Big Island, Hawaii: Volcanic Safari

Company was excellent to deal with, and provided much communication prior to tour. Staff was overly friendly and our pilot was knowledgeable and very professional.

We had an incredible time on the helicopter ride viewing the volcano and surrounding area. Our pilot Jim was incredibly nice and knowledgeable about the area. Would recommend this tour!

Could not have asked for a better experience!! Got great pics. Staff and pilot are superb!! Plus the views are incredible!

We booked a flight over the volcanoes which was,sadly, cancelled due to poor weather over the volcanoes. They offered us a choice of full refund, reschedule or flight over northern coastline not affected by weather. We all opted for the flight (everyone in the party of 6 has to opt in for the flight to go ahead). Although we were disappointed not to fly over the volcano, the sights along the coast were very impressive - 1,000 ft cliffs with waterfalls, deep ravines and Birds Eye views of rivers roads bridges and some very impressive houses. Our pilot, Andrew, gave a running commentary and was very knowledgeable. The flight was very smooth and gentle with no sudden or unexpected movements. Anyone who has not flown in a helicopter before who is feeling anxious - have no fear. It iid not a daredevil ride - it s an amazing experience suitable for all

This flight was cancelled by the helicopter Company. They requested you to refund me ,but each time I write to you I just get a computer generated acknowledgement promising follow up….which does not happen! What do I have to do.

It was a fun experience! We had 6 of us so we were in one helicopter. It was cool to see different things from a birds eye view!

it was a great experience. Would definitely book again

We had an exceptional time with Drew! He was a fabulous pilot and answered all our questions. We highly recommend taking this trip as it's the best way to see the volcanoes and waterfalls! Thanks

This experience was truly amazing, a standout in the activities done in the big island. We got to see actual lava! Shooting high from the volcano during episode 51. Such a rare unexpected sight that will last forever. The pilot was amazing too, very knowledgeable and the flight was extremely smooth

The weather wasn’t cooperating, but fortunately we were still able to do a beautiful coast waterfall tour. Jim gave some good details about the island and what we were passing.

Awesome ground tree Cookie excellent. I didn't fly but husband and son were very impressed with Drew

Amazing views of the waterfalls. We were booked to go to volcanoes but due to lack of visibility wasn’t able to happen so opted for waterfalls. Amazing views but obviously disappointed we couldn’t view what was booked. Company was great about it

The pilot could have told us that the volcano was not active that day, but he really didn't say much as he flew us over the crater. If he would have told us, we wouldn't have expected see anything spectacular.

WHAT A JOKE!! This was touted as a tour of the Volcano National Park. Instead, for our $379 we hovered over lava fields for 50 minutes and saw a couple waterfalls. To make matters worse, employees knew when we checked in there was no way we were going to see the volcano. When you go on a whale watching tour and don’t see whales your fee is reimbursed. No mention of a refund was offered. I will never go on another Safari tour!

The personel and pilot was very professional and experienced. The pilot was very knowledgeable about the volcano and craters from pass eruptions. Good job, keep it up.

The staff were very friendly. The pilot was super knowledgeable about the area. He must be a geographer or nature conservator or something, or may be a PhD holder. I would love to go back to the adventure.

The safari helicopter crew were friendly and very helpful. Our pilot Andrew is very experienced and our flight was very smooth. We were all first time helicopter fliers, so were very nervous but it wasn’t scary at all. He shared lots of fun information about Hawaii and showed us amazing views. One recommendation about the time slot, pick an earlier time if you can. We went around noon and it was really hot even though the helicopter was climate controlled.

Amazing experience!!! The views was a amazing. Being in such a small vessell was an experience itself. The crew and pilot was so nice. Worth checking out.

We loved our flight and our pilot was excellent. We couldn’t get to the volcano because of rain but he took us over the lava fields, waterfalls, river and part of Hilo. Told us so much stuff during the flight we didn’t even need to use the mic to ask any questions. The ladies helping with take off and landing were super helpful to get us on our flight and extremely nice. Cookie was great! I would take this flight again when visiting Hawaii. First time in a helicopter and was a wonderful experience.

