Discover the Secrets of Chain of Craters Road

2 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 2 traveler reviews collected by Cool Hawaii and TripAdvisor |
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100% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
| Big Island of Hawaii, USA
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from $199 per person

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Watching lava in 2025.
December 2025
12-26-25 was an eruption to remember.
When is it going to erupt again?
Looking at lava from Kilauea Iki 2025.

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On average, this is booked 20 (0) days in advance.
2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
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Offered in: English

Overview

New Tour starting 2026! Give us 2.5 hours, and we will make you lava detectives! Learn about past eruption events, lava formations, and how they happened. This tour starts with a 1-mile hike from the edge of a pit crater to the lava tube. From there, we drive to the end of Chain of Craters Road as you have formations explained and narrated.

Learn more and see things you would never find on your own! Give us 3 hours, and you will learn much more about volcanoes, Hawaii's landscape, native plants, wildlife, and Hawaiian culture. We cannot show you the whole Park in only 3 hours, but we give you several stops to enrich your understanding and immerse your senses.

After your tour with us, all the formations on the Big Island and Hawaii will make sense.

* Dress code: LAYERS and raincoats; mountain weather can change 20 degrees. Closed-toe shoes recommended. *

What's Included

  • Bottled water
  • Private transportation
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Entrance to the National Park is $30/per car, it is good for 7 days.
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Meeting Location

Meeting point

Pāhoa
HI 96778, USA

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

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Safe & secure • Easy breezy • Hassle-free

Kilauea Iki Trail

We are meeting at the Kilauea Iki Trailhead and will only hike half a mile on the trail to the lava tube. The total hike is just over one mile.Name Meaning: Kīlauea Iki means “little Kīlauea” in Hawaiian — it’s a smaller crater right next to the main Kīlauea summit caldera.Size: The crater is about a mile long, 3,000 feet wide, and the floor lies ~400 feet below the rim — big enough to house an entire lava lake!The Legendary 1959 EruptionSpectacular Lava Fountains: In 1959, Kīlauea Iki became one of the most dramatic eruptive sites of the 20th century, with lava fountains shooting up to 1,900 feet (580 m) into the sky.Lava Lake Formation: Over several weeks of eruptions, molten lava filled the crater to form a deep lake — about 400 feet thick — one of the most studied lava lakes in history.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Nahuku - Thurston Lava Tube

We walk along the edge of Kilauea Iki Crater to a 500-year-old lava tube in a temperate rainforest.It’s a real lava tunnel formed when molten lava once flowed beneath the surface during a volcanic eruption. Once the liquid lava drained away, it left behind a hollow tube you can walk through.The lava that carved out Nāhuku was over 2,000 °F (1,093 °C) while it flowed — crazy hot! ️ This lava tube is about 500 years old, geologically quite recent.The tunnel you walk through is roughly 600 feet long and in some places the ceiling soars 20 feet high or more.Rainforest EntranceThe trail to get into the tube winds through a lush native rainforest, alive with native birdsong and big ferns.You’re literally going from jungle into the heart of what used to be a river of fire!
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Luamanu Crater (Pass By)

A July 1974 eruption partially filled in this crater as it oozed from vents nearby.
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Puhimau Crater (Pass By)

This area has a crater, but the most unusual feature of this area is the large thermal area that has killed trees and grass. The thermal area started around 1939, and it continues to slowly engulf the forest around it. We will have to wait and see what the future hold.
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Mauna Ulu (Pass By)

Mauna Ulu means “growing mountain” in Hawaiian — and the name is literal. It formed as a brand-new volcanic shield during a long-lasting eruption on Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone.It isn’t a single cone, but a broad lava shield, built layer by layer as lava repeatedly spilled out and spread gently across the land.A Historic Long-Lasting Eruption Eruption dates: 1969–1974 — nearly five years, making it one of the longest eruptions of Kīlauea in modern history.Over that time, Mauna Ulu erupted almost continuously, fundamentally reshaping the landscape along Chain of Craters Road.
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Holei Sea Arch

Natural Sea Arch: Hōlei Sea Arch is a huge natural rock bridge formed by the relentless power of the Pacific Ocean eroding ancient lava cliffs. Waves slowly hollowed out softer and fractured parts of the basalt until an arch remained.Size: The arch reaches roughly 90 feet (27 m) high — taller than a 7-story building!Erosion at Work: The arch was carved from a lava flow that’s about 550 years old. Ocean waves pounded at cracks and weak spots between hard and soft lava layers — a process called differential erosion — gradually sculpting the arch you see today.
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pauahi Crater

Pauahi comes from the Hawaiian words “pau” (finished/done) and “ahi” (fire), meaning “destroyed by fire” — a fitting name for a crater shaped by volcanic fire.It’s a large volcanic pit crater — a deep, steep-sided depression formed mostly by the collapse of the surface as magma moves underground, rather than by explosive bombardment.Pauahi is quite big: roughly 1,600–2,000 feet (about 500–610 m) long, up to about 300–500 feet (90–150 m) deep, and about 300 feet (90 m) wide.Eruptive HistoryPauahi has had multiple volcanic events in recent (geologic) history, making it more than just a static hole in the ground:May 1973: A fissure opened and erupted briefly on the crater floor.November 1973: A longer eruption (about 31 days) created lava flows and dramatic features on the crater floor.November 1979: The most recent eruption was brief (one day) and left the lava surface you see today.
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Discover the Secrets of Chain of Craters Road?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the activity start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the activity start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the activity local time (HST). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund.

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Activity code: C-8944P18

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5.00
2 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 2 traveler reviews collected by Cool Hawaii and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

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Frequently Asked Questions (6)

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The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from Cool Hawaii customers.

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Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Discover the Secrets of Chain of Craters Road?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the activity for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the activity start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the activity start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the activity local time (HST).
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • Bottled water.
  • Private transportation.
  • Air-conditioned vehicle.
The following is NOT included:
  • Entrance to the National Park is $30/per car, it is good for 7 days.
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this activity?
A:

The minimum age to participate is 8. This activity requires at least one adult to accompany children..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible activity?
A:

Accessibility information for the Discover the Secrets of Chain of Craters Road is as follows:

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Discover the Secrets of Chain of Craters Road will be included in your confirmation email from Cool Hawaii. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024

What's Included

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  • Bottled water
  • Private transportation
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Entrance to the National Park is $30/per car, it is good for 7 days.

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  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers

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