Meet your fellow student travelers and one or more of your leaders in Los Angeles, California, and fly together to Kona, Hawaii. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.

Begin your program by settling into your Japanese-inspired house nestled among the macadamia nut trees of an active pick-your-own orchard. Get to know your peers and group leaders and have an in-depth orientation to become acquainted with Hawaii. Peer over dramatic cliffs at Ka Lae, the southernmost point in the United States. Explore thousand-year-old year old lava caves and tube systems once used by Hawaiians for water collection and shelter from the elements. Join service projects in protected areas to help restore critical habitat and native species that have lost ground to industrial farming and invasive species. Meet with Native Hawaiians and hear their stories of growing up on the island, learn words and phrases in the Hawaiian language, practice traditional chants, and take a hula lesson.

Travel to the wild eastern coast, where countless waterfalls and deep rainforest await, contrasting the semi-arid environment of the west. Visit Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano known as White Mountain for its snow-covered peak, rising over two miles above the ocean. Peer into Kilauea Caldera, the most active and researched volcano in the world. Learn how ancient Hawaiians navigated by the stars, visit the world-famous Hilo Farmers’ Market to sample fresh fruit, and discover incredible beaches and hidden waterfalls. Try your hand at outrigger canoeing and other Hawaiian cultural practices. Gaze at the stars with astronomers and learn how ancient seafarers were able to navigate from Polynesia to Hawaii across thousands of miles of open ocean without modern technology.

Cap your time on the Big Island by exploring the wild volcanic landscapes of the Kona coast. Dive into turquoise waters on snorkeling excursions, take a surfing lesson with professional guides, and go sea kayaking on the pristine waters of Kealakekua Bay. Ascend the slopes of Hualalai volcano, where world-famous Kona coffee is cultivated in the acidic lava rock, and participate in the cultivation of the beans. Reflect on your time together as a group, and present your independent project to your peers, enjoying a final celebratory meal.

Fly from Kona to Los Angeles with your group and a leader, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.