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Exactly what we wanted. Wonderful place with beautiful horses, friendly and competent guides, and astounding surroundings. Jackie and Darian were our guides and my horse was Simba. The two women were thorough in preparing everyone and quite knowledgeable about horses, Hawaiian cultural history, and geography. The scenery was great and all the horses well-trained. No complaints, only thanks.
Probably the only complaint i might have is that the web interface for booking did not work using android phone (meaning I couldnt book with a discount) Our trail guides, Brigette & Darian (I think?) were helpful and cheerful, gave good basic instructions at the beginning. Brigette was charming and I think my son Ben fell in love with her :) The stable is rustic, and they'll provide helmets, saddlebags even boots and jackets if wanted/needed. I love photography, and had hoped for more opportunity with my camera, but the guides rightfully suggested against brining my DSLR - I did put it in my saddlebag, but you already have your hands full trying to ride, and getting a DSLR in/out of a saddlebag whilst riding and not dropping it is a risky maneuver. They will stop for posed pics and Darian did great job using our cell phones to take pics As a noob, and 180 lbs, I got the 'big boy' ol Smokey. I've basically never ridden, and Smokey, well, he's a trail horse and knew the deal, I didnt get to do much but hang on and enjoy the view. Later in the ride they ask if 'we want to go faster'?. Ok! But, I couldnt hear, due to the high winds, the secret directions as to how to get the horse to canter rather than trot during the short 'quicker' sections. For men, 'trot' means having your privates viciously smacked back into your body at a high rate of speed, until you get up on your stirrups or convince the horse to walk. So the trot sections, were, well, unpleasant. My wife, who's idea this was, a very experienced rider, she ran circles around us on her little nag. The scenery, phenomenal. We saw livestock, calves, wild baby pigs, lambs, goats, birds. The ranch is just amazing, and Darian gave us some cool historical insight along the way. 2.5hrs for a noob, well towards the end I could hardly wait to get off. However, I am super-glad I did it, I think I could do better on a future ride. I'd highly recommend this outing, great team of folks here.
Fantastic ride! All the horses are very well cared for, happy and chonky! Our guides were knowledgeable, entertaining and helpful, especially for the other riders who had never ridden before. They assigned horses based on experience, which was GREAT! I got Spirit, who lived up to her name, as she was a spicy little chestnut mare and had a wonderful canter. The property is easy to find, and it was a beautiful and pleasant ride. You do gain about 1000ft of elevation in the ride, so bringing a light jacket or sweatshirt is advised. I've ridden on 4 islands now, and this was probably the most fun, as they do give you chances to trot and canter. No experience necessary, but being experienced, you still have a great time!
If you're looking for the ultimate "Paniolo" experience in Hawaii, you have to consider horseback riding! Not too far from the Waimea, the heart of Paniolo town is Na'apala Ranch which is located on the top of Kohala mountain. Kohala is the oldest of 5 volcanoes on island and with its' high elevation offers beautiful views of the Kona coastline and you can even see Haleakala on Maui! What better way to experience these beautiful views than on a horseback riding tour?! I won't give away all of the highlights, you will just have to do the tour yourself! Hannah and Jackie were our guides for the day and they were fantastic! You can tell how much they love all of the horses because they knew their personalities so well and matched us all with the perfect horse. They were also very knowledeable of the history of the ranch, the geology and history of Hawaii. My boyfriend and I have only ridden a horse once or twice so we got to ride Stormy and Smokey who were the "slowest" of the bunch and easier to ride for us newbies. What I really enjoyed about this tour that I think separates it from other horseback rides is that they allow you to spread out on the open field to trot and canter, only if you are comfortable trying. I was surprisingly able to get Stormy to canter and it was so much fun! My boyfriend surprised me with this tour for Valentine's day and this couldn't have been a more fun and romantic experience! I HIGHLY recommend this place! **The weather up here is very unpredictable so I would highly recommend wearing a light jacket, long pants and wear sunscreen and a hat because when the sun is out there is absolutely no shade!
I saw a bumper sticker once that read, "God's Country" and it must be referring to this ranch. Na'alapa Stables on Kahua Ranch is on 12,000 gorgeous acres with amazing views from 3,000 feet elevation on Hawai'i Island. The drive from Hilo to North Kohala is about two hours and much closer if you flew into Kona but we were visiting friends in Hilo (Mahalo for the lift Glenn). Once we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Darian who took great care to ensure our fun and safety. After you sign waiver forms, you're offered protective gear and a saddle bag to safely carry your belongings. Knowing your background ahead of time, they pick horses to match your weight and experience. Darian double checked our information from the reservation and ensured we indeed wanted an intermediate-level ride with more than head-to-tail walking. I was paired with handsome Stormy and boy was he a riot! We were super fortunate to be blessed with perfect weather. Wasn't too hot, didn't rain, and just enough cloud cover with cool breezes. Darian prepped us well with guidance and visuals before we left the stable. We've been on rides before at different ranches and what we especially enjoy is hearing from our guide about the history and adventures of each location. Darian shared about family heritage growing up at Kahua, fun stories of the rodeo life, even biology of the stunning horses. As our stallions cantered in the open range, we also chilled to learn about Puu Pili, which reaches 4,700 feet elevation and boasts to have pristine native ohia trees that have been spared by the Rapid Ohia Death. Big mahalo to Darian for such a memorable time! Folks, if you're ever on Hawai'i Island, consider this adventure in God's country, happy trails!
Don't walk.. RUN from this company!!! First time visiting Hawaii with my kids and this would be our first attempt at horse back riding but it ended up being a long miserable day.. I booked for 3 people and was charged a $30 deposit ($10 each) to make the reservation. Drove over an hour to the wrong location and had no reception to find my way. Was finally able to call and let them know what happened and the woman on the phone seemed understanding when I told her I wasn't going to make it. I was an hour away and the tour began in 20 minutes. I thought, well there goes my deposit!! Later that night, while going through my bank app, I see that not only was I charged $30, but another separate charge of $271. No where on the website does it say you will be charged in full for missing your tour. So please tell me what the point of a deposit is? On top of disputing this charge with my bank, the company issued this already UNAUTHORIZED payment as reoccurring. I think not!
To continue my story about our horrible experience at Paniolo Adventures, we booked a tour with this Stables. The guides here were very friendly. They had a great interesting story to share about the stable. They introduced each horse to us including their history and personalities. They educated us various aspects about ranching and horse riding. They made sure everyone felt comfortable and enjoy the experience. At times, they separated the tours to 2 groups: "keep it safe and slow" and "like to go for some short bursts". So everyone got the level of fun and comfortable they were looking for. My 10 years old son formed a such a strong bonding with his horse Matt and kept asking us to go horse back riding again.
Darian and Hina were awesome guides. My wife and I hadn't rode a horse in 20 years, but they were very patient with us, providing expert instruction with the utmost patience. Our boys (10 & 12) also loved riding the horses as well, though they have had much more experience horseback riding recently. The views from the ranch are absolutely breathtaking as well. We opted for the 2.5 hour afternoon ride, which was the right choice since it gave us plenty of time to get comfortable with our horses. Darian and Hina were extremely kind, pleasant, professional, & patient. Definitely recommend this amazing experience!
Amazing Day at Na'alapa Ranch! We LOVED our experience. I've done many different horseback adventures on the Big Island and this one was by far the best. The guides made the day so fun! They obviously love their horses, the 'aina (land) and it was a very authentic experience (not touristy at all). Two of the guides are sisters and their grandmother lives on the property - it's a working ranch. Our group was all a bit more experienced so we got to trot and even run the horses a bit! Such an unforgettable experience! Mahalo!!
