Top 14 Volcano National Parks in Big Island

1.Hilo Shore Excursion: Volcanoes National Park & Black Sand Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,338 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $159Our pick

From Hilo Port, visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea’s steam vents, Sulphur Banks, a lava tube, Richardson Black Sand Beach, and a macadamia nut farm. Guides such as Robert, Jess, Donna, and Hannibal add local stories and practical help. Allow for weather and changing park access.

“I would highly suggest you were close toe shoes for walking around—good time…Evelynn was fantastic! Someday soon they should deal with the windows situation…it would have been nice to have clear sight out the windows for good pics”

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2.Big Island: Fat Tire E-Bike Tour through Volcanoes National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 546 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $199Top rated

Meet Nicole, Derek, Tyler, Scott, or Bill near Kilauea Lodge for a safety briefing and guided ride into Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You will pedal roughly 12 to 15 miles on paved roads and paths, visit a lava tube and major viewpoints, and learn about volcanoes, plants, wildlife, and Hawaiian history.

“This was a great way to visit the Hawaii Volcano National Park. We felt like we saw alot of the park that we would miss if we drove through the park. Nicole's explanation of the history of Hawaii's volcano, surrounding plants, nenes and the lava tube was excellent. We would do this again. Plus the e-bikes were easy and fun to ride. 3 hours flew by.”

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3.Big Island, Hawaii: Volcanoes National Park Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 545 reviews · 55 minutes (approx.) · from $379

From Hilo Airport, Safari Helicopters takes you over Volcanoes National Park in a small helicopter limited to six people. Pilots such as Andrew and Jim explain Hawaii’s geology, culture, and eruptive past while pointing out lava flows, calderas, waterfalls, orchid farms, and native forest. Weather may change the route.

“We loved the helicopter ride. It’s a must do. Jim was our pilot. Very professional and informative. Just the right amount of time. We saw the volcano vents and many craters. The weather was mostly clear.”

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4.Small-Group Big Island Tour: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Kona Coffee Farm

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 343 reviews · from $209

Travel from Kona or Waikoloa in a small group of up to 14 with hotel pickup, coffee tasting at Greenwell Farms, Punaluʻu Beach, a lava tube, crater views, lunch, dinner, and guidance from hosts such as Katie. Expect a full, scenic day with a lot of driving and short walks.

“First time on the Big Island and the tour was an excellent way to explore different parts of the island. Katie is a great tour guide; she provided a lot of information about the volcanoes and all the other areas we visited. The lunch, snacks, and the coffee tasting were delicious. The lava tube was unique and the black sand beach as well. Enjoyed seeing the turtles sunbathing at the beach and all the other wildlife we saw during the tour (mongoose, Hawaiian goose, etc.).”

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5.Volcano National Park Adventure From Kona

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 339 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $259

Spend about 11 hours crossing the Big Island from Kona with a small group of up to 14. Guides such as David, Dan, Erik, and Zane explain volcano science, island history, and changing ecosystems while you visit a Kona coffee farm, Punaluʻu Beach, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and more.

“Great day! It really is a full day out so be prepared ! We will see SO many things in the island ! They really do take you all over ! The only thing is that I wish we had a little more time on the beach for example so people could swim if they wanted to, but that’s more personal preference. However, the tour was so good ! Really didn’t expect it to have so much packed into one day!”

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6.Private Tour: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Eco Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 276 reviews · 3 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $160

Spend three to six hours exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with a private Kilauea EcoGuides guide. Walk through rainforest, lava tubes, steam vents, crater trails, and coastal sites while learning about geology, native plants, birds, and Hawaiian culture. Morning and afternoon departures are available.

“This private tour is well worth the price. Tyson was an awesome and knowledgeable guide. He educated us about volcanoes, plants, animals and culture. He has a degree in geology and a love of Hawaii, so he made the tour personal and very educational. He even gave us a recommendation for delicious shave ice!”

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7.Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Experience from the Big Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 102 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $139

Travel from Kona to Volcanoes National Park in an air-conditioned van with a local guide such as Mel or Uncle Jim. Stop at Greenwell Farms, Punaluʻu Bake Shop, and black sand beach before crater overlooks, steam vents, lava fields, and Thurston Lava Tube.

“Absolutely loved it. Kudos to our guide Mel for all the interesting and diverse information that he shared, about history, culture and nature. It is a long day, but totally worth it. We made many interesting stops and never felt rushed and seeing the volcano up close was so awe-inspiring. 10/10 would recommend this operator.”

