Connecting to the Trees

Our mission is to inspire connection, awareness, preservation and restoration of forest ecosystems!

Stepping into the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary is a transformational experience. It’s not just the varieties of trees, intentionally planted to reclaim this unique climate zone, it’s a quality in the air. It’s an invitation into presence. You’ve heard of forest bathing, that Japanese term pinpointing the healing properties of spending time in a forest, well, spend some time in the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary to learn about this unique climate zone, connect with nature, and leave a renewed version of yourself. No prune fingers required.

Price: $149 Adults – $139 Seniors 65+ – $139 Military – $79 Students 12-18 with ID – $49 Children 5-11 – $79 Kamaʻāina Hawaiʻi residents with ID | Duration: 2.5 hours | Rated: Easy.

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Highlights

• The Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary is our ohana’s passion project! This Sanctuary has been family forested and stewarded since 1982!
• Connect with the forest and understand the benefits of living forest friendly!
• Immerse yourselves in this vibrant and unique Hawaiian tropical montane cloud forest!
• Explore the extended montane jungle trail with additional plant diversity and beauty!
• Discover trees, ferns, bamboo, flowers, and wildlife that you have never seen before!
• Our trails are all natural terrain of lava rock and roots. Walking distance covered is 1-2 miles, with approximately 100 feet of elevation change.

This tour is for you if:

• You love plants and forests and are ready to become an expert naturalist!
• You are eager to explore and learn about the only cloud forest in the United States!
• You want the full immersive Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary experience, including the Pan-Tropical Forest and the Montane-Tropical Forest trails.
• You are ready to ascend to the higher elevation parts of the Sanctuary that no other tour visits!
• You love birds and want to see and hear the native Hawaiian honeycreepers!

Kona is known for its dry weather. As a desert-like district on the leeward side of the island, it’s opposite the prevailing trade winds that hit the northeast coast. Loads of moisture is dropped as air climbs up into cooler elevations. Once that wind crosses the summit and moves down, the air warms up, expands, and clouds dissipate. It’s the orographic rain shadow effect. Kona doesnʻt get much precipitation down by the coast, but drive 20 minutes up Kaloko Drive and it’s a different story.

From Lava to Forest to Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary

The Sanctuary itself has fiery beginnings, located on the slopes of Hualālai, the volcano that frames the district of Kona. It exists on different lava flows dating back to around the years 1400, 1600, and the most recent in 1801. Generations of trees and shrubs decomposed to form the thin layer of soil supporting the current forest. The history of cattle grazing on these lands dates back to the early 1800s and continued until the mid-1900s, a practice that significantly impacted the centuries-old forests. These lands were once part of the vast Huʻehuʻe Ranch, which originally encompassed about 80,000 acres on the West side of Hawaii Island. By the 1980s, when the land was acquired by the Bezona family, it was a remnant of this deforested ranch, having experienced a gap of approximately two decades from the end of ranching activities to the beginning of the reforestation project, which started about 40 years ago.

Norman Bezona, a professor emeritus at the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, purchased 20 acres of land in 1982, embarking on a mission to demonstrate the potential of reforesting within a single lifetime. More than just a landowner, Bezona, a horticulture expert and naturalist, transformed this area into a ‘living classroom.’ His dedication was not about conducting scientific experiments but about using the land to educate students and the community on reforestation, the natural ecosystem, and forest stewardship. The Sanctuary, which now encompasses 70 acres on Hao Street, stands as a testament to this privately funded successful reforestation effort. Part of those original 20 acres are open for guests to experience on guided tours, offering a unique opportunity for plant enthusiasts, nature lovers, and learners to immerse themselves in the knowledge about this sacred watershed and the distinctive cloud forest ecosystem.

Continuing his legacy, Norman Bezona entrusted the stewardship of the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary to his daughter Diane, his grandson Drew McWhirter, and Drew’s partner Brooke Olenski. This trio forms the core of the sanctuary’s management and ownership, embodying a trifecta of dedication to Norman’s original mission. Their collective efforts focus on raising awareness about the intrinsic link between healthy forests, healthy people, and a healthier planet. By sharing cloud forest education and transformative nature experiences, Diane, Drew, and Brooke strive to foster optimal wellness in a world where people and the environment thrive harmoniously.

But time in the Sanctuary just doesn’t seem linear, anyway. It can stretch and morph, reaching up as high as the tallest Rainbow Eucalyptus. It can condense into the perfect spherical fruit of the Blue Marble or Rudraksha Tree. This isnʻt just a hike through some trees. This is a meditation. This is a mindfulness practice. This is a sanctuary.

Explore the Sanctuary

Tours run daily at the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary. Book ahead online and choose between a two-and-a-half-hour, or an hour-and-a-half option. The longer tour will take you farther up the mountain into higher elevations. You’ll walk through a bamboo tunnel, beside century-old dry-stacked lava walls, and even through areas used for filming the movie Avatar.

To get there, take Palani Road from the hotel. Turn up the mountain on Kaloko Drive, which winds upward until Hao Street. Parking is on the street and your guide will meet you at the gate. You’ll get decked out with a bamboo walking stick for your tour. Bring close-toed shoes, a rain jacket, and hat to avoid the damp. Show up about ten minutes early to start breathing in that fresh forest air and watch your shoulders drop in relaxation. Bring a phone or camera, too. Or, just leave it in the car to experience peace without the barrier or a screen.

If you’re looking for more, add on a Sound Bath after your hike. Sound Baths are a facilitated experience where participants relax and enjoy the vibration of sounds to bring a deep state of peace and harmony. Groups are kept small on the forest platform onsite at the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary.