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Monday, February 19, 2007
Explore
Volcanoes National Park
After
careful consideration of the various (read: not many) tour operators
that leave from Kona (most go from Hilo) we have come to the
conclusion that: we're doing it ourselves!
The reasons for this just make better sense...
1) Cost:
The lowest priced volcano tour we could find is $155 for adults and
$120 for kids. There is one other that is $80 but it is mainly an
island tour that drives through Volcanoes National Park, but doesn't
spend any considerable time there. If we go on our own, the
admission price is (drum roll please) $10 per car! Yes, I said per
CAR!
2) Time: It is a 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive from Kona to Kilauea
visitors center on Hwy 11 South. If we were to go on a tour, we'd
have to endure a much longer route just to get to the park,
reducing the amount of time we have to spend there.
3) Flexibility: A tour leaves Kona at (yikes!) 5:30 or 6:00am
and drops off at 6:30pm, meaning we leave the park no later than
4:00pm. Though we'd want to leave early in the morning, probably not
that early. We will also have the flexibility of staying as long as
we want, especially if we are going to try to view lava after
sunset, when it's at its most colorful.
4) Food: A tour provides us with a muffin, coffee or tea and
banana for breakfast and a deli sandwich, chips and drinks for
lunch. "Eh brah, I no like one muffin and banana, I like one loco
moco!" or whatever else we choose to pack/pickup on the drive down
(spam musubi, Irene?). Just don't let me catch anybody with a deli
sandwich! (Okay, okay, if you insist.)
5) Tours:
There are many types of ranger-guided tours available at the
park. A schedule of tours is posted daily at the visitors center and
we can decide what we want to do. Much of the park is also
self-guided through drives with scenic hikes and lookouts along the
way, such as Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road, which drops
3,700 feet over 20 miles down to the ocean where the lava pours into
the sea.
So
basically, we'll caravan down in whatever number of rental cars is
comfortable for the group that we have and enjoy the day on
our own terms. Tour operator?! We don't need no stinking tour
operator!
Oh yeah,
stay away from that orange stuff, it's hot.
For more info, check here
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