If Kauai tours are spectacular, then Kauai "hiking" tours are at the highest level of spectacular. If the phrases nature tours, hiking trips, hiking trails, eco-tours, bird watching, walking tours, rainforests hikes or adventure hiking are enough to send a tingle up your spine, then these activities on Kauai are certain to generate an electric pulse throughout your entire system.
Here are some characteristics of Kauai that make it spectacular for hiking:
Kauai was the first of the major Hawaiian Islands to rise from the ocean floor and it was the first to become extinct some 5 million years ago. Over the years nature has had time to carve her spectacular features providing the unbelievable landscape for Kauai's sensational hiking tours.
Kauai boasts the wettest spot on the planet at Mount EleEle averaging over 400 inches a year.
The tremendous rainfall has produced the most remarkable sheer valleys, razor sharp ridges descending to the sea and most amazing array of waterfalls to be assembled anywhere in the world.
The extreme sea and wave action has also had a tremendous effect upon Kauai's spectacular coastline producing the famous Na Pali Coast with pristine cliffs and caves stretching 11 miles on Kauai's northern shore.
These are some of the most interesting hikes available to you on Kauai:
Kauai Mahaulepu Coast Nature Hike
Walk the island's intriguing, wild southern coast. Encounter the most extensive record of Hawaii's natural history and cultural past. - Easy 2.5 mile, 4 hour walk.
Sleeping Giant Mountain Excursion Hike
Hike the summit of mythical Sleeping Giant Mountain. View the entire eastern half of Kauai. Visit Wailua River Valley's archaeological remains of Hawaiian ceremonial structures.
Waimea Canyon Hike
Enter the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Hike through a native forest into the island's volcanic interior to encounter Kauai's ecological wonder and geologic past.
Na Pali Hiking Adventure
Hike Kauai's most spectacular coast beyond Princeville and the Hanalei Valley.
None of the Kauai Hiking Tours will pick up cruise ship passengers at the cruise ship dock at Nawiliwili Harbor. Passengers will need to either take a taxi to the departure point or have Tom Barefoot's Tours arrange for a Rental Car shuttle to pick them up directly at the dock. Dependent upon the specific tour, Kauai hiking excursions can be arranged for the Thursday or Friday of your cruise ship schedule. Please book well in advance to assure availability.
Look for this symbol in the tour descriptions below to indicate if it is Pride of America compatible.
Kauai Sea Tours is a large charter boat company that offers tours off the coast of Kauai and particularly the NaPali Coast with its beautiful 'signature' boat , Lucky Lady. In addition it also provides romantic dinner cruises and whale watches and also has a fleet of specially designed raft boats which are great for exploring caves, snorkeling and racing dolphins. More Info / Buy Now
One of the best places to rent your kayak for a day's paddle up the spectacular Wailua River is with the company called Wailua Kayak and Canoe. Because they are located directly on the Wailua River, you will not have to haul your rented kayak to the river on your car so it is very handy. Single kayaks, doubles and tri-kayaks are available for 5 hour rentals. They also offer guided kayak tours up the river as well. More Info / Buy Now
The Princeville Ranch is certainly one of the most beautiful of any in the whole state of Hawaii. With its backdrop of the romantic Hanalei Mountains and it rolling hills to the sea, the Princeville Ranch is the home of a spectacular zip line course, river kayaking, hiking and some of the most amazing horseback riding country to be found anywhere. More Info / Buy Now
Join Alii Kayaks on an unforgettable journey up the famous Wailua River. This is truly one of the most beautiful rivers in the world and Alii Kayaks offers both kayak tours and stand-up paddle tours up its serene tributaries. A hike is also included which takes you through the remarkable Kauai jungles to a beautiful waterfall and pond for a refreshing swim. More Info / Buy Now
Kayak Kauai Outbound is one of the original kayak and adventure companies found on Kauai and specializes in kayaking, hiking and surfing. The owners and originators of the company are the Cuban born brothers Micco and Chino Godinez. More Info / Buy Now
Outfitters Kauai is an adventure company on Kauai that offers a combination of ocean and river kayaking experiences, hiking tours, bike tours and zip-line adventures. Methodically developing one adventure at a time over the course of years, this popular company has produced some of the most notable Kauai adventures available on the island. More Info / Buy Now
Holo Holo Charters offers a variety of boat tours on Kauai on large, powerful and stable catamarans. Tours include beautiful snorkel and dolphin watch excursions to the NaPali Coastline, raft tours of NaPali during the summer months, dinner sunset cruises, whale watching and tours to the forbidden island of Niihau. More Info / Buy Now
Hike the lush forest, Rappelling down a private waterfall and learn about Kaua'i and the history and cultures that make up it's pacific paradise. More Info / Buy Now
Known as one of the longest zip-line courses on the island, Back Country Zip-line Adventures, lives up to its reputation. This three-and-one-half hour zip-line excursion is also partially traversed on a 4-wheel drive vehicle that negotiates its way up to the zip course through rugged roads at the base of Mount Wai'ale'ale. At tours end you'll be treated to a dip in a waterfall fed pond. More Info / Buy Now
So the nickname for Kauai is The Garden Island. Why is it considered The Garden Island? It's because there's just so many plants everywhere.
