KapohoKine Adventures

What KapohoKine Adventures does

KapohoKine Adventures is a privately held adventure tour operator headquartered in Hilo, Hawaii, that designs and sells guided excursion experiences on the Big Island of Hawaii. Founded and led by Tony DeLellis, the company operates with 11-50 employees and serves three primary customer segments: individual leisure travelers to the Big Island, organized groups of eight or more guests, and cruise line shore excursion passengers. Its portfolio spans approximately twelve tour products across volcano experiences (Evening Volcano Explorer, Elite Volcano Hike), astronomical tours (Maunakea Stellar Explorer), aquatic adventures (Historic Hilo Bay kayak tours), full-island circumnavigation (Big Island Circle Tour), and customizable private van tours, departing from Hilo, Kona, and Kohala/Waikoloa.

The company's distinctive technical capability centers on observational equipment rather than software: large-aperture Dobsonian telescopes with fast focal ratios for wide-field deep-sky viewing, complemented by state-of-the-art solar viewing telescopes for daytime observation of solar flares, sunspots, and prominences. Tour guides hold National Park Service certifications in volcanology, geology, and Hawaiian history; the team includes individuals who created and operated the Mauna Kea Visitor's Center for a decade, plus published astronomy writers. The company is one of only eight Hawaii Island operators certified by the Hawaii Ecotourism Association, holds Travelife Partner status, and operates a sub-brand, Zipline Through Paradise.

Revenue is generated through transactional per-person ticket sales ranging from $79 for kayak tours to $262.90 for premium volcano hikes, with private group tours priced up to $1,839 for up to ten guests. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via FareHarbor (with direct booking offering up to 30% savings), supplemented by a dedicated groups sales team handling bookings of 8+ guests with volume-based discounts of 10-25%, and a referral network including Body Glove Cruises, Island Breeze Luau, Hawaii Productions, Hilo Ocean Adventures, and Sunshine Helicopters. Channel partners include Princess Cruises (Best Tour designation) and Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America. Pricing is pay-as-you-go with no subscription or recurring revenue components.

Name

KapohoKine Adventures

Legal name

KapohoKine Adventures

Website

https://kapohokine.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KapohoKine Adventures is a privately held Hilo, Hawaii-based tour operator offering guided adventure excursions on the Big Island — including volcano tours, stargazing, kayaking, and circle-island tours — serving individual travelers, groups, and cruise line passengers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Off-Road & Overland Adventure Tour Operators (4x4, ATV/UTV) (THAAADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Adventure & Expedition Experiences (Custom Hikes, Safaris, Backcountry) (THAJALAG)

Keywords

• Adventure tour services
• Volcano tours hawaii
• Stargazing excursions
• Guided outdoor recreation
• Eco tourism operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Adventure Tour Tickets: Direct ticket sales for guided adventure tours including volcano tours, stargazing excursions, circle island tours, kayaking adventures, and private van tours. Revenue is transaction-based with per-person pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KapohoKine Adventures is an outdoor recreation company that sells guided adventure tours on Hawaii's Big Island, departing from Hilo, Kona, and Kohala. Its core offerings include volcano and national park tours, Mauna Kea stargazing experiences with professional Dobsonian and solar telescopes, circle island excursions, kayaking, and customizable private van tours. Tickets are sold per person, primarily through the FareHarbor booking system embedded on the company website, with an additional direct-to-consumer group sales function for parties of 8 or more.

Product overview

KapohoKine Adventures operates a portfolio of adventure tour products centered on Hawaii's Big Island, specifically volcanic, cultural, and nature-based experiences. The core offerings include volcano-focused tours (Evening Volcano Explorer, Elite Volcano Hike, Maunakea Stellar Explorer), island circle tours, kayak adventures, and private customizable van tours. Tours depart from three primary locations: Hilo, Kona, and Kohala. The company uses FareHarbor for booking integration and operates as a sustainable tourism operator certified by the Hawaii Ecotourism Association and as a Travelife Partner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zipline Through Paradise: A related adventure brand operated alongside KapohoKine Adventures offering zipline tours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ five-star reviews on TripAdvisor