7 months ago
The ride was magical. Each horse was suited for the rider's a limitless and experience. I would really recommend. read more
10 months ago
Darian was a great guide, very knowledgeable and answered all our questions about the history and current status of the ranch. Horses were good, and we didn't have to ride nose to tail, but were able to spread out and try a trot and a canter--if we wanted. read more
4 years ago
If I could give this 10 stars I would! My husband booked the 2.5 hour as a surprise for my birthday. You arrive at the stables where you sign a waiver, pick a helmet (if you want one). They also have boots and jackets to pick from if you want. I changed into their boots while my husband stayed with his tennis shoes. I have experience riding, my husband does not, this was his first time. The guides are great , knowledgeable about the land and the cattle. The views are AMAZING!! The guides give you an opportunity to canter if you are comfortable enough. The weather changes so make sure you layer. We were lucky enough not to have any rain. My husband couldn't stop raving about his first experience. Now he wants to do a ride whenever we are on vacation! Thank you Kiera and Bridgette for a memorable experience! By far the best part of our trip!! read more
2 years ago
One of the best rides we had, friendly tour guides, beautiful scenery, great horses. You can borrow boots, rain jackets and helmets. There's saddle bags to hold your water bottle and personal items. read more
2 years ago
Exactly what we wanted. Wonderful place with beautiful horses, friendly and competent guides, and astounding surroundings. Jackie and Darian were our guides and my horse was Simba. The two women were thorough in preparing everyone and quite knowledgeable about horses, Hawaiian cultural history, and geography. The scenery was great and all the horses well-trained. No complaints, only thanks. read more
3 years ago
Probably the only complaint i might have is that the web interface for booking did not work using android phone (meaning I couldnt book with a discount) Our trail guides, Brigette & Darian (I think?) were helpful and cheerful, gave good basic instructions at the beginning. Brigette was charming and I think my son Ben fell in love with her :) The stable is rustic, and they'll provide helmets, saddlebags even boots and jackets if wanted/needed. I love photography, and had hoped for more opportunity with my camera, but the guides rightfully suggested against brining my DSLR - I did put it in my saddlebag, but you already have your hands full trying to ride, and getting a DSLR in/out of a saddlebag whilst riding and not dropping it is a risky maneuver. They will stop for posed pics and Darian did great job using our cell phones to take pics As a noob, and 180 lbs, I got the 'big boy' ol Smokey. I've basically never ridden, and Smokey, well, he's a trail horse and knew the deal, I didnt get to do much but hang on and enjoy the view. Later in the ride they ask if 'we want to go faster'?. Ok! But, I couldnt hear, due to the high winds, the secret directions as to how to get the horse to canter rather than trot during the short 'quicker' sections. For men, 'trot' means having your privates viciously smacked back into your body at a high rate of speed, until you get up on your stirrups or convince the horse to walk. So the trot sections, were, well, unpleasant. My wife, who's idea this was, a very experienced rider, she ran circles around us on her little nag. The scenery, phenomenal. We saw livestock, calves, wild baby pigs, lambs, goats, birds. The ranch is just amazing, and Darian gave us some cool historical insight along the way. 2.5hrs for a noob, well towards the end I could hardly wait to get off. However, I am super-glad I did it, I think I could do better on a future ride. I'd highly recommend this outing, great team of folks here. read more
3 years ago
Fantastic ride! All the horses are very well cared for, happy and chonky! Our guides were knowledgeable, entertaining and helpful, especially for the other riders who had never ridden before. They assigned horses based on experience, which was GREAT! I got Spirit, who lived up to her name, as she was a spicy little chestnut mare and had a wonderful canter. The property is easy to find, and it was a beautiful and pleasant ride. You do gain about 1000ft of elevation in the ride, so bringing a light jacket or sweatshirt is advised. I've ridden on 4 islands now, and this was probably the most fun, as they do give you chances to trot and canter. No experience necessary, but being experienced, you still have a great time! read more
2 years ago
Beautiful, amazing, relaxing and an environment that will take your breath away! The staff were so helpful and well educated about the property and the history! Mahalo Jacquelyn for making memories with my kids that I won't forget! read more
4 years ago
