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Top Rated
Product Reviews
Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
From dramatic black lava flows to lush native rainforests and magnificent waterfalls, you'll experience the best Hilo has to offer. Take in the beauty of Hawaiian nature as you pass wild orchids, ferns and Kahili ginger plants. Once in the Volcanoes National Park, visit a lava tube, discover remarkable volcanic formations and hike out to a volcanic crater. The three-mile roundtrip hike crosses pahoehoe lava, meanders through forests of lava trees, and passes gaping, steaming fissures where lava once fountained hundreds of feet skyward. After the park, you'll head north passing charming, historic Hilo and drive along the scenic Hamakua coast to one of Hawaii's most impressive waterfalls. You'll stop at Akaka Falls State Park, where the 442-foot Akaka Falls drops over lushly green coated cliffs into a deep pool below. The jungle creates a magical backdrop on a journey full of beauty and adventure. From the beauty of the rainforests flora and fauna to the beast of the devastation at Volcanoes National Park, this is a part of Hawaii you'll always remember.
Note: Participants must be at least 10 years of age and reasonably fit. Infants are not permitted, even if carried by adults. Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes. Due to natural sulfur gases, this tour is not recommended for those with respiratory or heart problems. A light lunch is included. Online price is inclusive of the Pre-book and Save offer.
Average:
(15 Reviews) 15
Rating Snapshot (15 reviews)
5 stars
14
4 stars
0
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
15 of 15(100%)customers would recommend this to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Review 1 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
DPayne
Location:Central, Pennsylvania
Party size:1
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:March
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Kahului
I want to go here next:Alaska
Date:April 14, 2013
Long hike, well worth it
We did lots of extras on this hike. After the 5 mi hike across the crater and thru the Thurston Lava tube we visited the Volcano museum and an orchid farm. We were served lunch at the museum and then briefly stopped at the local military base. This hike is not intended for people that are not capable of walking on uneven terrain and keeping up with the group. We had to waste time and wait on people that were not in average physical condition. Great day long adventure and well worth it!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
bobandkarin
Location:Lansing MI
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:March
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Adventure
I want to go here next:Panama Canal
Date:March 25, 2013
wonderful experience
Our guide Jupiter was awsome. Very knowlegeable aboout the island, flowers and all. Was a great hiking experience for 2 sixty year olds, about 4.5 miles of nature and volcanic rock and the falls and lava tube were great too. DO IT!
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Review 3 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
4
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
2
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
4
out of
5
KeysStar
Location:Florida Keys
Party size:1
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:February
Favorite activities:Adventure
Date:February 18, 2013
Great but Strenuous
I'm glad I went on this adventure and if you enjoy a good hike and learning a lot about volcanos, you'll get both in one trip. The guide, David, was excellent! It was a terrific experience.
My only caution is that the current description really doesn't provide an accurate picture that this is a challenging, strenuous experience. You just don't hike out to see a crater. You hike down into it with a descent, and then an ascent, of 400 feet. I wouldn't have missed it, but I wish I'd had a clearer picture beforehand.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
KL03
Date:February 17, 2013
Excellent Tour
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I have no regrets choosing this tour. I think it is the best option while in Hilo. We started with the drive to the top of the crater. We enjoyed an easy walk down into the crater with a few stops along the way for pictures and information on local plants. When you first enter the crater, the terrain is a little rough and you have to be careful with your feet. After a few minutes it flattens out. It's fascinating to walk through this crater that was a pool of lava only a few decades ago. Hiking back out of the crater is the most difficult part of the tour, but it only takes about 15 minutes if you're in shape. At the top is a short walk to the Thurston lava tube, which is interesting to walk through. Our next stop was the Jaggar Museum. From here you can view smoke from an active volcano. The museum has a lot of information on volcanoes in Hawaii. Because we had extra time, we stopped at the Mauna Loa factory. They have windows where you can see how they prepare and package their macadamia nut products. This isn't on the itinerary, so I wouldn't count on going here. The final stop is Akaka falls, which is very impressive. I would like to point out that you will not see flowing lava on this tour. The only way to see flowing lava is on a helicopter tour. With that said, unless you absolutely must see flowing lava, I think this is the best tour while in Hilo.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
4
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
Alien
Location:Atlanta, GA
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:December
Favorite activities:Adventure
I want to go here next:Alaska
Date:December 15, 2012
Best of the Best
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This excursion was our favorite of the entire trip … a definite don’t miss, if you are up to the hiking portions. Our guide Maka took us to a number of great places within Volcanoes National Park, including the Thurston Lava tube, an amazing 4-mile hike down into the Kilauea Iki Crater, and views of the active Halemau’ma’u Crater from the Jagger Museum. It also included stops at the Mauna Loa Visitor’s Center, where we got to watch chocolate covered macadamia nuts in production and purchase some nuts to take home, and a short hike through Akaka State Park to see the 422’ Akaka Falls.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
3
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
Ali80
Location:Queensland, Australia
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:December
Favorite activities:Adventure
Date:December 12, 2012
A must do
Throughly enjoyed this tour. Our guide Maka was fantastic - he was very knowledgable & very interesting to talk/listen to.
