A Volcanic Exploration: Hiking on Hawai'i's “Big Island”

Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.

At the hotel.

The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead as we begin to explore Hawaii from an insider’s perspective. This Road Scholar program is designed for students of lifelong learning who may be first-time visitors as well as those returning to a place they love. Please read the daily schedule carefully to understand what is included. There is a limited amount of free time so that we can cover as much as possible. If you have special interests that are not part of the Road Scholar program, we recommend making plans to arrive early and/or stay on after its conclusion. Road Scholar Travel Services can assist you in making such plans. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

Orientation: 8:00 a.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Travel and transfers will be via bus and/or van depending on local conditions and schedules at the time of the program. Periods in the schedule labeled and “Free Time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. After Orientation, we’ll hear a lecture by a local expert on the geologic formation and evolution of the Hawaiian Islands to prepare us for our field trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. After our lecture, we will check out of the hotel, board a motorcoach, and depart for Akaka Falls. The 0.4-mile loop to see Akaka Falls takes us through lush rainforest. The walk is paved but includes stairs.

At a local restaurant.

After lunch, we will depart via motorcoach for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We will be joined by a local expert who will share with us the history of this geological wonder. From the National Park Service: “Hawaii Volcanoes National Park displays the results of at least 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution in the Hawaiian Island-Emperor Seamount chain — processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture.” We will hike 1.3 miles along the crater to until we reach our lodging. We’ll then check in at the Kilauea Military Camp.

At our lodging.

At leisure.

At our lodging.

We will set out on foot along the Crater Rim, then descend 425 feet through a rainforest to the caldera floor. After walking the edge of the caldera floor, we will continue to the upper Waldron’s Ledge of the crater and have a panoramic view of the caldera we just crossed. Due to an earthquake in 1983, parts of a damaged road were converted to this trail, which is now sometimes referred to as Earthquake Trail.

At a local restaurant.

After lunch, we will hike 0.6 miles through a sulphur bank. Gases comprised of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide arise from the ground, giving off an odor like rotten eggs and creating beautiful colors in dirt. Those with respiratory conditions such as asthma, pregnant women, infants, and young children should avoid this hike.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At our lodging.

We will hike the Kilauea Iki Trail with a local expert. This 5-mile loop travels through rainforest on the rim of the Kilauea volcano, then descends 400 feet through the rain forest, with native birds in the canopy, to the floor of Kilauea Iki crater. We will cross the still-steaming crater floor, past the gaping throat of the vent that built Pu`u Pua`i cinder cone and ascend the other side before completing the loop along the rim of Kilauea Iki and Kilauea.

At a local restaurant.

After lunch, we will depart on a motorcoach and explore the 20-mile long Chain of Craters Road - a scenic route that goes all the way to sea level and passes through some of the park's recent eruptive activity. We will stop at various lookouts depending on the day's conditions.

At a local restaurant.

We will return back to the lodge and prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow morning.

At our lodging.

After breakfast, we will check out and head to the Kona side of the island on a motorcoach via the Saddle Road. . We will arrive at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, an ancient Hawaiian settlement encompassing portions of four different ahupuaa, or traditional mountain-to- sea land divisions. We will hike 1.5 miles down a shoreline trail to an ancient Hawaiian fishpond which were engineered to use the ocean's energy and tides to catch fish.

Picnic-style bag lunches.

After lunch, we will depart on the motorcoach to Kaloko Cloud Sanctuary, a privately-owned forest preserve on the slopes of Hualalai Volcano, where we will set out on a hike led by a local expert. The mission of the Kaloko Cloud Forest Sanctuary is to protect the array of species that thrive here while inspiring appreciation and respect for tropical ecosystems. After our hike, we will head to the hotel and check in.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

After breakfast, we will depart by bus to experience the historic site of Puuhonua (Place of Refuge) O Honaunau National Historical Park, which contains one of the most sacred heiau (traditional place of worship) in the islands. We will hike two miles roundtrip on the historic 1871 trail, the main artery for coastal travel in the 19th century, while learning from National Park Service displays about Hawaiian building construction, heiau, and the process through which ancient Hawaiians pardoned those who broke the kapu (laws). After our hike, we will return to Kailua Kona.

On your own to explore local fare.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.

We’ll enjoy a Hawaiian luau in an oceanfront setting where the pua’a kalua (roasted pig) is taken out of the imu (underground oven) — the centerpiece of an elaborate, multicourse meal of traditional island fare with a variety of tropical and other beverages included.

We’ll enjoy live music as we dine, followed by a performance of music, song, and dance conjuring myths and stories from throughout Polynesia.

At the hotel.

We will depart the hotel by vans for a private nature reserve in the Kohala region of the island. Our walk will take us through forests and along a cliffside overlook with views of remote valleys. We will pass multiple waterfalls with the opportunity to swim at one of them.

On the trail.

After lunch, we will return back to the hotel with some time to shower and clean up before dinner.

At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!