A ATV experience by Kipu Ranch. Back to all Kauai tours.
Tour Summary: Drive your own Kawasaki 4x4 across a 3,000-acre Kauaʻi cattle ranch, crossing open pasture, mountain, and bamboo jungle trails to a private waterfall with an optional swim.
Large photoGroup vehicles seating five to six guests are available by phone for parties riding together. - Large photo
The route crosses 3,000 acres of working cattle ranch backed by Kauaʻi's interior mountains. - Large photo
Swimming at the base is optional; bring something to swim in under your clothes. - Large photo
The bamboo jungle stretch comes last, right before the waterfall hike. - Large photo
Wet, rutted sections are common after Kauaʻi rain, so expect to come back muddy. - Large photo
Guides run a controls briefing and practice before the convoy heads out across the pasture. - Large photo
The open-pasture trail section opens onto long mountain views before the jungle stretch. - Large photo
The short hike to the waterfall crosses uneven, often-damp ground, so closed-toe shoes are required. - Large photo
- Large photo
The tour ends at a private waterfall on ranch land you cannot reach any other way.
3 Tour Highlights:
- Self-drive your own Kawasaki 4x4 across a 3,000-acre working ranch.
- Three trail systems: open pasture, mountain, and bamboo jungle.
- A private waterfall reached only from inside the ranch with optional swim at the waterfall base.
Important: Every driver must be 18 or older with a valid physical driver's license; passengers can be as young as nine.
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth |
|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $190 | $128 |
Price note: The vehicle (Kawasaki TERYX-4) seats up to 4. The minimum booking requires 2 guests at $190 per person. A solo traveler who does not want to share the vehicle pays $377 (the "Solo Driver Teryx -- No Passengers" rate)
Tour Provider: Kipu Ranch
Activity: ATV
Tour start time: 08:00 AM, 08:45 AM, 01:30 PM, 02:15 PM
Duration: 3 hours
Departure from: Lihue
Pick-up available? No
Included: Pre-ride instruction and practice.
Cancellations: Refunds will be issued for cancellations requested sooner than 48 hours of the activity date. Rescheduled activities within the cancellation period are subject to a $75 fee per vehicle. Rescheduled activities are non-refundable.
Read more: about atv in our Kauai atv guide.
# Full tour details
You drive your own Kawasaki off-road vehicle across a 3,000-acre working cattle ranch, not a passenger on someone else’s machine. Kipu Ranch sits about seven miles from Lihue Airport, roughly 20 minutes by car, and the route here covers three distinct trail systems: open pasture with long views, a mountain section, and a tight jungle stretch through bamboo. The whole thing runs 3 hours and ends at a private waterfall on ranch land.
It starts slow on purpose. Before anyone hits the trail, guides walk you through the controls and give you time to practice. Helmets and goggles are provided, and closed-toe shoes are required, no exceptions. The Kawasaki vehicles have proper suspension, which matters more than it sounds: the jungle sections get rutted and muddy after Kauaʻi’s frequent rain, and a stiffer machine would beat you up over three trail systems. Expect to come back dusty or muddy depending on the day, so wear clothes you do not mind dirtying.
What the waterfall hike costs you in effort
The waterfall is the payoff, and reaching it takes a short hike of about 80 yards, roughly five minutes, over uneven ground. The approach holds moisture and the rocks stay slick well after the last shower, so the closed-toe shoe rule is doing real work. Swimming at the base is optional. Bring something you do not mind getting wet under your clothes if you plan to get in.
Why people pay for the longer version
This is the extended-riding option, formerly sold as the VIP Tour. You get more time behind the wheel than the standard ranch tours, which is the main reason it costs more at $190 per adult. Along the way the guides point out movie filming locations used on the ranch and share Hawaiian legends tied to the land. The photo stops at the film sites cluster early, so the back half of the route is where the driving settles in. The bamboo jungle stretch comes last, right before the waterfall hike. Group vehicles seating five to six guests are available by phone if you are riding together.
Who should sit this one out
The minimum age is nine, and every driver needs to be 18 or older with a valid physical driver’s license. Kipu Ranch does not allow pregnant guests, and they advise against it for anyone with neck, back, or knee problems, recent surgery, or serious health conditions. The off-road jostling is constant, not occasional. Arrival is self-drive, with no pickup offered, so plan your own transport from wherever you are staying on Kauaʻi, and confirm the weather and cancellation policy when you book.
# About Kipu Ranch
Most Kauaʻi off-road tours seat you as a passenger. This one puts you behind the wheel of your own Kawasaki for the full ride, and at $190 per adult it buys more trail time than the operator’s standard options. It suits drivers who want a private waterfall they cannot reach on foot and do not mind constant off-road jostling. We curated it for the self-drive format and the ranch’s three trail systems, the parts that are hard to find described honestly anywhere else.
# Affiliate Disclaimer
Booking through this page costs you nothing extra and is made directly with Kipu Ranch. 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.