Ahiu Hawaii

If your on the Big Island of Hawaii and want to experience the best tour company to hike to the lava flows up close and personal. The guides Chris and Pearl are very knowledgeable of the area and great personality as well. An experience sure not to be missed!

I agree with much of what the other reviewers say…
1. Its fantastic, not to be missed in you are fascinated by volcanic stuff. After all how many opportunities will you ever get to be face to face with molten rock safely?
2. Its a serious hike, so dont sign up if you cant walk 5 – 7 miles through a very muddy path with many things to step over.
3. No joke about shoes. You need good shoes that stay on as the mud tends to pull them off, and on the lava, its really hot in some places so you dont want your shoe to melt.
4. Do some research before you go. Learn about pahoehoe lava, Pu’u O’o, Kilauea, and Pele. It helps to have some scientific knowledge and some Hawaiian cultural knowledege to make it more than «lets poke the lava» trip.
I am so glad I went and have no regrets about the trip, Ahiu, and our leaders Chris and Pearl. They were great.

The lava itself was amazing. The bad thing was the tour, here’s what you need to know that the tour guide doesn’t tell you.
* The hike is HARD. It’s only 6 miles round trip, but that sounds pretty easy until you realize that you’re going through deep mud, rocks, and trees. You end up going about 1 mile per hour.
* Bring hiking boots! They tour guide never told us that when we called multiple days before
* Wear lightweight pair of pants. I made the mistake of wearing Levi’s.
* Bring clothes you don’t mind getting ruined. I had to throw away my Levi’s and tennis shoes when I finished.
* Bring and extra pair of clothes! When you’re finally done with the treacherous hike, your pants and shoes will be covered with mud, and if you don’t want to ruin your car, then bring and extra set of clothes.
All in all, the lava was extraordinary, but the hike was really difficult. I don’t recommend the hike if you’re over 60 or under the age of 12.

The only people offering hikes to flowing lava through the rainforest at this time. My brother and I loved it but it was a haul and not for everyone. It’s up to you to be prepared physically, mentally and with proper gear. Nice people, pretty experienced. Lacking a bit on the safety prep but this is an at your own risk affair. I would do it again but now I don’t have to. Saw the lava!
Note: tour starts at 9 am, we got done at 530 pm. Some go later and you could be hiking at night. They stopped doing the night hike because it was a bit much for some (see other review)

The experience of this was truly once in a life time. The front office however is jacked up. First they called us on the wrong day and said we were late. We had to email them the reservation they sent us in the first place. Then they told us the hike was about 2 hours when it was more than double that one way. I was totally fine with that, but just be honest about it. I would like to give them less stars just for the way the front office handled the whole thing.
The tour was a long hike through a rainy jungle. Then you come up to the lava fields and hike to the spot where the current flows are coming up out of the ground. This tour was an absolute must and I was extremely happy that I did it. We were definitely worn out in the end, but it was all worth it. The guides were extremely friendly and polite. You could ask for anything better.
I would have given this five stars if it were not for the front office.

This is a must do tour. You hike through muddy and sometimes tough terrain but you get an up close view of active lava that few others due. This was the highlight of our trip.

This was one of the best experiences on the Big Island! The hike to get there is a little tough but do not pass this up! The hike is about 7 miles round trip according to our phone, through mostly ankle high mud (90% through the jungle, 10% on newly formed lava field). When we first got to the trailhead, we had an interesting interaction with a local lady that yelled at us and told us that going to the lava was illegal, but do not worry because if you do your research, Ahiu is the only company that can take you there because it’s part of their cultural experience as Native Hawaiians. They went to court and won the right to do this. Our tour guide was Chris, who kept us at a good pace, explained Hawaiian culture and stopped frequently to make sure everyone was doing OK. They provided us each with a backpack, a 6 inch subway sandwich, two granola bars, two big bottles of water and gloves. Once we were at the lava field, Chris found a safe way to get to the lava flow, where we spent an hour poking the lava, taking pics with the lava and even roasting marshmallows on the lava. In total our trip was around 6 hours, although Chris said we were faster than most groups. It was worth every penny. I would suggest if you read the reviews saying the hike is tough to just go for it, it may be a little tough but nothing the average hiker couldn’t conquer with a good mindset.
Suggestions: Bring your own waterproof hiking boots, Bring long socks or pants, Bring marshmallows. They are a little slow to return phone calls for reservations, but they will get back to you in a few days.