Absolutely amazing experience. Pilot and crew were phenomenal. Very knowledgeable and safe. Unlike anything you've ever done.

sucked,j,k it was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We booked this tour and last minute the weather would not allow us to go to the volcano. Until then it was fine. They could have called us and let us know saving the 2 hour drive there. I got the feeling they did not say anything as once we are there they would send us on another tour. There were 6 of us in the group and either all 6 went on the substituted tour or no one went. Then they proceeded to ask in front of everyone whether we agree to the waterfall tour. While they said no pressure, there is pressure as if 4 agree u feel bad say no. They offered a refund but again all 6 had to agree on the same decision. The waterfall tour was very disappointing as well. They should have communicated much earlier that the weather was not conducive for volcano and only if some wanted to go on the substituted tour that should have been allowed. Will not deal with them again. Weather they can't control. Communication they can.

My husband and I are 73 & 76 years old. We really wanted to see volocanos but are unable to hike so we opted for the Safari Helicopter tour. The pilot and ground staff was very professional and helpful each encounter that I had with them. The helicopter tour was amazing with great views of the volcanoes and waterfalls. The pilot's narrative was constant and informative. We always knew what we were seeing and interesting facts about it.

Very friendly, professional team. A smooth flight with unbelievable views, thank you Captain Jim ! (And a great soundtrack playing !!)

Great experience. Wear good shoes and read all the signs. Very informative . Unique experience for all ages.

The flight didn’t take place because we got stuck in unexpected roadwork traffic and couldn’t arrive on time. As soon as we realized the situation, we called about an hour in advance to inform your team, but no assistance or flexibility was offered. Despite the fact that there were still available seats, we were not given the option to rebook or find any reasonable solution. Instead, the response we received was dismissive and, at times, quite rude. This was an $800 flight, and we arrived less than 10 minutes late. Given the circumstances especially on an island where delays like roadwork are unpredictable we expected at least some level of understanding or accommodation. Additionally, the listing advertises “free cancellation” in the title, which feels misleading and does not reflect the actual experience or policy we encountered. Overall, this was very disappointing, both in terms of customer service and transparency.

Due to weather Conte were unable to do the volcano tour. However, we were offered a coastal tour instead and it did not disappoint! We flew into a beautiful valley that can not be accessed any other way. We saw giant waterfalls and black sand beaches. Drew, our pilot, was incredibly knowledgeable.

A real treat. Price is high but experience too. 2 weeks is good to see a lot. Very low key. Quite a few tourists. People are always friendly. Good for trekking.

◦ For 20 years I have really wanted to take a helicopter ride. It has been a bucket list thing for me. So finally it became a reality. So we chose Safari Helicopters. After the hour tour I’m having conflicting feelings. I loved being in the helicopter and seeing the volcano and the surrounding area was amazing. But the experience wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for. It wasn’t as fun and exciting as I had hoped. Drew is a great pilot. I felt safe and he obviously knows his way around the area. And maybe it was because as passengers we weren’t interactive enough. But the narrative was very rehearsed and canned. There was no “ hey we’re are you from?” “ how is everyone?” With all the ocean we didn’t even fly over it, just straight to the volcano, straight to the same waterfall he always goes to and straight back to the airport. He never even turned and smiled at us. No swooping, laughing, I don’t know. I mean 750 for the two of us, another 100 for the tip, 20 for parking. Maybe I just made it bigger in my mind. I’m still glad I did it and it’s crossed off my list.

Beautiful views but we couldn't go up closer to see the volcano due to weather and clouds so that was disappointing. Saw new island land, steaming calderas and flowing waterfalls. Informative pilot. Learned a lot and had a completely new experience. Loved it overall.

Very exciting adventure! Seeing the volcano from the air is a whole different experience! Our pilot was very knowledgeable and informative. Highly recommend!

I had a great experience with this company. I was most impressed by their transparency: before the safety briefing, they clearly stated there was no visible flowing lava and that weather conditions prevented flying over the active peak. They explained exactly what we would see instead and offered everyone a full refund if they chose to back out. The loading process was highly organized, and the flight felt steady and safe. We toured the 2018 lava fields, numerous waterfalls, the macadamia orchards, and expansive coastal plots. The pilot skipped the 'flashy' tour talk; while he seemed a bit tired of the standard questions, he was pleasant and informative. I also appreciated that they didn't try to sell us souvenir photos, opting instead to take group pictures using our own phones. As a first-time flyer, it was well worth it, and I’d definitely recommend this company for a first flight."

