We start the day by heading straight up to the summit of Haleakala, Maui’s 10,023-ft volcano. It’s often chilly up there, between 20 and 40 degrees less than at the coastline, so don’t forget your hoodie and/or jacket!
We take our time at the summit to marvel at the amazing moonscape-like scenery, peer into the “crater,” catch sight of the Big Island’s Mauna Kea across the channel, and find the unique silversword plant. We can stop at several lookout points to get different views. If we’re lucky, we may come across a pair of resident Nene, which is the threatened native Hawaiian goose and the official state bird!
Afterward, we could go for a short forest walk to find our colorful endemic birds—if you’re a true birder though, we recommend you book our dedicated Birding tour.
We then make our way down the mountain and recommend a stop for a farm-to-table, no-host lunch at either the Ocean Vodka Cafe or the popular Cafe O Lei at the Mill House, located at the Maui Tropical Plantation. During whale season, a great alternative is the Seascape Restaurant at Ma’alaea harbor, as you can whale watch while having lunch. But ultimately, the lunch location is up to you, so let us know if you have a preference!
In the afternoon, we start our Iao Valley tour (pronounced Ee-ya-oh) and spend some time strolling at the base of towering green cliffs, see the famous Iao Needle. We may dip our toes in the fresh, cold stream, and check out the cultural gardens at Kepaniwai Park.
We offer the option of starting later in the day, so you can experience the Haleakala Sunset, in which case we would start at Iao Valley, then head to Haleakala Summit. Sunset option is available by request: please give us a call to inquire about availability.
