a lava tube with headlamps on at night and the kids absolutely loved it. Then we saw lava from a viewing deck at the museum using binoculars and I will never forget that. We also felt the steam from several steam vents coming out of the ground, and we hiked through a rain forest down to the bottom of a crater and walked on an old lava flow. Very memorable visit! Our tour guide was very informative and made sure we got to see and do everything.
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Packages: | 6-Hour Private Van (8 to 14 passengers) |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2017/11/19 |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/23 |
Reviewed by: LJKouri
This tour is very informative. You get to see black sand, volcanoes, waterfalls, and more. Our driver/guide was excellent.
There was more walking than indicated on the website, including climbing lots of stairs. Therefore I was not able to see some of the sites. But if you don't have any mobility issues, I recommend this tour.
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/11/15 |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/06 |
Reviewed by: Michelle Jarrett
Deluxe is the word! As if the natural awesomeness of a live volcano,a national park and stars was not enough this trip also includes a tasty picnic lunch and a 5 star dining experience for dinner. Add to this an extremely knowledgeable guide who serenades you with ukulele, tells amazing Hawaiian myths, provides astronomical binoculars to improve photographs taken on your phones and cameras of a live volcano at night and leads a sing-along on the way home.
This was a long day but easily the best tour our family has ever taken. Booking via Veltra tours was easy, even from overseas.
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Packages: | Route #1 - Rainbow Falls, Hilo Town & Volcano |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/09/28 |
Activity Date: | 2017/09/06 |
Reviewed by: P and B
The guide was outstanding. He is a geologist with a lot of experience. He provide
a lot of information on the volcano as well as information about the the big island in general. He helped us take pictures as well as provided answers to questions we asked. This was a great tour.
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Packages: | Route #1 - Rainbow Falls, Hilo Town & Volcano |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/09/25 |
Activity Date: | 2017/09/20 |
Reviewed by: Dona
The trip took too long time for nothing, visiting some stores which mean wasting time & money! also you can't see that much Lava in the morning!!! only the smoke! The guide was too knowledge but talking a lot which cause me headache! Since the tour started till finished he was talking no relaxing! after we finish the park he took us to the mall for 45 min!! It's totally wasting time, I prefer to go by car alone and see a lot of sight rather than this tour!!
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Packages: | Volcano Adventure |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2017/09/25 |
Activity Date: | 2017/08/31 |
Reviewed by: AZSKY
This is an absolutely terrific tour and worth every penny. Our family has visited the Big Island many times but we learned so much from our energetic and knowledgable tour guide, Kevin. Absolutely adored the gorgeous candy facility stop on the way to the volcano. This store is beautiful and we ended up purchasing client gifts which were efficiently ordered and shipped back to the mainland. The dinner stop at the Kilauea Lodge was amazing. I ordered a Cosmopolitan cocktail which was presented just as chic and lovely as any found in a Five Star hotel bar. Good meal enjoyed in a cozy spot among new friends. Back to the night lava viewing at the volcano which was utterly amazing. The warm coats and flashlights provided by Veltra made the experience even more enjoyable.
Last but not least I must give kudlos to Kevin, our tour guide. This man has truly done his homework and is passionate about educating his guests about the gorgeous Island of Hawaii. Thank you, Kevin for making each and every one of us feel important.
GREAT TOUR!
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Packages: | Route #1 - Rainbow Falls, Hilo Town & Volcano |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/09/23 |
Activity Date: | 2017/09/20 |
Reviewed by: ATSUKO
Tourguide was very kind for me.and interesting guide.
volcano house lunch is awesome located.meal was nice.I had special time .thank you
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Packages: | Gold Package with Lunch |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2017/07/30 |
Activity Date: | 2017/07/06 |
Reviewed by: Kenneth Kacenga
Excellent. Chris was exceptional. Had passion for his job and loves Hawaii
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/07/28 |
Activity Date: | 2017/07/25 |
Reviewed by: Shari
Had a great time Kevin the tour guild was great ,
We even had great weather
If you only can do one tour this would be the one and must have kevin
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2017/07/28 |
Activity Date: | 2017/07/25 |
Reviewed by: Linda
Our driver and tour host presented us with a very interesting and colorful history of the Big Island. He had a great sense of humor too! He paced the trip on the attendees, when there was an obvious interest in an area. This tour is a good for those wanting to get a broad acquaintance with the Big Island and it's various areas and interests. It was our springboard for other activities!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/07/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/07/24 |
Reviewed by: Rosemary
It was so great seeing the lava hitting the ocean at night. You could see the red lava coming out of the lava tube and hitting the ocean. It was a 4 mile round trip walk, but well worth it.
