Our 4:30am lava hike was one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island. We met up at their…read moreoffice close to the Kalapana Gardens at 4am, checked in, signed some papers and got snacks and coffee (included in the tour). It is recommended that you wear long pants (but some did it in shorts) and requires that you have shoes that cover your toes (no water shoes or sandals). I did it in work out legging and sneakers and my boyfriend did it in jeans and hiking boots. We were both fine and neither of our shoes melted though at one point, his feet got really hot bc I made him stand by the lava for so long for a picture. Bring a good amount of water or your camelback and a hoodie bc it was cold in the morning. They provide you with good headlamps and flashlights since you are hiking in the dark. We were in a group of 12 or so and we loaded up in their nice van and drove out to start our hike. They take you as far as you can go on the road (where people would be otherwise renting bikes or walking) so it saves you some walking. From there, it's just up the lava you go. It was nice that the tour guide told us to take a look at the lava rocks and the texture which was glass like. Basically a warning to tell you don't slip and fall bc this stuff might hurt you. As we walked, it sounded like glass shards breaking under us and we walked towards orange glows up the mountain. Eventually we made it while it was still dark and it was crazy you could feel the heat as you got close to the lava. We spent an hour or so taking pictures of and with the lava and relocating to a few other areas with lava as it eventually got light. We hiked back down the same way and ended around 8:30am. Highly recommend this company as they do a good job making everyone feel safe and we completed the hike at a nice pace. They do not allow kids under 12 and it's probably not recommended for anyone over 50. There are parts where you might have to hop down or take a big step up or down and keep your balance. Our group did a good job and most were in their 20's and 30's and maybe one brave solo hiker in her 40's. Super worth it to wake up early and experience this in Hawaii!

The best thing I've done in Hawaii! We went out on their second day with the new (bigger) boat,…read morewhich provides a pretty smooth ride. We did the sunrise tour, which I would highly recommend. You get to the flow while it's still dark and can watch the sunrise out of the ocean which is another awesome aspect. Parts of the flow were breaking away while we were out there causing new patterns of flowing lava, it's just ever changing the entire time you're watching. A bonus was while on the way back, we came upon a pod of bottle nose dolphins and they swam along with us for awhile. No sooner we left those to continue to the dock, we came up on a pod of spinner dolphins. We absolutely recommend this and it is worth every single penny. Looking forward to doing this again next time we're on the island

Ernie took us on an amazing tour for far longer than we paid for. He literally lives on the lava…read morefield in a neat home near the active flow. He is a personable man and knows how far to push it without getting dangerous.

Wolfgang was the best!…read more You might ask yourself, why pay $125 for a tour when I could rent a bike for $30? Simple answer: Wolfgang is the lava hunter. He does not give up! He scouts the lava fields until he finds a new flow making for an unforgettable experience!

I lava you. This was…read morereally great to see real life lava. It has always been a life long dream of mine to urinate inside a volcano. Lol I can tell you this lava flow is miles away from the volcano it self and once you get with 10ft of the lava. The heat is so intense! I was able to watch the lava break and flow like a hot lava watefall. It just like watching National Geographic expect with 1000 degrees in heat right in your face! My pictures don't even begin to outline of details the acutally site, heat or awe of amazement. Right now it is a 4.2 mile hike out to the lava. I opted to rent a bike. The bikes are $10 an hour and pretty good bikes. Full suspension. But I can tell you this it is not an easy ride. The road is made of loose gravel. I was in the lowest gear 99% of the time. It took about 40min to paddle out there. I was going faster than most. As I was passing people so keep that in mind. I can regularly ride my bike 8.4 miles or more. But this ride is really tuff. I consumed 1.5liters of water on this ride. So bring lost of water and stop and chug it often. I did this trek at night hoping to see more glow and less flow. What I got was both and it was a spectacular show. If you look to the right off in the distance you can see what looks like two red eyes glowing. That is pele smiling at you as she oozes gifts of new land. YES! new land. You can actually watch the earth be made and how it's made. Totally worth the trip! Add this to your bucket list!

Excellent adventure to the lava flows at Kalapana! This couple respects the land and culture and…read moreis knowledgeable on both as well. They guided us carefully through the Kalapana lava flows, seeking out the most comfortable path available through the lava yet doing so as not to tread on anything fragile or dangerous. Hank was supremely prepared - binoculars, snacks (fruit, nuts, energy bars), flashlights, medical and boot repair equipment, etc. and spares of everything. As a former hiking guide myself, I can tell you that Hank and Malia are doing this absolutely right! For anyone looking to hike to the active lava flow from Kilauea, we highly recommend this terrific couple!