The lava tube was interesting - and we were the only group there at the time as we got there early - before the crowds which was fantastic.
The hike down into the crater was amazing. I personally would not say that it was an overly tough hike (& I am only of average fitness) but yes, you do need to have some walking ability, but more importantly need to be stable on your feet & comfortable walking down slightly uneven surfaces. It does get hot in the crater - take lots of water!
We were fortunate to have an extra stop at a Macadamia nut farm (on the way to Akaka Falls) which was a nice surprise.
Akaka Falls was impressive.
A great value tour!
The lava tube was interesting - and we were the only group there at the time as we got there early - before the crowds which was fantastic.
The hike down into the crater was amazing. I personally would not say that it was an overly tough hike (& I am only of average fitness) but yes, you do need to have some walking ability, but more importantly need to be stable on your feet & comfortable walking down slightly uneven surfaces. It does get hot in the crater - take lots of water!
We were fortunate to have an extra stop at a Macadamia nut farm (on the way to Akaka Falls) which was a nice surprise.
Akaka Falls was impressive.
A great value tour!
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Review 7 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
happytravelbug
Location:Colorado
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:November
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Nawiliwili, Kauai
Date:December 3, 2012
would not miss
You're only in Hilo one day, and many people opted for the helicopter tour in Hilo. I say take the helicopter tour in Kauai and do this hike -- you will not regret it and it will be one of the most memorable things you do on this trip. It's like hiking on the moon, if I could imagine such! However, just like the other reviewer mentioned, you have to be honest with yourself and only sign up if you have the stamina and energy to complete a 4-mile hike, which includes going down into the crater and also climbing back up. The terrain is uneven, and we were offered walking sticks to use, which I highly recommend using. My husband and I are 48 and semi-active. Not extreme adventurists but even I was concerned about his ability to hike the crater since he had knee surgery several years ago. It is manageable, even by young sedentary folks, but it will still require effort unless you are extremely fit (or young!). If you are elderly and relatively active, you will probably be able to do it as well. However, there was an elderly couple in our group, and it was clear early on that this was too much for them. We had decended down into the crater on about a 2-mile trail, with steep uneven steps, when they started faltering. Someone in the group had to hold the wife's hand most of the way. From up top, the crater looks like a flat surface, like smooth black sand. That is very misleading, and there are crevices you have to step over, uneven rocks and terrain, and some climbing involved. But you will see amazing things like steam coming out of some of the cracks. I usually find climbing easier than descending, but in this case it was the other way around. Perhaps because you are now starting to get tired from the hike across the crater. The elderly woman in the group that was having trouble decided she was too exhausted to make it up, so the guides tried calling the ranger station to come assist. After about 45 minutes, the rangers still had not been able to leave their stations to get there, so members of the group decided to help this woman up the trail. In the meantime, the guides were concerned about all the other passengers who paid for the excursion, and they needed to move the tour along to get everyone back to the ship on time and see everything else as well. Again, this excursion is totally worth it but please evaluate your capabilities before signing up.
