Compare Mount Rainier Inn-Based Tour by Wildland Trekking vs Honolulu Hawaii Experience 7D/6N by Bamba

Day 1

Accommodations: Historic National Park Inn

Shuttle to trailhead: 2 hours

Hiking Mileage: 4-8 miles

Elevation Gain/Loss: 1700-3000 feet

This Mount Rainier hiking tour begins with pick up at your hotel in Olympia. From there we will shuttle to Mount Rainier for an amazing first day! Today we explore shimmering alpine lakes, abundant wildflower blooms, and tumbling waterfalls on the shoulders of North America’s most famous volcano. Mount Rainier stands at 14,411 feet tall, and is the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States.

We will start our hike near scenic Narada Falls, before climbing gradually through gentle forests and abundant blueberry bushes. We will climb past the beautiful Reflection Lakes, aptly named for their stunning mirror image reflection of Mount Rainier, up to Faraway Rock with panoramic views of lakes and mountains below. After wrapping up our hike we will check in to our lodging at the historic National Park Inn, and then have time to stroll down the Wonderland Trail just outside the door, or to relax on the veranda with views of Mount Rainier. After a delicious dinner, we will enjoy the stars outside or take in a ranger talk at Longmire or Paradise.

Day 2

Accommodations: Historic National Park Inn

Hiking Mileage: 5-8 miles

Elevation Gain/Loss: 1700-4000 feet

The second day’s hike takes us through the famous Paradise Meadows of Mount Rainier, a subalpine wonderland of flowers and fragile meadows. We will head up the Skyline Trail towards Glacier Vista, with its panoramic views of the Nisqually Glacier, and then continue upward. A full day - and a lot of elevation - will take us to Camp Muir, the basecamp for mountaineers aiming to summit Rainier, at over 10,000 feet. We will turn around when we want to, aiming first for Panorama Point, secondarily Camp Muir. On our way we will keep an eye out for marmots, pikas, mountain goats, and more, while absorbing views of Mount Rainier and beyond. If the weather cooperates, we could get views of Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams, three of the other major stratovolcanoes in the Cascades range. Our return will take us past the braided Myrtle Falls, and finally back to the vehicle and the main lodge. The Paradise area of Mount Rainier is full of human history, and we will have a chance to explore some of it as we poke around the Paradise Lodge and the Visitors’ Center.

Day 3

Hiking Mileage: 4.7 miles

Elevation Gain/Loss: 700 feet

Shuttle to Olympia: 2.5 hours

Our final day includes both our highest point on the trip and the least elevation gain. We will drive counter clockwise around Mt. Rainier until we reach Sunrise, the highest point accessible by car. With stunning access of the north-eastern side of the mountain, rare tundra, and abundant views, Sunrise is not to be missed. We will head out towards the Burroughs Mountains, a series of three mountains on a ridge just below Rainier, and hike past alpine lakes and dramatic overlooks of the Emmons Glacier. We will keep our eyes peeled for parties of climbers traversing the glacier in the distance. Delicate plants and snowfields that remain through late summer accompany us back to the car. We will enjoy a final picnic lunch during our hike or at a scenic locale on our way back to Olympia. Eventually we will return you to your hotel in Olympia and say our good-byes, knowing we've had an unforgettable 3 days!

Day 1: Honolulu, United States

Day 2: Honolulu, United States

Day 3: Honolulu, United States

Get ready to embark on an incredible downhill bike ride through Oahu’s mountain road with epic views above Waikiki, Honolulu and Manoa Valley
The trail is located on sacred land and offers visitors a different and unique glimpse of the island
During the 5-mile ride, you will be accompanied by a guide who will tell you the area’s cultural history as you discover diverse landscapes
When you reach the grassy park at the bottom, it's a short drive to Kewalo Basin for your 2-hour catamaran sail.
Leave your shoes for a snorkel to explore underwater while you keep an eye out for colourful reef fish
Enjoy some time to go swimming and snorkelling
To bring the day to a close, you will be transported back to your Waikiki hotel.

Day 4: Honolulu, United States

Day 5: Honolulu, United States

Get ready for the ultimate experience to soak up all the beauty and culture of Hawaii in just one day! After being picked up in Waikiki, you will be swept away to the island’s most breathtaking landmarks and destinations, including the spouting “Blow Hole,” and the renowned Kualoa Ranch, which is nestled against the stunning Koolau Mountains
Start your sightseeing tour with the Diamond Head, A 200,000-year-old defining volcanic structure formed in the Honolulu Volcanic Series
It’s a worldwide symbol of the Hawaiian Islands! Afterwards, visit Kahala Estates, a large concentration of some of the most expensive real estate and beachfront properties in Hawaii in which many celebrities and business moguls vacation homes.
Continue with the Halona “Blow Hole” Lookout and see how this volcanic lava tube propels water into the sky like a whale’s blowhole! Make a stop at the Waimanalo Town, a quaint, scenic town is known for its local flavor and numerous plant nurseries and agricultural lots that extend back toward the Koolau Mountains, followed by another stop at the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, the bewitchingly scenic lookout was also the site of the Battle of Nuuanu, one of the bloodiest conflicts in Hawaiian history
It was here that Kamehameha I conquered the island of Oahu on his quest to unite the Hawaiian Islands.
Get ready to visit the amazing Byodo-In Temple, a picturesque Buddhist temple tucked in the Valley of the Temples, is a half-sized replica of the 900-year-old temple in Japan
It has been featured in the TV series Hawaii Five-O, Magnum P.I., lost and the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor
Then, go to Chinaman’s Hat, the basalt islet in Kaneohe Bay, is shaped curiously like a hat
According to Hawaiian mythology, the island is formed from the remains of a giant lizard or dragon’s tail that was chopped off and tossed in the ocean.
For the final part of this amazing tour, get to know Kualoa Ranch to enjoy the Legends and Legacy at Kualoa Ranch Private Nature Reserve owned by eight generation descendants of Fr
Gerritt P
Judd. On 4,000 acres, it is one of the most sacred places on the island, with their goal to protect and enhance the natural beauty of the lands
The Laie Hawaii Mormon Temple, which is the first temple built by the Latter Day Saints Church outside the continental United States, this beautiful complex features breathtaking lush tropical gardens of Hawaiian foliage and flowers, cascading water features and more.
Last but not least, visit the North Shore Surfing Beaches, the surfing mecca of the world! Watch out for the massive waves that have attracted so many surfers to its shores
These beaches are also a popular area for filming
Finish at the Dole Plantation, Hawaii’s “Pineapple Experience,” see pineapples from all over the world and try the delicious Dole Whip ice cream. (Approximate 20 min stop.)
*Please note that hotel pick-ups are between 6:45 a.m. – 7:25 a.m.

Day 6: Honolulu, United States

Enjoy a sunset cruise specially created for fun-loving people! On this cruise, it doesn't matter if you come alone or accompanied, here you will find the best party partners while enjoying our famous "Holokai Hooch" cocktail
All drinks are included during the cruise! Give yourself a moment to relax with a refreshing drink while you enjoy an incredible sunset.

Day 7: Honolulu, United States

Transfer from Honolulu to Honolulu