5 Easy Day Trip Big Island Volcano Tours From Oahu Hawaii
Looking for Big Island volcano tours from Oahu but intimidated at the prospect? Look no further!
I lived on the Big Island for a year and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HVNP) was one of my favorite places to go hiking. If you have the opportunity to visit, even from a different island, I highly recommend it!
I have a list of Big Island volcano tours from Oahu to meet different needs! Whether a group or private van tour, a helicopter tour, or self guided tour, you have options.
Short on time? Get to the point with my top choice tour:
Aloha Sunshine Tours
I love how they take care of all the logistics from inter-island air tickets to loading you onto your air-conditioned van on the Big Island to take you to the volcano, so all you have to do is show up!
Best Hawaii Volcano Tours from Oahu
Because there is no active volcano on Oahu and Kilauea is not in Honolulu, you’ll have to fly to the Big Island to see it.
These tours will make it easy for you to get from Oahu to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in a day.
1. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Experience from Oahu with Aloha Sunshine Tours
⭐Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 🕑Start Time: 8:00am ⏳Tour Length: 12 hrs
>> Check Rates & Availability Here! <<
Aloha Sunshine Tour includes:
- Round trip interisland flight from Honolulu to Kona
- Expert volcano tour guide & air-conditioned vehicle
- Snacks & drinks
- Visit a Kona coffee farm, Punalu’u Bake Shop, and Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Admission: Kilauea Visitors Center, Kilauea Iki Rainforest Overlook, Volcanic Steam Vents, Thurston lava tube, Halema’uma’u Crater Overlook
- Duration: 9hr tour + flight time
Take the quick 45-min flight from Oahu to the Big Island and get picked up by your tour guide. Make a stop at a coffee farm for some delicious Kona coffee.
Stop at Punalu’u Bake Shop for some of the best malasadas on the island (lilikoi is a favorite!).
Count turtles on Punalu’u Black Sand Beach.
Enter Hawaii Volcanoes National Park , meeting a park ranger at the visitor center, getting blasted by warm steam vents, taking in the view of the ginormous Kilauea Crater (hopefully she’s smoking!), walking through Thurston Lava Tube, and enjoying the Kilauea Iki rainforest view.
Stop at a local restaurant for a no-host lunch (pay at own expense).
After a full day of exploring the world’s longest continuously erupting volcano, catch your flight back to Oahu.
What a great and fun filled day! We really enjoyed this tour! The day was setup well and the transportation from start to finish was easy and well put together. Mel was a great guide and kept people engaged.
John – read more reviews
2. Volcanoes National Park Safari Helicopters Tour
⭐Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 🕑Start Time: 8:00am-3:30pm ⏳Tour Length: 55 min
⚠️Likely to Sell Out!
>> Check Rates & Availability Here! <<
Safari Helicopters Tour includes:
- Flight in an ASTAR B2 helicopter (doors on)
- Pilot narration of terrain and history
- Flight tour over Kilauea volcano, Leilani Estates, Hilo, and waterfalls.
- Maximum 6 passengers
- No Minimum age; lap child allowed
- Weight sensitive tour – individual weight not to exceed 249lbs or extra seat purchase may be necessary
- Not included: gratuities, snacks
- Duration: 55 minutes
Fly yourself from Honolulu, Oahu and catch a helicopter tour right from Hilo International Airport
Take off on an unforgettable 55 min, doors-on helicopter flight around Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, checking out three distinct rift zones:
- Upper East Rift Zone ( Napau, Mauna Ulu, and Halemaumau Craters)
- Middle East Rift Zone (Pu’u O’o Vent)
- Lower East Rift Zone (site of 2018 eruption: Leilani Estates and Isaac Hale Park)
Get a bird’s eye view of the incredible power that Kilauea has to simultaneously destroy and create.
Your pilot will talk about the history and science of what you are looking at as well as offer opportunities for any questions you might have through the two way headset.
You’ll also have views flying over lush forests and gushing waterfalls.
A helicopter ride over Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will not be an experience you’ll soon forget.
“This was my first experience in a helicopter and it did not disappoint! The views of the volcanoes were spectacular even on a cloudy day. Seeing the waterfalls and landscapes was breathtaking. Our pilot was incredible and I felt completely safe the entire time.“
Jessica – read more reviews
3. Private Sprinter Van Tour: Kona Coast to Volcanoes National Park
⭐Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 🕑Start Time: varies ⏳Tour Length: 9.5 hrs
>> Check Rates & Availability Here!<<
Big Island VIP Private Tour from Kona includes:
- Private tour in air-conditioned 10 passenger Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van
- National Park Certified Interpretive Guide
- Informational videos between stops
- Fully customizable itinerary to fit your preferences
- Items provided for use: sunscreen, bug repellent, trekking poles, binoculars, raincoats, and umbrellas; booster seats for smaller children
- Bottled water and snacks
- Free photos of you and your family
- Not included: gratuities, brunch & lunch, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entrance fee $15 Per Person
- Duration: 9.5hrs
- Operated by Big Island VIP
First, fly yourself to Kona from Honolulu. Then take a 5 minute cab ride from the airport to meet your private tour guide at Kona Mountain Coffee.
