Volcano Tour:  Twilight Volcano Adventure

By Kathy and Phil from Ellicott City, MD on 2012/04/16

We took the Twilight Volcano tour in April 2012. Taj was our guide. The tour was fantastic!  We got to see a lava tube, lava flows and the Kilauea summit.  Taj told us stories about local legend and lore, native and invasive species of plants and animals.  The trip was well organized and we had a good lunch and dinner. The van was comfortable, and the group only had 10 people, which we thought was much better than a big tour group. We came away with a much better understanding of the Big Island than what we would have from seeing the sights ourselves.  I would recommend this tour to anyone who is thinking of it!

By John Smiley on 2012/04/13

Will be in Kona from 4/23 to 5/3…. What are the best days / availability for the twilight tour?  Is all the driving in the open air jeep buses? Senior discounts?

By Maureen Ned and Oliva on 2012/04/03

We were on the Twilight Volcano tour with Taj on 3/27/12 and were WOWED by the depth of his knowledge, and the passion for all aspects of the natural world of Hawaii.  Taj was easy to be around for twelve hours, related to the adults and kids equally well and never once made us all yell aloha as loud as we could, a sure sign of trouble on a tour :  )  Mahalo nui to Taj and Hawaii Forest and Trail for running a first class tour company that educates and entertains without exploiting the island or the islanders!!!!

By Stephen and Linda on 2012/03/09

Our guide was Eugene. He was funny and a man on a mission. We were obviously his priority and we could see he actually cared! Thanks so much; he showed us a lot. We got to see the lava from afar! This tour is a must!!

By James Kefalas (Torquay, Australia) on 2012/02/07

Our Twilight Volcano Adventure on the 31/02/2012 with Eugene was excellent. I took my 9 year old daughter,Angelique and at first I thought a 12 hour tour would be too much for her, however Eugene’s knowledge, enthusiasm and humour made for a very entertaining time. He was able to relate to all within the group and certainly gave a great insight about the island, which provided my daughter with all the necessary answers to the many questions she had for him.

The meals were great, the van comfortable and highly recommend this tour and company to anyone going across to the Big island.

Thanks Eugene

By Randy on 2012/01/29

Taj all the way!!! Amazing person and doesent make it the total read from a book tour. Very passionate and knowledgeable guide. If your going to book, ask for him to be your guide!!

By Sheila on 2012/01/27

Do you offer a multiple tour discount?

Hawaii Forest & Trail Response:  Yes, guests booking multiple tours receive 10% off the 2nd and sucessive trips.  We also periodically run combo specials like our Fire & Water special where you can save even more.

By Lauer Family on 2012/01/16

Our guide was Eugene for this all day adventure and it was wonderful! He was entertaining, professional, and oh so knowledgeable about the plants and wildlife in the park. We enjoyed every bit about the day and would highly recommend this tour to any group.
Our tour was on Saturday January 7, 2012.

By Cyndi on 2011/11/12

I took the Twilight Volcano Tour on November 3rd.  Mark was my guide & he was great!  He was very knowledgable & friendly.  He came across as really liking what he did & enjoying being able to share the island with others.  I was traveling alone & he even made a point to offer to take pictures of me at various places since I didn’t have a traveling companion to do so.  I really enjoyed this tour, especially the fact that it was a small group of 12 of us & was much more personal than being on a large bus full of clueless tourists.  I loved that we went to Kaumani Caves & were the only ones there instead of going to the crowded Thurston Lava Tube.
The food & beverages provided were plentiful & delicious & overall I thought this was a very well-organized company & tour.
The only thing that I was a little disappointed about was that I found this tour through HawaiiActive.com & that website says the tour goes “to Kalapana to witness the awesome power of lava as it enters the ocean at sunset.”  Seeing that has long been on my bucket list(from the time I saw a volcano documentary as a child!).  Indeed, it was the main reason I included the Big Island on my trip.  We did not go there, though :-(  We did go up to the caldera & saw the otherwordly glow from the lava in the crater (while standing under the stars & glowng moon) & that was really cool.  But I still want to see lava flowing into the ocean! Anyway, just thought I would mention this discrepancy, maybe you can have HawaiiActive.com update their website?
Thank you for a very enjoyable day!