They serve you a light sandwich lunch with chips and then you visit the Moana Loa macadamia farm and factory, now owned by Hershey. A nice break after the hike where you can get ice cream, chili dogs, at the snack bar, and also see how the chocoloate & flavored nuts are manufactured and boxed.
You are then taken to Akaka Falls. Other folks on the ship told us they went to Rainbow Falls and were disappointed. Not Akaka Falls --- it is higher than Niagara Falls, but not as wide, but the water is flowing. Great photos, and a lovely trail around the property, like a jungle botanical garden. Takes about 30 minutes to take it all in and a great way to end the day.
I totally forget to mention that it rained a majority of the day. They give you rain ponchos that are sufficient. I forget to mention the rain because overall, it was insignificant. During the hike it felt like light mist (probably because we were sweating already!), and refreshing.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
Breezie
Location:Canada
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:November
Favorite activities:Family oriented
Date:November 21, 2012
don't miss this!
this adventurous tour is not for everyone because of the activity level, but if you are able to do it, don't miss it! This tour includes the best experience of Volcanoes National Park. It starts with the Thurston Lava Tube, which is interesting but only takes 5 minutes to see. Then you hike the Kilauea Iki trail (a google search will give you a map of this). It's about 4 miles total; the first section is walking around the rim of the crater, which involves rough uneven ground, tree roots, and some up and down sections. Then a steep descent with uneven stairs and rocks, right down into the crater. Then a walk across the bottom of the crater. Much of the lava is very uneven and has sharp surfaces. Lastly the climb back up the other side of the crater to the rim, about 400 feet up, but there are several switchbacks so the climb is not vertical.
You do need to be in decent shape to do this but i'm no athlete and i had no trouble. It was well worth it. No flowing lava, but we did feel steam in the crater. The views are awesome.
I saw some people wearing inappropriate clothing; sturdy shoes and long pants are important for protection from the sharp edges of rocks and lava in case of even a minor fall.
It was cool in the forest along the crater rim, but down in the crater bed, the sun beat down and there was a hot dry wind. I took a light jacket in my backpack and wore a sunhat.
Our guide said the hike takes 2-3 hours depending on the speed of the group. After we were done, we went to the Jagger Museum, which overlooks the active volcano (in a section of the park that is closed to the public due to the active lava flow). the museum also has an interpretive center and gift shop.
After leaving there, on the way to Akaka Falls we stopped at the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut factory. This is not officially part of the tour; our guide said he only takes the tour there if there is time after completing the Volcano section (again, depends on how long the group takes to complete the hike). If you get to see this factory, it's a lot of fun - you can view the workers through the windows sorting and packing the nuts and candy (sort of like the old I Love Lucy episode!), and then buy some treats and have a macadamia nut ice cream cone.
Lastly we drove north of Hilo to see Akaka Falls - an awesome sight but we were pretty tired by then.
You do need to be in decent shape to do this but i'm no athlete and i had no trouble. It was well worth it. No flowing lava, but we did feel steam in the crater. The views are awesome.
I saw some people wearing inappropriate clothing; sturdy shoes and long pants are important for protection from the sharp edges of rocks and lava in case of even a minor fall.
It was cool in the forest along the crater rim, but down in the crater bed, the sun beat down and there was a hot dry wind. I took a light jacket in my backpack and wore a sunhat.
Our guide said the hike takes 2-3 hours depending on the speed of the group. After we were done, we went to the Jagger Museum, which overlooks the active volcano (in a section of the park that is closed to the public due to the active lava flow). the museum also has an interpretive center and gift shop.
After leaving there, on the way to Akaka Falls we stopped at the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut factory. This is not officially part of the tour; our guide said he only takes the tour there if there is time after completing the Volcano section (again, depends on how long the group takes to complete the hike). If you get to see this factory, it's a lot of fun - you can view the workers through the windows sorting and packing the nuts and candy (sort of like the old I Love Lucy episode!), and then buy some treats and have a macadamia nut ice cream cone.