The tour company can drop you off at the airport, but not pick you up due to regulations.
Be sure to grab a cup of 100% Kona coffee before heading out on your private island adventure.
Drive over Saddle Road between volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Stop and see Rainbow Falls cascading over a lava cave, drive through Liliuokalani Park and Gardens, and see black sand beach (and maybe turtles!) at Richardson Ocean Park.
Informative videos play in the van in between stops to update your knowledge on upcoming stops.
Head to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to see Kilauea up close and personal. Get blasted by volcanic steam vents, take in a panoramic crater view, walk through a 400yr old lava tube, and more! The “must see” park sites take about 3-4hours to enjoy.
Complimentary photos are included to help commemorate the day!
Optional sites to add to your tour could include (but not limited to) 1-3 of these:
- The Painted Church
- Punalu’u Black sand beach
- Volcano House for souvenir/art shopping
- Lunch at the Rim Restaurant
- Akatsuka Orchid Gardens
- Volcano Winery
- Or take advantage of the extra time to hike a trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
“Outstanding Tour Gide Rob. Perfect. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly. A real gentleman. AND his tour was professionally done down to the minuets detail. Thoroughly enjoyed and valued this all day trip. Rob took the time to acquaint us with items of interest that I doubt other guides would have.”
john – read more reviews
4. Private Sprinter Van Tour: Hilo to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
⭐Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 🕑Start Time: 8:00am, 9:00am ⏳Tour Length: 6 hrs
>> Check Rates & Availability Here! <<
Big Island VIP Private Tour from Hilo includes:
- Private tour in air-conditioned 11 passenger Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van
- Vans have professionally wired headsets so everyone can hear
- Informational videos between stops
- Fully customizable itinerary to fit your preferences
- Items provided for use: binoculars, ponchos; booster seats for smaller children
- Bottled water and snacks
- Free photos of you and your family
- Not included: gratuities, lunch, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entrance fee $15 Per Person
- Duration: 6hrs
For another private volcano Big Island tour from Oahu, start in Hilo for different scenery.
First, fly yourself to Hilo from Honolulu. Take a few minute cab ride from the airport to meet your private tour guide at Big Island Candies.
The tour company can drop you off at the airport, but not pick you up due to regulations.
Be sure to stop inside for some free shortbread cookie samples before heading out!
Commence on your island tour through Liliuokalani Park, a historical Japanese garden, then down Banyan Drive, a road laden with banyan trees planted by famous people like Babe Ruth and Amelia Earhart.
Drive up the road to view crashing Rainbow Falls, 80ft of falling water.
Informative videos play in the van so you can appreciate upcoming sites.
Then take off for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, stopping at the visitor center, steam vents, Uekahuna Overlook, and Thurston Lava Tube.
Have lunch and/or coffee at the Volcano House with a beautiful view of smoking Halemaumau crater.
Your tour will end with a stop at Richardson Ocean Park to see black sand beach and likely a sea turtle or two!
Complimentary photos are included to help commemorate the day!
Optional sites to add to your tour could include (but not limited to) 1-4 of these:
- Volcano House for souvenir/art shopping
- Lunch at the Rim Restaurant
- Akatsuka Orchid Gardens
- Coffee Farm
- Volcano Winery
- Scenic drive including sea cliffs
- Hilo Farmer’s Market
- Akaka Falls (this pick will not allow time to eat lunch)
- Or take advantage of the extra time to hike a trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
“What a great experience with Big Island VIP! Our guide Skylar was courteous, engaging and very knowledgeable about the park’s geology, flora and fauna. He even customized our trip based on our preferences, spending time in parts of the park that most tours don’t explore.”
lorrie – read more reviews
5. Self-Guided Big Island Volcano Tour from Oahu – with Shaka Guide
Check Rates & Download the Shaka Guide app and tour here:
🌋 Volcanoes National Park Shaka Guide Tour 🌋
You can always DIY a Big Island volcano tour from Oahu as well. This gives you the flexibility of spending as much (or as little) time as you want at each site.
First, book a flight and car rental from Honolulu to Hilo.
Hilo is only about 30mins from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park compared to Kona which is 2.5hrs away. For maximum island time take the first flight out to Hilo and the last flight back to Honolulu.
You won’t be offroading so you can get rent a regular car vs a 4×4. Get the car size that best suits your needs.
If the timing is right, I highly recommend stopping in Mountain View for breakfast (or second breakfast?) before entering the park.
I love the deliciously squishy mochi donuts from Mt View Bakery. They have rotating flavors so you’ll never know what to expect. Grab one or two per person then take them next door for what I consider to be the best served coffee on the island.
