Kilauea Volcano Hiking Adventure in Hilo

[Iris5383]

Has any body been on this excursion? Did you like it? From the description, I really want to book it. Please - opinions!
Thanks, Laura

[chloepants]

I haven't been on that tour exactly but I have hiked in the park. It was really beautiful. It is one of our "memories that will last a lifetime" because we underestimated how quickly the sun would set (November). We ended up hiking across the crater and up the hillside in the dark. Just the two of us. Without a flashlight. I was pretty freaked out at the time but now it seems like such an adventure and a story we love to tell.

[Iris5383]

Originally Posted by chloepants

I haven't been on that tour exactly but I have hiked in the park. It was really beautiful. It is one of our "memories that will last a lifetime" because we underestimated how quickly the sun would set (November). We ended up hiking across the crater and up the hillside in the dark. Just the two of us. Without a flashlight. I was pretty freaked out at the time but now it seems like such an adventure and a story we love to tell.

Barb - Thanks for sharing. It's sounds like a great place to be. I like those "memories that will last a lifetime"!

[MightyQuinn]

Originally Posted by Iris5383

Has any body been on this excursion? Did you like it? From the description, I really want to book it. Please - opinions!

We did the Kilauea Volcano Hike in April/04 & enjoyed it very much. If we returned, we would likely do the hike independently as the park is well signed & easy to navigate. But it was a good excursion & our guide was knowledgeable & enthusiastic. Here’s a description of our day from a journal that my DH kept - probably more than you want to know!

Only 24 folks signed up for this excursion. We were divided into 2 groups & each group had its own guide, driver & 12-seater van. We drove for about an hour from the pier before we entered Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. We drove along Crater Rim Drive which circumnavigates Kilauea Caldera. We stopped at a lookout point to view Kileaua Iki Crater, one of many in the park. From there, we took a brief hike through a lava tube. It was bigger than expected & much like a cave - very dark, damp & dank. After passing through the lava tube, we hopped back on the van & drove past several hardened lava flows from previous eruptions.

Next we pulled into Devastation Trail parking lot where our guide passed out knapsacks, sandwiches, emergency rain gear, bottled water & walking sticks. She then led us across a vast, black, barren lava field. The trail across was marked by little yellow rectangles stuck upright in the ground. It was blazing hot! The sun shone brightly & the trade winds provided a wonderful cooling breeze. We hiked through this unreal landscape for maybe 45 minutes, initially with micro-vegetation but later devoid of anything but lava.

Our destination was a lookout point to see the cone of Pu’ui O’o volcano. The final approach to the lookout was a steep switchback trail. Everyone managed with no problem. The observation area itself was not very large so we all crowded in to take pictures & marvel at the jaw dropping views in all directions. Here we had lunch – a simple fare of chicken & macadamia nut sandwich with pickles. More bottled water & cookies for dessert. Meal over, and many pictures taken, we hiked back the same way we came, over unforgettable & otherworldly landscape. Everyone was pretty much out of gas by the time we reached the van & we all welcomed the cold soft drinks & nuts that our guide passed out.

Our next stop was Keanakako’l overlook. Here we were surrounded by a desolate landscape, not unlike Falkland Islands, with steam escaping from cracks & vents that littered the terrain. We walked to a viewpoint & gazed down into another absolutely enormous crater, highlighted by yellow sulphurous gas belching up. Back in the van, we continued to Jagger Museum which was on the edge of yet another enormous crater. It contained a number of informative displays. Our last stop was at Kilauea Overlook for a final view of the incredible caldera. We arrived back the ship right on time as scheduled. And we were more than ready for Happy Hour!

[Iris5383]

Mighty Quinn: Thanks for your comments. It sounds unreal. I'm going to sign up! (DH, too.)
Laura

[MightyQuinn]

Originally Posted by Iris5383

Mighty Quinn: Thanks for your comments. It sounds unreal. I'm going to sign up! (DH, too.)

Good for you Laura. I'm sure you'll have a super day.

Be sure to make tribute to Goddess Pele when you're overlooking the rim of Kilauea Volcano. And if you believe the legends, don't even be tempted to take any lava rocks home!

[Nancyquilts]

Dh really enjoys hiking across the crater from Volcano House to the other side. He usually finds someone on the cruise who would like to go and then I let them off at Volcano House and wander over to the parking lot on the far side to pick them up. If I recall correctly, it takes a bit over an hour to do the hike.

[booboo29]

Originally Posted by Iris5383

Mighty Quinn: Thanks for your comments. It sounds unreal. I'm going to sign up! (DH, too.)
Laura

Laura...I might join you guys. DH has no desire to do this, but I think it sounds amazing!

[Nefaline]

I've booked this excursion for the Dec 22 cruise. It sounds amazing! It's the one thing I don't think I could leave Hawaii without seeing

[Iris5383]

BooBoo - It was the only excursion I've seen in the brochure that I definitely wanted to do. I booked the excursion two days ago. Hope you do join us!

Nefaline - if you want a report on the excursion, send a note to this board after we return from our Nov 22 - Dec 7 cruise, I'll let you know how it was.

[Nefaline]

Will do Iris