Mother Nature = 5 Stars. Tour = 2 Stars.
All in all, one of the most memorable experiences of my life, but unfortunately it was for the good AND the bad. The lava itself was amazing — to see Mother Nature making new land and be able to stand on is a once-​in-​a-​lifetime experience. Worth the effort to get there. BUT…
We recently completed the night tour with an alleged 1.5 mile hike (3 miles total) rather than the longer one referenced in previous reviews. I’m a fit hiker (completed 9 miles the day before) and this is not for the faint of heart. In fact, I think the difficulty of the hike was underplayed when we signed up and the distance is «as the crow flies» (my FitBit agrees). We went at night, in the pouring down rain, with a group of 7 plus the guides.
The hike is not an established trail, but a makeshift, meandering path that looks like it was cut through the underbrush with a machete. There are tons of trees, roots, old lava, rocks on the trail. While it is relatively flat, the obstacles, weaving nature of the trail, and the roots require constant attention/​focus. Do not hike with anything other than long pants, solid hiking BOOTS and preferably nothing in your hands. You will have to lift your legs up a lot, so think burning thighs. One guy in our group sprained his ankle on the tour.
By the time we arrived, we were covered in mud, our feet were soaked and we were wet from head to toe.
The problem with the event is the group that organizes. We arrived at 5:20 and didn’t leave until almost 6:30. It took over an hour to pack backpacks for 7 people with water, gloves, and snacks. That’s it. Would’ve been fine if we were getting training and information about the experience. Nope, nothing. We waited for those who didn’t show up which was a waste of time.
The bigger issue was the guides. During the 30 minute drive, our driver (and later guide) wondered out of our lane multiple times. It was incredibly nerve-​wracking. Then, our driver tailgated and got on the phone more than once. Bad enough when you can’t stay in your lane, but add the phone and tail gating to it… well, cover your eyes.
We arrived in a dude’s front yard, the launching point for the hike. I was very fast, but not the fastest on the hike. Multiple times found myself completely alone on the hike. The guide had bolted ahead with another hiker, and I was faster than the group behind me. I had to find my own way, select a path, go through the mini ponds that were up to my calves by myself. I couldn’t see their headlamps because of the vegetation. Every time I caught the guide, I found him smoking with another member of the group. Seriously? We paid to have a guide, got absolutely no information about Hawaiian culture, history, or information about lava AND had to find our own way because you need a smoke? Not acceptable.
In short, Mother Nature rules. If you are fit or fearful of getting lost, go on it. If not, then get on a heliocopter.

This was one of the most amazing things that I did… that I will never do again. That being said, I am glad I did it but probably would not have if I knew everything entailed.
My husband and I are fairly fit. We go hiking on a regular basis with our dogs… Hikes rated 5 – 7. The actual hike ended up up being 11 hours long, half of which was in the mud traversing across tree roots, etc. The other half was crossing through old lava flows and the steam beneath your footsteps or the hollowness of the tube you stepped on gave a sense of urgency to your steps. I would probably rate this hike a 10 based on sheer duration and skill needed. We came across a couple of skylights– an area that had sunken in giving a topical view of lava flowing steadily beneath. Someone roasted a hot dog; another threw their hot dog in and it instantly burst into flames. The hike was 12 miles round trip– approximately 6 miles through the muddy forest and 6 miles across the lava fields.
Pros: The guides were young and upbeat. I liked them a lot. Mike, our head guide, had interesting stories to tell of the outdoors. He had a really good work ethic. He, Akai (I hope I didn’t butcher the spelling of his name) and Pearl all tried really hard to make sure people on the trail had fun, carrying other people’s packs and going the extra mile. We had enough food and enough water. Most importantly, we got to see lava!
Cons: Ahiu contracts with other companies. We booked with another company that advertised that this tour would last from 9:00 am– 5:00 pm. We didn’t even know this was a whole other company until we were already on the trail. That being said, the entire group finished at 12:00 am. We arrived at the shop at 9:00 am. The tour lasted 7 hours longer than we thought it would! Also, if you’re not physically fit, this hike is going to be grueling for you. I really think that these two facts should be advertised up front so that people are well-​informed and can make a good decision based on their health and itineraries.
We would have given Ahiu a solid 5 stars if they left right at 9:00 am to start (we started the trail head at around 11:30 am), if they better informed us of what the schedule might be like and if the guides were slightly more knowledgeable about lava.

