 Take a fun downwind kayak trip on the Huleia River – a beautiful and historic jungle stream. Where the river gets shallow, you’ll tie your kayaks to a tree and take a 3/4-mile hike up the valley to a gorgeous area of waterfalls and swimming holes. Then, jump onto a covered wagon for a fabulous trip across Kipu Ranch to the Kipu Falls trailhead for a hike down to a picnic spot at the waterfalls edge for swimming and a great lunch! From there, cruise by covered wagon to a jungle trail, where you’ll hike a mile down to a river landing to board a twin-hulled powered Hawaiian canoe for a delightful cruise back downriver.
The Kayaking: It’s a delightful downwind paddle, about 2 miles in length. You'll use a two-person, open-cockpit type kayak – stable, comfortable and easy to get in and out of. You’ll go through the Hule'ia Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, a place for the preservation of endangered Hawaiian water birds. Then, paddle pass the Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond, a living archaeological site- it's an example of the ancient's fishing and aquiculture methods that's still utilized today. The backdrop of your adventure is the magnificent Haupu Mountain Range, a dramatic and majestic 2000-foot shield volcano that looms over the river. Huliea has been the site of filming for a wide range of major motion pictures, including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and its sequel Lost World.
The Wagon Ride: Ride on benches in their custom covered farm wagon, pulled by their big, quiet John Deere 4wd tractor. It's an adventure that will take you back in time on a unique narrated hayride across Kipu Ranch, a 4000-acre working cattle ranch. It's home to the paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) descendants of William Hyde Rice, the first missionary to come to Kauai, and, incidentally, 2000 head of cattle. Bound for Kipu Falls, you'll be spotting wild boar, peacocks and pheasant as you traverse the expansive Ranch.
The Trekking: You'll be leaving your kayaks behind to hike on three different jungle trails, leading to hidden waterfalls and swimming holes. Each of the treks is conducted as a nature walk, through pristine tropical rain forests containing many different interesting communities of plants, birds, and aquatic life, both native and introduced. You'll be stopping for dives into beautiful pool-drop waterfalls cascading over black lava rock cliffs, and exciting swings on ropes tied to tree branches high over mountain pools, while trekking through fern forests and flowering gingers. Snacks and cold drinks, a great picnic lunch, exercise, fresh air, interesting discussion of natural history, folklore, culture and legends- a great day in a great place.
The Canoe Ride: On the downriver return trip, you'll be kicking back and soaking up the sun and scenery on their big, double-hulled Hawaiian Canoe. It's 32' long and 10' wide, with plenty of comfortable seating. Powered by a small, quiet 4-stroke outboard motor, you'll be taking a slow, relaxing ride down the river, while enjoying the beautiful sights. A perfect ending to a perfect day!
Location: Guests staying at Poipu or West side resorts - Outfitters Kauai Office check-in, Poipu, Kauai / Guests staying on East and North shores - Nawiliwili Boat Harbor check-in, Kauai
Time: 7.5 Hours / Poipu Check in / 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:45am - 5:15pm Nawiliwili Check in / 8:15am - 3:30pm or 9:30am - 4:45pm
Days of Operation: Monday-Saturday
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