The trip to the summit of Mauna Loa is made from the crater of Kilauea and requires 4 days. It is necessary to make special arrangements for this trip. Full information may be obtained at the office of the Hawaii Promotion Committee in Honolulu. As the summit is nearly 14,000 feet above the sea and the trip is made on horseback and on foot, it should be undertaken only by those physically qualified.
The extinct volcano of Haleakala (elevation 10,032 feet) is best reached from Lahaina, on the island of Maui; time from Honolulu to Lahaina, 6 hours; distance 75 miles; fare $5.00 in each direction. From Lahaina the route is by automobile to Wailuku and Olinda, thence on horseback to the summit. The cost of the trip is as follows:—
| Automobile, Lahaina to Wailuku in each direction:— | ||
| 1 passenger | $4.00 | |
| 2 or 3 passengers, for party | 5.00 | |
| 4 to 6 passengers, each person | 1.50 | |
| Automobile, Wailuku to Olinda, round trip:— | ||
| 1 to 3 passengers, for party | 20.00 | |
| 4 to 6 passengers, for party | 25.00 | |
| Horses, guide and blankets:— | ||
| Each horse | 7.50 | |
| Guide | 5.00 | |
| Blankets at Rest House | 1.00 | |
Time required to make the ascent and descent is as follows:—
| Hours | |
| Auto from Lahaina to Wailuku | 1¼ |
| Ascent by automobile from Wailuku to Olinda | 3½ |
| Ascent on horseback from Olinda to Rest House at Summit | 3½ |
| Descent on horseback from Rest House to Olinda | 3 |
| Descent by automobile from Olinda to Wailuku | 2 |
| Auto from Wailuku to Lahaina | 1¼ |
As the crater of Haleakala is seen at its finest at sunrise and sunset, the best way to view it is to leave Wailuku in the afternoon, spend the night at the summit, and return the next morning. The automobile waits over night at Olinda for persons wishing to spend the night on the summit.
The hotels at Wailuku are the Maui, $3.00 to $4.00; the Wailuku, $2.50; and the Grand, $3.50 and $4.00. At Lahaina the only hotel is the Pioneer, $2.75.
The visitor to the crater of Kilauea will need only an overcoat in addition to the light summer clothing worn at sea-level throughout the year. For trips to the summits of Mauna Loa and Haleakala, the visitor should wear woolen underwear and other warm clothing.
There is no fishing in the Hawaii National Park, but there is excellent surf and deep-sea fishing along the coast of the islands.