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A supreme study in contrast, the Rainforest and Dryforest Adventure takes you to two very different environments. At Pu'u La'au, we roam the sub-alpine dryland forest on the west side of Mauna Kea, home of the endangered palila and the bryani sub-species of elepaio. Our other locale is the Pu'u O'o Trail, in a cloudforest habitat on the northeastern slope of Mauna Loa. There we look for the endangered akiapola'au, oma'o (Hawaiian thrush), i'iwi, and apepane, among other endemics. On the drive to our two primary locales, we head north along the coastline briefly before starting the climb upslope to the old Mamalahoa Highway, keeping an eye out for open country birds. From there we'll connect to the Saddle Road and begin car-birding, primarily for game birds and the Pueo, or short-eared owl. Depending on the weather, we'll stop for a bit of breakfast somewhere along this stretch of road, often Mauna Kea State Park at Pohakuloa. 11 hours roundtrip from our Headquarters in Kailua-Kona. Available weekdays only. Rated Easy to Moderate. Ages 8 & up. “the
trip was a delight from start to finish, never 
Price: Adults: $165. + tax Full-Day Adventure Tours include: Pickup from selected locations, mid-morning Snack with Kona Coffee, Tazo Teas, Fresh Fruit and Pound Cakes, Deli Lunch with Beverages, Daypacks, Bottled Water, Binoculars, Walking Sticks, Warm Wear, and Raingear. Group Size: Tours are limited to a maximum of 10 guests. Restrictions: Guests should be able to hike on uneven or rocky terrain. We sometimes encounter cool, wet, or muddy conditions. Other tour restrictions may apply. Payment:
Cash, Travelers Checks, Visa, MasterCard and American Express accepted.
The RainForest: Our destination is the Pu'u O'o Trail, a historic cattle drive route, located at the 6,000 foot level of Saddle Road on Mauna Loa's northeastern flank. This is the windward side of the island, and is often cloaked in misty clouds. It is enchanting to be serenaded by the forest birds as we make our way over three to four miles of sometimes rough lava trail, crossing over the 1855 and 1881 lava flows. Up in the ohia and koa canopy, i'iwi, apapane, amakihi, omao, elepaio, and the elusive akiapolaau, with its unique multipurpose beak, are some of the avifauna we hope to spot along the way.
The DryForest: At the Humu'ula hunter check-in station just off Saddle Road, we go into the Kaohe Game Management Area and four-wheel it to nearly 7000 feet on the western side of Mauna Kea. The track leads to a locked gate that is the entrance to the Mauna Kea Forest Preserve, and there we disembark the van and take in the spectacular views. Then we get down to some serious bird watching on foot in the mamane-naio forest. Although the terrain is somewhat uneven, the hiking is easy here. We are particularly interested in sighting the critically threatened palila, which feeds almost entirely on the green pods of the mamane tree. There are two other endemics of note to be found here: the Hawaii amakihi, and the local species of the Hawaii elepaio (noted for the white feathering on their heads). You'll be profoundly amazed at the unique beauty of both of theses habitats, and come away with a true appreciation for this island's diversity and its astonishing evolution.
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