Terms and Conditions

Effective date: Sept 6, 2026
Last updated: Sept 6, 2026
 

These Terms and Conditions apply to the Volcanoes Hiking Guides website and to experiences booked directly with Volcanoes Hiking Guides LLC.
 

They should be read together with the information and policies applying to your reservation, including:
 

• The Booking & Cancellation Policy

• The Privacy Policy

• The description of your selected experience

• Your booking confirmation

• Preparation and participation requirements

• Meeting instructions

• Any additional written terms clearly presented during booking
   

If you reserve through an independent booking platform, that platform’s terms may also apply to your payment, cancellation, refund and booking management.
 

Definitions

In these Terms:
 

• “Volcanoes Hiking Guides,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Volcanoes Hiking Guides LLC.

• “Guest,” “participant,” “you” and “your” mean a website visitor, booking customer or person participating in an experience.

• “Experience,” “tour” and “hike” mean a guided service provided by Volcanoes Hiking Guides.

• “Booking contact” means the person who makes or manages a reservation for themselves or others.
   

Booking for Other Participants

One adult may make a reservation for several participants.
 

The booking contact is responsible for providing accurate information needed for the reservation and sharing relevant information with everyone included in the booking. This may include:
 

• The selected experience

• Date and start time

• Meeting instructions

• Physical requirements

• Clothing and equipment requirements

• Cancellation and rescheduling terms

• Safety requirements

• Applicable participation rules

The booking contact should be authorized to provide information about the other participants.

When a participant is a minor, the parent or legal guardian must complete any required permission or participant documents. If a minor will be accompanied by another responsible adult, Volcanoes Hiking Guides requires written authorization from the parent or legal guardian.

Booking Confirmation

Submitting a contact form, asking a question or discussing availability does not create a confirmed reservation.

A direct reservation is confirmed after the required booking and payment steps have been completed and a confirmation has been issued.

Please review the confirmation carefully and contact us promptly if any information is incorrect, including:
 

• Guest name or contact information

• Selected experience

• Date or start time

• Number of participants

• Group or private booking type

• Price

• Included services
   

Keep your booking confirmation and the latest instructions from Volcanoes Hiking Guides available before your hike.
 

Prices and Payment

The price displayed during booking applies to the experience, date and booking arrangement selected at checkout.

Review the complete price and any separately disclosed taxes, park charges, booking fees or other costs before authorizing payment.

Payment, cancellation, rescheduling, booking-credit and refund rules are explained in the Booking & Cancellation Policy applying to your reservation.
 

If an obvious pricing, availability or technical error affects a confirmed reservation, Volcanoes Hiking Guides will contact the booking customer and review the available options. Depending on the circumstances, those options may include:
 

• Honoring the confirmed reservation where reasonably possible

• Correcting the price with the customer’s agreement

• Offering another suitable experience

• Cancelling the affected reservation and providing an applicable refund

Nothing in this section limits rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Cancellations, Rescheduling and No-Shows

Rules concerning cancellations, rescheduling, late arrivals, missed hikes, booking credits, company cancellations and refunds are provided in the Booking & Cancellation Policy.
 

The policy applying to a third-party marketplace reservation may differ from the policy for a direct booking. Review the terms shown by the platform and included with your confirmation.

Tour Descriptions and Duration

Volcanoes Hiking Guides makes reasonable efforts to describe each experience accurately. Descriptions may include:
 

• Approximate duration and distance

• General terrain

• Typical features

• Current inclusions

• Physical requirements

• Group capacity

• Meeting arrangements

The actual route, distance or finishing time may vary because of group pace, rest stops, weather, parking, trail conditions, park restrictions, volcanic conditions or safety considerations.
 

Photographs show previous conditions and experiences. They do not guarantee that the landscape, weather, volcanic activity, wildlife or visibility will look the same on the date of your hike.
 

Routes and Natural Conditions

Volcanoes Hiking Guides operates in changing volcanic and outdoor environments.
 

We do not guarantee:
 

• Active or visible lava

• Lava fountains or volcanic glow

• A fixed route or viewpoint

• Clear crater views

• Access to a particular lava tube or volcanic feature

• Wildlife sightings

• Particular weather or air-quality conditions

• Access to every location shown or described online

A route may change because of:
 

• Volcanic activity or gas

• Air quality

• Weather

• Trail, road or park closures

• Construction or parking limitations

• Park instructions

• Group ability or pace

• Another legitimate safety or access consideration

The absence of visible lava does not, by itself, prevent a guided hiking experience from operating.

Any cancellation, credit or refund resulting from a material change is governed by the applicable Booking & Cancellation Policy.
 

Guest Health and Readiness

Each participant is responsible for reviewing the physical requirements of the selected experience before booking.
 

Contact Volcanoes Hiking Guides before booking if you are uncertain whether an experience is suitable because of:
 

• Mobility or balance

• Fitness or walking endurance

• Respiratory health

• Heart or circulatory conditions

• Recent injury or surgery

• Pregnancy

• Food or environmental allergies

• Required medication

• Another concern relevant to participation

Information provided to Volcanoes Hiking Guides helps us discuss the experience and practical preparation. It is not medical advice or medical clearance.
 