I went on the Lava Hike with my husband on 8−27−14 but had to turn back at the «shelter» because my (fit) husband was having a difficult time with the hike. Turns out the group I was with did not get to see Lava, which can occur since you are dealing with Mother Nature. We received a partial refund due to turning around.
Now, about the hike… Our guide was Izzy and the safety (sweeper) was Mikey.
Let me begin by saying I am an Ironman Triathlete, Ultra Runner since 1985, and 7 times Tough Mudder — this hike was STRENUOUS! It reminded me of doing a Tough Mudder minus the ice bath and electric shocks. The mud is knee to thigh deep, has suction so you exert a lot of energy trying to get your foot out, only to place the other foot in another mud patch. Probably 90% of the hike to the Lava is this. The obstacles are downed trees, roots submerged in mud, lava rocks to climb over, etc… The group was in packs — people did not stay together and you could not see the guide unless you were right behind him. It was kind of like a marathon where people get spread out and everyone is alone of just with one or two people on the trail, following foot prints in the mud.
The Lava Hike is no joke and is not for anyone who isn’t in top cardio condition IMHO and used to climbing over and around obstacles, which go on for hours. I enjoyed the hike even though I decided to turn around (at the shelter) to be with my husband. The shelter is about ½ hour before you get to the lava fields. We got back to Fernwood Rd. just before dark, and our group had to come back in total darkness, traveling the said trails I described with headlamps. If you do the hike, I personally recommend you be self sufficient and provide your own gear to play it safe. Izzy cut wooden walking sticks for us, but I would use a hiking pole if you have one. It was the first time in my life that I used a stick on a hike and was glad I had one, too! Mikey was a genuine sweetheart and stayed with my husband, who was at the back of the group. Mikey kept my husband moving, providing encouragement, telling stories, helping to navigate the tough terrain. I am grateful he was our sweeper. He is also is the nephew of the Ahui Lava Tour business owner; a genuinely good, kind young man who really cares about the safety of people he is entrusted with!
Izzy set the group at a pace I feel was too fast, I guess to be back before sundown. I feel I’m a good gauge of this since I have experience through all the years of trail runs, etc… I was able to keep up, but I think the pace set my husband up for failure. The group kept up going to the lava because they were trying to pace with the guide (instead of the guide pacing based on the group profile). I am betting they were hating life on the way back (LOL).
Would I do it again? Yes, maybe. Like this time I would wear my own backpack, have some snacks of my choice, headlamp, etc…) I would also wear water proof boots and pants and bring a under armor cold gear shirt in case caught in dark. My only concern is the Volcano Park Rangers were shocked when we went to Kilauea and I told them about the hike. I said we entered off of Fernwood Rd and they said the area was unstable and were surprised people were hiking that way. They said there are a lot of rescues for people who try to access lava through that access road with the dense tropical jungle /​rain forrest. I believe it based on what I experienced. I guess I would need to investigate this further to make an educated decision as to if it’s safe to go again or not. I would not be worried about the hike, but about getting trapped in a potential lava flow area. But the hike was fun and a memory maker. FYI the refund took about a week and they stop at Subway to get you a half foot long to pack. Snacks are granola bars (2), bag of chips, and 2 bottles (1.5 L) of water. My husband rented their boots for a fee and was glad he had them.
I will try to post photos when I get them off my phone of the hiking terrain. I even have a video showing the depth and suction power of the mud.

