Had a great time renting kayaks for a half day 12:30-5:30. Called in to make the reservation and staff was very accommodating. Wes met us at the river and went over very clear instructions and tips. It was great that they included wet bags to store your things. The river itself was beautiful, the waterfall 'hike' is generally very easy with a couple stream and river crossings that are slip hazards but overall not physically strenuous, and the waterfall is beautiful and the pool is swimmable. Plenty of time to check out both arms of the river. **WARNING - DO NOT park in the adjacent thrift store parking lot if the park parking is full. They slapped a huge sticker on our windshield and demanded $25 in payment when we got back to our car despite actually spending some time in the thrift shop and scheduling a donation time. read more

This one I'm going to have to file under one of the hardest things I've done in my life! But I'm so proud we accomplished this and did this! So many people talk about kayaking the Wailua River and hiking to Secret Falls. We didn't get a chance to do this on our last trip, but my youngest and I tackled this on this trip! Our guide, Ronda, arrived a couple minutes after our tour start time at 1pm. The morning guide said she'd be along "in island time." Once she got there, she took the time to tell us a little about herself, went around our group and had us each introduce ourselves and share a few words. She took the time to memorize all of our names! She also explained to us as all the other tours were heading out, that she liked to hang back and let everyone go do their thing so we can experience the falls privately as just our group. This girl knows what she's doing! It was about a two mile kayaking journey up the Wailua River with stops intermittently along the way for our "kayak kisses" so Ronda could tell us about the history and other aspects of the island. We were almost in our own little version of Survivor, thinking up ways we could survive out there and what we would need. It was honestly very cool. Once we got the end of the kayaking journey, we were given walking sticks for the moderate 1 mile hike to Secret Falls. There are a couple of areas where you have to cross through water, but nothing higher than the knees, at that time. The hike was beautiful! Ronda pointed out the Hawaiian Woodrose, kukui nuts, which we got to crack open and have a small sample, we washed our hands with awapuhi from the awapuhi plant, etc. it was such a cool adventure. We met the local songbird and dug to find worms for him to eat. He ate right from our hands! He actually landed on my hand and looked at me for a couple seconds! We saw cows on the journey home as well. Secret Falls is amazing. We had a blast swimming around there and resting from the journey. We met a lot of great people in our tour. It was like we all became a little family. We packed up and hiked back to our kayaks and headed back down the Wailua for the journey home. This time the wind was against us, so it was literally like paddling upstream both ways lol! This was such an amazing experience. I'm sure I'm leaving some things out because there was so much! I would say, if you're doing the 1pm tour, don't have any other plans the rest of the day. You don't want to be in a rush to get out of there. Our 5 hour tour ended up being close to 7 hours. It was nice because on the way back the motorized vessels were no longer on the river, so we didn't have to worry about other traffic. I'd also recommend having dinner for that night figured out ahead of time because most places locally close at 8pm. We were able to grab dinner from a spot about 10 minutes prior to their closing. They recommend tennis shoes or hiking boots, but my daughter and I used our water socks/reef shoes and while there were a couple times when we were bouldering I would have liked to have better shoes, ultimately it wasn't an issue. Ronda gives you an opportunity to unplug from the world, get yourself on island time, and take in all the beauty Kauai has to offer. Take it! read more

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They were so great! Called in the morning to get a double kayak, we showed up about 10 and the got us all set with the kayak on the car. We went back to our hotel for a bit before starting the river at 1pm. It was a seamless experience to return and we had SO MUCH FUN kayaking and hiking! read more

