Access to live lava flows at Hawaii's Volcano National Park is by three methods:
- Helicopter;
- Hike; and
- Boat tour
There are two options for seeing the lava. Within the park, take Chain of Craters Road to the end and hike from there. Outside the park, you drive to Kalapana and take a guided tour there. The path to the lava flows may run over private land, so you are required to get permission to hike.
Presently the surface lava flows are very close to the ocean entry point for the lava. From Volcano National Park, it is currently an 8-10 hour hike, and from Kalapana, it is a 4-5 hour hike.
Here is a rough guide to the many companies and individuals offering a lava hike:
Lava Bed Tours
David Ewing used to run a Bed and Breakfast located right on the lava flows. He offers tours every evening at 4 pm for $100 per person (pp), less for larger groups.
Kalapana Cultural Tours
This is run by native Hawaiians and includes a cultural aspect to each tour. $150 for private tours. $100 for scheduled group tours at 8 am, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm, and 5:30 pm. Minimum age is 10 years old.
There have been complaints by many that this company has guides who are territorial and abusive to hikers who attempt the hike without a guide. Here are some examples:
From Yelp: "I have a friend who was on the tour when the tour guide lost it! She isn't on Yelp but since she shared with me and I am, I thought it would be best to pass this info on to unsuspecting visitors, especially those who want to use this tour company!
A person with Kalapana Cultural Tours threatened every person and group walking to the end of the road while she was there! He screamed, using foul language and insults. He even said he would beat them all up! They told him that they wouldn't go off the old highway, but he told them again that he would beat them if they went anyway!. They said no, thanks to the tour guide, but called the police. He left before they got there. She said that they did give the police his name." This account pretty much echoes the advice given by the authors of Hawaii the Big Island Revealed on their update to their latest edition:
"Lava Flow Viewing Access Update: The lava is sporadically flowing a couple of miles from the end of the county road on Hwy 130, but things can get complicated. Although the old state highway still exists under the lava flow (and is therefore state land), County Civil Defense dissuades hikers from proceeding when they start duty around 4 p.m., and they absolutely have that authority. Visitors arriving before then might encounter a couple of private tour companies that will walk you a couple of miles out to the flow for around $150 per person. When I politely declined their services, one company rep from Poke-a-Stick Tours incorrectly told me there were state officers “patrolling the lava flows and arresting viewers who weren’t with paid guides.” Another person representing Kalapana Cultural Tours threatened every person and group walking to the end of the road while we were there, screaming obscenities and insults to all who approached. In our case, he said he would beat us all up and singled out my 4-foot 11-inch daughter-in-law saying, “You shut your mouth. I slap girls, too!” We explained that with GPS we wouldn’t be straying from the old Hwy under the lava and would not trespass onto private property, which the gentleman correctly indicated the lava might be flowing onto. But we were told that the state had “stolen all the land” under the highway anyway and that the same beating would take place if we proceeded. We declined the tour and called the police, then watched as others got the same threats before the police arrived, by which time the man (whose name we gave to the police) had left. My point is you may encounter unauthorized “enforcers” at the end of the government road on Hwy 130, and regardless of your feelings, rights or pride, you should turn away if you feel unwelcome. The lava might indeed be flowing onto private property and you do not have a right to trespass onto it. If you want to pay a guide, that’s your decision. Personally, we’ll take a pass."
And another comment from Yelp: "Seeing the lava was awesome but the guide's meltdown was unnecessary. Initially the guides had some interesting insights into the history and flora of the area. Viewing the lava was spectacular. Things went dramatically down hill from there. We spent an extra forty five minutes at the lava while our guide screamed, cursed, threatened violence, and verbally abused tourists who wondered onto the lava unguided. Unprofessional, untrained, and out of control guides with no wilderness first responder training for a hundred dollars a head and the threat of violence if you go out unguided is not the aloha spirit that usually marks the big island. So the the tour part was lame but seeing the lava was amazing."
Poke a Stick Guided Lava Tours
The name says it all! The goal is to have you poke the provided walking stick into the lava. Careful you don't burn off too much or that walking stick will be useless for the journey back! 7:30 am and 4:00 pm departures. Guide Cheryl purchased a lava covered property in 1985 and built a B&B on it, calling it the Kalapana Lava Refuge. You park your car on their private property to start your hike. Cost is $100 cash, with a 10% discount for a group of 4 or 15% for a group of 6.
Kalapana Lava Boat
$125. Must be 6 years of age or older. Six guests per guide. 5:30 am and 3:30 pm. 4-6 hours round trip.
Volcano Discovery
Supposedly the best, and most expensive.