By Leanne and Peter on 2011/11/06

This tour was excellent.  Our tour guide Stephanie was an absolute professional.  She made the whole event enjoyable and informative.  We were given access to a wide range of activities and we enjoyed a thoroughly delicious lunch and dinner.  The tour was a very value for money day taking an incredible 13 hours from beginning to end.  Congratulations and thank you for a terrific experience.

By Cary Bennett on 2011/09/17

This was an all day trip that was alot of fun and full of amazing sights and information!!! I highly recommend this trip to everyone who is planning a visit to the Big Island. It will really help you get your bearings as to what you are seeing and help you understand the island and it’s history. Our guide this day was Maverick. Now, I had read other glowing reviews about this young man, and I totally agree with all of the good things that were said about him!! He was born and raised on the Big Island and knows it like the back of his hand. He shared all kinds of stories and information with us that no one could, unless they had lived here like he has!!! But, I digress…....the tour begins on the west side of the island on the Kona coast and then proceeds across the island via the “Saddle Road”, which winds a path through forest and farmland between the majestic peaks of Mauna Loa, Haula Lai and Mauna Kea. You will see numerous cinder cones on the flanks of Mauna Loa and learn about the types of lava flows and their ages. We stopped for lunch along the flank of Mauna Loa, then proceeded on across the island to Hilo and part of the coast line, where we ate dinner on spectacular seaside lava cliffs where the waves crash against the cliff sides with a thunderous, booming roar that is too incredible to describe!!! From there we went to the observation area of the main caldera of Kilauea. We also stopped at several points to walk among lava fields and learn about the different types of craters. We also got to see steam vents along the way and visited the Thurston Lava Tube after dark. Not to worry,  they supply everyone with flashlights!  It was a surreal experience!!! We ended the day back at the observation area of Kilauea to watch the lava glowing in the vent within the main caldera. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience!!!
If you visit the Big Island, don’t miss this tour!!!! And if you can manage to find out when Maverick will be leading it, go on that day!!!!

By Kay & Eric on 2011/09/09

We loved the Twilight tour that we did with Taj on September 6.  Taj was very experienced and has in-depth knowledge of the Kilauea Volcano and also the ancient Hawaiian stories that gave us a whole different perspective.  Also, Taj has great passion for what he does which can be shown from the places that he showed and explored with us and the also through the stories that he has shared with us along the way. 

Also, a major plus is Taj brought us to the “less touristy” lava tube and stopped at a crater which would be hard to find if we were on a self-guided tour.  We really appreciated that.  Taj made the tour really interesting.  As we did not have a rental car, Taj made sure we were dropped off at the B&B where we stayed for the night as we returned at 11pm (and it is difficult to find a taxi late at night in Kona).  He was a wonderful guide indeed! We hope this comment can be passed on to Taj.

If we were to come back to Big Island, we hope to join Hawaii Forest and Tour again.

Thanks Taj for the wonderful experience!

By Emmy & John on 2011/09/07

We recently took the Twilight Volcano Tour with guide Mark.  The scenery was magnificent, and our guide Mark was wonderful. His knowledge of both the science/geology and folklore/culture of Hawaii was most remarkable (as was his impressive memory for names!)  Mark was friendly, personable, and thoughtful, and his driving was smooth and careful.  He eloquently conveyed his appreciation and respect for nature and inspired us!  We had considered taking a helicopter tour but are very glad that we opted to take the twilight tour instead.  The walk through the lava tube was amazing, and the sight of the glow from the crater was unforgettable!  By the way, the food was very tasty, and we enjoyed having our dinner outdoors at Volcanoes National Park.  Thanks also for providing us with some jackets.

By Donna, Bill, Bill and Alice on 2011/08/16

Taj, no longer the rookie tour guide, emerges as the brilliantly knowledgeable guide, fine maître d, and expert van driver for Hawaii Forest and Trails. Relying upon the website and reviews for this tour company, we believe this was the right choice in tours. Our family thoroughly enjoyed this excursion with our Ohana to the volcano area. Taj was quite cognizant of the Ohana’s needs, and provided us with a memorable day, hiking a crater rim, through the steam vents, lava tubes a la flashlight and of course the glowing lava in darkness. A bonus was our private dining area, complete with linens down by the ocean, nice touch Taj!Did I mention Taj’s wealth of knowledge of the island and his skilled ability to navigate the darkened Hawaiian roads? Taj, you made the day/evening so special for us. Super trip, thank you to Hawaiian Forest and Trail and to Taj! Aloha!