First time visiting Kauai and we (my family) wanted to do one experience + see some waterfalls during our short stay on the island. Noticed there were a handful of companies offering kayaking experiences but Wailua Kayak Adventures had the best reviews and the most competitive pricing among the others. Also as an added bonus, there were things being offered that other companies weren't. Sure, no lunch but just pack your own snacks/lunch if you can't wait until you get back to your car. Cole was our guide; super knowledgable about island, the culture, and gave off a VERY chill vibe. It was my wife and daughter's first time in tandem kayak so they were very nervous about not being able to keep up, steer, stop, etc. While most of our group paddled ahead, Cole stayed behind to check on everyone in our group, giving tips, tricks and making everyone feel at ease. Eventually, they got a hang of it. We lucked out with the weather. We pushed out at 7am and it was a full on down pour for about 10 minutes, then the clouds pushed away and we were greeted with clouds and sunshine the rest of the morning. The paddle to the hiking trail is fairly easy. The hiking trail itself is like a 3/10 difficulty (when the weather is nice). There's maybe only one area where we had to small climb. What's nice about Wailua Kayak Adventures is that they provided walking sticks, a dry pack for your phone/towel/food/etc and we were the first group to make it to the Secret Falls, which meant we had the whole place to ourselves for about 5 minutes before people started showing up. Waterfall is beautiful, water was refreshing, its really a site to see and experience just be respectful and pick up your trash. As an added bonus, Cole brought and shared some fresh Lychees that he picked from his yard that morning. The Kayak back required a bit more effort, depending on the winds but we all survived and had a great time! If you're wondering about what to wear or bring, we went mid July and experienced NO mosquitos but still put on bug spray. Bring water shoes you can walk in, rash guard if you burn easily, sunblock (don't forget to spray the top of your thighs), a hat, water, musubis, and a good attitude. Thank you Cole for an amazing experience! read more

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Great time. I'm out of shape so it kicked my ass. Hike to falls was super cool. I'm 6'6" so make sure you modify the back rest by loosening the back straps. That way you can slide the back rest up higher on your back. Otherwise your core and back will be toast. Equipment is in good working order. Hike to the falls was a little rough but doable. Bring hiking poles for more stability crossing river. No restrooms at the falls. read more

Rhonda did a great job as our guide. She was very personable and professional. She helped make everyone feel as part of the group and didn't rush us at all. The kayaks were well maintained and the pace was good for all the different members of our party. The hike was fun and the waterfall at the end was good because we were there by ourselves as all the other parties went and left already. read more

This was an experience of a lifetime! Kayak the Wailua River with a local guide and hike through the rainforest to an amazing waterfall at the end. Cole was our guide and he was awesome. He was knowledgeable, informative, funny, and helpful. We did the 7am tour and we were given a kayak, life jacket, dry bag, and a hiking stick. I didn't realize until later that the hiking stick was so essential. I noticed we were the only group that had hiking sticks. I don't think the other tour companies provide them. I was so grateful for it! This tour was definitely the highlight of our trip. read more

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So glad we used this company! Tiara was very quick to respond and very helpful and knowledgeable. Their set up is very user friendly with clear instructions given for our particular adventure. Great pricing! I called around and they were the best price for a double Kayak. Would use them again read more

This is a must do item in Kauai! A guided kayak and hiking combo tour to Secret Falls! You will kayak down the peaceful and serene Wailua River for four miles and hike 2 miles round trip to Secret Falls. Cole was our tour guide! We met promptly at 7AM to begin but we started half a hour late because we were waiting for a group of 5 to show up (they were 25 mins late) because they went to the wrong location. That is not the fault of Wailua Kayak Adventures but, I do wish that we started without them because that hinders the whole group experience. I told Cole our flight leaves at 230PM in the afternoon and was hoping to be done by 12 noon. We wouldve if we didnt have to wait 30 mins for these people. SO- Hopefully they change their policy. We start without you if you are late! Cole was an amazing guide. He was funny, laid back, and told us many stories of the island. Many myths! Pointed out some landmarks and learned some history on the island. You kayak at your own pace, some groups are faster and some are slower but you generally stay around the same area as a group. After we disembarked our kayaks, we started our muddy hike. You will have 5 river crossings (deepest part was up to my knee) and your shoes will get wet! That was the uncomfortable part for me was wet sneakers but the hike was fun that goes through fields of different plants, walking on wooden planks, uneven surfaces over rocks and you will do 2 hilly climbs. Walking sticks were provided which was super helpful! Secret Falls - Once you arrive, you will feel accomplished! We saw many different tour groups there and it was very busy. You can swim in and under the falls. We decided to relax on the rocks and ate our snacks. We only spent 30 mins at the falls. For me, that was enough since I relaxed but for others who swam, it might not be enough time. Depends on what you want to do there. Excellent activity to end our trip to Kauai. Highly recommend Wailua Kayak Adventures. They are super responsive when I called and booked us a spot immediately. I also enjoyed that their adventure starts early in the morning for those with afternoon flights or other activities planned. Many companies I called have later start times and they were fully booked but Wailua had space and was very accommodating. read more

