Tour Day Information
Aloha and thank you for choosing Big Island VIP!
We look forward to meeting you and showing you and your ʻohana the incredible sights of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Where to Meet Us
We will meet you at:
Kīlauea Visitor Center
1 Crater Rim Drive
Volcano, HI 96785
The meeting area is next to the Volcano Art Center Gallery, or we may meet directly across the street at the Volcano House.
Google Maps Meeting Location:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/BGqKaVYEJypGmL3b7
There is ample parking outside the chain-link fence near the Visitor Center, which is currently undergoing renovations.
Don’t worry about finding us! We will be at the dropped pin at your selected time. If you decide to be picked up at the Volcano House, you can let us know when we text you right before your start time (if we don’t see you already). The Volcano House and the dropped pin are only 30 yards apart.
Please Arrive a Few Minutes Early
We recommend arriving 10–15 minutes before your scheduled tour so you can park, use the restroom, and be ready to begin at your reserved time.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is enormous, and there is a tremendous amount to experience. Starting on time allows us to make the most of every minute of your private tour.
Restrooms
Although the Kīlauea Visitor Center is currently being renovated, flushing restrooms are available near the Volcano Art Center Gallery in the small brown building beside the gallery. There are also restrooms (more than one, like the one next to the Art Gallery) in the Volcano House across the street from where we are meeting.
The Park Service also operates a temporary Welcome Center approximately one mile away, but restroom facilities there are portable toilets. We recommend using the facilities near our meeting location before beginning your tour.
What Should You Bring?
Closed-toe shoes are recommended. Lava can be extremely sharp, so sturdy, comfortable walking shoes are best. Hiking boots are not necessary for most guests because many of the trails and overlooks we visit are paved or improved.
Bring a light jacket or raincoat. The summit of Kīlauea is approximately 4,000 feet above sea level and can be considerably cooler than Hawaiʻi’s beaches and resorts. Parts of the National Park are also rainforest, so passing showers are always possible.
Your tour can include as much or as little walking as you prefer. Because this is your private tour, we can adjust the experience for children, grandparents, mobility concerns, or simply how everyone is feeling that day.
We Provide the Extras
We want you to relax and enjoy your experience. Big Island VIP provides:
- Bottled water
- Snacks such as chips and trail mix
- Walking sticks
- Umbrellas when needed
- Complimentary photographs throughout your tour
We will take photos of your family throughout the day so everyone can be in the pictures—and your tour photos are included at no additional charge.
Will We See Active Lava?
Kīlauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, but volcanic activity can change quickly. Recent eruptions have often occurred in relatively short episodes, so active lava cannot be guaranteed on any particular tour date.
Whether Kīlauea is erupting or resting, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park remains an extraordinary place to explore. Massive craters, steam vents, lava tubes, rainforest, historic lava flows, volcanic formations, and the constantly changing summit landscape tell the remarkable story of how the Hawaiian Islands are created.
USGS Kīlauea Webcam:
https://www.youtube.com/live/fiyttmA7YkA?si=it5zYGbLplQe6q4I
Meeting Map & Additional Information
For additional meeting information and a map, please see our Meet in the Park Guide:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1enXy8y6IoKtj-D5mJz1XB3omL3gbywQq/view?usp=sharing
Need Help on Tour Day?
Big Island VIP
Toll-Free: 866-424-8687
If our answering service picks up, we are most likely assisting another guest, on a tour, or already on the phone. During normal Hawaiʻi business hours, we typically return calls within an hour.
Mahalo for choosing Big Island VIP