Price from $175 per person.
Included:
Lava Bed Tours
David Ewing used to run a Bed and Breakfast located right on the lava flows. He offers tours every evening at 4 pm for $100 per person (pp), less for larger groups.
Kalapana Cultural Tours
This is run by native Hawaiians and includes a cultural aspect to each tour. $150 for private tours. $100 for scheduled group tours at 8 am, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm, and 5:30 pm. Minimum age is 10 years old.
There have been complaints by many that this company has guides who are territorial and abusive to hikers who attempt the hike without a guide. Here are some examples:
From Yelp: "I have a friend who was on the tour when the tour guide lost it! She isn't on Yelp but since she shared with me and I am, I thought it would be best to pass this info on to unsuspecting visitors, especially those who want to use this tour company!
A person with Kalapana Cultural Tours threatened every person and group walking to the end of the road while she was there! He screamed, using foul language and insults. He even said he would beat them all up! They told him that they wouldn't go off the old highway, but he told them again that he would beat them if they went anyway!. They said no, thanks to the tour guide, but called the police. He left before they got there. She said that they did give the police his name." This account pretty much echoes the advice given by the authors of Hawaii the Big Island Revealed on their update to their latest edition:
"Lava Flow Viewing Access Update: The lava is sporadically flowing a couple of miles from the end of the county road on Hwy 130, but things can get complicated. Although the old state highway still exists under the lava flow (and is therefore state land), County Civil Defense dissuades hikers from proceeding when they start duty around 4 p.m., and they absolutely have that authority. Visitors arriving before then might encounter a couple of private tour companies that will walk you a couple of miles out to the flow for around $150 per person. When I politely declined their services, one company rep from Poke-a-Stick Tours incorrectly told me there were state officers “patrolling the lava flows and arresting viewers who weren’t with paid guides.” Another person representing Kalapana Cultural Tours threatened every person and group walking to the end of the road while we were there, screaming obscenities and insults to all who approached. In our case, he said he would beat us all up and singled out my 4-foot 11-inch daughter-in-law saying, “You shut your mouth. I slap girls, too!” We explained that with GPS we wouldn’t be straying from the old Hwy under the lava and would not trespass onto private property, which the gentleman correctly indicated the lava might be flowing onto. But we were told that the state had “stolen all the land” under the highway anyway and that the same beating would take place if we proceeded. We declined the tour and called the police, then watched as others got the same threats before the police arrived, by which time the man (whose name we gave to the police) had left. My point is you may encounter unauthorized “enforcers” at the end of the government road on Hwy 130, and regardless of your feelings, rights or pride, you should turn away if you feel unwelcome. The lava might indeed be flowing onto private property and you do not have a right to trespass onto it. If you want to pay a guide, that’s your decision. Personally, we’ll take a pass."
And another comment from Yelp: "Seeing the lava was awesome but the guide's meltdown was unnecessary. Initially the guides had some interesting insights into the history and flora of the area. Viewing the lava was spectacular. Things went dramatically down hill from there. We spent an extra forty five minutes at the lava while our guide screamed, cursed, threatened violence, and verbally abused tourists who wondered onto the lava unguided. Unprofessional, untrained, and out of control guides with no wilderness first responder training for a hundred dollars a head and the threat of violence if you go out unguided is not the aloha spirit that usually marks the big island. So the the tour part was lame but seeing the lava was amazing."
Poke a Stick Guided Lava Tours
The name says it all! The goal is to have you poke the provided walking stick into the lava. Careful you don't burn off too much or that walking stick will be useless for the journey back! 7:30 am and 4:00 pm departures. Guide Cheryl purchased a lava covered property in 1985 and built a B&B on it, calling it the Kalapana Lava Refuge. You park your car on their private property to start your hike. Cost is $100 cash, with a 10% discount for a group of 4 or 15% for a group of 6.
Kalapana Lava Boat
$125. Must be 6 years of age or older. Six guests per guide. 5:30 am and 3:30 pm. 4-6 hours round trip.
Volcano Discovery
Supposedly the best, and most expensive.
The Lava Proximity Hike
HIKE as close as safely possible, when it's possible! At present, this hike requires 7mi / 12km / 4-5 hrs walk at sea-level over uneven terrain crossing recent & historic lava flows and islands of native vegetation, allowing ~2 hrs at the site of activity on an 8-hr tour leaving from Hilo or Volcano (or 6-hr meeting in Kalapana).
Price from $175 per person.
Included:
- All transportation on the Big Island in private 4WD vehicle
- Expert local guide with presentations on eruption history
- Legal access over private land with contribution to local community
- Fresh local fruits, local snacks and juices en route
6+ Hours.
