A Waterfalls + Hiking experience by Hawaii Forest and Trail. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: A full-day rainforest adventure for all ages. On this 6- to 7-hour tour you visit private waterfalls in the north Kohala forest, take short hikes between them, swim in one of the falls, and look out over the Kohala coast and its valleys. A picnic lunch is included, and the tour starts from central meeting points in Kona and Waikoloa.
Cool off with a swim under one of seven cascading waterfalls. Image credit: Hawaii Forest & Trail 
Enjoy a private picnic lunch with views of soaring seacliffs and remote valleys, at one of the island’s best scenic lookouts. Image credit: Hawaii Forest & Trail Take a relaxed, guided walk through a private nature reserve. Image credit: Hawaii Forest & Trail The walk to the falls is about a mile round trip, over uneven ground. Image credit: Hawaii Forest & Trail The open air 6WD Pinzgauers that drives you between destinations in the Kohala forests. ©PF BENTLEY/PFPIX.COM 11/12/05 The pool is fed by a mountain stream, which is why it stays cool. Image credit: Hawaii Forest & Trail On their Kohala Waterfall Adventure Kids learn about how water shapes the landscape of the Kohala region from a Hawaii Forest & Trail interpretive guide. Photo: P.F. Bentley Lunch is a deli-style spread eaten outdoors on the mountain. Image credit: Hawaii Forest & Trail Enjoy a lunch with truly stunning views after the waterfall hike. Image credit: Hawaii Forest & Trail
7 Tour Highlights:
- Kohala waterfalls day for first-timers, with lunch included
- Ride off-road in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle
- Take a relaxed, guided walk through a private nature reserve
- Cool off with a swim under one of seven cascading waterfalls
- Walk through a restored ancient Hawaiian agricultural site
- Private picnic lunch overlooking the Kohala coast's sea cliffs and remote valleys
- Centralized meeting locations in Kona and Waikoloa
Important: Pregnant guests need a doctor's approval because of the off-road driving, and the operator does not recommend this tour for cruise-ship passengers because of the timing. Bring (or wear) comfortable walking shoes or reef walkers, bathing suit, hat, sunscreen and a light jacket or sweatshirt.
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth |
|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $255 | $230 |
Tour Provider: Hawaii Forest and Trail
Activity: Waterfalls + Hiking
Tour start time: 7:30 am
Duration: 6 to 7 hours
Location: North Kohala
Pick-up available? No hotel pickup. Meeting points are Hawaii Forest & Trail Headquarters in Kona, Queens' MarketPlace in Waikoloa and the Shops at Mauna Lani. The booking form also offers Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, Kona Village and Kohala Zipline; you pick one when you book.
Included: Walking sticks, day packs, rain jackets and towels are provided, along with a deli-style picnic lunch, snacks and drinks. Sunscreen and bug spray are available upon request.
Cancellations: Guests of the regular tours will receive a full refund with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Private tours customers will receive a full refund with 72 hours notice of cancellation.
Read more: about waterfalls in our Big Island waterfalls guide.
Read more about the Kohala Waterfalls Adventure
The Kohala Waterfall Adventure is a small-group tour to the forests and waterfalls of North Kohala.
From the pickup points in Kona, your guide drives you up the northern Kona coast past ancient lava flows to the old Kohala Mule Station lookout. Later you switch to a 4-wheel-drive vehicle and take a short hike along the tunnels and aqueducts of a sugar plantation built more than 100 years ago. You hike past several waterfalls and swim in the last one.
After the swim you hike back to a private picnic area overlooking the Kohala coast for lunch, and then your guide drives you back to your pickup point.
Q: How much hiking do we do?
Expect to cover approximately 1 mile in 1.5 – 2 hours.
Q: What about elevation gain?
The hike gains about 200 feet (60 meters) of elevation.
Q: What is the water temperature in the pool we swim in?
The water runs 60 to 70 degrees F (15 to 21 degrees Celsius), depending on the season and recent rainfall.
[Video] Video of the Kohala Waterfall Adventure
About Hawaii Forest and Trail
Hawaii Forest & Trail is a highly respected local tour company that has operated on the Big Island since 1993. They have gained access to private and restricted lands and are widely recognized as a tour company that has passionate and knowledgeable interpretative guides, all of which translates into consistent stellar reviews from their past guests.
Hawaii Forest & Trail is fully certified by the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaiʻi. This means that their tours are eco-friendly, culturally educational and operate as sustainable as possible.
Knowledgeable Staff
The HFT staff are picked to have strong academic backgrounds in biology, geology, Hawaiian culture and history, and extensive natural history field experience. It’s not enough for the guides to simply “know things”, they must also have a real passion for Hawaii’s natural world and enthusiasm for sharing it.
Giving back to the community
The vision of Hawaii Forest & Trail is to share the splendor of Hawai’i and inspire a deep connection with our natural world. They donate a small amount ($1 per guest) to a fund that makes donations to non-profit organizations whose mission and work aligns with at least one of the following criteria:
- benefits the conservation of Hawaii’s native ecosystems, species and landscapes.
- promulgates the understanding and practice of Hawaiian culture and the dissemination and understanding of Hawaii’s natural and cultural history.
- promotes and facilitates an appreciation and interaction with nature, especially programs that are youth oriented.
It is the intent of the fund to give preference to entities who are based or whose work is performed in the communities where they operate tours.
Watch this video on YouTube
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