If you're looking for the ultimate "Paniolo" experience in Hawaii, you have to consider horseback riding! Not too far from the Waimea, the heart of Paniolo town is Na'apala Ranch which is located on the top of Kohala mountain. Kohala is the oldest of 5 volcanoes on island and with its' high elevation offers beautiful views of the Kona coastline and you can even see Haleakala on Maui! What better way to experience these beautiful views than on a horseback riding tour?! I won't give away all of the highlights, you will just have to do the tour yourself! Hannah and Jackie were our guides for the day and they were fantastic! You can tell how much they love all of the horses because they knew their personalities so well and matched us all with the perfect horse. They were also very knowledeable of the history of the ranch, the geology and history of Hawaii. My boyfriend and I have only ridden a horse once or twice so we got to ride Stormy and Smokey who were the "slowest" of the bunch and easier to ride for us newbies. What I really enjoyed about this tour that I think separates it from other horseback rides is that they allow you to spread out on the open field to trot and canter, only if you are comfortable trying. I was surprisingly able to get Stormy to canter and it was so much fun! My boyfriend surprised me with this tour for Valentine's day and this couldn't have been a more fun and romantic experience! I HIGHLY recommend this place! **The weather up here is very unpredictable so I would highly recommend wearing a light jacket, long pants and wear sunscreen and a hat because when the sun is out there is absolutely no shade! read more
2 years ago
I saw a bumper sticker once that read, "God's Country" and it must be referring to this ranch. Na'alapa Stables on Kahua Ranch is on 12,000 gorgeous acres with amazing views from 3,000 feet elevation on Hawai'i Island. The drive from Hilo to North Kohala is about two hours and much closer if you flew into Kona but we were visiting friends in Hilo (Mahalo for the lift Glenn). Once we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Darian who took great care to ensure our fun and safety. After you sign waiver forms, you're offered protective gear and a saddle bag to safely carry your belongings. Knowing your background ahead of time, they pick horses to match your weight and experience. Darian double checked our information from the reservation and ensured we indeed wanted an intermediate-level ride with more than head-to-tail walking. I was paired with handsome Stormy and boy was he a riot! We were super fortunate to be blessed with perfect weather. Wasn't too hot, didn't rain, and just enough cloud cover with cool breezes. Darian prepped us well with guidance and visuals before we left the stable. We've been on rides before at different ranches and what we especially enjoy is hearing from our guide about the history and adventures of each location. Darian shared about family heritage growing up at Kahua, fun stories of the rodeo life, even biology of the stunning horses. As our stallions cantered in the open range, we also chilled to learn about Puu Pili, which reaches 4,700 feet elevation and boasts to have pristine native ohia trees that have been spared by the Rapid Ohia Death. Big mahalo to Darian for such a memorable time! Folks, if you're ever on Hawai'i Island, consider this adventure in God's country, happy trails! read more
2 years ago
We had the most amazing time on our morning ride the other day! Our horses were so sweet and responsive. We also loved hearing about all of the history of the area from the knowledgeable guides. The area you ride through is beautiful! Can't wait to come back next time we are on the Big Island! read more
5 years ago
Don't walk.. RUN from this company!!! First time visiting Hawaii with my kids and this would be our first attempt at horse back riding but it ended up being a long miserable day.. I booked for 3 people and was charged a $30 deposit ($10 each) to make the reservation. Drove over an hour to the wrong location and had no reception to find my way. Was finally able to call and let them know what happened and the woman on the phone seemed understanding when I told her I wasn't going to make it. I was an hour away and the tour began in 20 minutes. I thought, well there goes my deposit!! Later that night, while going through my bank app, I see that not only was I charged $30, but another separate charge of $271. No where on the website does it say you will be charged in full for missing your tour. So please tell me what the point of a deposit is? On top of disputing this charge with my bank, the company issued this already UNAUTHORIZED payment as reoccurring. I think not! read more
2 years ago
To continue my story about our horrible experience at Paniolo Adventures, we booked a tour with this Stables. The guides here were very friendly. They had a great interesting story to share about the stable. They introduced each horse to us including their history and personalities. They educated us various aspects about ranching and horse riding. They made sure everyone felt comfortable and enjoy the experience. At times, they separated the tours to 2 groups: "keep it safe and slow" and "like to go for some short bursts". So everyone got the level of fun and comfortable they were looking for. My 10 years old son formed a such a strong bonding with his horse Matt and kept asking us to go horse back riding again. read more
