Experience the natural beauty of Hawaii's Big Island and journey to areas that the locals don't even know about. Explore Volcanoes National Park. Hike trails to crater rims, cloud forests and lava flows. Soak up the sun and watch sea turtles munching on seaweed in the surf. Trek through several of the Big Island's unique ecosystems, including a visit to the southernmost city in the US. Spend a few days camping on beaches at the northern tropical end of the island, hiking the coast, and swimming in clear, warm Pacific waters. Hawaiian culture and history will fascinate and delight you!

Sample Itinerary

DAY 1: Meet your trip leader at the airport in Hilo, Hawaii in the evening. Drive to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and set up a base camp at Namakani Paio Campground. Spend the evening getting to know each other and discussing expectations for the trip.

DAY 2: Visit the weekly market in Volcano Village to pick up fresh produce and tropical fruit for the day's trail lunch. The group will take several day hikes in a wide range of habitats and ecosystems including rain forest, lava fields, black sand desert, crater rims and caldera interiors.

DAY 3: Return to Volcanoes for another day of exploration. Day hikes will take you to places such as the Kilauea Iki caldera trail, the Mauna Ulu crater rim, the Hapu'u fern forest, the lava flow to the ocean from the Pu'u O'o eruption, the tropical forest along the Kilauea crater, and the Pu'u Loa petrogylphs.

DAY 4: Visit the dramatic Black Sand Beach at Punalu'u, where you may see Hawksbill Turtles and Green Sea Turtles munching seaweed and resting right on the beach. Camp at a lovely beach park at the Pacific's edge.

DAYS 5-7: Travel to the northern end of the Big Island and see Hawaii's less traveled side. Camp at a variety of different beach parks. Activities include a cloud forest hike, an old-growth rain forest hike, coastal exploration of ancient Hawaiian village sites, and swimming. Whale watch from the beach. Sleep next to the pounding surf and watch the sunset or sunrise.

DAY 8: Return to Hilo and spend the remainder of the day in this interesting old Hawaiian city. Hilo has a wonderful farmers' market, interesting shops, a long, beautiful beach, and several good swimming spots. If you're lucky, perhaps you will stumble upon a performance of Hawaiian music. Your trip officially ends at noon. Transportation to the airport will be provided on this day. However, departures earlier than 11:00 a.m. cannot be accommodated. Aloha!

Please note: This sample itinerary represents our usual trip to the Big Island. Your trip may vary depending upon availability of certain lodging options, volcanic activity, and other events taking place on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Travel, Terrain, Etc...

TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: Many of the trails on the Big Island of Hawaii are fairly flat and easy, with gentle ups and downs. Others are more rugged, but can be traversed with care. Trails may present obstacles like roots and rocks. Some sections may be moderately steep. Lava is brittle and sharp so sturdy shoes are important.

TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: The emphasis will be on relatively short day hikes, ranging from 1 to 10 miles in length. You will carry a small day pack with your lunch and other gear that you want access to during the day (like rain gear, binoculars, camera, sunscreen, etc.), and you will carry your own water. To protect the fragile ecosystem, WI uses Leave No Trace camping and travel techniques.

WEATHER: Temperatures in the interior range from 40 at night to 85 F during the day. We will be camping at 4,000 ft and rain is common. Beach camping is usually hot (up to 60 F at night and up to 95 F during the day) and sunny. You will probably experience an wide range of weather during your trip, including some rain.

LODGING/BATHROOM FACILITIES: We will set up base camps in some very interesting Hawaiian parks. At night you will sleep in a comfortable tent. Typically, there are 2-3 people per tent (although other arrangements can be made). We recommend that you bring your own personal sleeping bag and Thermarest. Because we will be moving around, bathroom facilities range from indoor facilities to outhouses. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness. Showers are available at the beach parks.

GROUP SIZE: The group size will be 9 -12 participants, plus 1 or more Wilderness Inquiry staff. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds, and abilities, including persons with disabilities.

CAMP CHORES: Our trips are cooperative in nature. WI staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. You need to provide your own personal gear such as clothing, lightweight hiking boots, a sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. A detailed clothing list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: The pace of this trip is designed to be moderate to easy. However, you will be hiking in varied terrain and weather conditions. More challenging routes can be provided, depending on group desires.