Koana serves “slow coffee”. Brian only serves pourover Big Island coffee which he roasts himself.
Get a full experience by smelling the bean varieties and watch as he meticulously and skillfully pours hot water over the freshly ground beans. This silky, fresh cup of coffee will undoubtedly blow your mind!
He also serves his own drinking chocolate concoction!
Enjoy your donuts and caffeine in the little garden before getting back on the road for the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entrance.
Entry fee for the park is $30 per vehicle.
While you can drive through the park sans guide, I highly suggest downloading the Shaka Guide’s audio guide Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tour. I love the quirky voice that narrates sites as you drive along throughout the park with Hawaiian musical interludes. It will be like having an actual guided tour in your own car.
The main highlights you’ll want to hit are the Steam Vents, Uekahuna Overlook, Kilauea Iki Crater Lookout, and Thurston Lava Tube.
To see the active lava you’ll hike Crater Rim Trail from the Devastation Trail parking lot. The 1 mile hike is on a paved path until you divert to the right down a short gravel path to the viewing point. There you will get to see actual lava coming out of the caldera (if it’s “turned on”).
Keeping track of time, take Chain of Craters Road all the way to the end, passing many craters you can stop at (including Devil’s Throat which is not marked on the map), a petroglyph field (a must hike if you have the time), and finally to the water’s edge to glimpse Holelei Sea Arch.
For a fancy lunch, I would make reservations at the Volcano House restaurant, with panoramic views looking into the steaming crater. Out of the park in Volcano Village are other options like Tuk-Tuk Thai Food Truck or Kilauea Lodge Restaurant.
The beauty of having your own car is being able to tour at your own pace. You might have time for other stops before your flight back to Oahu, like a wine tasting at Volcano Winery, a peak at Rainbow Falls, a climb through Kaumana Caves, or shopping in historic Hilo.
See? That wasn’t so hard to do a self-guided day trip from Honolulu to Volcanoes National Park, was it?
Know Before You Go
If you are flying over from Oahu to the Big Island just for the day you are not going to be able to see the lava glowing and flowing in the dark; flight times are not going to accommodate that. Your only way of seeing lava in the dark is if you take a self-guided tour and stay the night on the Big Island.
Also, the Big Island guided volcano tours from Oahu do not include the 2-mile roundtrip hike to see the lava flow from the Crater Rim Road overlook. You will be able to see smoke fluming out of the caldera from the Uekahuna overlook, but no lava flow.
If you take a helicopter tour you will fly over the caldera and also see the lava from above if it’s flowing.
Check current lava conditions here.
FAQs
How to get from Oahu to the Big Island for a Volcano Tour?
The only way to get from Oahu to the Big Island for a volcano tour is to fly over. Oahu is 200 miles from the Big Island with lots of water in between. If you’re an avid swimmer, maaaayybbbee you could breaststroke your way across 😛
Otherwise, it’s a quick 45min flight from Honolulu to Kona or Hilo. Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest fly direct from Oahu to the Big Island.
You’ll likely be taking the first flight of the morning to the Big Island and the last flight out (which isn’t very late). The trip will be a whirlwind, but if this is your only opportunity to come see the volcano then it’s the price that you’ll have to pay.
What To Bring on A Big Island Volcano Tour From Oahu?
You’ll only be gone for the day so you won’t need to pack much on your volcano tour from Oahu to the Big Island, but you’ll want to be prepared for bipolar weather.
Kilauea is at 4,000ft elevation so some days it can get a little chilly, especially if it’s cloudy. Highs are usually mid 70s while the evenings often dip down to the 50s. The temperature warms up the further down Chain of Craters road you go. Thus, layers are highly recommended when visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
What to wear:
Tank/tshirt
Pants or shorts (depending how easily you overheat)
Good walking shoes/sandals
Light/rain jacket (which can double for warmth if it’s chilly)
Hat (the desert sun can sometimes get brutal)
Sunglasses
Items to bring:
Small daypack (to carry clothing layers and misc items)
Camera
Battery charger
When is the Best Time for a Big Island Volcano Tour from Oahu?
Anytime is the best time to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and take a tour from Oahu to the Big Island. Temperature and weather vary little throughout the year.
However, while Kilauea is an active volcano, the volcanic activity is too sporadic to predict. It could be spewing lava in the morning but by evening it can go to sleep.
Epilogue: Easy Day Trip Oahu Volcano Tour to the Big Island
An Oahu volcano tour to the Big Island is totally doable and something to seriously consider on your Hawaiian vacation.
You have many choices like a Big Island in one day volcanoes, waterfalls, sightseeing, and history small group tour. Or a scenic helicopter tour over the volcano. Or even a self-guided tour with the help of a GPS audio guide.
Don’t let that little body of water called the Pacific Ocean keep you from experiencing an active volcano just because it’s on a different island!
