(Order of events may vary and are subject to change)

  Day 1:

Stop at Rainbow Falls on your way to the Hotel;

  Day 2:

See the eruption update film at the Visitor’s Center

Visit the Jagger Museum, with displays of equipment used by scientists in the past to study the volcano, working seismographs, and an exhibit of clothing and gear from scientists who got a bit too close to lava.  The Museum has large windows which afford a sheltered view of the Kilauea Caldera and main crater, Halema`uma`u, when weather is inclement.  The overlook outside the building offers an incredible view of the volcano with interpretive displays about Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Walk Devastation Trail and see first hand the effects of the ’59 Kilauea Iki eruption; find Pele’s hair and Pele’s tears on the hike.  Pele’s poetic name is Ka wahine `ai honua, the woman who devours the land; she is both creator and destroyer. She throws molten fountains into the air, governs the great flows of lava, and has been known to reveal herself throughout the island of Hawaii. Pele is a goddess of fire, lightning, dance, volcanoes and violence.  Pele’s most notorious legend is the curse she puts on anyone disturbing or stealing from her home.  Each year thousands of pieces of lava rock are mailed back to Hawaii by guilty people all over the world who claim to have had horrible misfortunes since taking the rocks from Pele’s home and ask for her forgiveness

Stop at the beautiful Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, famous for its sea turtles.  The endangered Honu`ea (Hawksbill Sea Turtle) comes to shore on the main Hawaiian Islands to nest.  They lay multiple nests throughout the season with an average of 175 eggs per nest. Only one in 5,000 hatchlings survives to adulthood

Hike to lava viewing area if open & within walking distance

Drive through Lava Tree State Park if time permits; stop at the warm ponds for a dip!

Attend the ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ at Imiloa Astronomy Center (Friday nights only)

  Day 3:

Enjoy a stop at Waipio Valley overlook as we continue our cross-island tour

Fun in the sun and surf at Hapuna Beach, rated #1 in the world by Conde Nast

Explore Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center; interactive exhibits and videos tell the history of manned space flight, physics and daily life in space

  Day 4:

Swim with the Manta Rays, sometimes referred to as the ‘Butterflies of the Sea’.  Manta’s have no stingers & are completely safe to swim around

  Day 5:

Depart for Keauhou Bay

The cruise will offer a breakfast of assorted pastries, bagels, muffins, fruit, and juice on the cruise

 Enjoy a morning of cruising on a million-dollar catamaran down the Kona Coast to Kealakekua Bay & watch the dolphins ride the bow wave!

Snorkel in the pristine waters of an underwater marine sanctuary where you will see many varieties of coral, including pocillopora meandrina, porites lobata, and porites rus, plus a huge variety of Hawaiian reef fish

Enjoy a barbeque lunch on board - included

Snorkel at Kahalu’u Beach!- Snorkel gear rental included

 Enjoy a spectacular 22 course meal and luau with Imu Ceremony and Polynesian dancing at Ahu’ena Heiau, the former seat of government of King Kamehameha

  Day 6:

Visit the beautiful Kona Joe’s Coffee Plantation, the world’s first trellised coffee plantation (7a-4p)

Step back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries at the Kona Coffee Living History Farm; learn the history behind Kona’s historical coffee crops and farms (open M-F 10a-2p only)

Visit Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Park; learn about the ancient Hawaiians.  Step back in time to a sanctuary of Hawaii’s past where traditional Hawaiian lifestyle is preserved.  Ancient temples and ki’i (wooden images) whisper stories from the past.  This place provided refuge to Hawaiians who came here.

See Hawaii’s famous Painted Church.  Father Velghe, a self-taught artist, painted the interior walls of the church.  His three dimensional interior painting was inspired by the gothic cathedral of Burgos in Spain.  His painting of scenes from the bible and the lives of the saints were very important teaching tools in a time when many people couldn't read

  Day 7:

Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden.  At the Garden, you will see over 200 species of plants that grew in the traditional farms and native forests of Kona before Captain Cook arrived in the late 18th century.  There are endemic, indigenous, and Polynesian introduced plants.  These include the most important plants in Hawaiian culture, such as taro and kukui, and scores of rare and endangered native species such as the beautiful koki‘o.  In this site you will walk among the stonework features of the Kona Field System, a 50 square mile network of farms and gardens that dominated the landscape in the time before foreign contact.

  WELCOME HOME!

  Custom Performing Travel programs include:

Roundtrip air transportation to Hawaii (upon request)

Traditional lei greeting & snorkel gear included

Motorcoach transportation while touring & driver’s daily tip

Airport transportation handling and baggage fees

Quality accommodations based on quad occupancy for students & double for adults

Breakfasts each day   Lunches optional  Dinners each day

One 24 hour-a-day trip leader per motorcoach

Complimentary travelers included as per your request

All admissions, taxes, and gratuities per itinerary

Insurance and financial protection, including Errors and Omission insurance

Tiered pricing note: Tiered pricing gives you a smaller price per student as your group grows to fill more of your bus. At about 90 days before travel, we review your group for tiered pricing. Counting those who are on schedule with payments, we will decrease your price if you’ve reached a lower tiered price. Trips are usually billed on a higher tiered price. We hope for price decreases, rather than increases. Should you reach a lower tier, you and your group may decide to add something to the trip rather than have a price decrease. If there are overpayments, they are refunded before the trip travels.

  EXCLUSIONS:

• Rollaway beds
• Transportation to/from an your local airport
• Meals not indicated in the itinerary (airline meal allowance can be included at your request)
• Airline baggage fees; excess or oversized baggage fees (allowance can be included at your request)
• Music equipment rental fees and transportation (allowance can be included at your request)