Please read all information carefully
All reservations will be accepted on a first come first serve basis and seats are limited by the amount of shuttle space and docents available. Tour reservations will close after 22 people have signed up. All minors must have an accompanying adult at all times. Reservations for a tour will close the Thursday prior to its scheduled Saturday date. Tour Safety & PreparationWhat do I need to know about the physical conditions and requirements of the tour before I sign up? The tour is completely outside and is a walking and standing tour. There are no facilities (visitor center, shade structures, etc.) at the park and no places to sit or rest. Additionally, there is no shade at the park and it will be hot and humid on sunny days. Visitors must be able to walk down and back up a ½ mile (one way) unpaved hiking trail to enter and exit the park. This trail is uneven, steep in certain sections, and exposed to the sun. Going into the park, the trail is downhill. Walking back to the shuttle bus, the trail will be completely uphill. To better understand the terrain, please watch the videos below to assess your physical condition and fitness level.
Due to the outdoor nature of the park, there are also mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and stinging ants. Please bring proper medication if you have any allergies. No one is permitted to walk off the tour trail as there are 6-foot sink holes hidden by vegetation. Sun Protection: Due to sun exposure and potential for insect bites, it is recommended to wear long pants, long sleeves, hats, and to bring sunglasses. Visitors Under 18Years of Age: All minors must always be accompanied by an adult. Photography: The tour will be driving through University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu (UHWO) lands to enter the park. These lands have been leased and out of respect for the lessees and their privacy, no photographs of UHWO lands are permitted. Non-commercial photography is allowed on the tour within the park. Waiver: All visitors will also need to sign a UHWO waiver form. This will be provided on the day of the tour. Tour Cost & OperationsDo I have to pay?
The tour is National Park Service led and will take approximately 3 hours, including transit time. The tour is on a Saturday and begins at 8:15 am at Hawaii’s Plantation Village (HPV). Led by National Park Service staff and/or volunteers, the tour starts with a check-in and orientation at HPV. From HPV, a shuttle bus will take the tour group to the park. Enroute to the park, visitors will learn how the camp and park came to be. Once at the park, the guided tour includes walking on historic trails, seeing historic structures and learning about those who were incarcerated at the camp. Upon return to HPV at approximately 11:30 am, visitors can explore the Honouliuli exhibit. To learn more about Hawaii's sugar plantation history, visitors have the option of exploring HPV on their own. What is the parking situation? Parking at HPV is free. However, there is limited parking so carpooling is encouraged. 2026 Tour Dates AvailabilityAll tours are held on Saturday. This information will be updated every business day staff is in the office.
Tour Reservations & Waitlist Information
Step 1: Email hono_superintendent@nps.gov Step 2: In the Subject line, write: “[Tour date] TOUR RSVP, Party of [insert party #]” Step 3: In the body of the email, please give the following information:
Step 4: A park member will respond to your reservation request confirming your reservation along with details of the day. You are required to respond to this email confirming you have read and understand the physical conditions and requirements of the tour. What if the tour is already full? You can request to be added to a waitlist. The waitlist is first come first serve. If a cancellation occurs, park staff will call the phone number provided. If we do not receive a response in 24 hours, we will move on to the next person on the list. Cancellations can occur up to three days prior to a tour. Therefore, you might get called as late as the Friday prior to the tour date if there is still room. 
What if I need to cancel my tour? Please email the park at least three days in advance (Wednesday prior to the scheduled tour) if you are unable to make your scheduled tour. Send the email to hono_superintendent@nps.gov with the subject line “[Tour date] TOUR CANCELLATION NOTICE” and indicate how many people in your group are not able to attend. What happens if the park cancels the tour? If conditions are unsafe for a tour at the park due to weather or other issues, you will be called and emailed the day before with a cancellation notice. The park will do its best to reschedule you on another tour. Other Information
2026 marks the debut of park tours and is an opportunity for the park to start slowly in a pilot phase to learn from the public about these tours. Additionally, the park is dependent on volunteers to help with these tours. As we continue to grow the park’s docents group, the park hopes to increase the number of tours in the future. If you are interested in becoming a docent, learn more about this and other volunteer opportunities on the park’s volunteer opportunities web page. When will the 2027 tour dates be released? 2027 tour dates will be released at the end of this year. This information will be posted on the park’s website and on the park’s Facebook and Instagram. |
Last updated: June 5, 2026