A Horseback riding experience by Pālehua Trail Rides. Back to all Oahu tours.
Tour Summary: A ridgeline horseback ride on private ranch land above Kapolei, the only mountain ride on Oʻahu's west side. The trail climbs to coast views over Ko Olina, at a walk pace on horses matched to each rider.
The sunset group ride reaches the ridgeline as the light drops, with cattle grazing the slopes. Image: Pālehua Trail Rides 
The trail follows the ridgeline, with the West Oʻahu coast dropping away below. Image: Pālehua Trail Rides The route runs through eucalyptus forest before it opens to the coast views. Image: Pālehua Trail Rides The sunset private ride keeps just your party on the mountain as the light drops. Image: Pālehua Trail Rides
6 Tour Highlights:
- Ridgeline views over the south and west coast, with Ko Olina and the ocean below
- Calm horses matched to each rider by weight and ability
- Gentle enough for kids from age 8 and first-time riders
- The only mountain horseback ride on Oʻahu's west side
- Private ranch land in the Waiʻanae mountains, closed to the public
- Walk-pace ride with helmets provided, daytime or sunset departures
Important: Bring a rental car: the ranch is up a restricted mountain road above Kapolei that needs a gate code, and rideshare can strand you with no cars waiting at the top.
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult |
|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $138 |
Price note: The price shown is the daytime group ride; the sunset group ride is $158, and the private rides run $168 to $188 per person with a two-rider minimum.
Tour Provider: Pālehua Trail Rides
Activity: Horseback riding
Tour start time: Afternoon and sunset departures (Wednesday to Sunday)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Location: West Oʻahu
Pick-up available? No
Included: Helmet (provided and required). Guided ride at a walk pace. A horse matched to your weight and ability. Saddlebags for your phone and keys
Cancellations: Cancellations or changes within 48 hours of the ride are non-refundable, with no exceptions. Rides run rain or shine; the company can cancel for weather or trail conditions at its discretion. No refund for late arrival due to traffic. Illness or injury within 48 hours, with a doctor's note, earns a one-year company credit.
Read more: about horseback riding in our Oahu horseback riding guide.
Read more about Pālehua Trail Rides
Pālehua Trail Rides runs the only mountain horseback ride on Oʻahu’s west side, on private ranch land in the Waiʻanae range above Kapolei that’s closed to the public. The trail climbs to a ridgeline overlooking the south and west coast, with Ko Olina and the ocean below and cattle grazing the slopes.
Rides run at a walk pace, with no trotting or cantering. Guides match each rider to a horse by weight and ability, so kids from age 8 and nervous first-timers can handle the trail.
Daytime and sunset rides, group or private
All four cover the same ridgeline trail; what changes is the time of day and whether you ride with other guests. The daytime group ride is $138 per adult, shared with other riders. The sunset group ride is $158 per adult and runs later, so you reach the ridge as the light drops over the water; reviewers name it most often.
A private ride is just your party: $168 per person in daytime, $188 at sunset, each with a two-rider minimum. Book the sunset ride for the light, or the daytime group ride if price is the deciding factor.
Getting there and what to know before you book
The ranch sits up a restricted mountain road above Kapolei, and you enter a gate code to reach it. The drive up is long and easy to miss, so leave extra time and save the route before you lose cell signal.
Rideshare can strand you: no cars wait at the top, and the operator relies on a partner taxi company for the way down, so a rental car is the safer choice. The address is 1 Palehua Rd, Kapolei.
Check in 30 minutes before your ride. Riders must be at least 8 years old and weigh under 230 pounds. Pregnant riders cannot ride, and helmets are provided and required. Leave backpacks and purses in the car; the ranch provides saddlebags for a phone and keys.
Cancellations or changes within 48 hours of your ride are non-refundable, no exceptions, and there’s no refund for arriving late due to traffic. Rides run rain or shine, and the company can cancel for weather or trail conditions. Cancel inside 48 hours for illness or injury with a doctor’s note and you get a one-year company credit.
What reviewers say
As of September 2026, 39 of its 43 TripAdvisor reviews are five stars, most citing the calm horses and the ridgeline coast views, with the sunset rides drawing the most praise. The low reviews name the tradeoffs: the trail turns rocky on the climbs and descents, and the drive up the restricted mountain road is long.
A few riders have reported trail-condition and safety problems, including a fall and horses that needed care, and the owner responds to those reviews directly. If a rocky trail and a long drive up don’t put you off, this is the only west-side mountain horseback ride on Oʻahu, with coast views and horses gentle enough for a first ride.
About Pālehua Trail Rides
This is the only mountain horseback ride on Oʻahu’s west side, on private ranch land in the Waiʻanae range the public can’t otherwise reach, and it climbs to ridgeline views over the west and south coast. The horses walk the whole ride and get matched to riders by weight and ability, so kids from age 8 and nervous first-timers can ride.
The trail is rocky in places, though, the drive up the restricted mountain road is long, and a few riders have reported trail-condition and safety concerns that the owner answers. Best for beginners and families who want coast views and don’t mind a rocky trail and a long drive up.
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