Lava Ocean Tours
Hawaii lava hikes depart daily at 4AM, 10AM, 3:30PM 4:30PM. Tour varies 4-6 hours round trip, departs near Kalapana lava viewing area.
Tour Rating: Moderate to Advanced; guests need to be 6 years and older.
We Provide: Walking sticks, Bottled water, Hawaii Lava Tour from local lava Guide highlighting Kilauea Volcano, Plant Life and Geological features.
Prices: Adult $150.00. Child (12 and under): $125.00 taxes included
Group Size: Tour limited to 6 guests per guide. Multiple guides available.
Lava Walk by Tail Me Tours
In the past, was $50 per person for a 90 minute total tour, when the lava flows were closer. Now it's a 4-4.5 hour tour, goes out every morning at 5:00 am to 6:00 am and evening 4 pm. About a one hour 45 minute walk, and you will see ocean flowing lava then poke a stick. $125 per person or $100 per person. Must be at least 5 years old. One of the companies allowed to get on the land. Andy is their guide. They also do lava boat tours.
gregnottingham@TailMeTours.com
(808) 333 4016 24/7
Burning Question #1: Why bring a whisk?
Oh, and if you're wondering what the heck people mean when they tell you to bring a whisk, they are referring to the fact that it is difficult to get a take home lava sample on the end of a blunt wooden staff. Difficult, but not impossible. Of the five tries we had, we got two samples to adhere to the end of our stick. The lava is crusted over and difficult to get a small piece to separate and stick to your staff. It is easier to tape a whisk to the end of your staff or stick and dip it into the lava to get a take home souvenir of lava covered whisk. When we got our samples home, we found they had crumbled into pieces due to their fragility.
Burning Question #2: Can my child do this hike?
There were children ranging from toddler to tween on this hike, when I did it in March 2013. The family with a toddler, pregnant wife, and baby in carrier were turned away as they could not keep up with the pace. Unless your child can walk over rough terrain for three hours, which is as tiring as hiking up a mountain, I would say leave them at home.
My kids are quite freakish as they are very fit and were able to complete the hike at least as fast as the slowest adult, but even adults find travelling over uneven lava, with the crumbling unsound footing, to be extremely difficult and exhausting. By the end, my feet were quite sore from the punishment of the uneven ground, up and down, and sharp edges, and I am a seasoned triathlete. A tween on this hike fell repeatedly on the lava, more often as the trip wore on and he became tired, cutting up his hands and legs. At one point he fell and said he could not get up. His parents never expressed concern, and in fact, I don't know where the heck his parents were as I never saw them talking to him on this hike.
If you decide to do this hike with children, I recommend decent hiking boots to protect their feet from the uneven terrain, and you can pretty much expect whining as you will be pushing your kids to their physical limits. It is not so much a judgment call based on age but on physical fitness and toughness to endure the hours of hiking, especially if you hike back in the dark and it is very visually boring. One of my kids was the youngest in the group, and she was also one of the fastest and most fit. She also did not whine and enjoyed herself immensely.
Burning Question #2: Any tips on surviving the hike?
Definitely bring rain gear, as the weather can suddenly change. A hat and sunglasses, if the weather warrants. Long pants to protect from falls, and hiking soles to make it easier for you. I liked having ankle support. Bandages and antibiotic cream. If it is not provided for you, bring a high energy snack for the return trip and ample water.
Burning Question #3: How dangerous is it?
There were a few times I was questioning whether I should be on the hike. The first was when we were standing on the cliff beside the ocean entry point. The guide warned us that if we heard any cracking sounds or felt any ground shaking, we were to run like hell inland. There was a horde of us standing on the newly formed lava ground when she said this.
The second was when the guide warned us to keep our feet moving while standing on fresh lava, as the temperature was so hot it could burn through our shoes. While poking a stick in the lava, you get a true sense of the searing temperatures of the lava, as the oppressive heat feels nearly unbearable on your exposed face and hands.
The third was when one of the hikers in another group attempted to get lava on the end of his stick and ended up flinging a red hot piece of lava up into the air and nearly hit another hiker with it.
Before you go, you will see a warning video at the Visitor Centre of the Volcano National Park covering various dangers of lava hiking, including unstable land suddenly sliding into the ocean. If there is a shift of the wind, you could potentially be breathing in toxic fumes that could lead to long term health problems.
This is not Disneyland, although it may feel like it sometimes with the forest of video cameras with glowing lights and the feeling of wild west chaos at the surface lava flows with multiple tour groups arriving at once. Treat the experience with respect and caution.
