If you know me you know that the Big Island of Hawai’i is my favorite part of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. This is the heart of Hawaiian history and culture, a land of INCREDIBLE landscapes and nature, and my home away from home. I’m excited to share MY version of the Big Island with you! (this includes camping)
Activities and destinations include some of my absolute favorite Big Island spots:
- Hapuna Beach Recreation Area
- Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park and Honaunau Bay
- Papakōlea Green Sand and Punaluʻu Black Sand Beaches
- Hilo’s Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls State Park
- Mauna Kea stargazing
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, hiking some of my favorite trails **hopefully there will be an active eruption!
I’m thrilled to get to share this experience with great friends and friends-yet-to-be!! I am running this Big Island group trip through TrovaTrip, which is a well established company known for connecting people with other fun folks for not-your-average trip.
Save your spot and view the complete itinerary here!
Please note: This is a participatory camping trip, in which all travelers will be assisting in setting up camp and cooking meals. We will teach you the best methods for quick set up and take down of tents and will lead the cooking, providing clear instructions and oversight. If you’ve never set up camp or cooked outdoors before, this is the perfect opportunity to learn under expert supervision! (and me in the outdoors is me at my finest. Ha ha ha!)
Please note: We are unable to accommodate vegan diets, and we cannot guarantee the absence of cross-contamination during meal preparation. Because this is a mixed company trip where we mildly rough it together, to guarantee absolute vegan or gluten-free-ness isn’t possible.
When: April 19-25, 2026
Our trip begins in Kailua-Kona on April 19, 2026 so any Big Island group trip participants need to arrive to Kona International Airport (KOA) by this day. I recommend arriving a day early (staying on your own) to be sure you don’t miss the start of our trip.
We end the Big Island group trip back in Kailua-Kona on the afternoon of April 25th, 2026. I recommend adding another night so you can join me for nighttime manta ray snorkeling and have a little more time enjoying the town and sights of Kailua-Kona.
- Suggested arrival: April 18, 2026
- Suggested departure: April 26, 2026
- Arrival/departure airport: Kona International Airport KOA
How Much is the Group Trip to the Big Island of Hawai’i?
Cost is always the question before what the itinerary is. I feel like we’ve built out this trip at a great price point for the experiences and overall destination.
- Early bird: $2508 USD
- Standard: $2758 USD
Is this is good deal? Yes, I think so. If you’re planning a Big Island trip on your own, in addition to building out your itinerary and booking things yourself, you also will have bigger costs to go along with it. Because we’re doing a camping trip, we get to enjoy the outdoors of Hawai’i with quite the savings. Hotel stays in Kailua-Kona, Captain Cook or Hilo ten to run $280-$400 per night so taking this approach makes the trip as a whole much more affordable.
Based on many trips to the Big Island, the average cost for a hotel-based trip runs about $3800 for a single or $4550 for a two person trip (double occupancy). Everyone travels differently though, so you may run much higher or come in on your own a little less than this figure. BUT you don’t get to enjoy the group experience or go hiking with ME. Again, you do the type of trip that’s right for you.
What’s Included in the Big Island Group Trip
I wish I could say that this is a luxury trip inclusive of spa treatments and a flower lei around every corner, but it’s not. It is a solid itinerary full of fun, it’s budget friendly, and it includes some wonderful experiences. The Big Island of Hawai’i is very different from Maui or Oahu, so this trip includes activities that showcase that side of Hawaii.
Here’s what’s included in the cost of the trip:
- 1 night hotel accommodations in Kailua-Kona at the Royal Kona Resort (I love it here)
- 2 nights of camping w/ gear in Captain Cook (Kona Coast)
- 3 nights of camping w/ gear in Hilo (Hamakua Coast)
- transportation from starting point to all destinations and back to starting point
- all breakfasts and dinners, all but two lunches
- all scheduled group activities (there are additional optional ones too)
- admissions to Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hapuna Beach Recreation Area, and Akaka Falls State Park
Remember, we’re doing a camping trip on the Big Island of Hawai’i, so we get to experience things differently than if you were doing a hotel-based itinerary.
What Additional Costs are There?
The trip within the scheduled Big Island group trip dates includes nearly everything you can think of: accommodations, 16 meals, on-island transportation, activities… The additional costs outside of the price tag include:
- flight to/from Kona International Airport (KOA)
- transportation to/from KOA to meeting point
- two lunches during the trip
- any additional nights’ accommodations
- any additional activities (including planned bonus activities if you want to participate)
- any additional “night out” snacks, beverages, Uber/taxi or unplanned costs
- any souvenirs you want to purchase
Ultimately, I’ve chosen this itinerary and this organizing company because it’s so solid with putting together a great Big Island group trip that’s inclusive of so much.
Save your spot and view the complete itinerary here!
What other questions do you have? I’m happy to chat about the Big Island of Hawai’i anytime, so if you need more information about this group trip, tips for finding great flights to Kona International Airport or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Please email me at rob@2traveldads.com with any inquiries so we can plan an amazing Big Island adventure together!