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8.Kilauea: Volcanoes National Park Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 61 reviews · 3 hours · from $120Best value

Join guides Jennifer or Yvonne for a three-hour, four-mile loop through native Hawaiian rainforest and around a hardened lava lake. Learn about Kilauea’s geology, plants, wildlife, Hawaiian traditions, and current eruption activity. Small groups are limited to 10 people, with snacks, poles, and backpacks provided.

“Jennifer was fantastic. She tailored our hiking on our liking and we were so fortunate to be the only members for the day. We walked into the crater and all around for close to 8 miles and she was amazingly patient and resilient.”

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9.Big Island: Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 30 reviews · 6h 30m · from $230

Spend 6.5 hours with a guide such as Jennifer in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, crossing Kilauea Iki Crater, visiting steam vents and an active caldera, and walking through Thurston Lava Tube. A small group, breakfast, and picnic lunch are included, though park entry costs extra.

“Our guide, Jennifer, was fantastic! She was very personable, knowledgeable, and considerate of all the people on the tour (she even baked cookies for us to snack on!). The best part of the tour was walking across the caldera and recognizing the magnitude of what had happened to create it. To improve it, have the lunch break earlier (it was essentially at the end of the tour).”

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10.Fat Tire E-Bike Rental – Volcanoes National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 26 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $125

Pick up a powerful fat-tire e-bike near Kilauea Lodge and spend three hours exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at your own pace. A helmet, lock, and bike pack are included. Staff provide an operating demo, but this rental is self-guided, not a guided volcano tour.

“The bikes worked great and the rental company staff was helpful in teaching us how they worked. It was really fun going back down the volcano at 20-25 MPH. Definitely take layers and rain gear if you have it. The weather changed many times in our three hour trip.”

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11.Private Tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.)

Join Scott for a private 2 to 3 hour tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in a modified Ford F150. See steam vents, lava tubes, fissures, tree casts, and other hard-to-find sights while learning how Kīlauea shaped the island. Admission and hotel transport are not included.

“Scott was such a fun tour guide. His excitement for the park was contagious. He showed us many fascinating things throughout the tour. I would highly recommend this tour.”

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12.Hawaii: Volcanoes National Park E-Bike Rental and GPS Audio

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 16 reviews · 4 hours · from $159

Pick up an e-bike at Bike Volcano in Volcano Village and follow a GPS audio app into Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You’ll ride through native rainforest, visit steam vents, walk a lava tube, and reach volcano viewpoints. The four-hour trip is self-guided, private, and paced at your own speed.

“There were 6 in our party. We road e-bikes to the volcano and back. The highways were busy and a bit scary at first but the vehicles were very accommodating to those on bikes as long as you stick to the sides of the road and adhered to the parks regulations there were no problems. The audio/map app was a bit hard to navigate, but trails and paths were easily found. Lots of maps on the way to follow. The views of the volcano spectacular. Beautiful, fun and exciting adventure. Would do it again. The e-bikes from Hilo on Bikes, were top notch and easy to operate. Fun fun activity.…”

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13.Volcanoes National Park: Guided, Small-Group Hike

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $220

Join Jennifer Bell, Cameron, or another Volcanoes Hiking Guides leader for a private, roughly 8-mile route through Halemaʻumaʻu and Kilauea Iki craters, Thurston Lava Tube, and native forest. Breakfast, snacks, lunch, backpacks, and trekking poles are provided.

“My husband and I completed an ~8 mile hike in Volcano National Park with Jenn in May 2024, and we loved it! We signed up for the small group hike, but it turned out to just be the two of us which we didn't mind at all. We are both fairly active individuals and hike often at home, however as first time visitors to VNP we wanted to have a guide who was knowledgable about the trails and history of the park and volcanoes; having light breakfast, snacks and a boxed lunch provided was an added bonus. Jenn delivered on all counts, 100% recommend!”

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14.Expert Led Private Guided Tour Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 4 to 8 hours (approx.)

Join an expert guide, possibly Peter, for a private 4 to 8 hour tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Walk through Nahuku Lava Tube, cross Kilauea Iki crater, and shape the day around geology, Hawaiian culture, conservation, and your group’s interests.

“While I understood so much of the science Peter opened my eyes to the Hawaiian culture. I was moved! Truly was a spiritual experience for someone who is not religious. The stories shared by Peter were personal and genuine. Thank you so much! Both my mom and I had the best time. We were so lucky to go to the park when we did and have such a knowledgeable guide! Highly recommended!”

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