Lava Ocean Tours
Hawaii lava hikes depart daily at 4AM, 10AM, 3:30PM 4:30PM. Tour varies 4-6 hours round trip, departs near Kalapana lava viewing area.
Tour Rating: Moderate to Advanced; guests need to be 6 years and older.
We Provide: Walking sticks, Bottled water, Hawaii Lava Tour from local lava Guide highlighting Kilauea Volcano, Plant Life and Geological features.
Prices: Adult $150.00. Child (12 and under): $125.00 taxes included
Group Size: Tour limited to 6 guests per guide. Multiple guides available.
Lava Walk by Tail Me Tours
In the past, was $50 per person for a 90 minute total tour, when the lava flows were closer. Now it's a 4-4.5 hour tour, goes out every morning at 5:00 am to 6:00 am and evening 4 pm. About a one hour 45 minute walk, and you will see ocean flowing lava then poke a stick. $125 per person or $100 per person. Must be at least 5 years old. One of the companies allowed to get on the land. Andy is their guide. They also do lava boat tours.
gregnottingham@TailMeTours.com
(808) 333 4016 24/7
Burning Question #1: Why bring a whisk?
Oh, and if you're wondering what the heck people mean when they tell you to bring a whisk, they are referring to the fact that it is difficult to get a take home lava sample on the end of a blunt wooden staff. Difficult, but not impossible. Of the five tries we had, we got two samples to adhere to the end of our stick. The lava is crusted over and difficult to get a small piece to separate and stick to your staff. It is easier to tape a whisk to the end of your staff or stick and dip it into the lava to get a take home souvenir of lava covered whisk. When we got our samples home, we found they had crumbled into pieces due to their fragility.
Burning Question #2: Can my child do this hike?
There were children ranging from toddler to tween on this hike, when I did it in March 2013. The family with a toddler, pregnant wife, and baby in carrier were turned away as they could not keep up with the pace. Unless your child can walk over rough terrain for three hours, which is as tiring as hiking up a mountain, I would say leave them at home.
My kids are quite freakish as they are very fit and were able to complete the hike at least as fast as the slowest adult, but even adults find travelling over uneven lava, with the crumbling unsound footing, to be extremely difficult and exhausting. By the end, my feet were quite sore from the punishment of the uneven ground, up and down, and sharp edges, and I am a seasoned triathlete. A tween on this hike fell repeatedly on the lava, more often as the trip wore on and he became tired, cutting up his hands and legs. At one point he fell and said he could not get up. His parents never expressed concern, and in fact, I don't know where the heck his parents were as I never saw them talking to him on this hike.
If you decide to do this hike with children, I recommend decent hiking boots to protect their feet from the uneven terrain, and you can pretty much expect whining as you will be pushing your kids to their physical limits. It is not so much a judgment call based on age but on physical fitness and toughness to endure the hours of hiking, especially if you hike back in the dark and it is very visually boring. One of my kids was the youngest in the group, and she was also one of the fastest and most fit. She also did not whine and enjoyed herself immensely.
Burning Question #2: Any tips on surviving the hike?
Definitely bring rain gear, as the weather can suddenly change. A hat and sunglasses, if the weather warrants. Long pants to protect from falls, and hiking soles to make it easier for you. I liked having ankle support. Bandages and antibiotic cream. If it is not provided for you, bring a high energy snack for the return trip and ample water.
Burning Question #3: How dangerous is it?
There were a few times I was questioning whether I should be on the hike. The first was when we were standing on the cliff beside the ocean entry point. The guide warned us that if we heard any cracking sounds or felt any ground shaking, we were to run like hell inland. There was a horde of us standing on the newly formed lava ground when she said this.
The second was when the guide warned us to keep our feet moving while standing on fresh lava, as the temperature was so hot it could burn through our shoes. While poking a stick in the lava, you get a true sense of the searing temperatures of the lava, as the oppressive heat feels nearly unbearable on your exposed face and hands.
The third was when one of the hikers in another group attempted to get lava on the end of his stick and ended up flinging a red hot piece of lava up into the air and nearly hit another hiker with it.
Before you go, you will see a warning video at the Visitor Centre of the Volcano National Park covering various dangers of lava hiking, including unstable land suddenly sliding into the ocean. If there is a shift of the wind, you could potentially be breathing in toxic fumes that could lead to long term health problems.
This is not Disneyland, although it may feel like it sometimes with the forest of video cameras with glowing lights and the feeling of wild west chaos at the surface lava flows with multiple tour groups arriving at once. Treat the experience with respect and caution.
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