A Horseback Riding + Waipio Valley experience by Waipio on Horseback. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: Small group horseback riding tour over trails in the majestic Waipiʻo Valley - great for families and includes transport down into the valley.
Important information:
Since the indefinite closure of Waipiʻo Valley Road to everyone but residents this tour has been suspended until further notice (details). For alternatives see our complete overview of horseback riding tours on the Big Island.
Your friendly, knowledgeable and helpful guides can teach you a lot about Waipio Valley as you ride through the valley. 
The steep walls of the valley are imposing and great for photo ops. Imagine yourself riding past the taro fields down into the valley. The van that will take you from check-in down to the valley floor. This is a beginner tour and conducted at walking pace (no trotting) but you go through small rivers and streams and see some beautiful vegetation and waterfalls. Riding through the native rainforest vegetation is a unique experience. Some of the grounds of the farm that you'll get to explore Keep your feet dry when you cross the river This is a beginner tour and conducted at walking pace (no trotting) but you go through small rivers and streams and see some beautiful vegetation and waterfalls.
4 Tour Highlights:
- Local guides share the legends and history of the rich cultural landscape throughout the tour
- Sample rare fruit from the family farm and see Hawaiʻi's staple food crop, Kalo, grown in the valley since ancient times
- Ride through small rivers and streams and see the beautiful vegetation and waterfalls
- No prior horseback riding experience needed and great for families (from 7 y.o.)
Important: The tour is suitable for children from 7 years old, and there is a 200 lbs (91 kg) weight limit for participants. Please arrive 15 to 30 minutes before check in to assure a timely departure.
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult |
|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $150 |
Tour Provider: Waipio on Horseback
Activity: Horseback Riding + Waipio Valley
Tour start time: 9:30am, 1:30pm
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Waipiʻo Valley
Pick-up available? No
Included: Transport down to the valley floor and up again
Cancellations: Groups of 5 participants (or less) will receive a full refund with 48 hours notice of cancellation. Groups of 6 or more participants will need to provide 72 hours notice. Customers will also receive a full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Notice needs to be given by phone (+1 808 775 7291) and no-shows will be charged the full price. For an additional $5 it is possible to shorten the cancellation notice period to 24 hours.
Read more: about horseback riding in our Big Island horseback riding guide.
Bookings are temporarily unavailable
Since the indefinite closure of Waipiʻo Valley Road to everyone but residents this tour has been suspended until further notice (details). For alternatives see our complete overview of horseback riding tours on the Big Island.
Read more about the Waipiʻo Valley on Horseback tour
Ride with a local guide and journey deeper into Waipiʻo Valley over lush jungle trails and through rivers and streams. Waipiʻo Valley is one of the most beloved and revered places in all Hawaiʻi. Waterfalls and 3,000-foot sheer cliffs line the valley, and the ride passes through rainforest and farmland where wild horses also live.
Photos from the trail have the steep valley walls behind them.
Tour Itinerary
The tour starts at the Waipiʻo on Horseback Ranch just off Highway 240, with a bumpy 30-minute shuttle ride down to the stables in the valley. Keep your camera ready on the way down for Waipiʻo’s mile-long black sand beach and Hiʻilawe, a twin waterfall.
At the stables and on the trail
Upon arrival at the stables, riders receive a safety demonstration and meet their horse. The horses walk slowly past the valley’s traditional food crops: fields of kalo (taro), rare Hawaiian bananas, sugarcane, coconut and breadfruit. In season, you can see sacred lotus flowers up close and sample fruit from the ranch’s farm.
The guides keep the group together and talk about the valley’s plants and trees, its legends and its history as you ride.
Good to know:
- The valley floor can be muddy, so wear sneakers you can wash, plus long pants and a hat.
- The tour departs twice a day, and we recommend the earlier departure if you can get it. It can get hot and humid in the valley, and mornings are often cooler.
- Free cancellation for this tour is available if you give notice by phone at least 48 hours in advance (+1 808 775 7291). During the booking process you can pay an extra $5 to be able to cancel for free with only 24 hours of notice (minus ticketing and insurance fee). The weather in the valley is so unpredictable that we don’t recommend the $5 add-on, even if sunshine matters to you.
- The ranch also runs a UTV tour of its working livestock ranch and farm, through an ahupuaʻa (a traditional land division) that stretches from the mountain to the ocean and has native plants and animals. Read more about the ranch’s UTV tour here.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Booking through this page costs you nothing extra and is made directly with Waipio on Horseback. We earn a commission from the operator, not from you, and it is what pays for the research that keeps lovebigisland.com free and free of paid placement. We only list operators we would send a friend to. Details on our affiliate links are here.