Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour

4.3 (102 reviews) 2 days Free cancellation

out of 5

102 reviews

4.3

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Self-Guided GPS Audio Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Explore Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park with an app-based, self-guided GPS audio driving tour through volcanic craters, lava fields, rainforest, and dramatic coastal landscapes.

There’s no in-person guide—your phone leads the way with turn-by-turn navigation as you drive.

Follow turn-by-turn directions to highlights including Kīlauea Overlook, Uēkahuna, Kīlauea Iki, Maunaulu, and Hōlei Sea Arch, with optional hikes along the way.

Shaka Guide tours are created by real people who know and experience the destinations they guide, bringing the park to life through Hawaiian legends, geology, history, and local insight. Choose the stops and hikes that interest you, skip others, and explore at your own pace.

One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle. Download the Shaka Guide app and tour before you go; once downloaded, the audio and map work offline, and GPS-triggered narration plays automatically as you drive. Volcanic activity varies, and active lava viewing is never guaranteed.

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At a glance

Duration: 2 days
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 15 people
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Written guide: English
Operated by: Shaka Guide Apps

What is included

Included

Included: Offline map and audio after download
Included: Stories, Hawaiian legends, geology, history, and local recommendations
Included: Access to the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Tour in the Shaka Guide app
Included: Turn-by-turn audio navigation that plays automatically as you drive
Included: Tour access does not expire
Included: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle
Included: Two designated starting approaches
Included: Flexible itinerary with optional viewpoints and hikes

Not included

Not included: In-person tour guide
Not included: Transportation or rental vehicle
Not included: Food and Drinks
Not included: Personal Expenses

Itinerary

Day 1 · Hawaii Volcanoes

Stop 1

Passing by

Stop here to ask a park ranger some questions, fill up your water bottle, or use the restroom.

If you didn’t bring a jacket, the gift shop at the Visitor Center usually has sweatshirts for sale. You might want to pick one up here, as temperatures vary drastically across the park.
Steam Vents

5 min Admission not included

Stop and stare at a cloud of steam formed from underground water meeting hot volcanic rock.
Stop 3

Passing by

Learn about the history of the Kilauea Military Camp which dates back almost 100 years. Today, it offers accommodations near the park for military families.
Stop 4

15 min Admission not included

Stop at Uēkahuna, the highest point on the rim of Kīlauea, for panoramic views across Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) and Halemaʻumaʻu. Uēkahuna is also an important Native Hawaiian cultural site. Volcanic activity and visibility vary.
Sulphur Banks

30 min Admission not included

This 1.2-mile hike (roundtrip) is actually a leisurely walk along a paved path where you’ll see more steam rising from the ground.

Feel free to hike this now or after your trip down Chain of Craters Road.
Stop 6

10 min Admission not included

Back in 1959, this mile-long crater was a seething lava lake spewing fountains of lava up to 1,900 feet in the air.
Nahuku - Lava Tube

20 min Admission not included

This magnificent natural landmark is one of the most popular spots at the national park.

There is a well-maintained trail that takes you inside a 600-foot lava tube and through a lush rainforest.
Kilauea Iki Trail

one hour Admission not included

Optional hike: Shaka Guide recommends a shorter out-and-back option to experience the Kīlauea Iki crater floor in about an hour. Travelers who choose the full 3.3-mile loop should allow approximately 2–3 hours.

The Kïlauea Iki Trail is technically a 4-mile hike that takes you along the rim of Kilauea Iki and down to the crater floor, where you can feel the pulse of this magnificent volcano from the still-steaming crater floor.

If you’re pressed for time, there's a shortcut. Just across the street from Nahuku Lava Tube is a short trail to the bottom of Kilauea Iki Crater.

This shortcut takes about one hour to complete. Please know, there is a steep decline through the forest into the crater.

Once you get to the crater floor, snap as many photos as you’d like, then work your way back up to the parking area the same way you came.
Devastation Trail

30 min Admission not included

You’ll feel like you’re on Mars as you take in the terrain on your walk along Devastation Trail.

This one-mile trail takes you along the path of a destructive and explosive eruption dating back to 1959.

Along the way, you’ll see spots where life is beginning to regrow and find a large barren lava mound called the Pu’u Pua'i Cinder Cone -- a perfect example of how mother nature forms new mountains.
Puhimau Crater

10 min Admission not included

Does seeing the views of massive volcanic craters ever get old? We don't think so!

Chain of Craters Road got its name from the handful of massive craters with viewpoints along the road.

Puhimau Crater is one of many dramatic holes likely formed around 1500-1800 AD. In our opinion, this gigantic pit crater is one of the best views on the tour.

What’s a pit crater you ask? It’s a depression in the ground that forms when a volcano shifts or expands--and surprisingly not the result of an explosion.
Stop 11

30 min Admission not included

More of a stroll than a hike, the Maunaulu Fissure Hike is at the site of a 1969 eruption that spewed lava up to 200 feet in the air, destroying a native 'ohi'a forest in the area.