Amazing tour and so worth it! I would highly recommend this as a way to see the Volcano National…read morePark vs. driving and struggling to find parking. Tylor was our tour guide and did an amazing job. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the park and had lots of interesting stories to share along the way. We were even lucky enough to see the volcano erupting that day so he was quick to take us straight there and gave us plenty of time to catch all the action. Definitely a highlight of our vacation!

Awesome! Can't remember the guides names but they were a very nice couple from Denver Co. They were…read moreorganized, had a plan, coordinated things well, full of info on the island (especially the trees) and allowed us to go at our own pace. Definitely would recommend! But be aware that an e bike is a little tricky to drive and I say this as a healthy 22 year old!

The worker was very friendly, explained the mechanics succinctly, and gave us some advice on routes…read moreand destinations!

Reached out to check on availability for rentals via message and I must say best local customer…read moreservice. Although, My timing did not work out for the rental he went over and above to try and help and accommodate our needs. Will highly recommend and will reach out on our next time in Hilo. Thank You!!!!

Well this was the adventure that the entire family would enjoy. It was easier to ride around than…read moredrive. It was a great experience. I would suggest you get there exactly at 10 to get an early start. Happy trails

This was such an awesome experience! Gwendolyn was so accommodating and patient with my family of…read more6 and took time to make sure we all were comfortable with the e-bikes. We did a self-guided tour and its was incredible to be able to see the volcano sights at our own pace. So scenic and refreshing. Definitely recommend! And highly recommend this business for their excellent customer service! Thank you for the beautiful core memories made!

Great selection of bikes and really genuine people…read more We rented two bikes at 5am and they happily were waiting for us in the wee hours of the morning. Lost our GoPro after the exhausting morning. Kaimu found it and safely returned it. They provided flashlights and locks! Kaimu also has snacks and Wet Naps available for post ride. Efficiency, Loyalty and Snacks. What more could a girl want?

If you plan to see the lava beyond the viewing point (which wasn't all that exciting), rent a bike,…read moreride down until you reach the final barricades, and hike toward the mountain. Two miles in and you'll be just a few feet from surface lava. It was surreal! There are many bike rental shops in this area, but Kaimu Rentals seems like the most legit. You can reserve online, and they provide everything you need (flashlight, lock, first aid kit). The ladies working the counter we're extremely friendly (shout out to the gal from Walla Walla!) and the guys who sized us for our bikes were helpful. Overall, awesome service and experience.

If you are in Kalapana and want to see Lava, go ahead and rent bikes here to make your journey so…read moremuch faster. This is a family owned business, with some serious and genuine care for the customers. We showed up at 6 and were concerned that we won't be able to make it back by 9:30pm, their closing time. They offered to stat back and wait for us till 10pm. We showed back at 10:15, and they greeted us with smiles and cold water bottles. The price of bike rental includes helmets, locks, bike light, and even head lamp. No surcharges or upsells. This place also has e-bikes, but we were just fine with the regular bikes.

This shop not only have very nice quality bikes for all sizes, but also a shuttle service to Gate…read more2, which is a quick walk to Gate 3 where the real hike on lava field starts. My wife and I took advantage of the shuttle service to make our hike shorter. They give their customers cold bottled water and a granola bar in the beginning. A very nice customer service touch, I think. I tested the fat tire bike while waiting for the shuttle service - the ride was smooth on the emergency/local access dirt road. George, the business owner, made sure we can contact him upon our arrival back to the dirt road. He told us , the last trip is at 10:30PM. So I budgeted 2 hrs and 45 min for our return night hike. It took us about 2 hours during daylight (leisurely hike with picture and water stops). The night hike back to the pickup point took a little longer (2 hrs 55 min). George had to wait 10 min past the cutoff time for us to get to Gate 2. I was texting him of our location when the cutoff time was close. We really appreciate the extra customer service. I'm sure he would have found a way to come pick us up if we arrived later. Budget about 3 hours for a safe return night hike to the dirt road. Night hiking on a lava field is hazardous and safety must be a priority over speed. When we got to the pickup point, George gave us cold bottled water - I finished mine right away after a long night hike. BTW, he also lends out flashlights just in case you did not bring any. I recommend two flashlights - a head lamp type and regular hand held flashlight. These will give an extra margin of safety during the return night hike.

