Wailua River Guides
Wailua River Guides
5
Monday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Full view
About
We provide exceptional guided kayak tours of the Wailua River Valley and Secret Waterfall on Kaua'i, Hawaii. We provide top of the line equipment and our guides are the best on the river by far! Come play with us!
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Wailua River Guides
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
5.0
307 reviews
Excellent
268
Very good
24
Average
4
Poor
5
Terrible
6
Truska77
San Diego, CA19 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
We had a very good time with Billy on our tour. We got lucky, as nobody else was scheduled for the day/time we went, so it was like a private tour. The kayaking was relatively easy, and the hike was fun too. The waterfall is really pretty, and we had our lunch by it :-) Make sure you bring hiking shoes and you don't mind if they get wet, because they will when you cross the stream :-) A few days layer we took advantage of the free bike rental too that was included in the price, and biked the 4 miles (each way) path on the Coconut Coast. What a ride! We've seen whales, drank from a fresh coconut, stopped by a beach,so it was the perfect afternoon!
I would recommend them to anyone and we would go back to them too! Both Kevin and Billy were really nice!
I would recommend them to anyone and we would go back to them too! Both Kevin and Billy were really nice!
Written January 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HollyTonkaBay_MN
Tonka Bay, MN3 contributions
Feb 2012
This is a beautiful way to spend a morning and learn a lot about Hawaiian history, culture and nature. The activity level is gentle and involves about a 45 minute kayak trip up the Wailua River and then a mile long hike through lush vegetation to a spectacular waterfall where you can swim in an amazing pool at the base of the waterfall. After a short invigorating swim, lunch is provided. The hike and kayak back to the starting point finishes off the 4 hour adventure. Justin, our guide, was fun, knowledgeable, & helpful,with an easy going and refreshing style. I have made this trip three times now and enjoyed it thoroughly each time.
Written February 12, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ashley t
Encinitas, CA18 contributions
Oct 2011
We took the afternoon kayak trip up the river to the waterfall. The journey began with a little exercise kayaking up the river with beautiful sites all around. The kayaks were in great condition and the guides were interesting and thorough. We got to shore and were told we were 40 minutes from a waterfall. On the way we learned exciting facts about trees that walk (actually move themselves) to get to a sunny spot, edible flowers and so much more. It wasn't until the next day that I realized how much I learned when I began restating all sorts of interesting facts to friends that weren't with us. On the way to the waterfall we got to do a rope swing into the river. Much fun had by all. The guide was always willing to snap great photos of us. Once at the waterfall we enjoyed a swim and delicious lunch of pineapple, sandwiches, maui wowie chips, and cookies. We then took the fast track back. It was an all around perfect day!
Written November 8, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Catherine C
Davis, CA5 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
i wish I had read the negative reviews of this compnay prior to going with them. This was truly our worst day of the whole trip. I booked with them for the full 85.00 and then called back when I saw all the others at 39.00. The man I talked to convinced me to go with them as it was so much better than the others. He talked about their great kayaks, provided lunch and dry bags and knolwedgeable guides. The kayaks did have rudders which was nice and they made a good sandwiich but the positives stop there. The trip starts out with what one reviewer describes as a race of novice kayakers up a river. As an experienced kayaker this is not at all an interesting river and the guide was absent throughout the trip so we did not learn anything about what we were seeing. Once the destination is reached you take a very long one mile hike through a trail that has become horribly muddy from overuse. My husband saw some sticks and fortunately picked up some walking sticks. Our guide did not make any suggestions about this and they were critical on the trail. We noticed a guide with another company had brooksticks that they had obviously brought along for walking - very helpful. At times we were up to our knees in mud. The only other option was walking on tree roots. It was a sad sight as the mud is strictly due to heavy overuse as there are so many people on the trail. Our guide pointed out one plant and otherwise talked about her life, friends, places to go or other clients. She was not mindful of some struggling people in our party. Maybe if we had had one of the guides talked about in other reviews that tell the group about plants and animals it would have been much better. Once you reach the waterfall it is packed with people and the water is very muddy. We stayed long enough to have lunch, spend a little time in the water and trudge back. An incredibaly disappointing day and made even worse because the owner had promised that this was a premiun trip. If you want to do this either rent your own kayak or go with the cheapest guides you can. At least this company was certainly not worth the money.
Written June 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MenOnVacation
San Diego, CA31 contributions
May 2013 • Friends
Annie led our tour group of 8 and it was a great and fun afternoon. She had a fun, easy going personality we enjoyed. However, I personally would have enjoyed much more information about the flora and fauna and the history of the area. The stories I heard were funny stories about past guests. I probably would rate this tour a 4 , but for the poor senior couple on the tour who did not have fun and who Im quite sure would have rated this a 2 at best I have averaged our experiences. The hike to the waterfall is quite treacherous with roots, rocks, and mud and is steep in places. The senior woman on our trip was pretty miserable by the end of the hike and ready to call it quits. I was distracted and concerned by her and felt that I needed to walk behind her in case she fell. Annie was attentive, but should have helped out this lady more in my opinion. Unfortunately my concerns impacted my enjoyment of the tip, and most of the time I could not hear what Annie was saying because I was trailing the slow moving senior couple .
Overall, it is a good trip suitable for families and anyone without physical limitations. It's easy enough for kids and although there were none in our group, I think most kids would love this trip. The mud is harmless as long as you're careful and physically strong enough to navigate the trail.
My other criticism is that for $85 or so per person, I think that the crew should take care of the boat loading entirely. I don't mind helping out, but I think the trip would be more enjoyable if a crew member met the returning kayaks and took care of the boat loading. They should not expect the paying passengers to do this, in my opinion.
If I were to go again, and I would definitely, I would just rent a kayak and go with a friend without the guide. If possible, I would spend a little extra for better quality kayaks as well. The kayaks we had were just OK and the steering as sticky.
Overall, it is a good trip suitable for families and anyone without physical limitations. It's easy enough for kids and although there were none in our group, I think most kids would love this trip. The mud is harmless as long as you're careful and physically strong enough to navigate the trail.
My other criticism is that for $85 or so per person, I think that the crew should take care of the boat loading entirely. I don't mind helping out, but I think the trip would be more enjoyable if a crew member met the returning kayaks and took care of the boat loading. They should not expect the paying passengers to do this, in my opinion.
If I were to go again, and I would definitely, I would just rent a kayak and go with a friend without the guide. If possible, I would spend a little extra for better quality kayaks as well. The kayaks we had were just OK and the steering as sticky.
Written May 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PapaDiddy
6 contributions
Jun 2012 • Family
All in all this was a pretty nice adventure; however, my family is split between repeating the experience. We signed up for the 12:30 afternoon tour. The harbor is about a five minute drive from the check-in station and once you get there you have about a five minute break to visit the restroom if needed. There were nine individuals including us in our group. I'm 65, my wife is 51, and our son 17. I wore water shoes with stiff soles others in the group had everything from flip-flops to water shoes; our 17 year older decided to wear regular shoes with socks and his feet and foot ware became vary soggy.
Our guide Adrian passed out the dry-bags and instructed us how to secure them to ensure contents remained dry. You can put just about any thing you want in the bags but remember someone in your party will be responsible for carrying it through the jungle to the swimming hole lunch site and back - about a three mile round trip. The bags do have shoulder straps and I found the three bottles of water, large towels for the three of us, snacks, sunscreen, bug repellent, and a light sweater for my wife was quite manageable.
If you haven't kayaked before it can be somewhat of a workout for the arms. It was our first time and until we got the knack of it I was asking "Are we there yet?". Steering is controlled with foot pedals that you operate with your feet; both single and double seated crafts are so equipped. The river is pretty wide, perhaps about 300 feet or so. There was no apparent current flowing and no noticeable wind. My wife did a great job paddling seated in the front. I kept up with her cadence to maintain a synchronous stroke, a must for reducing fatigued arms.
After about two and one half miles of paddling we reached the terminus of our tributary. It was a great feeling to get out of the kayak and start the trek through the jungle. There's a couple of streams to cross, the first one has a rope spanned to assist crossing. After about a good mile of hiking through jungle and along the stream bed you arrive at the swimming hole and sheer cliff waterfall. The provided lunch is served with sandwiches we selected when we booked the excursion.
The waterfall pool area is about a third of the size of an Olympic size pool. The fresh water is mild and my watch thermometer measured the temperature at 77F, about ten degrees less than most recreational swimming pools. My wife and son did not care to enter the pool and I was actually the first person in our group to take the plunge. I thought the time spent was too short at the pool but we still needed to trek back through the jungle and kayak the Wailua River.
Our group did not endure any mishaps; no one in my family was overly tired or complained of sore muscles. Our son flipped his kayak on the return, he was thrown from his craft. The wake of a motor boat hit his boat broadside and flipped it over. He'a competitive swimmer and was able to handle the incident without even losing his sunglasses. If you are not comfortable with deep water life vest are available; the river was about 20 feet deep where he flipped.
To sum it up, the food was good, the physical excursion was moderate, the sights exciting, the bugs minimal, and the intense afternoon sun was completely blocked by the thick canopy once out of the kayaks. I was glad I left my heavy digital camera at the hotel and opted to bring along my much smaller and lighter waterproof digital camera instead. Our guide Adrian provided a wealth of information during the trek and paddling excursions. Unfortunately we were unable to hear most of it because we weren't in the very front of the column which was constantly on the move. My son says he would do this excursion again and gave it a 4 out 5 rating. My wife said no thanks to repeating the trip but was glad to have experienced it; she rated it 3 out of 5. I'm not interested in another go round either and gave it 3-1/2 out 5. A larger and/or deeper swimming hole with high ledges for jumping into the water and a longer stay there would get an additional rating point from me.
Our guide Adrian passed out the dry-bags and instructed us how to secure them to ensure contents remained dry. You can put just about any thing you want in the bags but remember someone in your party will be responsible for carrying it through the jungle to the swimming hole lunch site and back - about a three mile round trip. The bags do have shoulder straps and I found the three bottles of water, large towels for the three of us, snacks, sunscreen, bug repellent, and a light sweater for my wife was quite manageable.
If you haven't kayaked before it can be somewhat of a workout for the arms. It was our first time and until we got the knack of it I was asking "Are we there yet?". Steering is controlled with foot pedals that you operate with your feet; both single and double seated crafts are so equipped. The river is pretty wide, perhaps about 300 feet or so. There was no apparent current flowing and no noticeable wind. My wife did a great job paddling seated in the front. I kept up with her cadence to maintain a synchronous stroke, a must for reducing fatigued arms.
After about two and one half miles of paddling we reached the terminus of our tributary. It was a great feeling to get out of the kayak and start the trek through the jungle. There's a couple of streams to cross, the first one has a rope spanned to assist crossing. After about a good mile of hiking through jungle and along the stream bed you arrive at the swimming hole and sheer cliff waterfall. The provided lunch is served with sandwiches we selected when we booked the excursion.
The waterfall pool area is about a third of the size of an Olympic size pool. The fresh water is mild and my watch thermometer measured the temperature at 77F, about ten degrees less than most recreational swimming pools. My wife and son did not care to enter the pool and I was actually the first person in our group to take the plunge. I thought the time spent was too short at the pool but we still needed to trek back through the jungle and kayak the Wailua River.
Our group did not endure any mishaps; no one in my family was overly tired or complained of sore muscles. Our son flipped his kayak on the return, he was thrown from his craft. The wake of a motor boat hit his boat broadside and flipped it over. He'a competitive swimmer and was able to handle the incident without even losing his sunglasses. If you are not comfortable with deep water life vest are available; the river was about 20 feet deep where he flipped.
To sum it up, the food was good, the physical excursion was moderate, the sights exciting, the bugs minimal, and the intense afternoon sun was completely blocked by the thick canopy once out of the kayaks. I was glad I left my heavy digital camera at the hotel and opted to bring along my much smaller and lighter waterproof digital camera instead. Our guide Adrian provided a wealth of information during the trek and paddling excursions. Unfortunately we were unable to hear most of it because we weren't in the very front of the column which was constantly on the move. My son says he would do this excursion again and gave it a 4 out 5 rating. My wife said no thanks to repeating the trip but was glad to have experienced it; she rated it 3 out of 5. I'm not interested in another go round either and gave it 3-1/2 out 5. A larger and/or deeper swimming hole with high ledges for jumping into the water and a longer stay there would get an additional rating point from me.
Written June 13, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ATraveler2007
california40 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
We didn't expect the tour to be this
AMAZING! The fern grotto was a natural
beauty, and the nuptial renewal made it
truly sacred... WE LOVED IT!😍
Perhaps, the moment of the unexpected
created the total magic ~ who knows...
Definitely ~ #TOP3THINGS TODOINKAUAI
AMAZING! The fern grotto was a natural
beauty, and the nuptial renewal made it
truly sacred... WE LOVED IT!😍
Perhaps, the moment of the unexpected
created the total magic ~ who knows...
Definitely ~ #TOP3THINGS TODOINKAUAI
Written June 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Betsy B
East Grand Rapids, MI27 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
This 4 hour trip included guided kayaking along a beautiful river followed by a hike to a waterfall. Lunch was included. We're in our late 60s and this was just the right amount of challenge for us. The hike can be difficult after a rain. We loved swimming at the waterfall. Our guide was very good which can make all the difference.
Written June 28, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
794elizabethr
5 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
We wish we'd done this sooner in our visit to Kauai. We weren't sure what kind of shoes or boots to bring, but loaner shoes were provided for the wet, muddy trails. We learned so much from Billy about the vegetation, history and good places to eat. It was great exercise while not being too strenuous. I recommend the afternoon tour as the time is more open-ended. Billy was a great guide! He didn't hurry, and took great care to make sure everyone was safe, and had fun. A wonderful lunch was packed in and prepared for us at the Secret Falls. A Free bike rental came with the tour, so 2 days later we showed up and got 2 bikes to use for the day on the fabulous paved trail along the coast just a couple blocks from the tour hut.
Written May 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffrey Z
Houston, TX14 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
The kayaking was great, no currents or anything to push your kayak back. Our guide was Justin, he was great and he gave many interesting plant facts. If you have weak legs, or had any type of leg surgery, don't go. I'm sorry that you'll be missing a fun, muddy trip, but the 1.5 mile trail has shin deep mud and it's very slippery. I loved it :)
Written January 5, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
light_my_fire5
IL37 contributions
How much is just the kayak rental?
Young L
Cypress, Texas, United States643 contributions
We booked the private tour with a guide, so all the equipment were provided. Sorry I didn't remember how much it was.
MirandaAnzaldi
Beaverton, OR7 contributions
How much do these tours cost?
Truska77
San Diego, CA19 contributions
I think it was $85 per person. It included the kayaking, the hike, and one extra day for the bike rental. It also included the lunch at the waterfall. It was worth every penny for us.