Private Guided Hiking Tours in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Overview
With more than 150 miles of hiking trails, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a paradise for people who love to explore on foot. This experience is not a standard sightseeing or bus tour of the park—it is a private, trail-focused hiking adventure led entirely on foot inside the park’s trail network.
Your naturalist guide will walk alongside you, pointing out volcanic features, native plants, and birdlife as you move through different environments. Some routes can easily fill the full six-hour outing, while others can be combined into a custom loop of shorter hikes. A picnic-style lunch is included and enjoyed along the trail or shortly after your hike.
For those who want to go deeper, we can also lead longer backcountry day hikes into remote areas of the park. These routes access rugged coastline, wilderness lava landscapes, and rarely visited terrain. If you’re interested in a longer, 12+ mile wilderness hike, please call or email in advance so we can discuss options and suitability.
If you’re looking for a broader sightseeing experience with overlooks, road-accessible stops, and more of the park by vehicle, please see our separate “Meet at Kīlauea Volcano” tour. That experience is similar in duration and also meets inside the park but focuses on multiple locations from the entrance all the way down toward the ocean.
Trail Options – Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Below are some of the most popular guided hiking options. Distances and elevation gains are approximate and can be adjusted based on conditions and group ability.
Kīlauea Summit Explorer – 6 miles, ~1,000 ft elevation gain
This custom summit loop is designed by our guides to showcase the classic highlights of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on foot.
Hike across the caldera floors of both Halemaʻumaʻu and Kīlauea Iki.
Walk through Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube).
Travel from lush native rainforest into stark, otherworldly crater terrain.
In a single route, you’ll experience dense vegetation, open lava expanses, and sweeping crater views—often feeling as though you’ve stepped onto a different planet.
Kīlauea Iki & Devastation Trail – 4 miles, ~500 ft elevation gain
Ideal for guests wanting a shorter but varied hike with rich volcanic history.
Descend past the 1959 eruption site of Puʻupuaʻi along Devastation Trail.
Traverse the rainforest along Byron’s Ledge.
Drop into the floor of Kīlauea Iki Crater and explore the solidified lava lake before climbing out.
This route highlights both the power of recent eruptions and the resilience of the forest as it reclaims the land.
Puʻu Huluhulu Trail – 3 miles, ~350 ft elevation gain
A compact hike packed with volcanic detail—perfect for guests who want to understand how the island was built.
Explore the landscape around the 1969–1974 eruption area.
Walk across different types of lava and through pockets of native rainforest.
See a variety of volcanic formations that clearly illustrate how flows, vents, and cones shape Hawaiʻi.
This is one of the best choices if your main interest is learning the science and story behind the park’s lava features.
Nāpau Route – 6.5–10.5 miles, ~1,300 ft elevation gain
A longer, more immersive outing that reveals just how varied Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park can be.
Move from barren lava fields into dense, green rainforest.
Follow sections of an old plantation trail where Hawaiians once harvested pulu, the soft protective fiber from native hāpuʻu ferns.
Choose to end at Makaʻopuhi, the largest pit crater in the park, or continue deeper into forest toward Nāpau for an extended day.
This option offers a complete cross-section of park terrain and is ideal for strong hikers wanting a full-day challenge.
Additional Short-Hike Options
For guests who prefer shorter walks or a mix-and-match approach, we can build a custom day from several smaller trails, including but not limited to:
Keanakakoʻi Crater – approx. 1 mile
Kipukapuaulu Bird Trail – approx. 1 mile
Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube) – approx. 0.5 mile
Puʻuloa Petroglyphs – approx. 1.5 miles
These shorter routes are excellent for families, casual hikers, or anyone who wants more frequent stops with lower total mileage.
Backcountry & Long-Distance Day Hikes
For experienced hikers interested in extended (+12 mile) wilderness routes, we offer custom backcountry days into less visited parts of the park, including remote coastline and pristine lava landscapes. These trips require additional planning and screening for fitness and experience. Please contact us directly by phone or email to discuss specific trails, conditions, and requirements.
Not a Standard Park Tour – A Trail-First Experience
This offering is a dedicated hiking experience inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, not a general vehicle-based park tour. Every itinerary is built around time on the trail, learning directly from the landscape:
Your guide is a naturalist, focused on interpretation and safety on foot.
You’ll spend your time walking, observing, and asking questions, not shuttling between overlooks in a bus.
Volcanic features, native plants, birds, and geology are explained as you encounter them along the way.
If you want to truly feel the park under your boots, rather than just see it from a window, this private guided hiking format is designed for you.
