Our volcano tours visit the Thurston Lava Tube in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Megan Shute for Only In Your State on a Hawaiʻi cave that is located near the National Park.
From lava tubes formed by volcanic eruptions to coastal caves carved by the ocean, the Hawaiʻian Islands are home to countless incredible caves. There is no cave, however, more impressive that Kazamura Cave. Located near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, this cave is not only full of ancient mysteries, but it is the longest and deepest lava tube in the entire world. You can even organize a tour through this otherworldly cave for an unforgettable adventure you’ll never forget.
Let’s dig in, shall we?
Found on the eastern slopes of Kilauea Volcano — which has been constantly erupting since 1983 — is Kazamura Cave, a massive lava tube that originated from the nearby KIlauea Iki Crater approximately 500 years ago.
One of Kazamura Cave’s entrances was designated as a fallout shelter in 1966, marking one of the cave’s earliest documentations. By the early 1970s, the cave was brought awareness in the caving community when Francis Howarth, a Hawaiʻian entomologist, discovered new troglobitic invertebrate species. A decade later, the cave was surveyed by a British expedition that discovered seven miles of the cave.
It wasn’t until 1993, after an entire year of surveying, that Kazamura was established as the longest-known lava tube in the world, measuring in at approximately 40 miles long and 3,600 feet deep.
Most people don’t know, however, that the cave wasn’t always this expansive. As a matter of fact, Kazamura Cave has been connected to various lava tubes in the area over the last few decades. The cave atlas lists 101 entrances to the cave, though all are found on private property, and entrance to the cave is considered trespassing. There is one company, however, that offers tours of the great Kazamura Cave.
The extensive cave system contains all kinds of lava formations,including lava falls, blades, tubular stalagtites, stretched lava, and even lava plunge pools. Because little of the cave has been thoroughly explored, it is within these walls that you will find ancient mysteries date back hundreds of years.
This natural treasure is virtually unknown by the outside world.