Guests should obtain advice from an appropriate healthcare professional when uncertain about their ability to participate safely.

If you have an accessibility or mobility requirement, review our Accessibility Statement and contact us before booking.

Clothing, Water and Personal Equipment

Guests are responsible for arriving with the items required for their selected experience. Depending on the hike, these may include:
 

• Suitable closed-toe footwear

• The required amount of water

• Weather-appropriate clothing

• A warm layer

• Sun protection

• Personal medication

• Applicable park-entry information or pass

Volcanoes Hiking Guides may provide additional equipment, snacks or meals where stated in the tour description.

Refer to the What to Bring on a Volcano Hike page and your booking instructions for the preparation requirements applying to your experience.
 

A guest who arrives without an essential item or cannot meet an essential participation requirement may be unable to join the hike. Any resulting refund, credit or rescheduling decision is governed by the Booking & Cancellation Policy.
 

Guide Instructions

Participants must follow reasonable instructions given by their guide for the safe and responsible operation of the experience.

Instructions may concern:
 

• Route and group movement

• Pace and rest stops

• Weather or volcanic conditions

• Air quality

• Trail and park closures

• Wildlife and cultural resources

• Photography

• Food and waste

• Emergency procedures

• Returning to the meeting area

Remain with the group unless your guide instructs otherwise.
 

Tell your guide promptly if you:
 

• Feel unwell

• Become injured

• Need medication

• Are struggling with the terrain

• Cannot safely continue

• Lose contact with another participant
   

Guest Conduct

Guests must behave respectfully toward guides, other participants, park employees, other visitors, wildlife and natural or cultural resources.
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides may refuse or end a guest’s participation when conduct includes:
 

• Threatening, abusive or harassing behaviour

• Serious intoxication or impairment

• Refusal to follow reasonable safety instructions

• Leaving an approved route without permission

• Entering a closed or restricted area

• Feeding or deliberately disturbing wildlife

• Damaging natural or cultural resources

• Damaging company or park property

• Creating an unreasonable safety risk

• Interfering with the guide’s ability to manage the group

• Seriously violating applicable park rules

Any refund, credit or rescheduling treatment in these circumstances will be handled under the Booking & Cancellation Policy and applicable law.
 

Minors

Age requirements vary by experience.
 

An adult responsible for a minor must:
 

• Provide accurate age information

• Select an appropriate experience

• Supervise the minor during the hike

• Make sure the minor follows guide instructions

• Complete required permission and participant documents
   

When the accompanying adult is not the minor’s parent or legal guardian, written permission from the parent or legal guardian is required. The parent or legal guardian must also complete any required participant documents.
 

Park Rules and Protected Resources

Guests participating in experiences within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park must follow applicable park rules, closures, barriers, signs and ranger instructions.
 

Guests must not:
 

• Remove rocks, plants or other natural objects

• Feed or deliberately disturb wildlife

• Enter closed or restricted areas

• Damage trails, signs or structures

• Disturb cultural or archeological resources

• Alter route markers

• Leave food, litter or other waste behind

More detailed guidance is available on the Conservation & Leave No Trace page.

 

Personal Property and Lost Items

 

Guests remain responsible for their belongings, including phones, cameras, bags, clothing, medication, glasses, keys, money and identification.
 

Tell the guide promptly if an item is lost during the experience. Volcanoes Hiking Guides cannot guarantee that an item lost on a trail, lava field, forest or other outdoor area will be recovered.
 

Recovered property will normally be kept for one month. When shipping is possible, the guest is responsible for the shipping cost. Items that remain unclaimed after the holding period may be donated.
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides Equipment

Equipment provided by Volcanoes Hiking Guides must be used responsibly and returned at the end of the experience.

A guest who intentionally damages or fails to return company-owned equipment may be charged the reasonable cost of repair or replacement, subject to applicable law.
 

Transportation and Independent Travel Plans

Guests are responsible for arranging reliable transportation to the confirmed meeting point and allowing enough time for:
 

• Traffic

• Road conditions

• Park entry

• Parking

• Meeting-point access
   

Unless specifically included in writing, Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not arrange or provide:
 

• Flights

• Cruises

• Hotels

• Rental vehicles

• Rideshare transportation

• Independent meals

• Other tours

• Personal travel schedules
   

Any remedy resulting from a change or cancellation by Volcanoes Hiking Guides is governed by the Booking & Cancellation Policy. Guests should consider their own travel arrangements and applicable travel insurance when planning expenses outside the booked hike.

Third-Party Services and Booking Platforms

The website may use or link to independent services for booking, payments, maps, reviews, social media, government information or other functions.
 

These may include FareHarbor and independent booking marketplaces.
 

Third-party providers operate under their own terms, privacy policies and technology systems. Reservations made through an independent marketplace may be subject to that marketplace’s booking, payment, cancellation and customer-service procedures.

Personal-information practices are explained further in the Privacy Policy.
 

Website Information

The website is intended to help visitors learn about Volcanoes Hiking Guides and compare available experiences.

