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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2 years ago
This was an AWESOME tour! Shawn was wonderful. Nice and personalized fire and water tour. We absolutely loved it! Best way to see the island volcanos and waterfalls. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
1 year ago
Shawn was a terrific guide for our day of sightseeing on the Big Island. He is friendly and super knowledgeable about the island's history, and as an added bonus even took high quality photos during the course of the day. Highly recommended!
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.
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.
3 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!
3 years ago
I reserved 2 days tour with Shawn, 1 day to Volcano National Park, and another day to Mauna Kea. From the beginning approach, Shawn is a very detailed person to explain and arranges the schedule flexibly, which makes me feel relieved even just through the email. During the trip, Shawn well-organized everything and cared for my elder parents. Shawn is very erudite and willing to share knowledge with each other, and I can sense that how much he loves the island and his job. The volcano and lava geology are one of a kind in the world, through Shawn's guide, undoubtedly lets our tour has depth in Big Island. We had a wonderful and fruitful tour with Shawn, and we can't wait to visit Big Island again! Mahalo Shawn :)
8 months ago
Thoughtful, educational and fun - everything you want from a tour. Shawn was an amazing and entertaining guide on our tour of the black sand beach and Volcano National Park. We learned so much about Hawaii culture and ecology, and having a guide in the Volcano National Park is *the* best way to really understand what you're seeing (and in the case of the steam vents, feeling). Our comfort and interests were always taken into consideration. And we got a nice set of photos at the end (Shawn took them and sent them to us post-tour). Highly recommended!
10 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.
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!
3 years ago
Shawn and Big Island Back Road Adventures are wonderful, Very informative, highly recommended for your Big Island Adventures!! 5stars
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
3 years ago
The only way to do land tours on the big island!! Spent the day exploring the Volcano park. So customized, and very accommodating. Shawn has a wealth of knowledge as a very experienced guide. The adventure vehicle is SO nice and comfortable! Clean and packed with snacks. We really appreciated the details of this tour; from the microphone he has connected into the sound system so you don’t miss the information on the drive, to the quality outerwear provided in multiple size options. Everything is so dialed. Thank you Backroad Adventures!!
3 years ago
7 months ago
Very easy to book a tour on their website and communication with Shawn was a breeze. The tour itself was everything we wanted - a relaxed day visiting waterfalls around the island and then the National Volcano Park with excellent driving by Shawn. The restaurant he selected for lunch was perfect for our dietary needs and the restaurant for dinner has the the best view! I would highly recommend booking a tour with them if you're looking for a private tour of the island!
3 years ago
Incredible Day! Shawn was an incredible guide who listened to what we wanted and provided so much information about the sights and experiences we had. The vehicle was super comfortable, and the time we spent driving was never boring thanks to the good conversation and the beautiful views. We would absolutely recommend this experience, and I’m sure the other tours they offer are just as awesome
7 months ago
Our family's private tour with Shawn as our guide was beyond our expectations. Having a knowledgeable guide makes all the difference! Spotlessly clean and comfortable transportation, amazing waterfalls, a tasty lunch in the park, volcanoes and steam vents and lava tunnels! With a sunset dinner at the Volcano House.
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.
9 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!
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
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!
7 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
Our family did the private, full day water and fire tour. My husband and I agreed this was the best tour we’ve ever done. Sean is great at what he does; he is so knowledgeable about the island, a true naturalist. There was no question he couldn’t answer. He has thought of everything: comfortable expedition with plenty of room, pick up at our resort, microphone headset so everyone can easily hear him speak in the car, amazing lunch and dinner provided at local restaurants, in depth and interesting commentary about the island, included photos he took for us throughout the tour, and plenty of drinks and snacks. I was worried that a full day tour would be too long, but Sean kept our interest throughout the day, talking to us and showing us amazing sites. My favorite moments were the short hikes through the jungle to the waterfalls and volcanoes, walk through a lava tube, and feeling the steam of the steam vents. We stopped at a local food stand for lunch that was a highlight of our trip. We would have never found this on our own. They had such fresh food; we loved trying their freshly picked Hawaiian fruit, including passion fruit, papaya, and fruit smoothies. I am sure you will not be disappointed with any of Sean’s tours.
2 years ago
Amazing tour! Shawn was fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgable and very accommodating. We got a glimpse of the lure and culture of the island as well as the beauty! The locations we saw were breathtaking. The food we ate was top notch. The snacks and drinks Shawn provided went above and beyond what we anticipated. I highly recommend Big Island Backroad Adventures!
2 years ago
Highly recommend Big Island Backroad Adventures! We were traveling with a group of 6 people and our entire group loved this tour. Our guide, Shawn, was amazing.
3 years ago

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!