Hawai’i
Environmental Service & Hawaiian Culture on the Big Island
With its incredible landscapes, biodiversity, and rich cultural heritage, Hawaii’s Big Island is the perfect paradise. This summer, experience the island’s remarkable ecosystems up close as you snorkel with manta rays off the Kona coast, explore the lush, tropical gardens and waterfalls of Hilo, and hike through inactive calderas and lava tubes in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. In Waimea and Pahala, learn the importance of the Hawaiian phrase Mālama ʻĀina, which means to care for and honor the land, as you engage in land-based service work with local nonprofit organizations committed to the protection and maintenance of the island’s natural areas and wildlife habitats.
- Highlights
• Work alongside Hawaiians to restore, maintain, and protect natural areas
• Hike through inactive calderas and lava tubes in Volcanoes National Park
• Stargaze atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s highest peak
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Meet your fellow student travelers and one or more of your leaders in Los Angeles, California, and fly together to Kona, Hawai'i. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Head northeast to Waimea, the home of paniolos, cattle ranches, and rolling grasslands. Get to know your group and participate in an in-depth orientation on your time in Hawai’i. Partner with a local nonprofit organization dedicated to understanding and preserving ancient Hawaiian agricultural practices as you help plant and harvest native crops, clear invasive species, and learn about the island’s many ecosystems and climate zones. Hike to a nearby cinder cone to catch a glimpse of the expansive Kohala Field System and learn about how our partners are working hard to revitalize and conserve this land for future generations. In the afternoons after service, head to the beach for a swim or venture out for a hike in the forest near your accommodations.
Travel to the Big Island’s lush eastern coast, dotted with waterfalls, tropical rainforests, and beautiful beach parks. Take a break from your service activities while you sample fresh fruits and local eats at Hilo’s world-famous farmer’s market. Learn about how ancient Polynesians used celestial navigation to discover the islands while you stargaze atop Mauna Kea. Head out of town to see the towering ‘Akaka Falls, and enjoy some downtime at the beach with your group before heading to your next stop.
Settle into your cabins less than a mile away from Kilauea Caldera, the most active and researched volcano in the world. Explore the park from the top of Kilauea all the way down to the coastline as you hike through dormant volcanic craters, venture inside old lava tubes, and hunt for ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs. While here, lend a hand to local Hawaiians and nonprofit organizations working to preserve and protect the coastline and wildlife of the vast, remote Kaʻū region. During your free time, head to Punalu’u black sand beach to spot sea turtles, visit a local coffee mill or historical sugar plantation, or participate in a Hawaiian imu ceremony and luau.
For the end of your program, head to the calm waters of the Big Island’s western coast. Visit the spiritual sanctuary of Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau to learn more about kapu, an ancient Hawaiian code of conduct. Soak up the last few days with your group as you explore the many shops, restaurants, and cafes of Kona town, and cap off your experience with a magical evening snorkel with manta rays, the gentle giants of the ocean.