Wailua Kayak Adventures - Kayaking down the Wailua River - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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What an awesome adventure! I booked this trip 3 weeks in advance with high hopes and was not disappointed. Before we even arrived, I received a text message reiterating on where to meet and the name of our guide, Lisa. When we got there, Lisa was waiting for us and introduced herself promptly. As it turned out, we were the only two people on her tour that day but she did not seem disappointed by that. She helped us launch our boat and we took off. Along the way, she guided us told us where to paddle, and pointed out various things along the way. Once we got to the hike, she helped us land our boat and we were off on our hike. She even brought walking sticks. Definitely take one if you are offered as it was a great use. Along the way, we had a flower party where she pointed out different flowers, and other plans of importance as well as historical Hawaiian facts. At the Falls, she gave us space to explore as long as we wanted, and we had a snack that we brought with us. It was a great day since there was actually water. Apparently there has been a drought but not this day, the fall was flowing beautifully. We backtracked and Lisa being the prepared guide that she is, played us her bongo on the way back, not just for entertainment but to keep the wild boars away. She even gave us a solo performance under the bridge. Afterwards we easily beached back where we started and ended our day. We had a great day and we will remember this adventure forever! read more

Brought my grandkids to the Secret Falls tour and we all had a great time. Our tour guide, amazing and knowledgeable Ronda, showed so many cool stuff to the kids. She gave great survival tips in the wild and powerful messages to the kids about the importance of being close to nature and one's world shouldn't revolve around electronic devices. The jewel of the hike is the waterfalls where the kids got to swim under it. We rested on rocks and snacked while watching its beauty. Both the kayaking and hiking were long but very well worth it. Major workout, but 64 year old me made it! read more

This tour was such an adventure! It was my first time kayaking, and I definitely struggled a bit, but thankfully our awesome guide Brian stepped in and tied our kayak to his to help us along the way--lifesaver! After the kayak portion, the hike to Secret Falls was epic. Expect mud, knee-deep river crossings, and scrambling over rocks--it's not just a stroll, but that made it even more fun. And when you finally get to the waterfall... wow. Totally stunning and 100% worth the journey. If you're up for a little challenge and a lot of beauty, this is the tour to do! read more

Definitely do it by yourself without a guide. Easy to get to and follow the trail. Worth the trip.

Book Early if you are taking the guided tour!!! We booked a week in advance and just barely got in. This was one of the highlights of our Kauai trip. Our guide was Cole and he made the tour all the more interesting with his deep knowledge of the island. We had an early start- 7 am and there was a significant amount of rain. The hiking sticks that Cole brought along were very helpful during the muddy hike to Secret Falls. Don't think twice, book your spot! read more

Wailua Kayak Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Excellent experience! We have been twice now, including with small kids or just the two of us. Both trips were amazing.