Amazing experience, terrible front office handling.
To start, the good: Provided the lava is flowing, they will get you to lava. And being inches away from lava is an experience you will never forget. Also, the guides that we had, Matt and Skippy, also get 5 stars. It was Skippy’s last day, so unfortunately he won’t be leading anyone out again (to Ahiu’s determent), but if you go out you should try and get Matt if you can. He’s a Paramedic/​Firefighter, an avid hunter, and literally cut the trail you take to see the lava. You definitely want him taking you through what will easily be the muddiest ‘trail’ you ever walk on in your life. He’s also been on the Big Island since the early 80’s and has many stories to tell of how the area has transformed.
Now, the bad: The trail. This is the price of admission, and it’s worth it, but this trail is not something I’d like to do again, and I like long hikes. Three miles in (and out) through at least ankle (and sometimes knee or thigh-​deep) mud, which feels like three miles on a stair master with weights strapped onto your thighs. You will hurt from this trip even if you’re in good shape. One word of advice: DO NOT WEAR ANYTHING BUT GOOD HIKING BOOTS AND HIKING SOCKS. DO NOT WEAR TENNIS SHOES. Trust me, your feet will thank you afterward.
Lastly, the ugly: The front office/​logistical handling of this outfit needs serious work. First, though I like that they provide you with gear, a lot of it is in disrepair (broken straps and cockroaches inside). Second, they do not provide you with enough water… the people on our tour that did not think to bring additional water were hurting (more props to Matt, who told everyone who would listen to take extra). Third, they seemed to be clueless about 1) The number of people on our tour, 2) when they were arriving, 3) how long we would wait before ditching them. As a result we left later than we needed to, which is a big deal since you want to avoid the mud trail after dark if you can.
In sum, this experience is extraordinary, I’d recommend it to anyone in shape enough to do it, and I’ll never do it again.

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my well-​traveled life. But, it is Not For Whimps!
Forget the tough hike through the mud, and the other minor complaints you see here. My God, you get to poke freshly flowing lava (!) and put yourself in danger! If that isn’t your cup of tea, then don’t take a seat at the table. Otherwise, you will have a great time.
They provide everything you need: gloves, headlamp for the hike out, walking sticks, lunch, water, snacks, a back-​pack (so you don’t ruin yours). Just wear boots and blue jeans.
You will never forget this experience. Just don’t do it unless you’re in good shape.

First some advice. Wear boots of some kind, the folks in the group that had tennis shoes struggled twice as much with trying to keep the mud from sucking them right off their feet. When you pack your backpack, take twice as much water as you think you’ll need. I had 2.5 liters and was wishing I’d had a 3^rd liter on the way out.
It’s not the hardest hike I’ve ever done, but it definitely ranks in the top 5. Three miles of climbing up and down hills with knee deep mud in between them. Branches snagging clothes and hitting people in the face.
Then 3 hours and suddenly the jungle just ends, as if someone drew a line marking out a border. It’s the lava field. The heat coming from it is so strong that at points you mustn’t stop moving or the rubber soles on your shoes will melt. After an hour poking the lava, turn around and reverse the trip in; except this time it’s in the dark!
The next morning after reviewing all my aches, pains and blisters; I had to ask myself if it was worth it? The answer is a resounding HELL YES! The adventure bordered on spiritual and the memories I will carry for the rest of my life.

five stars for a memorable experience. an 8 hour tour through some tough hiking conditions and being alone on miles and miles of active lava is definitely memorable.
the hike. is it enjoyable? if you enjoy experiences that test you mentally, and physically, and don’t need to feel clean for a few days, this is for you. It also depends on how fast the rest of your group is. This hike can turn an even more brutal turn if you’re waiting for the same members of your group. I recommend renting the boots they have in the shop and bringing a pair of socks that you can throw away immediately after. walking sticks at the start of the hike are absolutely necessary, don’t pass one up. snacks are nice and bringing an extra water is suggested because the tour lasts so long and it is so grueling.
makano was a great guide, very friendly and helpful. wish we could’ve heard a little more facts or history about the lava and the island or the folklore with pele. not the worst thing though.
you will get muddy and wet beyond any comfort level you’ve ever experienced. keep walking, keep trekking. don’t look for the easy way around. just keep walking.
the actual lava is special too. just to know that you’re seeing new rock being created and you can’t see in too many places on earth is cool. they guides let us be in control of how many flows we saw and how long we wanted to spend out on the field. which was nice.

