Big Island Backroad Adventures

Private, All-Inclusive, Fully Customizable Tours of the Big Island  

Welcome to Big Island Backroad Adventures! We specialize in guided naturalist tours on the Big Island of Hawaii. Our private and all-inclusive tours allow you to personalize the way you want to explore Hawaii. We took the guess work out of what you might need on your Big Island tour, including meals and high-quality gear from trusted brands in all of our tours. Don’t be confined to a set schedule, or route, with a group of people that you don’t know! Let us do all the work and take you on a guided adventure that you will remember for a lifetime!

Ideal for families, a group of friends, wedding parties, honeymooners and more! Our guides will pick you up from anywhere on the island of Hawaii.

Big Island private tour vehicles displayed, a private SUV and private Mercedes van.

We offer tours to the following Big Island locations!

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Tours

Embark on an unforgettable journey into the fiery heart of the Big Island on a private adventure to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where every moment is meticulously tailored just for you.

Waterfall Tours

A beautiful rainbow created by the mist of the Wailuku River at Rainbow Falls.

Discover the Big Island’s waterfalls on a private adventure through the lush rainforests, breathtaking waterfalls, and stunning vistas that showcase Hawaii’s natural wonders.

Big Island

Shore Excursions

Ancient boardgames in Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park.

Enhance your cruise experience with our Big Island shore excursion tours, offering a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation in this tropical paradise.

Best of Kona shore excursion stop at Hapuna beach.

Explore the enchanting beauty of Kona, Hawaii, on our shorter duration local tours, designed for those who want to experience the best of the area without a full-day commitment.

Big Island

Hawaii birdwatching tour spotted the endemic I'iwi bird, the iconic scarlet honeycreeper.

Join us on a captivating birdwatching tour, where you’ll have the chance to observe rare and endemic bird species in their stunning natural habitats.

See What Our Guests Have Said!!