We make reasonable efforts to keep the information accurate and current. However, information involving weather, volcanic activity, park closures, trail access, roads, parking, government fees and visitor services can change.
 

For a confirmed reservation, the latest direct instructions from Volcanoes Hiking Guides take priority over older website content or outdated search results.
 

The website is not a substitute for:
 

• Emergency instructions

• Medical advice

• Current government alerts

• Official park closures

• Your current booking confirmation
   

Acceptable Website Use

The website may be used for lawful purposes, including researching the business, comparing experiences, contacting us and making a legitimate reservation.
 

Visitors must not intentionally:
 

• Attempt unauthorized access

• Introduce malicious code

• Disrupt the website

• Submit fraudulent reservations

• Impersonate another person

• Violate another person’s rights

• Collect protected information without authorization
   

We may restrict website access when reasonably necessary to protect the website, the business or other users.
 

Intellectual Property

 

Text, branding, logos, graphics, design elements, photographs and other original materials created or owned by Volcanoes Hiking Guides are protected by applicable intellectual-property laws.
 

Some photographs and other materials are used with permission from guides, guests, photographers, stock providers or other contributors. Those materials remain subject to the rights of their respective owners and should be credited where required.

Visitors may view website content and use reasonable information for personal trip planning. Website materials may not be copied, republished, sold or commercially exploited without appropriate permission.
 

National Park Service materials and other third-party content remain the property of their respective owners.
 

Photography and Commercial Projects

Guests may take personal photographs and video when permitted by the guide and applicable park rules. Photography must not interfere with group movement, safety, wildlife or protected resources.
 

Advance written permission from Volcanoes Hiking Guides is required before using its name, logo, guide likenesses, proprietary materials or company-created content in commercial advertising, paid productions or other professional promotional projects.
 

Independent permits or permission from the National Park Service or another rights holder may also be required.
 

Reviews, Testimonials and Guest Content

Guests generally retain ownership of photographs, reviews, feedback and other original content they create.
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides may publish guest-created content when the guest has provided permission or when another lawful basis for publication applies. Providing content does not automatically transfer all ownership rights to Volcanoes Hiking Guides.
 

Photograph permissions and the handling of personal information are explained in the Privacy Policy.
 

Participant Forms

Guests may be required to complete participant, parental-permission, photo-authorization or acknowledgment-of-risk documents applying to their selected experience.
 

Required forms must be completed before participation. A parent or legal guardian must complete applicable documents for a minor.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to remove or restrict a legal right or responsibility that cannot lawfully be waived or limited.

National Park Service Authorization

Volcanoes Hiking Guides operates independently from the National Park Service.
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides is authorized to provide applicable commercial hiking services in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park under its current Commercial Use Authorization.
 

This authorization does not mean that the National Park Service sponsors, recommends or endorses Volcanoes Hiking Guides. The National Park Service is not a party to a guest’s reservation with Volcanoes Hiking Guides.
 

Responsibility and Legal Rights

Volcanoes Hiking Guides will provide its services in accordance with applicable law and the terms applying to the reservation.

Guests remain responsible for losses or damage resulting from their own unlawful conduct or intentional damage, subject to applicable law.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or restricts a right or responsibility that applicable law does not allow the parties to exclude or restrict.
 

Resolving a Concern

Contact Volcanoes Hiking Guides if you believe there is a problem involving:
 

• Reservation information

• Payment

• Tour description

• Cancellation or refund

• Guest-conduct decision

• Website information

• Another service issue
   

When contacting us about a reservation, please provide your booking name, confirmation number, tour date and a clear description of the concern.
 

We will review the available information and make a reasonable effort to respond. Nothing in this section prevents a consumer from exercising rights available under applicable law.
 

Governing Law

These Terms and direct reservations with Volcanoes Hiking Guides are governed by applicable federal law and the laws of the State of Hawaiʻi.
 

Nothing in these Terms removes mandatory consumer protections applying to a particular transaction.
 

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, it will be limited or removed only to the extent required. The remaining provisions will continue to apply where legally permitted.
 

No Waiver by Delay

If Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not immediately enforce a provision in one situation, that does not prevent the company from enforcing an applicable provision in another situation.
 

Complete Booking Agreement

For a direct reservation, the agreement may include:
 

• The confirmed tour description

• These Terms and Conditions

• The Booking & Cancellation Policy

• The booking confirmation

• Applicable preparation and participation requirements

• Any separately agreed private-experience terms

• Other terms clearly presented and accepted during booking
   

The Privacy Policy explains how personal information is handled and does not replace the commercial terms applying to a reservation.
 

Changes to These Terms

Volcanoes Hiking Guides may update these Terms for future website use and future reservations.

The current version will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Terms applying to an already confirmed booking will not be materially changed after purchase unless:
 

• The guest agrees

• A controlling third-party policy applies

• The change is required by law or a government authority
   

Contact Volcanoes Hiking Guides

For questions about these Terms or an existing reservation, contact:
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides
Email: volcanoeshikingguides@gmail.com
Phone: (808) 491-9022
Website: https://www.volcanoeshikingguides.com
 

When contacting us about an existing reservation, include the booking name and confirmation number where available.