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    Na'alapa Stables

    4.6 (117 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Victoria S.

    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.

    Joe P.

    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.

    Posed pic
    William B.

    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.

    Group rides and you don't have to "stay in line!"
    Adrianne W.

    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!

    Misty P.

    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!

    Eating before the tour
    Crystal N.

    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!

    Grateful that it was just us on the guided tour
    Jolene L.

    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!

    Shantilly and Marty

    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!

    Repeating charge??????? You're not getting the first charge! Bunch of crooks!!
    Janelle C.

    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!

    Joshua L.

    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.

    It was my first time horse back riding and amazing experience. Beautiful horses, friendly and professional guides. Highly recommend.

    Amazing horses and beautiful views!
    Tim S.

    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!

    Krista S.

    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!!

    Green hills and friendly horses!

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    2 years ago

    So much fun. Great with our kids. The views were amazing. As newbies I'd recommend only the 1.5 hr so you don't get too saddle sore.

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    2 years ago

    Highly recommend. So much fun. Wonderful horses, beautiful scenery, knowledgeable and attentive guides. A fantastic experience!

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    3 years ago

    The best riding experience ever. Friendly, professional, and fun. Definitely an experience of a lifetime we highly recommend!!!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Na'alapa Stables

    Review Highlights - Na'alapa Stables

    We rode in Waipio Valley while our tour guides told stories about living in Waipio Valley as natives there.

    Mentioned in 16 reviews

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    Paniolo Adventures - Enjoying the sunset with Bonnie & Clyde Fjord Horses

    Paniolo Adventures

    4.6(187 reviews)
    10.2 mi

    This is the place! In the higher and cooler beautiful Kohala…read moreranch area. Expansive barn , beautiful horses, they have boots, slickers, headgear. It's a legitimate riding experience on well behaved horses, not a little lead along- independent and fun riding! All the staff are wonderfully pleasant and experienced! Ask for Liz a skilled, beautiful and wonderfully calm wrangler! Morning, afternoon or sunset rides are all equally wonderful!

    I've been in my paniolo era and had Paniolo Adventures on my bucket list for a while ever since I…read moresaw some stunning photos on social media. I gotta say, the experience lived up to the hype. I'm already wanting to plan another trip to go again! First off, the area is absolutely stunning. Ocean views from the mountain with cows, pigs, and other amazing wildlife all around. On the day we went, we had clear views of Haleakala on Maui. The most beautiful experience ever. Period. The time that you sign up for is the check-in time. We signed up for their afternoon ride, so we arrived at 1pm. That time has check-in and getting ready time built in (vs. having to show up 30 mins before). You do have to sign an online waiver ahead of time and then they also have a waiver that you sign on-site. I actually opted to not wear a helmet and was able to do that after checking a certain box on the waiver. The cool thing about this spot is that they have cowboy boots of all sizes that you can borrow for your ride. I obviously came with my own boots, but my boyfriend was able to find a pair in his size. In their check-in area they also have a bathroom and water for purchase or a refill station. The staff are so knowledgeable of the area and safety plus overall just so charismatic --making the ride and overall experience so much fun.

    Photos
    Paniolo Adventures - Sunset rides are heavens

    Sunset rides are heavens

    Paniolo Adventures - Horseback riding through green pastures.

    Horseback riding through green pastures.

    Paniolo Adventures

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    Wailea Horseback Adventure

    Wailea Horseback Adventure

    4.8(63 reviews)
    44.5 mi

    This was on my bucket list to hit on the B.I with my siblings. It was such a comfortable,…read moreenjoyable, smooth, & relaxing journey. I had Bailey as my horse & she was my first ever horse to ride, she made it very easy going. My siblings and I really loved this experience and Jaime was a perfect guide. He provided a lot of history & knowledge of the aina, it was nice to get someone local to take care of us. It so worth the time & price, considering that we got to go down to a secluded river that falls from Mauna Kea (it was cold but refreshing) in the middle of the tour. Tip your guides if you happen to go and take pictures!! Mahalo Wailea Horseback Adventure!