Big Island Backroad Adventures5.0
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11 months ago
Fantastic tour with Shawn. He is very knowledgeable and courteous. He let us change our tour a little and wowed us with his recommendations and stops. It was a fabulous way to spend time as a family and see so much of this beautiful island. We highly recommend Big Island Backroad Adventures! Thank you Shawn.
4 months ago
This was the most fabulous tour! I have been on another Circle Island tour before, but this one was much more enjoyable! Sean was so knowledgable about all things Big Island! We had 8 people on our private tour. We had plenty of room and got all our questions answered! Only thing missing is our pictures! I have not received them yet! If I could give infinity stars, I would!!!! Thank you for everything!
1 month ago
Highly recommend this tour company. Extremely good customer service, outstanding communication, and our guide Lisa was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the Big Island. Would book again!
3 years ago
Wonderful private tour - well worth booking
3 years ago
We did the Big Island tour with Shawn and had a wonderful time! It was a long day full of beaches, a volcano, and waterfalls. We were exhausted at the end of it all, but we really felt like we had gotten a wholistic view of the island. Shawn was amazing: safe driver, highly knowledgeable, and he made sure we were happy the entire time. There was even a Lovell local dinner at the end of the day! This private, customizable tour is a must for anyone who wants to get a personal feel of Hawaii.
2 years ago
We had a great time! The tour was super enjoyable and Shawn provided everything we needed to have a lovely day on the Big Island.
2 years ago
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!! We took the Full Circle Big Island Tour and were totally blown away by the experience! It was a long day, but from start to end Shawn kept us engaged, entertained, and educated. We not only got to see the wide range of ecosystems on the Big Island, but we did it in comfort and safety. Probably most important of all, Shawn was highly knowledgeable, engaging, and highly professional! Highly recommend this tour if you have a day to spare on the Big Island -- you won't be disappointed!!
3 years ago
Sean and Lisa provided us with an excellent wilderness hike though the Kona mountains. They were extremely informative about the plants, terrain and history of the Big Island. I highly recommend taking a wonderful nature hike with Big Island Backroad Adventure when visiting Kona Hawaii.
2 years ago
Shawn was an amazing guide! Our family did 2 private tours with him while we were in the big island, and couldn't be happier. It was amazing having time and location flexibility we needed, and Shawn was always super well prepared and shared amazing facts and knowledge about the island. It was also fantastic having real food from local restaurants at the tour (not just the usual cheap sandwich most tours provide) AND professional photography from Shawn which will be amazing for our family album. I couldn’t recommend Shawn enough!
2 years ago
Our whole island tour with Shawn, was the highlight of my trip to Kona. His knowledge of the big island is amazing. From coffee tasting first to dinner last, our whole day offered us many of the sights, sounds and delicious tastes of Hawaii that made our visit perfect. The photographs Shawn took are very professional. I appreciate that they were sent to us quickly and serve as great reminders of our special day. Thank you, Shawn
2 years ago
Definitely recommend this tour! Our guide Shawn was very knowledgeable and told us so much about the island of Kona that not only did we see alot but also learned alot. We were able to enjoy each attraction and were not rushed through any of it. A MUST DO if visiting Kona. Thank you Shawn for being there to help us create memories that will last a lifetime. :)
2 years ago
We had an amazing day as a family of four with Shawn! Communication was great for planning in advance and he was super flexible with our itinerary allowing us to personalize the waterfall/volcano tour. Shawn is very knowledgeable about the island and we learned a ton about plants and the behaviour of lava and the local culture. Shawn took us to great restaurants and made other good recommendations- even hooking us up with a last minute Manta Ray Tour for the next day. He is clearly very well connected on the island! Shawn’s vehicle was spotless and he had all the gear to keep us comfortable all day - and to allow us to really make the most of the day. Warm jackets and binoculars took the volcano viewing late into the evening to the next level. We got really lucky with an active eruption but it would have been a fantastic day either way. We highly recommend this company if you want to make the most of your time on the big island! Thankyou Shawn!
2 years ago
If you're looking for an unforgettable adventure on the Big Island, look no further than Big Island Backroad's Fire and Water Full Day Tour! This tour is an absolute must-do, offering a perfect blend of lush rainforests, towering waterfalls, and stunning active volcanoes. Our guide, Shawn, was phenomenal—extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the island’s natural wonders and history. From the moment we set off, we were impressed by the comfort and quality of the vehicle, which made the journey even more enjoyable. Shawn shared fascinating facts as we drove, making every moment informative and engaging. One of the best aspects of this tour was how Shawn tailored it to our needs. Whether we wanted to spend extra time marveling at a waterfall or explore the volcanic landscapes, he was more than accommodating. The all-inclusive nature of the tour meant we didn’t have to worry about a thing—everything was taken care of. As a small business, Big Island Backroad’s personal touch and attention to detail really stood out. Shawn made the experience feel personalized and intimate, unlike larger, more commercial tours. We left the day with a deeper appreciation for the Big Island’s incredible natural beauty and a lot of great memories. I highly recommend the Fire and Water Full Day Tour with Shawn for anyone visiting the Big Island. It's a fantastic way to see some of the island's most breathtaking sights, all while learning from the best in the business. Five stars!
3 years ago
Shawn and Big Island Back Road Adventures are wonderful, Very informative, highly recommended for your Big Island Adventures!! 5stars
8 months ago
Lisa is the best guide we have ever had in Hawaii and maybe anywhere in the world! Fun, energetic, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, unselfish, genuinely happy when things work out for her group. The complete package! Lisa alone is a reason we will go back to Big Island Backroad Adventures for whatever she wants to show us the length and breadth of the island.
10 months ago
We had an absolutely amazing private tour on the Big Island of Hawaii! Our guide (Lisa) was a marine biologist (with multiple other expertises) and incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating insights throughout the day that made every stop even more meaningful. They were wonderful with both adults and children and truly tailored the experience to our group. The tour was thoughtfully planned and very comfortable. The vehicle was spacious and had everything we needed for a full day of exploring. We were treated to great snacks and drinks along the way, and the picnic lunch was delicious and beautifully prepared—such a nice touch! We were a group of five adults and two children, and this tour was perfect for our family. It felt personalized, relaxed, and educational all at once. We highly recommend this tour to other families or anyone looking for a special, high-quality experience on the Big Island. This was truly a highlight of our trip!
10 months ago
Truly a wonderful tour! We had such a great time with our party of 10 and were able to enjoy a large family vacation with ease and see all the sights despite finicky weather! They accommodated vegetarian diet request with a picnic lunch and we had a very informative and beautiful day exploring the island
4 months ago
Our group of 8 is visiting Hawaii for the first time, with so much to do and see we found big island backroads adventures where we could explore most of the things on our list in a one day trip, thinking that if we wanted to see more we could take another day and visit a specific spot again if we needed to. We didn’t need to. Giving us more time to see even more of the island during our trip. Shawn was incredibly knowledgeable. Seriously, the information did not stop coming and it was perfect. We learned so much and had a great time doing so. We felt we got an amazing experience and did not miss out on anything. The whole day tour sounds long and daunting but it flew by. With the stops and the learning a huge array of information about the big island from Shawn we really feel it was worth every penny. The food was delicious and there was no shortage of snacks and drinks which were offered at every stop so we were never needing anything! The trip and the sights themselves were beautiful and Shawn let us know what was worth it and what are the best ways to experience certain spots so we really got to see the best of the best at each stop. It was awesome. One of our group had left a pair of sunglasses and Shawn was so kind to make another trip to our air b&b and get them back to us! 100% recommend, there is not one thing we wish had been done differently! Thank you so much Shawn!
10 months ago
Shawn guided us through the Volcano National Park and we cannot recommend him more highly. We had visited before but felt we needed someone who really knew the park to take us around to truly experience the majesty and the science. He did! For instance, at the Mauna Ulu Trail we saw a tree mold, a very long fissure and the lava field that resulted and tephra and reticulate. Highly recommend.
2 years ago
Shawn is excellent! Extremely knowledgable and passionate. Thanks for a great tour of the Big Island!
1 year ago
My wife, two daughters, and I did the Big Island Full Circle Tour, and it was amazing! Lisa was our tour guide, and she took excellent care of us throughout the day. She is extremely knowledgeable about the island — from its wildlife and diverse plant life to its unique microclimates and rich history. We experienced an immersive tour that truly captured the essence of the Big Island. As promised, Lisa picked us up from our resort and took us to all the major highlights, including a local coffee farm, a black sand beach, several waterfalls, an active volcano, and much more. Throughout the tour, Lisa was incredibly hospitable, kept us comfortable, and made sure we had everything we needed. She also customized the itinerary to match our interests, allowing us plenty of time to focus on what mattered most to us. We also had the chance to sample local foods, including a stop at Punaluʻu Bake Shop for some delicious malasadas. To top it all off, while we enjoyed dinner at an amazing farm-to-table restaurant, Lisa gave us great recommendations based on what we asked her for other things to do during our stay on the Big Island. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a complete, personalized experience of the Big Island.
8 months ago
We had a great time on the waterfall tour with Shawn. He is an absolute wealth of knowledge and we learned so much more on a trip around with him than we would have if we did it on our own. Very cool experience and I'd say if you can swing it, it's absolutely worth your time!
3 years ago
This was absolutely the best excursion we (myself, my husband and our adult daughter) did during our two week stay in Hawaii!! The highlight of our trip was spending the day with Shawn on the Water and Fire Tour. He is very passionate about all things Hawaii and his passion really shines through in the knowledge that he shares with you during your day. We really appreciated that he picked us up at our rental house, did all the driving and took pictures of us and everything we were seeing so we didn't have to worry about using our phones to take photos, and kept us fed and hydrated the whole day. He talked to us about the history of Hawaii, the legends and folklore, pointed out all the species of flowers, plants and trees, picked us fresh fruit, and pointed out all the different animals we saw through out the day. Sure you could see water falls and volcanos on your own but having someone talking to you about everything you are seeing and answering all your questions was priceless. I thought it would be awkward to spend so much time with a stranger but we said good bye to a new friend.
1 year ago
This is a great way to see all the highlights of Volcano National Park Our personal guide, Shawn, made sure we saw all the wonders of the park. And Shawn is knowledgeable about the park and ecosystem of the island so he could explain what we were seeing. If you want to maximize your experience at Volcano National Park this is the way to do it!
2 years ago
This was by far the best excursion we have taken! Shawn has knowledge of the plants, animals and geography like an encyclopedia. He shares so much interesting and sometimes fascinating insight throughout the day. It's like a real time David Attenborough! I highly recommend spending a few bucks extra for this private tour over one of the rinse and repeat bus or large van tours!