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Body Glove CruisesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBody Glove Cruises offers snorkeling, whale watching, and dolphin adventures in Kona. Cross-promotional relationship where KapohoKine Adventures recommends Body Glove as an activity option.
• Hawaii ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHawaii Productions is described as Big Island's best Polynesian production company. Mutual referral relationship for combined cultural experiences.
• Island Breeze LuauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIsland Breeze Luau, winner of Best of West Hawaii Award, operates as a complementary activity recommended alongside KapohoKine tours.
• Hilo Ocean AdventuresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHilo Ocean Adventures is described as the leading dive shop on the NE side of Hawaii's Big Island, positioned as complementary adventure option.
• Gathering of the Kings LuauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuau experience recommended as an additional activity for visitors booking with KapohoKine Adventures.
• Sunshine HelicoptersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to provide helicopter experiences as part of Make-A-Wish fulfillment for Cody Peaty's family adventure.
• Norwegian Cruise Line / Pride of AmericacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America crew partnered with KapohoKine Adventures for the Make-A-Wish experience, indicating an ongoing cruise line tour relationship.
• Ka ʻUmeke Kaʻeo Hawaiian Immersion Public Charter SchoolminorOthersTransportation and educational partnership supporting forest excursions for Hawaiian immersion students to learn about sustainable forestry.
• Hawaii Ecotourism AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification body that certified KapohoKine Adventures as one of eight sustainable tourism operators on Hawaii Island.
• Travelife Sustainability SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational sustainability initiative that granted KapohoKine Adventures Travelife Partner status for sustainable tourism practices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Hawaii Forest & Trail: Hilo-based nature and adventure tour operator offering volcano, rainforest, and night-manta tours on Hawaii Big Island. Directly competes with KapohoKine in small-group guided nature adventures targeting the same eco-conscious and experiential traveler segment.
• Mauna Kea Summit Adventures: Hilo-based tour operator specializing in Mauna Kea summit and stargazing excursions. Direct overlap with KapohoKine's Maunakea Stellar Explorer product, serving the same astronomy tourism niche from the same departure geography.
• Big Island ATV: Off-road ATV and UTV adventure operator on Hawaii Big Island offering guided trail rides. Directly competes with KapohoKine's Mauna Kea Trails ATV and Polaris Razors experiences in the motorized adventure segment.
• Kilauea Eco Adventures: Volcano Village-based small-group adventure and educational tour operator focused on Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and surrounding ecosystems. Competes directly with KapohoKine's volcano hikes, lava viewing, and cultural interpretation offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Roberts Hawaii: Largest Hawaii-based tour and ground transportation operator offering island-wide bus tours, shuttle services, and excursions across multiple islands. Competes broadly with KapohoKine for cruise line shore excursion contracts and FIT bookings, but at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Discover Hawaii Tours: Multi-island Hawaii tour operator offering guided excursions from major resort areas including Big Island volcano and circle island tours. Competes for similar FIT and cruise passenger demand as KapohoKine across a wider geographic portfolio.
• Polynesian Adventure Tours: Established Hawaii-wide tour operator offering circle island, volcano, and Pearl Harbor tours across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Big Island. Overlaps with KapohoKine's circle island and volcano tour products but with broader multi-island scale.

Others

• Body Glove Cruises: Kona-based operator offering snorkeling, whale watching, and dolphin adventure cruises. KapohoKine cross-promotion partner; overlaps with KapohoKine in adventure tourism from Kona departure points but specializes in water-based activities.
• Hilo Ocean Adventures: Leading Hilo-based dive shop offering scuba, snorkel, and ocean adventure tours. Listed as a KapohoKine cross-promotional partner; competes indirectly for water-based adventure bookings but operates in a distinct category (water vs. land adventures).

Emerging players

• Volcano Hawaii Tours: Smaller Big Island tour operator offering volcano-focused excursions and small-group experiences. Niche competitor in the same volcano tour category as KapohoKine, but at smaller scale and with less brand recognition.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KapohoKine
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/kapohokine
• Facebookfacebook.com/KapohoKineAdventures
• Instagraminstagram.com/kapohokine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kapohokine-adventures

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KapohoKine Adventures