Waimea Canyon and Wailua River Full-Day Tour Kauai
- Duration9.5 hours
- Daily
- Group
- Pickup available
- Fair, honest prices
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Overview
This full-day Kauai tour, about nine and a half hours long, brings together the island's river, waterfall and plantation-town highlights in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle. A local driver and guide collects you from select hotels between Poipu and Kapaa and shares island stories all day. You see Opaekaa Falls, cruise the Wailua River to Fern Grotto, explore Old Koloa Town, visit a coffee estate and walk through Hanapepe and Historic Waimea Town. Lunch is not included. Stops can change with road conditions.
Highlights
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from select hotels between Poipu and Kapaa
- Narrated Wailua River boat ride to Fern Grotto, admission included
- Waterfall views at the Opaekaa Falls overlook
- Time in Old Koloa Town, built around Hawaii's first successful sugar plantation
- Kauai Coffee estate, Hanapepe Town and Historic Waimea Town
- Local driver and guide in an air-conditioned vehicle
Full Description
The Wailua River and Fern Grotto
The Wailua River on Kauai's east coast has long been a sacred and royal place in Hawaiian history. On this tour you join an open-air boat for a narrated cruise upriver through tropical forest to Fern Grotto, a lava-rock cave covered with hanging ferns. Admission to the boat ride is included in the tour.
The cruise is relaxed and scenic, with views of the river banks, mountains and plants as the guide explains the history of the valley. If you are wondering whether a Fern Grotto boat ride is worth it, it is a gentle highlight that suits all ages and fits well into a day of sightseeing. Morning departures are usually calmer.
Opaekaa Falls
Opaekaa Falls is a waterfall of roughly 150 feet that can be seen from a roadside overlook, a short drive from Wailua. The stop lasts about 15 minutes and is enough for views and photographs. The name is often translated as rolling shrimp, a reference to the shrimp that once lived in the stream.
The falls flow all year, but rain makes them fuller, and clouds can hide the view on some days. The overlook is easy to reach without a hike, so it suits visitors of all ages. Many people ask how to visit Opaekaa Falls; on this tour the vehicle takes you there, with no need to find parking or plan a route.
Old Koloa Town and Kauai Coffee
Old Koloa Town grew around Hawaii's first successful sugar plantation, and its wooden storefronts now hold shops, galleries and restaurants. You have about an hour and a half to explore and buy lunch at a restaurant of your choice, which is at your own expense. The town is also a short drive from Poipu.
After Koloa the tour visits Kauai Coffee, a working coffee estate on the south-west side of the island, for about half an hour of walking and shopping. If you want to know whether Koloa Town is worth a stop, it is the main lunch and free-time break of the day, so pace yourself and keep lunch light.
Hanapepe Town and Historic Waimea Town
Hanapepe is known as Kauai's biggest little town, with old wooden buildings, art galleries and a swinging footbridge over the river. Historic Waimea Town on the south-west coast is where Captain Cook came ashore in 1778, the first recorded European landing in Hawaii, and it keeps its plantation-era streets and churches.
Both stops give you a view of everyday Kauai away from the resorts. Waimea Canyon rises above Waimea Town, but road conditions have led to a temporary change in the route, and the canyon lookouts are not on the current stop list. Your guide can advise you about the best time to visit the canyon.
Itinerary
- Hotel pickupCollected from select hotels between Poipu and Kapaa from about 07:45.
- Opaekaa Falls overlookA stop of about 15 minutes for views of the waterfall.
- Wailua River boat ride to Fern GrottoTake a narrated open-air boat cruise to the fern-covered cave, with admission included.
- Old Koloa TownAbout 1.5 hours to explore the shops and have lunch at your own expense.
- Kauai Coffee estateA stop of about 30 minutes to walk the grounds and shop.
- Hanapepe Town and Historic Waimea TownWalk through two historic towns with your guide.
- Return to your hotelDrive back and be dropped off at your hotel after about 9.5 hours.
What's included
- Pickup and drop-off at select Kauai hotels from Poipu to Kapaa
- Transport in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Local driver and guide
- Wailua River boat ride to Fern Grotto
- Visits to Opaekaa Falls, Old Koloa Town, Kauai Coffee, Hanapepe Town and Historic Waimea Town
Not included
- Lunch
- Tips
Is this right for you?
Great for
- Travellers without a car — hotel pickup is included
- Nature and wildlife lovers
Think twice if
- You want a private tour — this one is shared with other travellers
- Walking is difficult for you — expect active parts
Not suitable for
- People who cannot sit in a vehicle for long stretches
- Guests who need a specially prepared meal and have not planned for lunch
- Travellers who are staying outside the pickup zone between Poipu and Kapaa and cannot travel to a pickup point
Meeting point
Hotel pickup is included from select hotels between Poipu and Kapaa, starting at about 07:45, and the driver drops you at your hotel in the evening. After booking you choose your pickup point in the booking panel, and the exact time is sent with your confirmation.
Important information
- Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing, and bring sunscreen and a hat
- Lunch is not included; you buy it at your own expense in Old Koloa Town
- The tour operates on selected weekdays, so check the dates in the booking panel
- Stop order and timings can vary, and the stop list can change with road conditions
- Weather varies and views are not guaranteed
- Tips are not included
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
How much does the Waimea Canyon and Wailua River tour cost?
The price depends on the date and passenger type. The booking panel on this page shows the current price for adults and children.
How long is the full-day tour?
The tour lasts about nine and a half hours, from hotel pickup in the morning to drop-off in the evening.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes. Pickup and drop-off are included from select hotels between Poipu and Kapaa. Choose your pickup point in the booking panel.
Is lunch included?
No. Lunch is at your own expense. You have time in Old Koloa Town to eat at a restaurant of your choice.
Does the tour visit Waimea Canyon?
The tour is named for the canyon region, but because of road conditions the current route visits Hanapepe and Historic Waimea Town instead of the canyon lookouts. Check the details in the booking panel.
Is the Fern Grotto boat ride included?
Yes. The Wailua River boat ride to Fern Grotto is included in the price.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes. Children aged two to seventeen pay the child rate, and infants are listed separately in the booking panel.
What should I wear and bring?
Wear comfortable shoes and light clothes, and bring sunscreen, a hat and money for lunch and souvenirs.
What is the best time of year for this tour?
Kauai is pleasant all year. Winter brings more rain and fuller waterfalls, and summer brings clearer skies.
Can I book for today or tomorrow?
Often yes, if places remain, but the tour operates only on selected weekdays. The booking panel shows which dates are open.
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