As you walk you’ll see lava trees and a variety of volcanic formations. The trail is marked with stacked rocks. Please do not disturb the rocks or build new stacks.
Stop 12

10 min Admission not included

The overlook is built on Holei Pali, a steep cliff with a 2,000-foot drop.

At the Kealakomo Lookout, in addition to the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, you will also have an expansive view of the vast lava flow in 1971 that buried portions of the ancient coastal village of Kealakomo.
Stop 13

50 min Admission not included

One of our favorite stops on the tour, the Pu'uloa Petroglyphs hike tells the story of Hawaii’s past.

As you walk along this trail you’ll see ancient petroglyphs or inscribed images on stone.

This hike takes about 20 minutes each way and ends at a well-maintained wooden boardwalk that circles many of the 23,000 petroglyphs in this area.

In fact, this site is home to the largest grouping of petroglyphs in Hawaii! As you walk, remember to respect the sacredness of this place.
Stop 14

30 min Admission not included

You can view the Holei Sea Arch from the observation area located just past the gate at the end of the Chain of Craters Road.

This 90-foot sea arch was formed roughly 500 years ago from an ancient lava tube that hardened as it entered the ocean.

And just within the last 100 years or so, the sea arch was sculpted by ocean erosion.
Kipuka Puaulu Trail

one hour

Optional side trip: Walk the 1.2-mile Kīpukapuaulu loop through native Hawaiian forest surrounded by younger lava flows.

Allow approximately 1–1.5 hours. Access in this area can change, so follow current National Park Service closures and signage.

Day 2 · Hawaii Volcanoes

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

one hour

See all of the amazing landscape views and hikes in this crater while learning about the Hawaiian myths and legends!

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

This is a self-guided tour. You will be directed to the starting points inside the app after purchase.
This is a self-guided tour. You will be directed to the starting points inside the app after purchase.

End point

This is a self-guided tour. You will be directed to the starting points inside the app after purchase.
This is a self-guided tour. You will be directed to the starting points inside the app after purchase.

Using your ticket

HOW TO REDEEM YOUR TOUR:

Before you start your adventure, you'll need to redeem and download the tour in the Shaka Guide app. Follow the instructions below:

*Please Note: The redeem code is the 10-digit booking reference number on your ticket (located under the barcode).

1. Download the Shaka Guide App in the App Store or Google Play Store (or use the link at the bottom of this email)

2. Open the app and sign in/create your account

3. Go to Support → Retrieve Purchases

4. Tap on Redeem Purchases

5. Enter your Redeem Code (10-digit booking reference number on your ticket located under the barcode)

6. Tap on Redeem Purchases

7. Download your tour(s)

Once you've redeemed your tour, you'll find it under "My Stuff" in the app.

For a smooth ride, download the tour with wifi before you go.

Should you need further assistance or have other questions, email us at [email protected] or call (808) 201-8138

DOWNLOAD THE APP HERE: www.shakaguide.com/download

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This is a self-guided driving tour. Transportation and a driver are not included, so you’ll need your own vehicle or rental car.
Follow the starting-point directions in the Shaka Guide app. The tour supports two approach directions depending on where you are traveling from.
Download the Shaka Guide app after booking and use the redemption code provided in your confirmation to access your tour.
Download the tour over strong Wi-Fi before entering the park. Cell service can be unreliable. Once downloaded, the audio and map work offline, and GPS-triggered narration plays automatically as you drive.
Plan approximately 4–6 hours for the tour. Your total time will depend on the stops, viewpoints, and optional hikes you choose.
The itinerary is flexible. Stops and hikes are recommendations, not requirements. Skip stops, stay longer at places that interest you, or choose shorter walks based on your available time.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park requires a separate entrance pass. Park admission is purchased separately from the National Park Service and is not included with the Shaka Guide tour.
Kīlauea Visitor Center is temporarily closed for renovation. Visitor information, ranger assistance, and park-store services are currently available at the temporary Welcome Center at Kilauea Military Camp.
Volcanic activity and viewing conditions can change quickly. Lava or active eruptive activity is never guaranteed. Always follow National Park Service closures, ranger instructions, and posted safety guidance.
Road, trail, viewpoint, and parking access can change due to volcanic activity, construction, weather, or other park conditions. Check current National Park Service conditions before your visit.
Hiking is optional. Trail length, difficulty, terrain, and conditions vary throughout the park, so choose activities that match your ability and available time.
Accessibility varies by stop. Because this is a self-guided tour using your own vehicle, accessibility depends on your vehicle and the locations you choose to visit. Some trails and lava-field areas may not be wheelchair or stroller accessible.
Volcanic gas and vog may affect air quality, particularly around the Kīlauea summit. Travelers with respiratory or other health concerns should use appropriate caution.
Bring water, sun protection, layers for changing weather, and a fully charged phone. A car charger is recommended.