This review is based solely on our guide and the company itself as getting up close to lava is an amazing experience that really can’t be rated.
First off, the company lied about the distance to the lava field so if they tell you it’s 2 miles, it’s really 4 each way. Just tell me the truth– I don’t appreciate being lied to as it makes me wonder what else is a lie. They provide you with a backpack full of snacks and water — if it’s warm out ask for an additional bottle as you will need it. If you have any dietary restrictions bring your own snacks — everything is sugar and simple carbs.
Ok so on to our actual tour guide… He introduces himself as having 18 publications or so. Ok cool, I’m gonna learn a lot… NOT! We get into the jungle and he makes it clear he doesn’t know anything about the forest and wants to make the trip as quick as possible so he can have dinner with his new wife. He proceeds to walk about ¼ of a mile in front of the group so technically it was just a group of us following a path. A few people fell and got cut up and asked for band aids. Our guide didn’t bring any first aid items at all BUT he had enough room for his cigarettes that he would light up every 20minutes. Even though he was way in front of the group, we would smell the smoke trail the entire way! Instead of fresh air, we had lungs full of cigarette smoke — I was gagging! When we got to the lava field, he stood away from the group and didn’t share any of his self proclaimed knowledge. The experience itself was awesome but they need more knowledgeable and responsible tour guides!

We went on the Ahiu guided lava tour about a month ago during a trip to the big island. We knew that the active lava areas were not visible from the volcano national park. so we wanted to get up close and personal with the lava. From what we could tell, this was the best, and it didn’t disappoint.
They take care of all the arrangements on the phone and when you show up they have a backpack, light, snacks, water, gloves, and poncho ready for you. The tour starts at 2 pm, but it’s a little drive out to the start of the hike. The guides will help you find a walking stick to help you keep your balance. Now, the hike itself is totally insane, and not for the faint of heart. It’s about 3 hours of hiking through the rainforest, where there is ankle deep mud, fallen trees, puddles, and a lot of up/​down and switchbacks. I’ve got to be honest with you, this is a pretty hard hike and not for the faint of heart. We were somewhat ill-​prepared, as we only had regular sneakers. I’d definitely recommend real hiking boots. Then it’s about another mile on the cooled lava fields to get to an area where the lava is actively coming out. All in all, you arrive at the lava around or just after dusk.
The lava itself is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It is so hot, that once you get within about 10 feet it starts to scorch your face and arms. You can stick your walking stick in the actively flowing lava, and the tip immediately catches on fire! Amazing, just to dip a stick in liquid rock and watch as it cools to a solid.
The guide themselves are totally legit. We had 2 guides for a group of about 13, with one leading the way and another bringing up the rear. We spent a fair amount of time talking to one of the guides, Tomas, a native Hawaiian who is pretty much an all around badass. When he isn’t guiding tours, hunting boar, surfing, or other stuff with the company, he does mixed martial arts training and fighting. At the time of our tour, he was still undefeated. Big ups to Tomas.
The worst part is the hike out. Because you’re starting at about 8 pm, and it’s another 4 hours of hiking, you don’t get back until midnight or so. I can safely say that it was one of the most exhausting experiences I’ve ever had. Well worth it though.
Overall, Ahiu provided us with one of the more amazing moments in my life. I’ll always remember it, and I don’t say that in many reviews on Unilocal.Definitely do it, but bring hiking boots!

