Big Island of Hawaii Private & Custom Tours

Can't imagine a better experience! Justin is an excellent tour guide! The tour van is his own and he keeps it in excellent condition. The tour is well organized with enough time at each of the stops to get a good experience of Hilo and the surrounding areas. He gets you as close to the volcano as you possibly can. The visit to the lava tube, the Rainbow Falls stop and the sea turtles stop are also memorable highlights.

Everything was wonderful! The people who organize these trips are amazing—so friendly, helpful, and professional. I had a fantastic experience and highly recommend these trips to everyone! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an excellent tour! Our guide, Garry, was so knowledgeable and interesting. So fun to explore with him. The tour picked us up at our rental house in a nice Sprinter van. We got to go onto private land which is pretty much uninhabited. They provided walking sticks, rain jackets, towels, day packs, snacks - everything was in great condition and excellent quality (ie. Patagonia jackets). It was so interesting to learn about the land and peoples who populated it originally. The hike was exactly as described - mild walking about 1-2 miles. Unfortunately, we were there the day before Hurricane Lala hit the island and the waterfalls were enormous so no swimming for us. Garry was amazed because he had been there 2 days prior and the size of the waterfalls was at least half to 3/4 of what we saw. We were disappointed to miss the swimming in the waterfalls but....that's nature for you. We had an excellent lunch afterwards. This tour is pricey but well worth it. I would definitely use Hawaii Forest & Trail again for other adventures.

Over all great experience! Highly recommend!! The boat was super fast!!! Quality equipment!! I’ve always had issues with the mask leaking but NOT on this trip! Was able to enjoy the snorkeling!! Mitch and Riley lead us to spinner dolphins! Will book again next time we are back on the Big Island!

A wonderful charter experience that was easy going and supplied everything we needed so was stress free Led by Captain Mitch and Riley as guide. The 10 person boat was great to avoid crowds and get in and out of site with ease. We had one family member not comfortable with the ocean/snorkleing but the guide and captain made her uncomfortable with the experience she was in the water the entire time! We saw beautiful coral reefs and a multitude of fosh along with spinner dolphins chasing our wake. The captain and guide were top notch and very knowledgeable about the marine life and history of Hawaii. Can’t wait to call them and book next trip to the Big island.

That was one of the best experiences. Our guide Justin, was simply amazing person. His knowledge of the island was remarkable. Was no question for him difficult to answer. One thing which I feel is so important, he makes us feel like one big family. Thank you Justin for all your knowledge, hospitality and most of all your charisma.

This excursion went perfectly from start to finish. Our booking experience with Shawn was very smooth and our day out with Lisa was a heap of fun. We were picked up at Kona Airport right on time. We had a great day out with personable and knowledgeable Lisa. Lunch was a picnic from the excellent bakery. Our only complaint was that they couldn't time the volcano to go off while we were there. I mean really, what's wrong with you guys?!We would definitely travel with this team again.

My family and I were incredibly fortunate to spend an entire day with Shawn on his private “All Day Volcano Tour”, and I can honestly say it was the most remarkable tour we have ever experienced. From start to finish, every moment exceeded our expectations—and believe me, we came with high expectations!Traveling all the way from Australia, we wanted to make our visit to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park truly special, and Shawn, along with Lisa’s seamless communication beforehand, ensured it would be. They checked in with me at every step, asking about our preferences and making sure our day would be tailored to exactly what we wanted to see and do.Shawn arrived promptly at 9 a.m. at our hotel, full of energy and ready to make our day unforgettable. From the very beginning, it was clear that this was no ordinary tour. Lunch, dinner, and unlimited snacks were included, making the day effortless and enjoyable. One of the highlights was having tea at the Volcano House Restaurant—a surprisingly simple meal that became my absolute favorite of our two-week Hawaii holiday.What truly sets Shawn apart is his insider knowledge and passion for the Big Island. He guided us to secret spots that only a local deeply invested in their clients would know—places most tourists would never find on their own. His explanations were both fascinating and engaging, sharing stories, history, and science in a way that made the volcano and the surrounding landscapes come alive.After our meal, Shawn suggested we return to the crater, and we were beyond lucky to witness the beginning of Episode 45—an experience we could never have planned or predicted when we booked our tour three months earlier. We were still at the crater long past the time we should have returned to our hotel, but Shawn’s dedication never wavered. He had already given us 12 hours of his time and energy, yet he went above and beyond so that my family could experience this once-in-a-lifetime moment. That level of commitment and care is extraordinary.If you are considering this tour, don’t hesitate for a second. It was by far my favorite day in Hawaii, and we’ve visited six times! Shawn’s combination of knowledge, warmth, and passion ensures that every single moment is special. If we are lucky enough to return to the Big Island, there is no question—we will be booking with Shawn again. This day will stay with us forever.MAHOLA SHAWN - don't change a thing you do because its perfect! Katrina Andrew Kyralee and Tayah!