By Karen Eckstein on 2011/08/04

Sunday 7-17-11
We had an awesome time. Maverick was a wonderful driver and tour guide. The group we traveled with had so many question.
They were a lively bunch, it made for a very good time.
The hike gave you a very good idea of what lava is all about. The view at the end of the hike was breath taking.
Since we did not have a 4 wheel drive, it was a really good way to see the Mountains and volcano.  The best part was seeing the lava tube and the glow of the crater at night.
Thanks so much. Bobby, Karen and Morgan

By FREW CREW (11) on 2011/07/15

Recently my family took one of the Hawaii Forest & Trail tours with the fantastic and informative tour leader Taj. We were picked up at 11am and were dropped off at 11pm. At many stages throughout the trip Taj stopped and allowed us to spend time to look at the amazing attractions. We went exploring down into a cave, we did a hike down onto a crater, visited the Kilauea summit during the day and then returned at night to view the amazing Lava Glow. All of these and many other attractions were awesome. For the day we were all considered as one big Ohana (family). Thanks to Taj, his knowledge and research in this area provided us with a great day together as one Ohana and i would definitely recommend this to anyone taking a trip to Kona, Big Island, Hawaii.

By Mindy & Mike on 2011/07/09

What an excellent adventure during our stay on the Big Island.  Our tour guide Taj was the best.  He was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.  I would recommend this tour and this guide to anyone.  We left not only with the history of the volcano but of the island as well.  Hats off to Hawaii Forest and Trail and Taj for a job well done.

By Abby ( From Tahoe) on 2011/06/19

ALHOA,
Hawaii Forest & Trail did everything they said they would do and more.  If what you want is a guided trip; this one lives up to their claims. I have gone to Hawaii’s Volcano National Park on my own in the past. I learned sooo much more than a guide book could offer. My guide, Maverick, was outstanding!!!
My nine yr. old son and I took the twilight volcano tour June 2011. Maverick was our guide. Maverick was excellent: knowledgeable, friendly and professional.(cute as a button too) He provided us with a running commentary and discussions about the geology,history and folk lore of the area and points of interest as we drove up the mountain. He encouraged us to keep a look out for wild and native or introduced animals and plant life on the long drive to the volcano.  Comfortable vans and well planned stops/meals also helped to make this trip most enjoyable.
I got a much better lay of the land and came out with a first-class understanding and a closeness of the Big Island that I didn’t get flying over the area in a hellacopter.  The lava tube experience, walking the lava fields, seeing the red glow from the caldera at night and many other events were significantly enhanced by Maverick’s knowledge, discussions and identification of the principle points of interest.
Just wanted to say…THANK’S!
PS My tomatoe plants are OK! LOL

By Gene and Nancy Neill on 2011/05/25

We took the twilight tour 4//265/11 and have highly recommended to everyone we have seen. From the on time departure, the comfortable van, excellent food and the friendly and knowlegable Ethan this tour is one of the high lights of our more than 16 returns to Hawaii. Simply put “we just enjoyed it”. Thanks Ethan.

By Tiffany Cline on 2011/05/16

Our Twilight Volcano Adventure on 5/10/11 with Ethan was magnicifent.  I expected to see beautiful scenery (which we did), but I was not expecting to learn so much about the culture and the landscape of “The Big Island.”

Our guide took a personal interest in us all.  We never felt like we were on a “guided tour.” I felt as if an old friend was taking me to some of his favorite spots on the island.

I think we all left the tour with a greater appreciation of Hawaii’s natural beauty and resources.  My hat is off to Hawaii Forest and Trail and especially to Ethan!  This tour made my third trip to “The Big Island” the best ever!

Thanks again!

Tiffany Cline

* Pickups: Hawaii Forest & Trail Headquarters, Waikoloa Queen’s Marketplace.
* Destination: Kilauea Volcano Adventure
* Route: HFT HQ North on 19 to Waikoloa Rd (runs between 19 and 190 at Waikoloa), 190 to 190/200 junction, 200 East to Hilo, 11 South to Kilauea Volcano Adventure