this guided lava hike is definitely recommended if you are physically able to. when we went to Big Island, many of the National Parks were closed due to the government shut down and we were bummed that we werent going to be able to see any volcanoes. we were looking into taking a helicopter ride but decided on this lava hike instead, and it was so much more worth it! we met up at their store in town in Hilo. usually they have the whole group (about 15 people) to ride in a van to the site, but they asked our group of 4 if we could take our own car up. which was better cuz we didnt have to be in the van with 10 smelly people. anyway, even with the govt shut down, we were still able to go to the volcano since we were on a guided tour. they give you backpacks filled with snacks, a big bottle of water, leather gloves, pancho, and a headlamp. the guides were saying that they now only have one hike going out per day in the afternoon, so that when you get to the lava, it is sunset and you are able to see the lava glow and pictures come out so much better. we started at about 2PM and we hiked about 3 miles through the muddy rainforest. i would recommend high top shoes with good traction or hiking shoes, because youre going to be stepping in mud and it is slippery and just messy. prepare to get dirty! there is no way you will walk out of this hike without getting dirty. anyway, after 3 miles, you finally reach the volcano and where the cooled lava is. it is breathtaking. it is all grey and charcoly. you then have to put on the leather gloves because if you touch the ground, it is as sharp as glass. this is also another reason it would be good to wear high top shoes. i got some pieces of the lava glass in my shoes and it hurt so bad the whole hike back. before you start hiking on the cooled lava, the guides tell you to find thick branches to use as walking sticks and then we are lead out to the middle of the cooled lava. one of the guides went ahead to find where the lava was free flowing. you could feel the heat coming out of the ground on some parts and in some of the cracks you could see the orange glowing from the magma. it was pretty awesome. at times it would sprinkle and the steam came up from the ground. the guide said sometimes it might rain a lot and everything would become white because the steam would be so thick. good thing it only sprinkled while we were there. by the time we reached the free flowing magma, it was sunset. it was amazing to see the orange glow of the magma and feel the heat. we poked our walking sticks in the lava and it just bursts in flames. we spent quite some time out there but when it was time to head back, everyone put on their headlamps and headed back to the rainforest. then again 3 miles through the muddy rainforest. dont be stingy with your water and stay hydrated. the guides carry extra batteries for your headlamps. i think we changed ours a couple times on the way back. round trip it took us about 8 hours for the 7 ½ mile hike. we finally made it to the start of the hike at 9PM! it was pitch black and i was so exhausted. we were lucky it only sprinkled during the whole hike and started pouring only after we had gotten to our cars. it was an awesome experience and being able to come that close to the lava was worth it. im not sure if i would do it again, but would recommend to anyone if you are physically able to. The guides were really awesome and knowledgeable.
p. s. the only restaurant open at that time is Ken’s Pancake House (24 hours)!

I used Ahiu’s services about a month ago and I participated in their guided lava tour and it was definitely one of the most memorable activities during my time in Hawaii. There are 2 hike sessions that I can remember: evening and morning, but availability of those sessions are not daily. The company provided backpacks, water, snacks, headlamps, walking sticks and gloves. The tour starts after everyone drives individually down to Kalapana and several tour guides led our group to land lava after about 2.5 hours. The tour guides are helpful and informative so they made the trek more entertaining. The hike offers a choice of going to see lava that crawls on the surface about a mile away from the coastline or lava that enters the ocean along the coast. The guides told us that if we chose to go to the coast, we wouldn’t be able to get up close to the lava so most of my group chose to go see the land lava and that trek is around 2 hours longer roundtrip than the ocean lava site.
When we reached the lava, we had the opportunity to use our walking sticks as poking sticks and mess with the lava. One of the tour guides also let us use his small pickaxe to pick up some lava with it. If you decide to go up close to the lava, I highly recommend wearing long pants to protect from the heat because the lava exudes an unexpectedly large amount of it. The whole hike was pretty tiring and I’m a relatively fit 23 year old. However, I still would highly recommend this company to anyone visiting the big island and I personally think that this is a must for any newcomers that are somewhat adventurous.