It's amazing to come to a virtually isolated place to find connection. This place (and our wonderful tour guide, Rhonda) reminded me that "nature never hurries, but everything gets done." read more

Had the best time on this kayak adventure with Levi one of the best tour guides I've ever had if you do the secret falls ask for Levi you won't regret it read more

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If you're going to kayak the Wailua River and then hike to Secret Falls then Wailua Kayak Adventures is the place and hopefully your guide is Daniel. He's the best. He is very knowledgeable and connected to the nature. He's also very kind. As an elder, he made sure I wasn't left behind. Very caring.. read more

Bucket list activity on Kauai: #1. Kayak tour on Wailua river and hike to the secret falls (called Uluwehi Falls) Who: @wailuakayakadventures Where: Wailua River Arena 3-5971 Kuhio Hwy. Approximately 4 miles of kayaking, about 1.5 miles of moderate hiking (parts of the trail can be muddy at times). Expect to cross streams and river/ Tour duration is approximately 4 hours. (Restrictions: No pregnancies, bad backs or bad knees or recent surgeries. No children under 5 years of age.) what to bring: hiking shoes with tread and/or water shoes with tread. Light snack and water. Swim suit and towel. Sunblock/bug spray History: "Said to be the bathing site of Kauai's ancient Ali'i (or "king") of the Island. You can swim, get up close and personal with the falls or just sit and gaze upon its majesty. The rocky base offers a tranquil, almost spiritual setting. The sights and sounds of the water splashing into the pool can calm and relax your mind and create a soothing therapy for the soul. (The chicken sitting next to you may or may not be equally entranced.) (Yes, there are plenty of the ubiquitous Kauai chickens here.) Perhaps an oxymoron, but Uluwehi Falls is one of the most popular hidden waterfalls of Kauai. In any event, this paddle-hike-rest journey through water and woods will give you a satisfying sense of connection to the island. Aloha!" Source: @koloalandingresort read more

Wailua Kayak Adventures - Kayak launch - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Amazing adventure. Our guide Rhonda was very informative and enthusiastic. We appreciated her sharing the island of Kauai with us and the small details of handing out wood spoons to search for worms and the walking sticks. Highly, highly recommended! read more

Dan was our amazing guide during our kayaking adventure. He was very patient with some slower members of the group and gave some interesting facts along the way. He made it very enjoyable ! The secret falls was loaded with too many people when we first arrived at the falls but eventually thinned out, thank goodness! This kayaking tour does not include lunch and we were fine with this and brought our own snacks and water. read more

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We did the kayak and hike to Secret Falls with Cole and were thoroughly pleased with our experience. Cole is kind, attentive, knowledgeable and courteous. He is educated in local history, flora and fauna and shares an abundance of I interesting facts with us. He made sure everyone was safe on the trail as we ascended and never rushed anyone, so much so that we received more than our scheduled five hours of touring. Cole is also unflappable. He did his best to try to engage everyone, even a couple from Austria that was being rude to him. I cannot recommend this tour enough. I do recommend waterproof footwear. We did well with our Keens. read more

I actually rented a kayak through Bring Me a Kayak and did not realize that I was required to *transport* a kayak on my car. My group of girlfriends and I were struggling to set up our kayaks when we drove them to the start of the river, and we met the woman who owns Wailua Kayak Adventures as she watched us greatly struggle to set up our kayaks ("I can't watch this," she said) and she totally saved us. It's the same price to RENT A KAYAK AT THE WATER through this great company versus having to struggle to TRANSPORT A KAYAK AND SET IT UP YOURSELF through the other company we used. Please use this company! Also, bring water shoes, you will ruin sneakers. Thank you to Wailua Kayak for helping us even when we didn't even work with them! What nice people. Also a tip: I would recommend being very certain about the directions for hiking when you get off the kayak. We made some wrong turns that made the hike super hard when it should have been moderate! Ask the kayak crew for landmarks! read more

Look no further - Cole is your guy! We have been to Kauai a number of times and done a bunch of fun things, but this is BY FAR the coolest thing we experienced. Cole is full of interesting stories and knows the island like the back of his hand. Super nice guy. The tour itself has a little bit for everyone -- Leisurely kayak ride to a hiking trail through the rainforest, across the river, and ultimate to the "hidden " falls. A memory that my family will cherish for a lifetime!!! Note: would recommend water shoes WITH GOOD TREAD, versus athletic shoes as they will likely get trashed. read more

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Great place for rentals! Awesome, friendly, fast! They show you exactly where to go on the river, how to take care of your car and the kayak and give you easy tips for a fun adventure. Definitely recommend, schedule in advance. read more

Great place, no need to load up your kayak and drive to the river they are located a short walk from it.