Lastly we drove north of Hilo to see Akaka Falls - an awesome sight but we were pretty tired by then.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
3
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
islandella
Location:Virginia
Party size:more
I traveled with:Other
Cruise Date Month:October
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Nawiliwili, Kauai
Date:October 16, 2012
What An Experience
When I booked this excursion, I kept thinking crater hike would probably mean crater rim. I had no idea that we would be hiking down into Kilaeua Iki crater. Activity level is a 3, but could be a 4 due to the danger of the descent into the crater and the jagged lava rocks. You will experience a world like no other, including open steam vents. The hike out is steep and while I'm in decent shape, I was the last up the switchbacks; one of the guides stayed with me the whole time and ensured my well-being. Staff were very knowledgeable and helpful, especially to the older participants. Fantastic experience after I got over the shock of "I'm going down there???" Akaka Falls was beautiful and enjoyed the quick trip through the lava tube; wish the view was more clear of Kilaeua after our hiking trek; still, a very cool experience seeing the steam and low clouds/VOG that afternoon.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
dagim
Location:Cambridge Ontario Canada
Party size:4
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:September
Favorite activities:Adventure
Date:October 8, 2012
one of the best excursions I have been on
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
My husband and I have been on a number of cruises and excursions. This definitely was one of the best! We enjoy hiking. It was not too difficult but definitely alot of walking over uneven ground. "King" our tour operator was exceptional and definitely made this excursion top notch! I would definitely recommend taking this excursion well worth the money!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
4
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
homeschoolmom
Location:Virginia
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:July
Favorite port:Kona, Hawaii
Date:August 14, 2012
Glad we did it
Images for this Review
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This excursion was one of the highlights of our trip. We had read up on it before going and knew what to expect so that helped. It is very rainy in Hilo, so expect rain on your trip and be glad if you don't get it! They do provide very basic rain ponchos and we needed them. Also, a jacket is a good idea...we were very glad we had ours. The trails are not overly difficult, but because of all the rain, they are muddy. Old shoes are a really good idea as we did get very muddy. It was awesome to get to walk on the lava in the crater. Our guide gave us plenty of time to explore and was very knowledgeable. We enjoyed all the other stops as well. Snacks, water and lunch were all provided on this tour.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
luv2cruztoo
Location:Naples, FL
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:July
Favorite activities:Adventure
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:July 29, 2012
Fabulous day
We had a fabulous day when we took this hike. It rained while we were in the crater but it didn't matter. The young man that was our guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The volcano was fantastic. This is not an excursion for anyone that is really out of shape. The climb out of the crater was tough. The waterfalls were beautiful.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
3
out of
5
Adventurous:
4
out of
5
Family Oriented:
2
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
goosehead2
Location:minnesota
Party size:4
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:March
Favorite activities:Adventure
Date:April 16, 2012
this was an exhausting hike, very uneven trails and am glad I went once but would not do it again.a real workout.
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Review 14 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
5
out of
5
Adventurous:
5
out of
5
Family Oriented:
3
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
Cruisin2012
Location:Winnipeg, Manitoba
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:December
Cruise Date Year:2011
Favorite activities:Adventure
Date:January 15, 2012
Worth it
Images for this Review
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It was raining the day we did this excursion but our guide provided rain ponchos for everyone. Washrooms were always pointed out as once you started the hike non were available. I would suggest when choosing this excursion that if you have trouble climing stairs this is not for you or are somewhat out of shape: The guide was wonderful and the lava tube was amazing. The meal consisted of water, wrap and chips / cookies. Akaka falls was great the sun came out make the views even more breath taking.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Crater Hike & Akaka Falls: Pre-book & Save $10
Overall:
Fun:
4
out of
5
Adventurous:
4
out of
5
Family Oriented:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
honeymooners8611
Date:August 24, 2011
Find Allen
Images for this Review
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Allen is a local, great guy, to have a fun, laid back tour. He intertwined educational information with anecdotal stories and made everyone feel comfortable. He took the ALOHA spirit and made it real. Find Allen and you will get the most our of this tour.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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