ATV Tours on the Big Island (BIG list of all tour operators)

ATV tours are a fun way to explore the beautiful difficult to access places such as the wild forests and cliffs on the Kohala coast. These tours typically take you on a 10+ mile drive through private lands with stops on the way at scenic points, historic sites, and waterfalls.

For this guide we  start with list describing all ATV tour providers on the Big Island. Afterwards we shortly explain what happens on an ATV tour and what to bring.

ATV Tours on the Big Island

There are a handful of companies offering ATV tours on the island of Hawaiʻi, but because of the still ongoing pandemic the status of many of those tours is uncertain. We have split our list of tour provides in 3 parts:

• Tours that are currently running,
• Tours that have temporarily ceased operations (but that could resume quickly again), and
• Tours that have most likely closed down for good :(.

We describe all these companies below:

Tours that are currently running

1. Umauma deluxe ATV tours (Hakalau)
2. Aloha Adventures (south Kona)
3. All about the views (AATV) (Hamakua Coast)

1: Umauma Deluxe ATV Tour + Waterfall swim (Hakalua / north of Hilo)

With a 5.5 mile drive over the private grounds of the former Umauma Botanical Gardens this is one of the shorter ATV tours, but it makes up for distance with a 45 minute stop at a private waterfall and pond where you can take a dip, and the guarantee to get muddy driving around in “the Pit”.

2: Aloha Adventure Farms (Captain Cook / South Kona district)

A 2-hour tour that is organized around learning about the rich heritage of Polynesia. During the ride you will drive through the “villages” of Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa where you stop for traditional hands-on activities typical for that island with your Polynesian guides.

Read more about the Polynesian Culture ATV Tour here¹.

Explore the lush jungle of Holualoa on an ATV or UTV while experiencing cultures from Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa through 4 stops at figurative islands. Image credit: Aloha Adventure Farms.

3: All About the View (Hamakua coast, close to Waipiʻo Valley)

A 2.5 hour tour exploring a working livestock ranch and farm operation with great views of the enchanting Hamakua coast.

Good to know: this is less an adrenaline-filled ATV tour and more a farm tour that uses an UTV to take you through a traditional land division (Ahupuaʻa) that stretches from the mountain to the ocean and is home to native flora and fauna.

The farm tour explores the grounds of the Waipiʻo on Horseback Ranch. From this ranch you can also explore Waipiʻo valley on horseback on a tour that also includes transport down into the valley. Read more about that horseback riding tour in Waipiʻo Valley.

The All About the View UTV tour takes you on a scenic drive of a working Ranch that includes horses.

Tours that are temporarily closed

1. Kahua Ranch (Kohala)
2. Paʻani Ranch (Hilo)
3. KapohoKine (Hilo, currently not available)
4. Hoʻomau Ranch (south Kona)

1: Kahua Ranch (Kohala, halfway between Waimea and Hawi)

The Kahua Ranch is a large privately owned cattle ranch. They organize ATV tours of their 8,500 acre property that includes lush, cool Hawaiian ranch lands and some spectacular views.

ATV tours are only available for groups (group size between 6 and 20 people). You can find more information on the Kahua Ranch website.

2021 update: ATV rides are currently unavailable, but will hopefully be back come summer.

2: Paʻani Ranch (Mountain View, close to Hilo)

The ATV Tours on the Paʻani Ranch take you through their 220-acre ranch. This part of the island is not as scenic as the Kohala coast but it has the convenience of being close to Hilo. There is unfortunately no visit to a waterfall included in this tour, but there are plenty of waterfalls to be found nearby.

They also offer horseback tours and have activities on the ranch for children of age 2-8 (a petting zoo, pony rides, etc.). You can find more information on their ATV tours on the Paʻani Ranch website.

Important: This tour is currently unavailable and may have been permanently suspended

3: KapohoKine (MaunaKea trails RZR / Hamakua coast)

Almost 6 miles of trails on the lush Hamakua coast take you past waterfalls, muddy mountains and views of Maunakea, Mauna Loa, Kilauea and the Pu’u O’o vent. Note that for this tour you need to be 18 to operate the ATV.  The tour lasts approximately 3.25 hours with 1 hour and 45 minutes of driving time.

Important: This tour is currently unavailable and may have been permanently suspended

Getting muddy in your ATV is half the fun :D. Image credit: KapohoKine Adventures

4: Hoʻomau Ranch (Captain Cook / South Kona district) (tour temporarily suspended)

A 2-hour tour that explores the native forests on the Ho’omau Ranch. This is a great way to explore the nature on this side of the island.  Read more about this ATV tour on the Hoʻomau Ranch website.

Important: This tour is currently unavailable and may have been permanently suspended

Tours that have closed

1. ATV Outfitters (Kohala)
2. Ride the Rim (Kohala, closed)

8: ATV Outfitters (North Kohala)

Unfortunately ATV Outfitters ceased operations as of early 2021. We will update this space if anything gets known about a possible restart of their tours.

ATV Outfitters is a family-owned business that operates in Halaula on the northern Kohala coast, between Hawi and Pololu Valley. Their tours take you through old rainforests and a macadamia nut farm to breathtaking ocean views and a secluded waterfall.

ATV Outfitters offers 3 different tours that last between 1.5 and 3 hours. You can read more about these tours on the ATV Outfitters website.

9: Ride the Rim (Kohala, Waipi’o Valley)

Ride the Rim has the unique advantage of location: their tours skirt the rim of Waipi’o Valley which allows for amazing views into the valley. Most of the tour takes you through eucalyptus forests and there is a stop at a small secluded waterfall where you can swim if conditions are right.

ATV tours can bring you to spectacular scenic points. The Ride The Rim tour, for example, lets you see Waipi’o Valley from several places around the valley rim

What happens on an ATV Tour?

ATV tours take between 1.5 and 3.5 hours. At the start of the tour you will receive a safety briefing and a short crash course (pun intended) on how to drive an ATV. The drive itself is controlled and easy to do, even without previous experience. To drive an ATV you need to be at least 16 years old, children can often be brought along with the tour in ATV buggies.

After the introduction the real tour will start. You will follow the tour guide in your ATV and stop at several scenic points along the way. During some of these stops you will be provided with snacks, get an explanation about relevant Hawaiian history, and sometimes it is even possible to take a quick swim at a waterfall.

Make also sure to check the weather forecast. Afternoon rains are common where the ATV tours take place and it is always better to be prepared!

What to bring on an ATV tour?

The tours themselves provide safety equipment such as helmets but you should make sure to bring the following items yourself:

• Closed-toe shoes (essential!)
• Long pants
• Sun glasses (to keep the mud out of your eyes)
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Swimming gear (some tours include swimming at a waterfall!)
• A clean change of clothes for after the tour (you may get dirty and/or rained on)

What is an ATV?

An ATV (All Terrain Vehicle, wikipedia) is a small 4WD vehicle that handles like a motorcycle, but the extra wheels and weight give more it stability at slower speeds. ATVs are also know as a ‘quad’ or a ‘quad bike’ and are very well suited to navigate difficult terrains for drivers with little to no experience.

ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) come in many forms and shapes. The ones used for ATV tours are stable, automatic and have 4 wheels

^{1. We are part of the Get Your Guide affiliate program. Read more about our participation. ↩}