There is more foliage and rainforest and pools and streams that you will find on Kauai than on any other island. It is simply gorgeous. It's had so much time as an island to just erode and turn into soil and make a fantastic base for plants to grow and that it is just an amazing jungle and one of the best places you could imagine to do hiking. Hiking happens all over the island.
Now this is something you can do on your own. There are little books you can get that show you places where you can hike and you can go out and do some of that on your own. You need to be careful on these hikes on any of the Hawaiian islands but really Kauai in many ways in particular because there are just so many areas that are steep in their drop offs and a lot of foliage covering things that you can't quite see. So not to be scared away from it. You're going to enjoy going out. One of the things about just nature in Hawaii in general is that you just have to be careful about what you're doing and making sure you're in an okay spot.
So feel free to go out on your own. There's lots of places that you can go. But there are also companies that will take you hiking, possibly giving you a little bit more secure feeling that you're going to the right places at the right times and all of that. Also, if you're going with a tour guide, you're learning about the history of the areas you're going through. You're learning about the plants and animals and birds and things that you'll be seeing in that area and you'll be able to ask questions and learn just about what it's like maybe even to live on the island currently and just kind of personal things like that. Over the course of a period of a hike, you're with somebody for four hours, or maybe six hours, you really do get into those kind of conversations. You really get to know a little bit more about the island in general from many, many viewpoints.
But hiking is one of those things that is a ... it's great for the right person, the person that likes to hike. There are a number of different hikes we have ranging from mild to intermediate to strenuous and so you pick the appropriate one. The big hikes that we have are up in the Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Also, the Wailua River Valley, beautiful views over there. The Sleeping Giant is over in that area. And the Napali Coastline is a real favorite. You can actually go in partial way up the Napali Coastline and then go up the riverbed and really kind of get into the outback of what is happening in Kauai and really appreciate it without having to go the entire distance of the Napali coast.
These are some of the most beautiful hikes that you'll be able to find on any of the Hawaiian islands. You just need to kind of peruse all the hikes that are offered on our page, Tom Barefoot's Tours, or tombarefoot.com, Kauai and then the hiking page and you'll see a lot of different options for you. You just want to make sure that you're choosing the one that is correct for you in terms of distance, in terms of whether it's an easy hike or an intermediate or a strenuous one so you can fit yourself into the appropriate notch for you. But hiking tours on Kauai, one of the most beautiful places you can hike in in the world.
So if you have any questions about Tours or Activities in Hawaii, just give us a call, or check out tombarefoot.com. We're here to help.
Hiking in Hawaii is an activity that many people find pleasurable and rewarding. Not only do Hawaii hikes provide exercise, fresh air and a connection to the beautiful outdoor environment but the Hawaii hiking tours offered on the islands provide one of the most educational activities available to the island visitor.
Nature tours, hiking trips, eco-tours, walking tours, bird watching tours: these items are all among the list of activities and tours that most people don't associate with the island of Oahu.
Maui has more hiking trails per square miles than most National Parks. Tours are available to visit the crater floor of Haleakala which will take a full day or less strenuous tours will take you to beautiful waterfalls throughout the island.
The Big Island of Hawaii hiking tours and activities include rainforest hikes, eco-tours, volcano tours, lava tube hikes, hikes through the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, waterfall hikes, Mauna Loa summit adventures, bird watching hikes, mule ride adventures, various wildlife hiking tours and a variety of nature walks, walking tours and sightseeing tours of the Big Island of Hawaii.