3 years ago
It was my first time horse back riding and amazing experience. Beautiful horses, friendly and professional guides. Highly recommend. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
5 years ago
Darian and Hina were awesome guides. My wife and I hadn't rode a horse in 20 years, but they were very patient with us, providing expert instruction with the utmost patience. Our boys (10 & 12) also loved riding the horses as well, though they have had much more experience horseback riding recently. The views from the ranch are absolutely breathtaking as well. We opted for the 2.5 hour afternoon ride, which was the right choice since it gave us plenty of time to get comfortable with our horses. Darian and Hina were extremely kind, pleasant, professional, & patient. Definitely recommend this amazing experience! read more
4 years ago
Amazing Day at Na'alapa Ranch! We LOVED our experience. I've done many different horseback adventures on the Big Island and this one was by far the best. The guides made the day so fun! They obviously love their horses, the 'aina (land) and it was a very authentic experience (not touristy at all). Two of the guides are sisters and their grandmother lives on the property - it's a working ranch. Our group was all a bit more experienced so we got to trot and even run the horses a bit! Such an unforgettable experience! Mahalo!! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Booked this on a whim with some friends, cause we saw they had extra spots for their 9am ride! Got there a bit early, but Bridget welcomed us in and showed us around the stable! 100% worth the $100 per person!! The horses are all very easy riding, and going along the hills and countryside was beautiful! It was clear enough we could see all of Maui and even the observatory on the top of the island, and had a beautiful view of Mauna Kea's snow-capped peak! The horses naturally move better when in a single file line, but you're allowed to go off course and frolic with your horse in the grass! Beautiful experience! Thank you Darien and Bridget!! read more
This was so much fun! Our guides were very friendly and knowledgeable. The horses are well-trained and docile. We booked a 1.5 hour tour and although it lasted a bit longer we didn't mind because it was such a great experience. The scenery is beautiful and the horses were great, especially for someone with barely any riding experience. A must do on the big island!! read more
3 years ago
My sisters and I loved the horseback ride. We have limited experience and our guides (Jess and Sky) took that into the pace of the ride. They also let us trot/canter a couple of times which was fun. The views are gorgeous along the trails. The rate was extremely reasonable for a semi-private ride. We highly recommend! read more
4 years ago
Fantastic Day at Na'alapa Ranch. Greeted with aloha -check in easy and efficient. Friendly and knowledgeable. Learned a lot about the history and family legacy of the Ranch. The horses and the guides were amazing. Views for days! A happy place!! Want to be a paniolo for a few hours this is the place! No ka oi read more
5 years ago
8 years ago
Awesome day riding with these super friendly, super knowledgeable guides. Lovely, playful horses with loads of personality. Took the 5 hour trip around the Waipio Valley rim to the waterfall for lunch and a swim, then back. Guides told us all about old Hawaii and the land we were passing as we went. My son is 8 and this was only his third time on a horse and he had no problems on his horse, Danny, so bring the kids. Great value for this kind of trip as well. We did this in Banff National Park, Canada, and it was 3 times the price! Must do on the Big Island, great way to see beautiful Waipio Valley read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
Excellent experience with the ride! Was a nice drive from our hotel and easy to find. Gorgeous views of the coast and could see Maui. Loved all the cute cows and their babies! Felt very comfortable with our guide. The horses weren't "stuck" to the trail and we were able to trot and cantor a bit! They had helmets available and even cowboy boots to borrow! Fun day! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Loved the Ranch ride!!!! Horses were great & our guide Hanna was superb. Views are AMAZING. read more
3 years ago
7 years ago
This place was great! Tucked up and away on the Kahua Ranch (Waimea side) - the staff was super friendly, they had everything you needed for your ride and the horses were very well behaved. It was mostly cloudy during our ride but such a nice change from the scorching heat of Kona. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a pleasant horse back riding experience. read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
