A supreme study in contrast, taking you to two very different environments where plants and birds found nowhere else on earth reveal an evolutionary epic of the islands.
At Pu'u La'au, you will be whisked to nearly 7000 feet on the western side of Mauna Kea, the tallest volcano in the World, where you will disembark to take in the spectacular views and roam a sub-alpine dry land forest, home to numerous endemic birds. For the ornathologists, this includes the endangered palila and the bryani sub-species of elepaio. Although the terrain is somewhat uneven, the hiking is easy. The main interest is in sighting the critically threatened palila, but there are two other endemics of note to be found: the Hawaii amakihi, and the local species of the Hawaii elepaio (noted for the white feathering on their heads).
Next stop is the Pu’u O’o trail, a “cloudforest” habitat located at 6,000 feet on the northeastern slope of Mauna Loa on the windward side of the island. Forest birds will serenade you as you wind through three to four miles of sometimes rough lava trail, crossing over the 1855 and 1881 lava flows. The guides will be concerned with spotting the endangered akiapola'au, oma'o (Hawaiian thrush), i'iwi, and apepane, among others.
Although principally concerned with bird-watching, the mind is often distracted by the spectacular vistas and verdant forest making it a secondary activity! For those who are interested in nature on any level this is a superbly executed tour providing a rare opportunity to witness plants and birds found nowhere else on earth.
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