I lava you. This was really great to see real life lava. It has always been a life long dream of mine to urinate inside a volcano. Lol I can tell you this lava flow is miles away from the volcano it self and once you get with 10ft of the lava. The heat is so intense! I was able to watch the lava break and flow like a hot lava watefall. It just like watching National Geographic expect with 1000 degrees in heat right in your face! My pictures don't even begin to outline of details the acutally site, heat or awe of amazement. Right now it is a 4.2 mile hike out to the lava. I opted to rent a bike. The bikes are $10 an hour and pretty good bikes. Full suspension. But I can tell you this it is not an easy ride. The road is made of loose gravel. I was in the lowest gear 99% of the time. It took about 40min to paddle out there. I was going faster than most. As I was passing people so keep that in mind. I can regularly ride my bike 8.4 miles or more. But this ride is really tuff. I consumed 1.5liters of water on this ride. So bring lost of water and stop and chug it often. I did this trek at night hoping to see more glow and less flow. What I got was both and it was a spectacular show. If you look to the right off in the distance you can see what looks like two red eyes glowing. That is pele smiling at you as she oozes gifts of new land. YES! new land. You can actually watch the earth be made and how it's made. Totally worth the trip! Add this to your bucket list! read more

Lavaland Hawai'i - The lava was flowing. Extra hard to photograph - Hiking Near Me

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Excellent adventure to the lava flows at Kalapana! This couple respects the land and culture and is knowledgeable on both as well. They guided us carefully through the Kalapana lava flows, seeking out the most comfortable path available through the lava yet doing so as not to tread on anything fragile or dangerous. Hank was supremely prepared - binoculars, snacks (fruit, nuts, energy bars), flashlights, medical and boot repair equipment, etc. and spares of everything. As a former hiking guide myself, I can tell you that Hank and Malia are doing this absolutely right! For anyone looking to hike to the active lava flow from Kilauea, we highly recommend this terrific couple! read more

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Hank led our group on a fantastic adventure! Please read the information on their website because it is no joke! This is a physically challenging adventure but well worth it! Hank is extremely knowledgeable on Hawaii, the island geology, and most important on this trip, the lava! We got up close to an active lava flow with Hank providing timely safety briefings to keep everyone on where they needed to be. We also spent a good amount of time viewing the lava entering the ocean. I highly recommend booking a tour if you are interested in seeing lava and getting some spectacular pictures and a heck of a workout. read more

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Great and informative tour from Luana. She clearly was very well educated on vulcanism, geology, Hawaiian culture, and shared some great and exciting personal stories from the big island. Would not hesitate to recommend. Also the lava lake in the Kilauea crater was pretty impressive! read more

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My husband and I opted for the custom tour when we visited the Big Island this September and it was one of the best things we did on the island. One of the most unusual things about Hawaii is its live volcano, and viewing the aftermath of recent lava flows. It was an experience I'll never forget. Walking the porous, black flows felt like exploring an alien planet. We were extremely happy to have Hank as our guide, as he was incredibly upbeat and knowledgeable on the history of the island, plant life, and all things lava. Hank took care of all the little details that made the day special for us by listening to what we had already been doing on the trip and what our interests were and catering the day around it. He was overly prepared with equipment, water and snacks, and made sure we would have everything we would need and that we were comfortable before each stop. Hank has a deep love for the island and its culture, so he knew all the best places to go and what time of day to go there for the best lighting and effects. He showed us things we know we never would have found on our own. Nothing will compare to hiking the island, eating berries off the land, feeling the porous lava rock in your hand, and being in the middle of the most amazing views you could ever imagine. We can't recommend Lavaland tours enough. Thanks Hank for a wonderful time. K & G read more

We went on a private tour with Vince and it exceeded every expectation! We had a personal, customized tour that included every one of our must see places, had a delicious lunch with local fruit and crisps and got some great group photos. Vince was friendly, knowledgable and patient and definitely made the day special. Thank you! read more

My husband and I did the Lavaland hike/tour on July 2, 2013 during our vacation in Hawaii, and it was one of the best highlights of our whole trip! We really lucked out and ended up getting a private tour with Hank and Malia, because we were the only ones that happened to book them that day. Hank and Malia were SO friendly and welcoming and gracious hosts to us, and we felt very comfortable in their care. They took care of EVERYTHING -- nice rain jackets, water, snacks, binoculars, little mats to sit on to watch the lava (the ground can be pretty sharp/jagged and not comfortable to sit on), etc. It was especially nice to be able to borrow Hank's binoculars once we got to the lava viewing site, because we were able to clearly view the detail of the lava entering the ocean through them. It is a medium length hike (I think 2.5-3 miles each way), and while it's not steep/uphill, you do have to look at the ground and walk carefully the whole way since the ground is not super stable/smooth. It wasn't too strenuous for us, but we're fairly young/active... Hank and Malia said that that the oldest person that did their hike was 80 or so! It was an amazing experience that I can't really describe in words, but we immensely enjoyed it. Viewing the power of the earth, with the lava flowing and entering into the ocean, was incredible. One of the main reasons we even went to the Big Island was to see lava, and our experience with Lavaland couldn't have been better. We will DEFINITELY be telling all our friends about Lavaland if they go to the Big Island. Thank you, Hank and Malia! Hannah & Eric read more

Great experience! Highly recommend! Having a guide, Hank who knows so much about lava guiding you to the best spots was terrific. They provide everything you need, rain gear, water, flashlights and snacks. We felt fortunate to be in such a well organized group. We saw many other people trying to find there way, in unprepared gear and thought it must be difficult. Lava today was about a five mile round trip hike. read more