    I really wanted to go horseback riding in Hawaii. It was one of the items I had to cross off my…read morelist. After doing a lot of research I found Wailea Horseback Adventures and decided to give it a go. It sounded great with the horseback to the waterfall. The place wasn't terribly difficult to find. Apple Maps took us right there. They had nice bathrooms if you needed to change or anything. They are co-located with the zip lining activities if you want to do both while you're there. What sounded great to me was riding to the waterfalls. The horse riding seemed incredibly minimal. Very short right to the falls. Then some treacherous stairs down to the falls. You get 45 minutes to swim, sit, do whatever at the waterfall. Then you ride a very short ride back. They nonstop and take photos for everyone which I thought was a nice touch. I felt like too much time was wasted on talking about how to ride horses and use neck reigns than actual riding. Then obviously the waterfall time. I would've liked to do more riding and see more.

    Photos
    Wailea Horseback Adventure
    Wailea Horseback Adventure
    Wailea Horseback Adventure - Fresh guava

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    Fresh guava

    Hawea Waipio Valley Adventure

    Hawea Waipio Valley Adventure

    5.0(9 reviews)
    21.3 mi

    If you can only do one tour on Hawaii, this is the one to take. Not only do you get to see the…read moremagnificent scenery of the Waipio Valley, you learn about the history of the land and all it has to offer. Our guide was Keanu...so much knowledge of Hawaii and even more passion sharing it all with us. And the best part was that we were honored to have the owner of the taro farm, Uncle Morgan as our other guide. The two together just made it the best tour - it felt real, it felt like Hawaii. We've had some great moments here, but nothing has matched our experience with Hawea Waipio Valley Adventures.

    was visiting Hawaii with my fiancee and his family. His family has been to Waipio Valley a few…read moretimes, while this was my first time, and we are all in agreement that this tour was absolutely perfect. We wouldn't change a thing about it! To start the day we were met by Makano, a local who lives in the valley, who drove us down the steep winding road to the bottom of the valley. The car ride was incredibly educational and Makano made sure to point out all of the beautiful views the canyon had to offer and make sure we could stop and take lots of pictures. Once we were on the family farm we learned all about taro and how its grown. Makano was very knowledgable and shared all of his experiences with us. We got to walk into the Lopi where the taro is grown, got to pick some ourselves and even tasted some freshly made poi.  After the taro farm we headed deeper into the property to try some more of the islands fresh fruits and berries. To end the day we walked to an entirely secluded waterfall, and yes we were able to walk right in!  This tour is perfect for all ages. It's great that it really doesnt have a "touristy" feel. Makano and his family do a great job of showing you just how a Hawaiian lives (or used to live back in the day) the tour is very personal because of the small group aspect. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to actually go down into the valley and experience all of the beauty the island has to offer!

    Photos
    Hawea Waipio Valley Adventure
    Hawea Waipio Valley Adventure
    Hawea Waipio Valley Adventure - Receiving location

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    Receiving location

    Circle M Ranch - Midway through the ride.

    Circle M Ranch

    4.8(292 reviews)
    75.2 mi

    I went here for my birthday and it did not disappoint! The views are beautiful and look identical…read moreto the website pictures. As a teenager, this was an experience of a lifetime. We took the most amazing photos you could imagine. The staff was welcoming and made me feel safe. As a beginning rider, I felt completely safe and they were amazing to the younger kids on the ride as-well. I would definitely go back to Maui just to go to Circle M Ranch.

    A must when visiting Maui! Don and the rest of the staff were great. I am a beginner when it comes…read moreto horseback riding and the crew at Circle M did a good job on briefing us on the proper safety measures and how to steer the horses in the proper direction while riding. They also provide a small bag for your belongings that hooks onto the saddle, cold water bottles, and sunscreen prior to the ride. They have an area with old cowboy boots and hats that you can borrow for the ride too! During the ride, my horse occasionally got side tracked and pulled away to sneak a few bites of grass and tree leaves (don't blame him whatsoever for wanting to snack!), but Don was really patient and always helped me with redirecting him. As a whole, the horses were all well trained and knew the route, which made for a comfortable ride. The views were unreal and Don was very knowledgeable on paniolo history. They also have a great shop with lots of reasonably priced items that are good quality. Would 100% come back for another horseback ride with them the next time I return to Maui. Thanks Circle M!

    Photos
    Circle M Ranch
    Circle M Ranch - Gambler, Kevin Costner's horse in Horizon and in front of me is Nightmare.

    Gambler, Kevin Costner's horse in Horizon and in front of me is Nightmare.

    Circle M Ranch - Photo stop

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    Photo stop

    Na'alapa Stables - horsebackriding - Updated May 2026

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