A visit to Maui is widely seen as incomplete without an ascent up its unique natural wonder — Haleakala volcano. Peering into its craters is a view into another world, where the red Martian landscape, mixed in with other unexpected colors, are dotted with cinder cones from multiple past eruptions. Although dormant for hundreds of years, it is still technically active and is the only non-extinct Hawaii volcano not on the Big Island.
This volcano above the clouds also provides breathtaking bicoastal views of Maui from a vantage point of around 10,000 feet and even of the Big Island on clear days. Your tour guide will share the fascinating geological history of Haleakala, and how it connects with Maui and Hawaii’s broader history as entirely formed by volcano eruptions. They will also point out some of the tropical birds and plants special to Hawaii and lead your group on walks to various lookout points.
The tour will also visit picturesque Iao Valley, one of the majestic entrances to the other volcano that makes up Maui. This older volcano, now most commonly referred to as the West Maui Mountain, illustrates how the land transforms as the eruptive phase fades away and erosion takes it toll, with its lush green rainforest and jagged peaks providing a vivid contrast to Haleakala. The towering cliffs and Iao Needle landmark provide a dramatic photo backdrop to complement the moonscape of Haleakala and provide lasting memories of this day exploring Maui’s iconic volcanoes.
Availability
After operating successfully as a private tour for many years, a shared tour version has now launched in late 2024, starting with Mondays with a particular focus on the weekly Pride of America (POA) cruise ship stop on Maui. However, there are plans to add additional days of the week in 2025, as well as a sunset version, for non-cruise ship visitors, and those who cannot do our Monday tour are encouraged to check back or submit our form here to be contacted. Please also use this form for any Mondays that are not currently showing as available so we can add you to the waitlist.
As rated on :
Maui Revealed guidebook:
Haleakala: "A Real Gem"
The beauty is hard to describe, but it’s unlike any other place we’ve been. Adjectives that describe it include desolate, wondrous, arid, majestic, colorful, harsh, peaceful, vast, spiritual, exciting, scary, ancient.
Haleakala Sunrise Experience (not our daytime tour):
We bring our ski clothes, gloves and a wool cap, and still, we sometimes get cold. The temperature rises quickly when the sun does.
Iao Valley: “Not Too Be Missed!”
A peaceful, beautiful valley
Fodor's guidebook:
Haleakala:
From the tropics to the moon! The chance to witness this unearthly landscape is reason enough to visit. The volcanic terrain offers an impressive diversity of colors, textures, and shapes—almost as if the lava has been artfully sculpted. The barren landscape is home to many plants, insects, and birds that exist nowhere else on earth.
Iao Valley: "Fodor's Choice"
When Mark Twain saw this park, he dubbed it the Yosemite of the Pacific. It is a lovely deep valley with the curious Iao Needle, a spire that rises more than 2,000 feet from the valley floor.
Lonely Planet guidebook:
Haleakala:
To fully experience Maui – or at least peer into its soul – make your way to the summit of Haleakala. This amazing park is all about interacting with this mountain of solid lava and its rare life-forms, some of them found only here. Often referred to as the world's largest dormant volcano, it's a phenomenal sight like no other in the US national-park system.
It's a good and super-smooth paved road, but it's steep and winding, often with no barrier and a sheer drop on one side, and it can often be foggy.
Haleakala Sunrise Experience (not our daytime tour):
Temperatures hovering around freezing and a biting wind are the norm at dawn. If you don't have a winter jacket (ski wear) or a sleeping bag to wrap yourself in, bring a warm blanket. However many layers of clothes you can muster, it won't be too many.
Iao Valley: "Top Choice"
The scenery is dramatic, with sheer peaks soaring in all directions and with stunning views of the valley and Wailuku.
The shared tour is designed to be an easy sightseeing tour. In general, there will be short walks to lookouts, such as the Kalahaku overlook. Note: some of these lookouts may have stairs, although usually there are some viewing areas that don’t require stairs.
All guests should be able to get in and out of the vehicle on their own (or with the help of others in their party, but not dependent on the guide/driver). There is space for 1 collapsible wheelchair or walker, which should be noted with your booking but will not be provided by the tour. This tour is not a fit for fully handicapped guests. Walking sticks/poles can be provided as requested.
For those who want longer walks/hikes that may be on uneven ground, have stairs, and/or have some steepness, a private tour is recommended, since the shared tour will likely be more limited in this regard, depending on the guests on that particular tour. The tour does have a hiking permit with the National Park, unlike many of the larger tours that are not allowed to use the trails, and could otherwise do at least a portion of any of the accessible trails in the Park, time permitting, such as Hosmer’s Grove, Sliding Sands, Halemau’u trailhead, and/or Leleiwi overlook.
In general, it will be on a spacious and comfortable Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tour van, which handles up to 11 passengers, although smaller private tours with less than 6 may be on the Mercedes-Benz Metris minivan.
Although there is flexibility for the lunch venue for private tours, generally the shared tour will stop at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery in Kula (Upcountry) with stunning views of Maui. Guests order and pay on their own from the menu. Guests may also choose to purchase local products, including vodka made from local sugar cane and deep ocean mineral water; note: per Pride of America policy, alcohol would need to be stored separately by the ship for pickup when the cruise has ended.
In addition, throughout the day, the tour includes drinks (juices, soda, and water) and snacks, as well as hot beverages (hot chocolate, tea, and instant coffee) for the cooler temperatures when near the top of Haleakala.
For the shared tour, there is a minimum age of 4. Private tours do not have a minimum, although younger children may not be a good fit for the tour since it’s a long day of driving, in addition to the altitude gain from sea level to around 10,000 feet. However, a private tour can be personalized to be shorter and not go as high.
The tour can provide 1 booster seat; otherwise, parties are responsible for providing and installing booster/car seats for younger children.
In general, due to the limited National Park permit, there is only 1 van that goes out per day, so you should be on the same van. Nevertheless, there is a question at checkout asking if there are associated parties booking separately so we know the bookings are linked.
The tour operator has been running private customized tours for groups since 2016, and it is rated 5 stars on the main third party review websites. Starting in December 2024, TravelShack has partnered closely with them to develop an optimized standard itinerary and a shared small group tour to allow more people to have a VIP experience, with easy booking through TravelShack. We also offer a private tour option. In 2025, we plan on expanding beyond just Mondays to other days of the week for those not on the Pride of America cruise ship.
The operator's name and phone number will be provided with your detailed confirmation email. They are one of the select group of operators with a National Park permit to be able to offer guided tours of Haleakala.
One of the primary guides is Wendy, who has lived on Maui for over 15 years, 9 of those working at Haleakala including as a Park ranger.