So relaxing and fun! We booked the 1.5 hour ride early in the morning. The weather was beautiful. Helmets, riding jackets, and saddle bags were available at no extra cost. The scenery is gorgeous - rolling green hills, grazing cattle, amazing views of the ocean. This was my third time on a horse, and my first real ride. They have horses for all levels of experience. My horse Leihua was the perfect size and temperment. Jackie and Hannah were wonderful guides, full of great information, conversation, and they took pictures for us during the ride. We went out with 3 other guests and everyone was so nice and fun to ride with. I felt comfortable and relaxed, and even tried trotting and cantering for the first time. My boyfriend is an experienced rider and he loved it too. This was definitely one of my favorite activities on the Big Island. read more
6 years ago
I had an absolutely terrific time with Darian and company riding in the high country of the Big Island!! The location and scenery was phenomenal, the ride was very relaxed and fun, instead of being very rigid and controlled. The horses were absolutely phenomenal! Beautiful creatures who were extremely well-trained and careful yet still had a lot of personality. The trails displayed a variety of vegetation, geology, and history, with terrain for beginners as well as more advanced riders to enjoy. I have nothing but positive things to say! Thank you so much for the incredible experience. read more
7 years ago
I booked this tour online due to the great Yelp reviews. Unfortunately I was not impressed at all. A few years ago my family and I did horseback riding on the big island but I cannot remember what tour or ranch so I booked the one with the best reviews. The one I did with my family was a few hours and they took us through huge open fields and actually had the horses run! Galloping through the beautiful fields with gorgeous views was one of my favorite memories of Hawaii. I booked the 2 hours tour with Na'alapa Stables through Waipio Valley and it was so lame! I thought booking the Waipio Valley one would give us gorgeous views but heres what actually happened: We get picked up from the arts valley in this shuttle van. She drives us through the most narrow dangerous road in all of the island. Then we get on horses on the most boring pony ride I've ever been on. It was literally nose to butt the entire time. What am I, 2 years old? I cannot believe I paid over $200 for my husband and I to have a damn pony ride. He had never been horse backriding and of course I really made it sound like an amazing galloping through fields tour. Boy were we both disappointed. I booked this as his birthday gift and I felt terrible. He said he still enjoyed it but that is because he does not know what a real horse back riding tour should be. Our horses did not want to be together so I could not even ride next to my husband, I spent the 2 hour pony ride with strangers when this was suppose to be a thing to do together.. Then we get back on the shuttle on the roller coaster ride back! It was so bumpy and windy I almost threw up and definitely got whiplash! At the top there was a look out point and she didn't even stop to let us take pictures. Overall, if you are elderly or a child, this is a good tour for you. Except the awful shuttle ride there is not safe. But if you want to go on a real horse back ride, where the horse actually has room to run and is not nose to butt, this is the last place to look. We booked the 2 hour Waipio Valley tour just to be clear. I am not sure if they offer any other tours where it is not nose to butt but based on the pictures, it seems all the same.The only reason for the 2 stars was there was a lot of fruit trees which I got to see, I enjoy that but sadly, not allowed to pick any.. such a crap tour. Also I'd like to add, no where on the website does it say it will be a nose to butt tour with a horrible shuttle ride to get to the ranch. They should be more clear on their website what the tour is like and the fact that the horses have to be a in line and do not run.. read more
Horseback riding through the Waipi'o Valley was an experience! The check-in spot is a really cute gift/snack shop with bathrooms. Friendly staff, well-maintained horses, great views of the valley & black sand beach on the way down. Great horse-back riding instruction as well. I was very nervous and the staff paired me with a calm, obedient horse. Some of the other horses had minds of their own but I'm sure that's typical. Absolutely worth the money! A few FYIs: -no cell reception once you reach the check-in spot -I'd suggest long pants and sleeves and a light rain coat in case it rains -pretty sufficient shade for parts of the ride, never felt like we were baking in the sun -we brought bug spray but didn't notice any bugs -bring a camera for photo ops -bring cash to tip the guides! read more
Business owner information
Lottie T.
Mahalo Laura C for your fabulous tips and lovely review! So happy you…
3 years ago
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More info about Na'alapa Stables
59-564 Kohala Mountain Rd
Kamuela, HI 96743
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(808) 889-0022
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http://www.naalapastables.com
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5 years ago
