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Ideas for a 1-day volcano tour:On a one day tour, we could start at the summit of Kilauea, overlooking the volcanic caldera that formed ~500 years ago during a cataclysmic eruption that drained the large magma chamber below. Over geologic time this is the center of eruptive activity. At present, an active lava pond is forming again inside a new vent in Halema'uma'u crater. The evidence of past eruptions is abundant, however, and there are lots of stories to be told here and lots to learn about how volcanoes work!As well, there are cultural and historical aspects of this region that we'll explore, since Kilauea played a major role in the lives of native Hawaiians. Finally, we'll take a brief look at the unique flora and fauna of this part of the island. Life here, genetically isolated from the rest of the world, adapts to the harsh volcanic environment in amazingly beautiful ways. In the afternoon and evening we walk over the coastal lava fields in search of active flows, breakouts, skylights, and lava ocean entries. Naturally, the conditions of active eruption can change almost daily, and so it's impossible to predict where lava will be flowing and how accessible it will be. Depending on the actual conditions of the day, we can spend more or less time at the coast observing flowing lava in order to get the most out of the experience! We usually hike in (~1-2 miles one way) in the afternoon in order to get a good view of the flows during the day, watch sunset and the lava flows at dusk and subsequently at night (an unforgettable experience!) before our hike back. Two days on Kilauea volcano:In addition to the 1-day program, we can examine other interesting features of the volcano (lava tubes, frozen lava lakes, explosive products), culture, history, or anything else of interest to you (waterfalls, birds, museums etc.) before heading back to the lava flows once again on the following day. Generally speaking, there is so much to see on the volcano that the more time you can spend here the better the experience will be.Other activities / destinations:Here are some other activities we offer and could incorporate into your program, given sufficient time on the tour or a longer tour (for details click on activity):Mauna Loa - the largest volcano on earth Mauna Kea - the highest point of the Pacific and the clearest sky of the northern hemisphere Private lava tube Waipio Waterfall Sailing on 28' Hawaiian double hull canoe Captain Cook kayak tour Reef snorkeling South Point |
April 13, 2010
