Private Big Island Tour: Explore Volcanoes and Waterfalls in Hawaii

Embark on a private adventure tour in Hawaii’s Big Island and explore the breathtaking beauty of volcanoes and waterfalls. Customize your itinerary and make it a personalized adventure!

Duration: 12 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Rainbow Falls - Journey along Saddle Road, nestled between two of the world’s largest volcanoes, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, to reach the verdant east coast of the Big Island. The first stop is Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots in Wailuku River State Park. Stroll to Rainbow Falls, a stunning waterfall that tumbles over a legendary cave. The falls are…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Snacks
  • Dinner
  • Gear: Patagonia rain jacket and Nano puff, Nikon ProStaff binoculars, Black Diamond Hiking Poles
  • Lunch
  • Entrance fees
  • Complementary Photo package: 20-25 professional, edited photos shared via Adobe Cloud
  • Carbonated beverages
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic beverages
Additional Information

Don’t miss out on this incredible adventure! Discover two of our most popular destinations on the Big Island volcanoes and waterfalls tour. Begin by exploring the waterfalls along the North Hilo coast, then head to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in the afternoon. Featuring lush rainforests, majestic waterfalls, and breathtaking active volcanoes, this…

Location
Rainbow Falls
Waianuenue Avenue,
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(11 Ratings)
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Jayp913
Mar 4, 2026
Fantastic day touring Big Island! - 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!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christinebp9039gp
Feb 22, 2026
The big island & the most amazing way to see it - Amazing day! Couldn’t think of a better way to see the Big Island. The tour company and our guide Shawn really thought of everything. Pick up at our resort, fantastic vehicle, snacks & drinks as well as lunch were perfect and even coats and torches for when needed. We learnt so much from Shawn about island history, flora/fauna, waterfalls and of course the amazing volcanoes - Kilauea in particular with its steam vents, lava tubes and crater. Sadly missed the eruption by 2 days but still an amazing experience. Highly recommend 🌟🌟🌟
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richardhg9951ms
Feb 9, 2026
Amazing Adventure Never to be forgotten - What an amazing day that we spent with Big Island Backroad Adventures and our guide Shawn. We elected to do a private 10 hour tour of the Volcano National Park, surrounding water falls and points of interest. Every moment was spectacular as Shawn expertly guided us around Kilauea's volcano crater, lava fields and steam vents, we walked through a lava tube and stood on top of breath taking mountain peaks overlooking the beautiful terrain of the Big Island. We will always remember this adventure!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y4942cfsarahm
Jan 4, 2026
Christmas memories - We had an absolutely amazing private tour on the Big Island of Hawaii! Our guide was a marine biologist and incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating insights throughout the day that made every stop even more meaningful. They were wonderful with both adults and children and truly tailored the experience to our group. The tour was thoughtfully planned and very comfortable. The vehicle was spacious and had everything we needed for a full day of exploring. We were treated to great snacks and drinks along the way, and the picnic lunch was delicious and beautifully prepared—such a nice touch! We were a group of five adults and two children, and this tour was perfect for our family. It felt personalized, relaxed, and educational all at once. We highly recommend this tour to other families or anyone looking for a special, high-quality experience on the Big Island. This was truly a highlight of our trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lora_b
Oct 2, 2025
This was such an amazing... - This was such an amazing tour! Went to Mt Kilauea and got to see lava which was the highlight of our trip here! Saw beautiful waterfalls! Learned so much about the island and its rich history! Our guide was so informative and just walked the extra mile throughout the whole day!
Review provided by Viator
Carolina
Aug 14, 2025
Impressive day at the volcano! - Really appreciate Shawn’s time and effort. Shawn was very accommodating and thoughtful! We had one claustrophobic person, one with dietary restrictions … all in stride, he met all our expectations. He was fascinating as was super informative! We have shared our day at the volcano trip several times already!! Thanks for a great day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hannahsq7302xc
Jul 16, 2024
Best day on the big island - What an incredible way to spend a day on the big island! Shawn is extremely knowledgeable about this beautiful island! Our family had an incredible times visiting some of the islands best spots! Shawn took us to spots in the national park we would’ve never thought to look and taught us so much about the science and history of the volcanos. Great snacks, a great guide, and a great day! Thank you 🙏🏻
Review provided by Tripadvisor
B4533rimichellel
Oct 14, 2023
Highlight of our trip!! - This was absolutely the best excursion we (myself, my husband and our adult daughter) did during our two week stay in Hawaii!! The highlight of our trip was spending the day with Shawn on the Water and Fire Tour. He is very passionate about all things Hawaii and his passion really shines through in the knowledge that he shares with you during your day. We really appreciated that he picked us up at our rental house, did all the driving and took pictures of us and everything we were seeing so we didn't have to worry about using our phones to take photos, and kept us fed and hydrated the whole day. He talked to us about the history of Hawaii, the legends and folklore, pointed out all the species of flowers, plants and trees, picked us fresh fruit, and pointed out all the different animals we saw through out the day. Sure you could see water falls and volcanos on your own but having someone talking to you about everything you are seeing and answering all your questions was priceless. I thought it would be awkward to spend so much time with a stranger but we said good bye to a new friend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suzannehv3352ae
Jul 30, 2023
Best tour company, amazing tour - Our family did the private, full day water and fire tour. My husband and I agreed this was the best tour we’ve ever done. Sean is great at what he does; he is so knowledgeable about the island, a true naturalist. There was no question he couldn’t answer. He has thought of everything: comfortable expedition with plenty of room, pick up at our resort, microphone headset so everyone can easily hear him speak in the car, amazing lunch and dinner provided at local restaurants, in depth and interesting commentary about the island, included photos he took for us throughout the tour, and plenty of drinks and snacks. I was worried that a full day tour would be too long, but Sean kept our interest throughout the day, talking to us and showing us amazing sites. My favorite moments were the short hikes through the jungle to the waterfalls and volcanoes, walk through a lava tube, and feeling the steam of the steam vents. We stopped at a local food stand for lunch that was a highlight of our trip. We would have never found this on our own. They had such fresh food; we loved trying their freshly picked Hawaiian fruit, including passion fruit, papaya, and fruit smoothies. I am certain you will not be disappointed with any of Sean’s tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heathergi5685sc
Jul 22, 2023
BEST private tour experience for the Big Island - We are so glad we chose Shawn and Backroads Adventures for our tour of the island. It was worth the investment to do a private tour. He thought of everything we might need for the day, which made it really easy for us. In addition he took us to unique areas that we wouldn't have otherwise got to experience. His knowledge of the island history, geology, wildlife and plant life were outstanding. He made sure there was something for everyone to enjoy from kids to adults. He also helped us with resources for other things to do while on vacation too! I wish I could give this more than 5 stars! If you want a tour of the island, be sure to use Backroads Adventures.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $1,660 (Per Vehicle)
up to 15 guests
1 - Traveler
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).