I broke my leg on 04/06/18 when I took the "Sunset Lava Hike" which was a distance of over 13 miles…read moreand nearly 8 hours. I broke my fibula on a fall I took at about mile 10. I was required to hobble for 3 miles/ 2 hours on a broken bone. Chris was our guide and offered zero first aid or concern for my situation. When we returned, Fabienne was unaware that I had even been injured. Neither she or Chris offered any first aid or advice as to where I could seek medical attention. I knew that this hike would be strenuous, but the longest estimate I could find for how long this hike would be was 6.5 miles. It was at least 13 miles. That's a half marathon. I booked the tour and was told I would be contacted three days before to confirm the start time. I heard from Fabienne less than 24 hours before, and that was the first time a distance of 8 miles was mentioned. I said 8 miles was at my top limit of ability. No mention was made that there was the potential for longer. When we arrived at the starting point for the hike, flashing road signs said "3.5 miles to lava". A group of 6 of us (another couple, a father and his 10 year old son ) started at 3:50pm. Sunset was at 6:36pm. As 6pm passed, we had already traveled nearly 5 miles. When questioned how much longer until we would find lava, Chris answered defensively. He stated that we were traveling a longer distance because it was a less steep incline, which while true, he refused to tell us how much more distance this was was adding. He said we'd find lava "In another 15 to 20, no more than 25, minutes ". We found lava at 7:05: an hour after Chris' estimate and well after sunset. We stayed for about 20 minutes and then agreed we were exhausted and wanted to head back. We estimate we had already hiked 7 miles. We left the lava around 7:30. At about 9:40, around mile 10, I fell and (unknown to me at the time) broke my left fibula. I was in a tremendous amount of pain, but tried to put on a brave face and say "I hope it's only sprained". My husband asked Chris "Do you know first aid"? Chris, standing 15-20 feet away, in the dark, did not approach me or examine my foot in anyway and replied "Yeah, I know first aid, but she doesn't need it. If she was really hurt, she'd be having a bigger reaction". Fortunately, my husband had an ankle wrap and we tended my food as best as we could. I was unable to put weight on my ankle at all. I tried hobbling with my husband supporting me on my left side, but it was excruciating. Another member of our group, Hung (the father of the 10 year old) came to my assistance without being asked. With his and my husband's aid, I hobbled the last 3 miles. Chris never once called back to see how I was doing or offered any moral support or guidance. About 1 mile before reaching the road, I misstepped with my bad food into a fissure in the lava field. I cried out in pain and was stuck. I managed to slip my foot out of my shoe, and pried it out of the crack. Chris came back to check on us and said "Yeah, you really have to be careful where you put your feet". At this point, my husband lost it, raising his voice to Chris. "Great advice. 'Watch where we put our feet'. Got it. You have one job. Get us to the road!" Chris replied "Man, nobody has ever yelled at me before". We arrived back on the road at about 11:40 pm: 7 hours and 50 minutes after setting out. Fabienne came out to meet us, all smiles, asking if it had been awesome. When we informed her of my injury, her response was a simple "Oh bummer, but did you at least get there before sunset?" When we told her no, she said, "Oh man, I'm going to have to start these hikes earlier". That's it. No care or concern or even awareness that I had been injured two hours earlier. When we started the hike we had made a note that my husband's fit bit registered 8500 steps. When we finished, it read 42,332 for a total of nearly 34,000 steps. This hike is dangerous. There is no way to not make it so. I accepted that before I booked the trip. What I take enormous issue with is the lack of forthrightness about how long this hike could potentially be. I was leery of an 8 mile hike, but was up for it. If I had been told "But it could be over 10-12 miles" (let alone over 13 miles) I would not have done it. We signed no liability waivers. Chris, as a guide, offered no leadership skills. His defensiveness and lack of answers when questioned fostered no confidence. His complete disregard for my injury and unwillingness to perform first aid (let alone actually examine me) is negligent bordering on criminal. The injury occurred on April 6th. I returned to L.A. on April 9th and saw a doctor on April 10th who confirmed I had broken my tibula. I have had my leg in a cast for nearly 5 week, am facing another 3 in a walking boot, and will require physical therapy after that.

Our tour guide took us (family of four) at the last second on Thanksgiving day. The group was…read moreprobably 16ish, led by two guides. Our kids were younger, and she ended up staying with just the four of us all night. The lava is always changing, so there was concern (on our part) that we might walk away without seeing lava, but you can tell she wouldn't let us leave without seeing lava, so we kept trekking until we got to some good flows. Once we got there, we didn't feel rushed at all, and she helped us take tons of pictures. Long hike back, in the dark, but that's where the provided headlamps came in handy. Small operation that obviously focuses on the customer's experience...would highly recommend if you're looking to cross this off your bucket list.