Since May, Kilauea Volcano’s eruptions and earthquakes have caused cancellations of many lava-related adventures.
Now, three Hawaii Island companies have launched land tours that help clients explore the beauty and mysteries of a destination in creation.
Although most of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park remains off-limits to visitors, these new itineraries are doing their best to scratch that itch.
Better yet, clients who book the tours can feel good knowing they’re making a difference. Each business is dedicated to supporting the communities that have been hit hard by the volcanic activity.
“The challenges of the recent lava flow provided the opportunity to expand our tour offerings,” said Tony DeLellis, co-owner of KapohoKine Adventures. “Visitors are really in tune with and responding well to the new paradigm, and that’s exciting.”
Bike Volcano: Bike to Pele
Bike Volcano has tweaked its popular Bike to Pele tour, which now introduces clients to the pristine, undeveloped areas of Kilauea’s east rift zone in the Puna district.
Riding hybrid bicycles, participants pedal along the scenic Red Road, winding through tree tunnels and past riveting evidence of previous lava flows. After lunch in the village of Kalapana — which was overcome by lava in 1990 — the group hikes to a black-sand beach created during that eruption.
The trip focuses on a part of the island that visitors rarely explore, according to Gwendolyn Hill, owner of Bike Volcano.
“Our guests learn about the volcano and the rift zone, and they feel the magic of this majestic tropical area,” Hill said.
At the same time, the firm is trying to give back to the affected community by patronizing local businesses, she adds.
Hawaii County officials are working on establishing a safe lava-viewing site for the public. Once that happens, Bike to Pele will broaden to include stops at that site and additional parts of the rift zone, Hill said.
“We will announce an afternoon/sunset option for this tour as soon as access to lava viewing becomes available,” she said.
www.bikevolcano.com
Bike Volcano’s revised Bike to Pele tour includes explorations of the scenic Red Road and previous lava flows.
Credit: 2018 BikeVolcano.comHawaii Forest & Trail: Epic Island Journey
Hawaii Forest & Trail has adjusted its full-day Epic Island Journey to incorporate an exclusive off-road adventure across a volcano-rich landscape.
The tour now provides private access to a 150-year-old working ranch. There, guests take a short hike through a native forest and witness breathtaking views of Kilauea.
The group enters the ranch at the contact point between Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, making it fascinating from a geological perspective, according to Jason Cohn, marketing manager for Hawaii Forest & Trail.
“We hike a little uphill on the Mauna Loa side,” Cohn said. “From that vantage point, we can see the rim of Halemaumau Crater and any steam that might be coming out.”
Clients can see where ash has fallen from recent explosions, he adds.
Another stop is Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village, a community that has seen a dramatic visitor downturn since May.
“We’re trying to bring a positive economic impact to the area without adding more strain,” Cohn said. “We feel it's important to give our guests the proper context behind the current eruptive activity so that they understand the cyclical nature of Kilauea Volcano, and how humans have lived with this volcano and dealt with similar challenges for hundreds of years.”
www.hawaii-forest.com
Hawaii Forest & Trail’s Epic Island Journey now features private access to ranch lands and views of Kilauea Volcano.
Credit: 2018 Hawaii Forest & TrailKapohoKine Adventures: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park & Waterfalls Explorer
The all-day Hawaii Volcanoes National Park & Waterfalls Explorer outing from KapohoKine Adventures showcases the overall diversity of Hawaii Island while presenting new, one-of-a-kind, volcano-centric elements.
Of note, the tour has been enhanced by a 1.6-mile hike through an area that has never been open to commercial operators. The group walks across a lava flow formed in 1868, and past vents, small lava tubes, lava tree molds, yellow lehua flowers and a meadow with old-growth native trees.
The hike continues to the top of a cinder cone, featuring spectacular views of South Point and the Kau Coast. After that, participants spend time at a park-oriented gift shop and chat with rangers.
Other points of interest on the route include Volcano Winery, where clients taste wine and tea grown in volcanic topsoil; and the national park’s Kahuku Unit, which remains open to the public.
DeLellis started KapohoKine Adventures out of his former home in Kapoho — destroyed by lava during the most recent flow — so he is acutely aware of the sense of loss within the region.
“The local owners we have worked with for many years were really struggling and asked us to please bring visitors,” DeLellis said. “Our guests appreciate that concern and similarly treat the visit with the utmost respect.”
www.kapohokine.com
