This hike showcases the incredible features of Volcanoes National Park while emphasizing sustainable tourism and education. My custom route begins at the Kilauea Visitor Center and spans approximately 8 miles, where we'll first venture into the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, which has been experiencing lava eruptions since December 23, 2024, occurring once every week or two. After exploring Halemaʻumaʻu, the trail leads you into the Kilauea Iki Crater, where we can safely travel across a hardened lava lake, experiencing the unique volcanic landscape up close. About halfway through the hike, we’ll visit the iconic Thurston Lava Tube, one of the park’s most popular attractions. Along the trail, you'll also be treated to a gourmet lunch provided by your guide, allowing you to relax and enjoy a meal in this stunning environment. Finally, we'll enter an enchanting native Hawaiian forest, home to unique flora and fauna. While hiking, your knowledgeable guide will share insights into the park’s geology and history, enriching your understanding of this remarkable environment. Immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder of Volcanoes National Park on this unforgettable hiking adventure!
These are the trails we did … Crater rim trail to Waldron ledge stop and continue on Crater Rim Trail to the Kīlauea Iki with stop at Bryon Ledge via Bryon ledge spur trail. Great pace, information and lunch - we even saw the Volcano erupt for episode 55! Jennifer and Nate did a great job and providing us an experience of a lifetime!
We had a great time on our hike with Yvonne! My partner & I were there on our 15 year anniversary and we were the only ones on the tour! She was extremely knowledgeable about all of the geology in the area as well as the plants & history. We learned so much!
If you are visiting the Big Island this is a must do experience. We spent the day with Yvonne, a passionate volcanologist, who knows everything about volcanoes and this National Park. Her enthusiasm is next level, added with an amazing ability to curate the perfect day for the guests she had. The day was well paced and even though we hiked 10 miles on a warm day, it wasn't at all arduous. The scenery is stunning and having Yvonne there to provide us with information that we wouldn’t have even known to look up, was like going on a field trip of a lifetime. 🌟🌋
I highly recommend the guided tour through the crater at Volcano National Park. Jennifer is so knowledgeable! The black crater is full of history, Hawaiian lore, geological activity, flora and fauna. Things you might miss without a guide. Great snacks and sandwiches too! This was one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island.
This was the highlight of our vacation adventures. You can buy a pass and hike the trails on your own but you won't get the in-depth knowledge that they have. We had the pleasure of Yvonne leading our tour and she is passionate about volcanos. She was able to show and share things about the whole region that we would've totally missed if we hadn't done this tour. Thank you for sharing your love of volcanos with our family. Very fun day hiking around the park.
Jennifer was amazing! Knowledgeable and flexible, she tailored our experience to what we wanted out of it. What a fantastic way to spend a day!
Yvonne lives and breathes the park and it's contents -- especially volcanology -- told through stories, experiences, & answering literally any question we had. Be prepared for an amazing hike!
Beautiful and peaceful hike with knowledgeable guides committed to our desired/personalized experience. We had two guides with our group and they struck a perfect balance in talents and knowledge.
It was awesome. Jennifer was very knowledgeable about the the fauna and the volcano. It’s a great hike. The morning breakfast was a nice welcome And lunch was perfect for the day. You will love this trip. I’m t may even by the highlight of the Hawaiian Islands.
We had a great time on this hike. We got to see some beautiful areas of the park, including a hike across the bottom of the small crater. Our guide was very knowledgable and we learned a lot. The highlight of our trip was getting to see an eruption!!
On Friday, May 16, we had a really great hike into the national park! We were very fortunate to have the show of the volcano erupting! our guide Jennifer was very knowledgeable on the volcano, the history and the science. She also could identify the local plants. I was very grateful for her knowledge of culture and lore of the native people of Hawaii! She provided us with backpacks, trekking poles, water, snacks, and a really delicious lunch! I would highly recommend her as a guide
If I could give 10 stars I would. Jennifer MADE our trip to the park. Her attention to detail and her knowledge is outstanding. She paced the hike to our level - we are 65 and in just okay shape. The snack and lunch were great. She brought information sheets with visuals that helped us understand the geography and geology. We couldn’t be more grateful.
This was the highlight of my trip! We hiked down into 2 calderas. While we were there, Kaluapele had an active lava flow. Exciting! The lava tube was very cool, the lava flow was very cool, lunch was at an amazing lookout, and the forest was awesome. Jennifer added a lot of good information about the area and brought some great food! Would wholeheartedly recommend.
My husband and I completed an ~8 mile hike in Volcano National Park with Jenn in May 2024, and we loved it! We signed up for the small group hike, but it turned out to just be the two of us which we didn't mind at all. We are both fairly active individuals and hike often at home, however as first time visitors to VNP we wanted to have a guide who was knowledgable about the trails and history of the park and volcanoes; having light breakfast, snacks and a boxed lunch provided was an added bonus. Jenn delivered on all counts, 100% recommend!
It was a great excursion that was planned with details in mind. Our fantastic guide Jennifer picked great trails that gave us amazing scenery and plenty of opportunities for photos. She was prepared for every scenario from extra packs and ponchos, to headlights for the lava tube. She was also very knowledgeable about the flora, fauna and the local history. One of the highlights of our vacation!
The volcano hike with Jennifer Bell and her son Cameron were top notch. Super friendly, extremely knowledgeable about the area, the history of the different volcanoes and craters. The walk was a good pace, but she could adjust accordingly to the group. It ended up just being two of us and two of them so it was great. We got all the different types of weather, and the different terrain was Impressive (rainforest to craters, sunny to rainy… great experience overall. Top 5 of things I’ve done in 2023!! Best ending was the homemade chocolate chip cookie Jennifer brought for dessert at lunch!!
Jennifer crafted a great itinerary for us--around three calderas, across Kilauea Iki, through the lava tube, and around the Sulphur Banks trail. All of these things are accessible in the park, but Jennifer puts everything in context: dates of eruptions, types of lava, the reasons why this amazing area looks like it does. If you want more than the standard drive-by visit, I strongly suggest planning a day with VHG.
Jen is a very knowledgeable and experienced guide! We started our day meeting at the Visitor Center for breakfast where she also provided additional snacks, some gear (backpacks and walking poles) and a briefing on what to expect for the tour. It was a small group of 4 (2 couples). On our hike, Jen was patient when I needed to slow down or take a break on some of the uphill climbs. She knows lots of lore and stories of Pele and the volcanoes. The lunch she provided was delicious. It was a great experience from start to finish and I’d highly recommend booking Jen for your hike at Volcanoes National Park.
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