We are so glad you enjoyed your day!! We do have the shortest hiking distance available as the public hike is 4.2 miles each way, so that makes it a bit easier, but as you said, so worth it!! :) How many times in our lifetime are we able to witness an active volcano? It is so amazing!! Thank you so much for taking the time to write your review! We appreciate it!! Mahalo!
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Packages: | From Hilo |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/07/09 |
Activity Date: | 2017/06/22 |
Reviewed by: Beth
I cannot say enough good about our tour guide, Shannon. She was very knowledgeable and very passionate about Hawaii and the things she shared with us. She got so excited about Valcano National Park which made her group excited. She took care of every detail for everyone on the tour. I would go on any tour Shannon was leading.
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Packages: | Route #1 - Rainbow Falls, Hilo Town & Volcano |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/06/30 |
Activity Date: | 2017/06/27 |
Reviewed by: Staci S.
This was a great tour for our first full day on the island. Kala , our guide, was a world of information about all things Hawaiian! He was so excited to show us turtles on the black sand beach, lava at the volcano,and beautiful Waipio Valley. He gave us great ideas on where the best burgers and the most delicious malasadas on the island where...and yes we went back to try them ! It was a long day, but as others had commented before me, it flew by!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/06/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/06/13 |
Reviewed by: Barbara Helms
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.
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/06/06 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/29 |
Reviewed by: St. Louis family
We had a wonderful time. Our driver, Hugh, was great. He was very nice, friendly, informative and patient. We saw a lot of beautiful things and he watched the time for us. We were with a good group, too. He allowed the proper amount of time at each stop. Tha lunch that was included with our package was great. The view from our table was fantastic and so was the service. Hugh waited patiently with us for one of our passengers to find and retrieve her phone. It was a wonderful day and it exceeded our expectations. We were very happy we chose this tour and would highly recommend it.
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Packages: | Gold Package with Lunch |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/06/04 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/30 |
Reviewed by: Lianne & Ron
We had an awesome tour with Lee, passionate how Lee tells about the history of the vulcano. Private tours are much better then a group one in this case is my opinion. It's well worth spending money for a private VIP tour and Lee is the person for it, mahalo and aloha from the Netherlands
Aloha Lianne and Ron! It was an absolute pleasure to serve you both and we are truly happy that you enjoyed our tour and services. Mahalo from the Big Island and have a wonderful rest of your summer! Wild Orchid Tours
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Packages: | 6-Hour Private Van (8 to 14 passengers) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/05/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/19 |
Reviewed by: Bill
We had an exceptional time. Our tour guide was well versed on all the sites we visited. He interacted with our family and made the tour very informative as well as fun. Would definitely recommend.
Aloha Bill and family! Mahalo for your comment and review. We are a family business and therefore have a natural appreciation for other families, thank you for trusting our services. We are so pleased that your family had fun - it was simply a lovely pleasure to welcome you to the Big Island. All the very best, Mahalo nui loa
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Packages: | 6-Hour Private Van (8 to 14 passengers) |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2017/05/26 |
Activity Date: | 2017/05/23 |
Reviewed by: Jack
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!
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are delighted to hear that you had such a great day with Nick and Misty, and stayed comfortable throughout your 12 hours on tour. We love being able to show Halema'uma'u Crater both day and night to our guests, and are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the amazing lava viewing after dinner. Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/03/03 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/24 |
Reviewed by: Jan B
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.
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are delighted to hear that you had such a great day with Chris and enjoyed all of the sites and treats along the way. He really keeps the day moving at a fun pace, and loves sharing his abundance of knowledge! Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2017/02/19 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/07 |
Reviewed by: Jack
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.
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such an outstanding day with Nick and learned about some new things along the way! He is a wonderfully knowledgeable guide who genuinely loves sharing the day with our guests. Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2017/02/11 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/07 |
Reviewed by: Stephanie
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!
Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic time with Chris. He truly is such a passionate guide who always seems to have everything ready at just the right times throughout the day. Mahalo for your wonderful recommendation and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Deluxe Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2017/02/10 |
Activity Date: | 2017/02/07 |
Reviewed by: Bob Gordon
Lee was a fantastic guide. Would highly recommend him.
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Packages: | 6-Hour Private Van (8 to 14 passengers) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/01/27 |
Activity Date: | 2017/01/24 |
Reviewed by: Maryann
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.
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2017/01/11 |
Activity Date: | 2016/12/30 |
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Yes, The world Heritage site of the Hawai"i Volcanoes National Park is a complete treasure and never is the same. We experienced a beautiful day together and the Ohana will return through the beautiful website that the park maintains; 24/7
Mahalo Nui Loa for finding Wild Orchid Tours.