Wilderness Inquiry is proud to serve Caribou Coffee on all our trips. Great food, great coffee, and great company are just some of the ingredients that make Wilderness Inquiry trips special.

[ Dates & Fees ]      

The interior of Hawaii's Big Island is home of some of the world's most spectacular volcanoes. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established in 1916, relatively recently in the island's history. Park status protects the results of 70 million years of volcanic activity! The park covers 217,000 acres of surface area and almost 14,000 vertical feet, ranging from sea level to the summit of Mauna Loa, the earth's largest volcano. Measured from the ocean's floor, it is the tallest mountain on earth, rising about 36,000 ft high. Measured from sea level, it is still an impressive 13,667 ft and makes up half the area of the island of Hawaii. Mauna Loa erupted most recently in 1984, but it remains active beneath the earth's surface, and there are a number of other volcanoes in the park to amaze and delight visitors.

Kilauea, perhaps the earth's most active volcano, also lives in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It is one of the island's youngest volcanoes and has a red-hot magma tap that reaches nearly 37 miles into the earth's interior. While fascinating to volcanologists, these mountains have also spawned local myths and legends. Kilauea is the home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. According to local legends, she caused eruptions long before Europeans arrived on the island and saw the volcano in 1823. The park runs a 24-hour eruption hotline (808-985-6000) so visitors can track volcanic activity.

While the significant elevation changes represented in the mountains indicate a number of distinct climate zones and ecosystems in the islands, native Hawaiian species are challenging to come by. The native flora and fauna evolved in relative isolation, with limited competition and few predators, so were ill-equipped to compete with more aggressive species introduced by early Polynesians and Westerners. The islands are home to thousands of species, but nearly half of the 2,400 remaining native plant species are endangered. Marine animals have fared better, with Hawaiian monk seals, dolphins and whales in abundant supply year round, and migrating humpback whales in sight seasonally.

In addition to natural beauty, you will be able to experience some of the fascinating cultural history of the islands. Polynesians discovered the islands, giving them the name of Hawaii. It is believed that Spanish sailors visited Hawaii in 1627 and described a volcanic eruption in their ship's log, but Captain James Cook is usually given responsibility for being the first European in Hawaii. He arrived in 1778, named the islands the Sandwich Islands, after Britain's Earl of Sandwich, but was killed the following year in a Big Island land dispute near Kona. Hawaii's 19th century history follows an accelerated colonial pattern. The Islands were united under one king in 1810, and thereafter saw a constant influx of missionaries, explorers, farmers, diseases and exotic species, all changing the traditional Hawaiian way of life. Hawaii was annexed to the US in 1898, becoming a Territory in 1900. The area played a pivotal role in World War II before becoming the nation's 50th state in 1959.

 

For more information, visit these links:

National Park Service - Official Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Website

Learn what's happening with Hawaii Volcanoes with volcano watch

National Geographic - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Volcano Gallery - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

[ Dates & Fees ]

2009 Dates	Fee
03/07/2009 - 03/14/2009	$795	Register Now
03/14/2009 - 03/21/2009	$795	Register Now
03/21/2009 - 03/28/2009	$795	Register Now
03/29/2009 - 04/05/2009	$795	Register Now
2010 Dates	Fee
03/13/2010 - 03/20/2010	$795	Register Now
03/20/2010 - 03/27/2010	$795	Register Now
03/27/2010 - 04/03/2010	$795	Register Now
04/05/2010 - 04/12/2010	$795	Register Now
Transportation You will arrive and meet your trip leaders at the airport at 7:00pm in Hilo, Hawaii (an inter-island flight from Honolulu via Hawaiian Airlines or Aloha Airlines) on the first day of your trip. Please plan your flight arrival to be no later than 6:30pm If you want help with your air travel arrangements for this trip we recommend that you consult with our travel agency, Travel One (800-245-1111). They are very familiar with our trips and can help you make the best flight connections at the best prices. Detailed meeting place instructions will be sent to you when you are confirmed for the trip.
Meeting Places:		Additional Round-trip Fee:
Hilo		$0 (No charge)