Joel was great making contact with us thru messaging and at the park. He was very knowledgeable and took the time to
talk about the history at each stop. We were not rushed at all, and he was very helpful with the others in our group that had mobility issues. It was a great day, and I would definitely recommend him for any trip!
What a great experience! Joel was very knowledgeable, helpful, and the perfect volcano tour guide! We had two kids 11 and 12 with us and they were fully engaged! We would not have seen nearly as much without Joel and would have lost out on so many interesting facts! Next time we are here we will definitely do the same tour!
Joel was the perfect tour guide; We were received in his nice clean roomy vehicle. The weather was sunny and a bit of rain to a bit cooler then warmed up again. He was very knowledgeable and led us to great rest point great picture taking area. Even did small hikes and the lava tunnel. He became our photographer as well. He brought umbrellas in case we needed them. He even brought cool beverages and snacks for us. Definitely recommend if you are unfamiliar with the stories and what you are looking at! He had great recommendations for quick hikes! He was well prepared with binoculars snacks drinks and umbrellas.
We had a blast with Joel, and loved the area and our tour. Joel bonded with our college aged kids providing plenty of historical and geological information without boring any of us.
The lava tube was a highlight and we also loved the journey down to the ocean.
Nice vehicle. Clean. Comfy.
Joel is a kind and gentle dude who gave us insight and guided us to two additional places after he left - an epic hike in the crater and the sea turtle beach. 10/10!
This tour was amazing. Joel is very knowledgeable and you can see he loves what he is doing . Very personable, interesting and funny.
January 2024
The tour guide was fantastic. He had a wonderful personality, terrific knowledge of destination, no pressure to spend at selected venues, and the true "Aloha" spirit.
This Park is very big and a little confusing to navigate in one day. However, Joel was great at showing us the most interesting parts within a 3-4 hour period. He was very knowledgeable with regards to not only the volcano, but also Hawaiian History and Hawaiian Island information in general. He was very accommodating to our specific interests as well. Joel would be a great option for anyone who is going to this park for the first time and well worth the money.
We had a wonderful time on our tour with Joel and learned so much more than if we had gone by ourselves! We traveled with our two kids (9 and 11). The tour was easy to set up and Joel came with snacks and drinks. We saw all over the park and got to walk on lava rock. We had enough time to drive to the coast to see where the lava hit water which was beautiful. Joel loves the park and shared his vast knowledge. This was a much better option than a group bus tour. Thanks, Joel!
Our tour with Joel was the favorite of our Hawaiian cruise. Although we had a rainy and windy day, Joel made sure we made the most of our time and saw all the highlighted stops. He shared so much knowledge about The Volcano National Park and, really, everything we saw on our time in and out his vehicle. Highly recommend Joel - he is knowledgeable and has a great personality.
My family had the most amazing day with Joel. He met us right on time and immediately made my ten and twelve year old boys feel at home. He is easy to talk to, and so knowledgeable! He clearly loves this park and the wonder of volcanoes and reads as much as he can. He answered endless questions from my boys and took us to all of the important places and then some more! His Ford SUV is in excellent condition and spotless (at least until my guys got in it). Joel has my highest recommendation - book him now!
Joel is accommodating and all about making the experience interactive and enjoyable. We had ages 16 to 75 in our group and he had walking sticks available for those that needed. He also expanded on what we see and how it has changed and the intriguing details of the lava flows and how the big crater feeds other lava flows. All around amazing experience-could have spent days soaking up information one just can't get off the signs. He takes you on a journey and is invaluable to the time you have in the park
Simply amazing tour with an amazing guide. We came in on a cruise and did not want the basic tour with 100 other cruise guests. For the same price as a mass excursion you can take a private tour with a local. Joel not only knew a great deal about the volcano, but took us to places that regular tours would not go. And they were amazing. Joel has a wonderful personality and made the trip very fun for us all. He is very personable. He even had snacks and drinks. I highly recommend Joel and this tour.
Joel is so knowledgeable and passionate about volcanoes. The tour is more like a day spent with a family member. He offers historical, mythological, and scientific insights at each stop--from notable tunnels and craters, to (other) tourist-free vast, ruptured earth-scapes that spread at impressive scales to the sea. At night you can view the flows through cracks from afar. Joel approaches each experience with the same enthusiasm as though it were his first time out and with the calm of the pro he is.
We took a tour with Joel yesterday to see the volcano National park. This will be our trip to remember, both for us and our 3 kids. We were running 1 hour late and Joel accommodated the change in time. We saw all the key highlights in the comfort of a large SUV. They had snacks and drinks. Joel and his wife Kim were informative, courteous and made this so special. Seeing the live lava flow was epic. Thank you so much.
Joel was a truly exceptional tour guide! I can't tell you how refreshing it as to have a personal tour with a knowledgeable tour guide. Joel's knowledge of volcanoes and the parks history is impressive... What a difference from the crowded tour groups I am used to!
We had a wonderful day touring the Volcano National Park with Joel and his wife, Kim. They are both very knowledgeable of the history and shared some great stories. They have a true passion for the park. Kim took photos of our group for us. We would have missed seeing many of the places and wasted so much time if we had done this on our own. They go above and beyond. They supplied an assortment of drinks and snacks, including home baked cookies that were delicious!! Highly recommended.
Joel was beyond phenomenal! He showed us places we never would have seen either on our own, or with a group tour. Yowza! Impressive!! His enthusiasm really resonated with my husband and I and made the tour the highlight of our trip to Hawaii. The best part was how knowledgeable he is about the park and the volcanoes! That is priceless! What we really wanted from the tour was to know learn more about volcanoes, which he provided perfectly. Banana and cookie from his own home included -- memorable trip!
Private Volcano Tours LLC is a Local Small business, owned and run by me and my wife. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to show you this beautiful Island!
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New Eruption Started Dec 23.
The Fountains have been coming in "Episodes." With a day of fountains and then a few days off.
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