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Special Interest Tours > Geography

Hawaiian Volcanic Experience

Day 1: Home - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Depart for your flight to the beautiful islands of Hawaii. Enroute enjoy complimentary meals and snacks and an onboard movie. Upon arrival in Honolulu you will board another aircraft for your short flight to the city of Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. Be welcomed by your assistant with traditional fresh flower lei. Then transfer by private air conditioned coach to your hotel. The remainder of today will be free for you to wander and acclimatize to the time change.

Day 2: Kona - Kilauea (B, L)

This morning after an early breakfast depart on your full day excursion to the opposite side of the island for your visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. As you drive the island, you will notice that the island is diverse in its geography. The topography of this island varies from warm sunshine day after day on one side to wet lush rainforest on the opposite side. In between, cattle ranches and Hawaiian cowboys abound. The island of Hawaii is not unlike the other islands that make up the chain. It is breathtakingly magnificent! En route to the volcano you will make several stops. You will visit the Macadamia Nut Factory on Mauna Loa, one of the 3 volcanoes that dominate the island. Also make a short stop at the Orchid and Anthurium Nursery. Once at the Volcanoes National Park you will be awed by what you will experience. Visit the Observatory, the Jagger Museum, the Fern Tree Jungle and walk through the Thurston Lava Tube. Before you actually visit the summit of the crater, stop at the Volcano House Hotel for a wonderful view of the crater. Enjoy a buffet lunch in this historic and serene setting. Then it is off to peer deep into the Kilauea Iki Crater, smell the sulfur as it escapes the steam vents and of course a visit to the lava fields. Follow the route markers laid out by the park rangers to the most active site. Be prepared with good walking shoes, and plenty of water and sunscreen. The walk will take at least 2 hours over rough uneven hardened seemingly never ending lava fields. See where the lava has flowed over the road making what was once passable, impassable, as well as where the lava has flowed into the clear blue waters of the South Pacific. Return later today to Kona, tired but delighted. Your evening is at your leisure.

Day 3: Kona (B, L)

Today you will have a free day to explore the quaint city of Kailua-Kona. Kona today is a bustling resort town but traces of its interesting history dating back to when whaling was at its heyday are evident everywhere. Visit the Hulihe’e Palace, a favorite summer getaway for Hawaii’s monarchs in the heart of Kailua-Kona built in 1838. See Mokuaikaua Church, Hawaii’s first Christian Church built in 1820. Meander Alii Drive and the side streets in downtown Kona stopping to purchase some traditional Hawaiian beach wear or a native Hawaiian craft. Sample the cuisine in local restaurants. Later this evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 4: Kona - Kohala (B)

This morning after breakfast your private coach will be waiting to take you up the coast to the Northern Region of the Island known as the Kohala District. Here is the birthplace of the man who would become known as Kamehameha the Great. The North Kohala District is the oldest section of the island and fortunately time has not yet completely erased the historic legacy of this region. Ancient temple sites still stand. But long before tourists discovered the islands, plantation towns dominated the lifestyle of the island. Today the plantations are gone but remnants remain. Thousands of visitors visit the region to go “Fluming”. Fluming is a mountain kayak ride that travels through the ditches and tunnels of the old sugar plantation irrigation systems. This region also boasts spectacular ancient rainforests, breathtakingly beautiful hikes through the forests and sheer cliffs reaching almost 2000 feet. Waterfalls and flowers cascade from the walls of the cliffs and stunning black sand beaches define the coastal area. You will be convinced that the region was conceived by one of Hawaii’s ancient gods. Later today return to your hotel. Evening at leisure.

Day 5: Kona (B, D)

Today after breakfast you may choose to explore the ocean to see what lurks below the clear blue surface. Bring your own snorkeling gear and prepare to be amazed at another of Hawaii’s many ecosystems. The underwater world off the Kona coast is known as a premier destination for diving. Or perhaps you might be interested in the Big Islands booming coffee industry. Make your way to scenic coffee country with its coffee estates, cool mountain air and scenic views of the coast. Get your fill of coffee as you tour some of the factories that produce their famous coffee in the same way as they have for almost 100 years. Later return to your hotel to prepare for your dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 6: Kona - Mauna Kea (B, D)

Today after breakfast you rent a 4 wheel drive for the summit tour on Mauna Kea. Arrive at the Visitor Information Station at 1:00 P.M. During your one hour spent at the station while everyone acclimatizes to the high altitude, one of several videos about astronomy on Mauna Kea will be shown. Then depart on a half hour low range 4 wheel drive to the summit where participants will hear a description of the history and type of work done by all of the summit telescopes. An inside tour of one or two of the summit telescopes follows. Departure from the summit will be about 4:30 P.M. Evening at leisure with dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 7: Kona - Home (B)

After breakfast today you will depart from your hotel for your short transfer to the airport for your flight to Honolulu. As you fly over the island you can easily see the telescopes of Mauna Kea. After a short flight, arrive in Honolulu, bid Hawaii a fond “Aloha” and transfer to your aircraft bound for home.

Tour inclusions:

Air: Home / Kona – Kona / Home
Traditional fresh flower lei greeting upon arrival
Round trip transfers airport / hotel / airport with 2 pieces luggage per person
Luggage handling by transportation company
6 nights hotel accommodation. Students in triples and quads. Chaperone and non-chaperone adults in twin bedded rooms
Hotel porterage
Breakfast daily + 3 dinners at hotel
1 Lunch
Touring coaches for all tours included in program
Kona/ Volcano / Kona tour including park admission
Kona / Kohala Region / Kona full day tour
All current taxes on included features

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