Private tours on Hilo and Kona

looking for recommendations of private tour operators on Hilo & Kona. We are interested in seeing the major sights with minimal walking (I'll be a few months out from my second knee replacement). I know the volcanos and lava tube is a must see. Or are we better off renting a car and going on our own?

I like your dog...

Haven't done it, but there is the hop on hop off trolly that goes to some places.

We are planning on going on a helicopter tour with Safari in May, good price and looking forward to it. You might want to check out the trip adviser web site too.:D

looking for recommendations of private tour operators on Hilo & Kona. We are interested in seeing the major sights with minimal walking (I'll be a few months out from my second knee replacement). I know the volcanos and lava tube is a must see. Or are we better off renting a car and going on our own?

A highly rated small group tour for the big island of Hawaii is Mary Lou's Big Island Tours. Often mentioned here as well as Trip Advisor. We had Mary Lou and I believe it was $75 cash when we did it a few years ago in Hilo, but I think it has gone up to @ $90? We hit VNP, Lava Tube, steam vents, Rainbow Falls, Mac nut place, coffee processor with tasting, beach with turtles and a few others. These are very small group tours, probably 6 to 8 people and family guided by Mary Lou, husband Ken and son Kyle. They are each very engaging and friendly.

Rather than run back and forth between Hilo and Kona, they have branched out and Kyle now runs his own tour company called Island Wide Tours working I believe mainly out of Kona, but they probably have more flexibility now, depending on where the demand is. We did Kyle's land tour in Kona last year which hit all the main historic sites and a lot of scenic as well plus a coffee plantation and honey operation with tastings. Kyle also offers a snorkel tour at Two Step near Kona with some land stops as well I believe.

The great thing about these tours are that they are willing to be somewhat flexible based on what YOU want to see and do rather than a fixed itinerary. Once you contact them, they will give you a list of possibilities and you let them know what your priorities are and they will let you know if they can accommodate. If you have any limitations, let them know and ask for their recommendations. Book early. In Hilo for instance their availability will likely be 2 or 3 vehicles holding 6 to 8 depending on whether Kyle is available.

A highly rated small group tour for the big island of Hawaii is Mary Lou's Big Island Tours. Often mentioned here as well as Trip Advisor. We had Mary Lou and I believe it was $75 cash when we did it a few years ago in Hilo, but I think it has gone up to @ $90? We hit VNP, Lava Tube, steam vents, Rainbow Falls, Mac nut place, coffee processor with tasting, beach with turtles and a few others. These are very small group tours, probably 6 to 8 people and family guided by Mary Lou, husband Ken and son Kyle. They are each very engaging and friendly.

 

Rather than run back and forth between Hilo and Kona, they have branched out and Kyle now runs his own tour company called Island Wide Tours working I believe mainly out of Kona, but they probably have more flexibility now, depending on where the demand is. We did Kyle's land tour in Kona last year which hit all the main historic sites and a lot of scenic as well plus a coffee plantation and honey operation with tastings. Kyle also offers a snorkel tour at Two Step near Kona with some land stops as well I believe.

 

The great thing about these tours are that they are willing to be somewhat flexible based on what YOU want to see and do rather than a fixed itinerary. Once you contact them, they will give you a list of possibilities and you let them know what your priorities are and they will let you know if they can accommodate. If you have any limitations, let them know and ask for their recommendations. Book early. In Hilo for instance their availability will likely be 2 or 3 vehicles holding 6 to 8 depending on whether Kyle is available.

Thanks Brenda - I looked on their website and it looks exactly like what we're looking for. Sent them an email so hopefully I'll hear back and they are available to book for October.

Margi

Thanks Brenda - I looked on their website and it looks exactly like what we're looking for. Sent them an email so hopefully I'll hear back and they are available to book for October.

Margi

My husband uses a scooter for limited mobility and I have balance problems so selecting tours can be a challenge. We just toured Hilo with Marylou and had an absolutely wonderful time at a very reasonable price. Unlike bus tours from cruise ships, Marylou gets out at each stop and tours with you--at Volcano National Park this was absolutely wonderful for us. She pointed out and explained things, showed us thru her binoculars, answered questions, and just had this contagious enthusiasm (we did see lava shooting up!). People from ship tours were tagging along with us. We were not planning to get out and walk thru the lava tube, but since there were only two on our tour, we just did a drive by there leaving more time for other places. Even places like a candy shop in Hilo Marylou made more of an event--she knew a lady giving samples and had her bring over chocolate covered dried fish for me to try (not bad!) along with some more obviously delicious treats. As we talked about what we had done the day before in Kona I was very disappointed that we had not booked with her for there, too. Our ship's tour took us to Pu'uhonuo O Honaunau, Royal Grounds and place of refuge--a spectacularly beautiful place--but while there we were on our own. Marylou asked if they hadn't gotten the wheelchair with big wheels for us so we could navigate the sand--something she does for people touring with her who have walking problems. Needless to say, it would have been a better experience with her!!

A highly rated small group tour for the big island of Hawaii is Mary Lou's Big Island Tours. Often mentioned here as well as Trip Advisor. We had Mary Lou and I believe it was $75 cash when we did it a few years ago in Hilo, but I think it has gone up to @ $90? We hit VNP, Lava Tube, steam vents, Rainbow Falls, Mac nut place, coffee processor with tasting, beach with turtles and a few others. These are very small group tours, probably 6 to 8 people and family guided by Mary Lou, husband Ken and son Kyle. They are each very engaging and friendly.

 

Rather than run back and forth between Hilo and Kona, they have branched out and Kyle now runs his own tour company called Island Wide Tours working I believe mainly out of Kona, but they probably have more flexibility now, depending on where the demand is. We did Kyle's land tour in Kona last year which hit all the main historic sites and a lot of scenic as well plus a coffee plantation and honey operation with tastings. Kyle also offers a snorkel tour at Two Step near Kona with some land stops as well I believe.

 

The great thing about these tours are that they are willing to be somewhat flexible based on what YOU want to see and do rather than a fixed itinerary. Once you contact them, they will give you a list of possibilities and you let them know what your priorities are and they will let you know if they can accommodate. If you have any limitations, let them know and ask for their recommendations. Book early. In Hilo for instance their availability will likely be 2 or 3 vehicles holding 6 to 8 depending on whether Kyle is available.

Hi Brenda,

Do you actually get to see the molten lava at VNP?

Thanks!

Angela

Hi Brenda,

Do you actually get to see the molten lava at VNP?

Thanks!

Angela

we got to see both steam and hot lava shooting from the crater at VNP and lava as it flowed into the ocean as we cruised by at night--tried to load photos but can't for some reason. There is a u-tube video of lava flowing into the sea taken by one of the speakers on our cruise. It's at

Carole

Hi Brenda,

Do you actually get to see the molten lava at VNP?

Thanks!

Angela

From inside the VNP, my understanding is that the lava is usually not visible inside the crater itself. You can get more info on this from the National Park website or from the various tour operators. We only saw a steam cloud, but as someone else stated, depending on the activity level you apparently can sometimes see the lava spray upwards. There is an active flow toward the sea currently, but from what I have seen, it is a hot strenuous walk to that area, and maybe unsafe as well. There are boat tours which take you out to where the lava is falling into the sea. These boats, at least some of them, get very close to the actual lava fall and there was a recent newspaper report posted on a thread here which said that the lava cliff above collapsed into the water and sprayed rock and debris onto one of the tour boats.