Hawaii - Kilauea Volccano shore excursion

[luvtahiti]

How much time do you have at the Thurston Lava Tube on the Kilauea Volcano shore excursion?

 

Thanks in advance!

Kilauea Volcano

Visit the dramatic moon-like landscapes of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on a trip along Kilauea?s Crater Rim Drive.

WHAT YOU VISIT

Volcanoes National Park - Your visit begins with an overview of the park from the Visitor Center. Then travel 11 miles by motorcoach around the spectacular Crater Rim Drive viewing the park?s major sights. See smooth and jagged lava rock flows, sulfur banks and lava beds. Tradition and legend states that it is bad luck to take away pieces of lava rock.

Reboard your motorcoach and stop at the Thurston Lava Tube for a short walk through wild, jurassic style jungle leading to the cave-like tube.

[lois1112]

I did the hiking tour of the volcano and we stopped at the tube. it is a very short walk from the parking to the tube and a short walk through it. I can't imagine you will have alot of time there. did you want longer?

[luvtahiti]

We have been to Kilauea and seen the entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube, but did not get a chance to walk in. We would like to have the opportunity to go in and see it. We have heard that it is only lit from the daylight outside and to venture very far you need flashlights. On this shore excursion we are wondering if we will have 5 minutes to walk to the entrance or enough time to actually see the inside?

[billie5]

Why don't you rent a car in Hilo and drive there yourself? That is what we did. Then you can spend as much time as you wish.

 

Bill

[luvtahiti]

Why don't you rent a car in Hilo and drive there yourself? That is what we did. Then you can spend as much time as you wish.

 

Bill

We considered that, but driving limits my opportunity to look around and see the sights. It is something we do when we travel on our own, but having only a few hours in port - I want to see as much as I can.

[MauiLvrs]

...We have heard that it is only lit from the daylight outside and to venture very far you need flashlights. On this shore excursion we are wondering if we will have 5 minutes to walk to the entrance or enough time to actually see the inside?

 

Part of the tube is lit, part is not.

 

5 min would probably be enough, but 10-15 would be better.

[billie5]

It is interesting to read how people react to driving. Some others have posted that they prefer not to drive so they can see more. I have always found that I see much more BY driving. Curious.

 

Incidentally, once you leave Hilo (which amounts to a few dozen blocks) you will have the road to yourself. There just aren't that many people living on Big Island.

 

Bill

[mbleackl]

We considered that, but driving limits my opportunity to look around and see the sights. It is something we do when we travel on our own, but having only a few hours in port - I want to see as much as I can.

 

We rented a car everywhere except Honolulu where they have an excellent local bus service that goes all over the island (you can get an inexpensive day pass) . We got a Taurus from Budget for I think $39 for the day plus gas. We saw way more than any of the planned tours. You set your own itinerary. If there is anything of particular interest you can stop. You can even follow the tour bus if you want and have more time at anything is of particular interest. I remember stopping someplace where there was a small painted church and quite a few of the folks on the ship tour weren't able to get in before it was time to leave. There were lots of complaints. If you do decide to rent a car - book in advance.

[Pam in CA]

It is interesting to read how people react to driving. Some others have posted that they prefer not to drive so they can see more. I have always found that I see much more BY driving. Curious.

Well, the person driving doesn't have much of a chance to look around while the person in the passenger seat would. As a driver, you have your eyes on the road, not on the scenery. I know that's why I would prefer not to drive. Not sure how the driver could see "more" without taking their eyes from the road.

[Tina G]

Well, the person driving doesn't have much of a chance to look around while the person in the passenger seat would. As a driver, you have your eyes on the road, not on the scenery. I know that's why I would prefer not to drive. Not sure how the driver could see "more" without taking their eyes from the road.

Aha! So you have ridden in the passenger seat while my DH drove!!!:eek:

[BigGuy25]

You'll have PLENTY of time at the tube. It's not a really large area. But it is impressive. There is a loop path that you follow that takes you into the forest, down a few stairs and into the tube. You walk completely through the tube (it's nicely lit inside ... you don't need flashlights) come out the other side and follow the path back to where you started. The entire path is not very long. We were just there on a tour in July and everyone had all the time they needed.

[Spikesgirl]

If you get the opportunity, take the path that leads to the right - it's fairly steep going down, but there are hand rails. It leads to the most dramatic entrance of the tube. The path left is very gradual and is much easier of the two of use coming out. In this fashion, you can do it as a loop.

 

The lit portion of the tube itself takes about five minutes to walk through and its pretty incredible to think tubs just like it are still feeding lava down to the coast.

 

Charlie

[flamomo]

The stop for Thurston Lava Tube is not long, but long enough for a leisurely walk through the tube and a short stroll thru the rain forest that is the path back to the waiting tour bus.

The lava tube is dimly lit by a combination of daylight that comes in from both ends, as well as a few lights on the walls of the tube. But it IS DIM. It is also damp, because of moisture that probably comes from the rain forest up on the surface above the tube. Getting in and out of the lava tube involves walking down an inclined ramp to enter, and going up some stairs to leave it.

This info is based on my pulling out my photo album of our cruise to HI last year. The pictures I took inside the lava tube, as well as the area around it, reminded me of how dim it was in there. (But we did not need flashlights.)

 

This excursion is a great one, and you are so right - - letting someone else (the bus driver) drive means you can see the sights. Enjoy!!!

[luvtahiti]

Thank you Flamoma, Charlie, BigGuy25 and MauiLuv for your help. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions about the lava tube. And thanks for the picture links!

Very much appreciated,

luvtahiti

[Nancyquilts]

Aha! So you have ridden in the passenger seat while my DH drove!!!:eek:

:D :D :D

[as19111]

:D :D :D

 

Ditto

[billie5]

Pam,

Unlike a bus, you have the full span of the front windshield to see everything on both sides of the road. The roads are mostly empty, so you can go as slowly as you wish, and, as someone said, stop as often as you wish to take in the panoramas. I always do the driving, and, as I said, I see much more than on a tour, of which I have taken many, even when I am fortunate enough to get the front seat in a van or bus. But I am a very experienced driver, having driven on many continents in every imaginable environment (but not in the Sahara desert -- there I used a camel). :)

 

Bill