We specialize in bringing Hawaii to you through our private and all-inclusive guided naturalist tours. With just your group, we can take you to all those lesser known, off the beaten path destinations around the Big Island of Hawaii. We strive to provide an intimate and ultra-luxury experience while still maintaining that rugged adventure feel. Enjoy many amenities that you won’t find with other companies, such as our top quality provided gear from trusted brands like Patagonia and Nikon ProStaff. The island of Hawai’i is home to an array of landscapes, climate zones, and unique wildlife. Our high-quality provided gear helps you have the best Big Island tour experience from wildlife viewing, to hiking, or stargazing!

With our various travel options and customizable add-ons, you can tour the island in a full circle, encounter waterfalls, visit volcanoes, or visit a unique and lesser-known high elevation ecosystem. We carefully craft every trip option to provide a stimulating experience. Whether you’ve come to the Big Island before or we’re welcoming you for the first time, we promise adventure that will deepen your appreciation for this special place

Perhaps most importantly, we understand that an incredible tour begins with an incredible guide. Our private tour guides on the Big Island are top of the line educated biologists that have spent years living, researching and going to school in the Hawaiian Islands. They’ve worked all over the planet as expedition guides, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, South Pacific to Northern Europe and many places in between. They have a strong foundation in geology, botany, biology and cultural history with many diverse perspectives to share based on their extensive travel experience. When you book your personal tour with us, you can trust that your Big Island Hawaii tour guides will give you meaningful insight into everything you see.

Let us do all the work and take you on a guided adventure that you’ll remember for a lifetime!

Ready to Book a Tour?

We look forward to taking you on an amazing adventure!