Thankfully for whatever reason we were drawn to this business as soon as we got off the cruise. The guide walked us to an open vehicle that took minutes driving us to the office so we could pay for our tour. Another Thankful moment they had two tickets left to do exactly what I had in mind for the day!!! So the earlier you can get here the better chance you have especially if you want to tour the volcano & waterfall. Daniel was a great tour guide, lots of kindness, down to earth & family oriented! He had his tour mapped out so his group could sightsee the main attractions of Hilo. Lots of insight given about Hilo with Daniel leading the way. I could not have asked for a more perfect day than we had despite not knowing how I was gonna get around to things I read about. It helped our group was on time from sightseeing each time dropped off. The traffic picked up as the day went on but Daniel got us back to the cruise ahead of schedule for departure

We booked this tour last minute to get help seeing and getting access to the waterfalls we wanted to see. From the outset Shawn was superbly professional. He delivered on his promises of clear communication and tailoring the day to include what we wanted. The private waterfall and rappelling were amazing and see all the other waterfalls on the east and north side of the island were breathtaking. The farm tour and cooking class were….interesting. See the potential there but the folks running that (not related Shawn or his company and to his credit he agreed with our assessment) need some more professional organization.Eric and Cora were great and felt completely safe rappellingPickup and drop off at our condo were seamless. When Shawn learned we had been at Volcanoes National Park the day before he happily filled in with extra information we had missed out on and answered our questions as we drove from Waikoloa to Hilo. His knowledge of the geology, history and culture of the island and Hawai’i are superb. And on the drive home we talked restaurant recommendations rations and they were all spot on. His talent for subtly figuring out what clients are asking for and then delivering exactly the experience they want makes home the best. We had a great day.Mahalo nui Shawn!!

This was the best way to see the Big Island! Shawn’s extensive knowledge of the island and its nature provided so much value to our full-day tour. We appreciated the well thought out itinerary and how comfortable the ride was. Shawn’s food recommendations were also spot-on!

Very easy to book a tour on their website and communication with Shawn was a breeze. The tour itself was everything we wanted - a relaxed day visiting waterfalls around the island and then the National Volcano Park with excellent driving by Shawn. The restaurant he selected for lunch was perfect for our dietary needs and the restaurant for dinner has the the best view! I would highly recommend booking a tour with them if you're looking for a private tour of the island!

The tour gave us a perfect taste of the entire island. Lisa was our guide and a wealth of information. We experienced sea turtles, black beach, volcano, lava tubes, beautiful water falls, a great picnic and a wonderful dinner. The transportation was very clean and on time at designated pick up. A very full day but so glad we had booked the excursion.

Great experience with Steve. He was so knowledgeable and even had snacks in his van. We went to all the sights on the itinerary and Steve gave us enough time to explore without us being delayed. My husband and I encourage everyone to see all the sights in Hilo using this transportation. We were also picked up and dropped off at the pier.

I have lived out here in Hawaii for 39 years or so and I have visited and stayed at many many area throughout the island itself.. I had a friend come out for 1 day only .. 36 hours!!! She’s a wildcat…And she booked this tour group and we spent the day with Shawn… he came and picked us up at the house… had everything you needed for a tour .. great snacks, water, chocolates, jackets, binoculars… everything.. took us to an incredible secluded forest .. spent hours listening and watching the true Hawaiian birds, saw wild boars, goats, sheep.. up in the mountains.. it was one of the most beautiful magical days .. he is incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely kind to everyone .. went to Hilo and checked out the beautiful town, had a wonderful lunch, drove the coastline and went to more magical waterfalls and secluded area.. the vehicle was super clean, spacious, comfortable and truly cool… this IS ONE OF THE BEST Tours .. I have ever been one here out on the big island.. if you love adventures and you love 💕 being at one of the most incredible areas out on the Big Island .. go with Shawn and his co partner Lisa🌋💗✨🌺.. absolutely the best!!! I will do this again w them 💯.. highly recommend ⭐️✨

Jim was a great guide, very informative, but not boring. Saw a lot, learned a lot, saw a lot. Jim did an outstanding job. Could have spent the whole day there. The drinks and snacks were very welcome.