Andrew was a great pilot and guide, and we had a great tour over Kilauea and some of the waterfalls near Hilo. Andrew is very knowledgeable and had answers to all of our questions. The ride itself was very comfortable and we were lucky with the weather so there was no turbulence. Thanks for a great experience!

Great helicopter tour of Hilo and surrounding areas. Views of lava landscape, craters, macadamia farms, waterfalls and coastline. I think the pilot is a degreed geologist with minor in Hawaiian history. He was very knowledgeable and made the trip that much more enjoyable. Ask for Cookie, and tell her the Mercedes guy sent you. She was great with the reservations and confirmations. Everything was perfect. Safari is located at the commuter terminal at the end of the airport terminal loop. Cookie, the Mercedes is being built this month.

changed my reservation at 3;58pm the day before my scheduled flight of 9;05am to the next morning to 11:05 am, I didn't know about message until we arrived at 8:05 We showed up and i was informed i was bumped to 11:05am while my friends were still on the 9;05 flight. I was informed that they bumped me so they could put 2 people in my 9am place so that they could make more money per flight, even though i was the very first person to book that flight on feb. 03 . I refused and cancelled. I would never EVER .EVER. EVER recommend this company to anyone ,not even my worst enemy. I would strongly recommend you use any of the other companies available. if they did it to me, they will do it to you

The experience was wonderful. Andrew knew the area well. The things holding back from 5 stars was after paying for an experience, we had to pay for parking on top of it. Then we're told to arrive an hour early and stood around for 45 minutes waiting.

We did not get to go on our flight due to weather. The tour guide canceled at the last minute, but they were also waiting to see if the storm would move north so we could go. Unfortunately it only got worse. They fully refunded our money.

We so looked forward to flying over Volcano National Park via helicopter. But the cloud cover was low, blocking any view of Kikeaua. Plus tge mountsin was only steaming, with no visible lava flows. We were offered a different route, viewing the waterfalls to the north, but declined. We tgen drove thru the park, viewing the Kileaua Cauldron. On the day we departed the Big island, Kileaua erupted. If I get to return, I will indeed book a helicopter visit with Safari! Our refund came graciously and quickly.

Awesome , breath taking experience!

It was canceled at the last moment due to bad weather

My trip got canceled last minute due to weather, but Stephanie at Safari tours was kind, and professional and got a refund to me instantly.

The weather over the volcanoes was horrible and unsafe so our pilot, Jim, gave us the option to fly the northhwest coast, andd see waterfalls, green valleys and whales. What a great option and was perfect for our first ever helicopter flight. Highly recommend this tour and the company was very professional and personable.

This was an absolutely amazing experience! Shannon and Ashley were wonderful boat captain and navigator. We saw whales up close, right next to our boat. We also saw several breaches and a baby whale breached more than 25 times, right in front of us. Highly recommend for whale lovers

Weather prevented us from seeing the volcano but our pilot, Jim and the crew gave us an option to go north and see the waterfalls...breathtaking!

Unfortunately, our flight was canceled due to uncooperative weather. The staff were professional, however.

This was a surprise for my husbands 60th birthday. We had a great time. We had a great view of the volcano days after it stopped erupting. Jim made sure we saw waterfalls and forests as well

It was a great tour. The volcano wasn’t as active as we had hoped but the pilot, Andrew, did a great job describing what we were seeing along with giving a description and history of everything we saw from the volcano to the waterfalls. He also answered any and all questions.

From the moment we arrived, we were treated with great kindness and professionalism. They explained all the safety rules clearly, which made us feel very comfortable and secure. During the flight, the pilot explained each area we were flying over, which made the experience even more special. We were able to enjoy absolutely beautiful views. It was an unforgettable experience and highly recommended.

We were scheduled for the Volcano National Parks Helicopter Tour, but due to the volcano recently erupting, we were not able to fly over the volcano. Not very scenic. Lots of lava rock.