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My husband and I did Lavaland Hawai'i's Kilauea lava walk on 5/23/2013, during a vacation on Hawai'i, and I can't say enough about how great it was. It was an experience we will never forget. We heard about Hank and Malia through our innkeepers in Volcano. Lavaland Hawai'i is a fairly new enterprise, but Hank is a highly experienced guide and volcano enthusiast who has taken folks out to the site countless times. My husband and I are both in our early 60s and in good physical condition. It took us about an hour and a quarter to get to the lava flow. Good footwear is essential. Hank was so helpful in leading the way, taking a route that seemed fairly level considering the walk over rocky terrain for a couple of miles each way. The walk started in daylight, we arrived at the site close to sunset, and were able to see the transition from daylight to darkness. We saw the lava both at the spot where it flowed into the ocean, and the area above it as it was coming down to meet the water. We walked back after dark with flashlights. It was the full moon, the flow was breathtaking, walking over the vast expanse of lava was extremely cool - it really was quite an experience. Like Greg, we were impressed with Hank and Malia's preparedness - they take their roles as guides seriously and our enjoyment and safety were clearly their #1 objective. Hank is a Mr. Wizard who seems to know everything about Kilauea and lava - we got an education as well as an experience. Navigating the walk and being around liquid rock is no joke, and I felt completely safe in his care. We highly recommend Hank and Malia as guides to a unique, awe-inspiring walk. read more

If you want to learn about the unique landscape, fauna and flora of volcanoes national park with a guide who has a knack for finding the hidden gems of the park, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tour is for you. My wife and I had a great day with Hank, who was not only extremely knowledgeable about the park but also had a contagious enthusiasm for volcanoes and geology. To fully appreciate the beauty of the lava flows and craters, you need to get close, and Hank knew just where to take us. Hank has a reverence for the land and its importance to Native Hawaiians. He is also safety minded and considerate of his guests' comfort. He offered snacks, water and bathrooms on a number of occasions, in addition to enjoying a fresh and tasty picnic. Malia was a pleasure to work with as she coordinated our booking. We knew we were going to have an extra day in the park and requested guidance so as not to duplicate the items we would be seeing on the Lavaland tour. She sent a number of detailed recommendations which helped us to plan our trip accordingly. read more

Our guide was Vince and he was awesome! Totally felt like ohana :-) We did the volcanos national park tour, then a pit stop at Rainbow Falls. Vince was super kind and informative beyond any expectations! The group was small. The pace was perfect. We saw things that were off the beaten path,things we'd never have found on our own. He was careful to avoid the crowds and ensure we felt comfortable and not like cattle. We loved him and we're so happy with the tour. I would highly recommend and would never book any other company. read more

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this tour was amazing! we loved our tour guide Vincent. He was so knowledgeable and took such good care of us. We had a wonderful time and learned so much. He made things so interesting and was so lovely. Can't say enough wonderful things about him! definitely book this in Hilo! read more

We can't be more thankful of Lavaland, and specially Hank, our guide. He went above and beyond to show us the island, keep all of us dry and protected from the rain, and he kept in mind our time constraints for a cruise trip (although we missed the main waterfalls, but got two small others to make up for that one). He is very knowledgeable about the volcano park, lava and many other related topics; he took us to places where others don't, and if you are really interested in the volcano and learn a bit, this is the tour you want to do We were lucky enough that a large portion of the day was sunny so enjoyed a bit better our experience. Rain started during our picnic so made us rush a bit, but Hank kept us dry and safe, The Pro's of traveling with Lavaland: - It is a small van with up to 8 people, so you won't be part of a huge 50+ seats bus - Lavaland showed us Hilo, its nature, which in my case is what I wanted to see. Large buses can't get in the same places and also make stops on too many gift stores. The only gifts store I saw was the one in the Volcanoes Park's visitor center (for me, great!!) - Although I'm not much into sandwiches for lunch, their picnic is really good and their sandwiches are what we could call gourmet. Their tangerines, ufffff, you need to taste them. - Hank has healthy snacks and water :). We ended up buying the same brand once we got home The Cons? I can't think of any http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60583-d4027785-r272261764-Lavaland_Hawaii_Day_Tours-Hilo_Island_of_Hawaii_Hawaii.html# read more

Fantastic hiking tour! Hank is incredibly knowledgable, very helpful and a super nice guy. This is more than a hike amongst the lava, its a lesson in geology, botany & Hawaiian culture. You'll be inspired by his passion for volcanos. And, he has you covered for everything, including rain gear. Thank you Hank, for a truly memorable trip! read more

Vince was our tour guide & this was such an exciting & educational & fun tour! We were able to see the lava bubbling out of the crater & Vince had binoculars for us to get close up views. He was very knowledgeable about the history & the prior eruptions. He took us directly to a steam vent, my sunglasses fogged over since we were right on top of it. And to walk on the hardened lava and see the destruction & devastation & the beauty of the new plants growing was totally awesome! Pele's hair was so unique! Our picnic lunch was great & the entire tour left us with such a feeling of awe! Highly recommended this private tour company! You won't regret it! read more

My family and I hiked with Hank and Malia on June 9, 2013. We had a completely wonderful time. Hank and Malia were perfect hosts. They had mats for us to sit on when we got to the beautiful overlook, tasty snacks, extra waters, binoculars -- everything we needed. Although the hike is strenuous, we felt completely safe. This is definitely a "must do" while on the Big Island! read more