Great experience! They were actually closed the day we needed a rental, but we were able to get the rental and explore on Sunday anyways. Supposedly there's no tours, so it was pretty open in the river. Only passed a few groups on the way to secret falls. Pay attention to the map and instructions because once it gets wet, the marker comes off. Anyways, the SUP that converts to a kayak was clutch when we went against the currents going back at the end of the day. Would recommend pants if you're planning on doing the hike because some parts get a bit scratchy. All-in-all, it was so fun but more tiring than I was expecting lol read more

Wailua Kayak Adventures - On the way to secret falls - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Favorite day of our trip! Our guide Rhonda made it great. She pointed out so many interesting things and made the tour so memorable.

We had the most memorable adventure. Ronda was our guide and she was great. She thought of everything!!! She had walking sticks for us to go through the jungle. She explained so much to us and had us experience so many new things. She made it very playful and fun. We even had a good laugh when the kayak flipped within the 1st 5 mins of the trip. We will never forget our river kayak with Ronda. 5 stars!!! read more

Email responses were fast. Rental process was great. We got paddleboards. They set up 4 (yes, 4) on top of our sedan and we used them to paddle the Wailua river to the Secret Falls hike. The instructions for where to drive, where to launch, where to paddle and where to dock for the hike (and how to get to the falls) was detailed and precise. They have the best rates for daily paddleboard rentals in Kapaa (I think). Return process was good and easy. If you are renting paddleboards for the day on the east side of Kauai, definitely use these folks. read more

Highly recommend!! My son and I did a half-day rental, which allowed us plenty of time for a wonderful kayak ride and hike to the Falls and return. If this 71 year old can do it, anybody can! Wes was very courteous; had a fully loaded 2-man kayak at the river for us when we arrived, which made everything much easier than having to load a kayak on top of our rental car. Definitely a highlight of my visit to this amazing island and will do it again during my next visit!! read more

Awesome time today on the kayak adventure. Khayman was the tour guide and I could not have asked for a better person to lead us through this adventure. It a great opportunity to see and learn a lot about the history of Kauai. A definite must do while you're on the island. read more

I recently booked a tour with this company and Ronda was our guide. It was a beautiful experience and I would absolutely do it again. The appointment and meeting place was very easy and Ronda was very passionate about the land and managed a crew with little kayaking experience very well. Thank you Wailua Kayak Adventures, I will come again! read more

MUST DO! So much fun! Wear good water/hiking shoes, you are hiking through wet mud 98% of the time. Get in the water, enjoy the water fall. read more

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This experience was absolutely remarkable. Regardless of your guide, seeing the natural beauty and being able to appreciate the water falls is something to be noted. However, our tour guide (Rhonda) went the extra mile to create a unifying trip for our group. My fiancé and I will remember this day for the rest of our lives. She helped us slow down to take in the wonders around us instead of simply trekking to a destination and back. Additionally, she took photos and videos for us :) Mahalo and pono, Rhonda! read more

Awesome tour and super passionate guide who loves Kauai ....highly recommended. They provide hiking sticks that were key for the hike. Not all provide them. They go out first and no one on the trails. Guide gives you tons of facts and history that made the trip special and super interesting. Thank You read more

This was one of the most transcending experiences I had in life. I was not sure what to expect when I booked this tour. I felt a bit nervous about kayaking for the first time, but Ronda was very knowledgeable about the trails. Ronda made the journey very fun, which lead me to have a positive experience overall. 10/10 will recommend to others. Thank you, again for such a amazing tour. read more

BEST EXPERIENCE OF HAWAII! My family and I decided to go on vacation together and we ended up doing this adventure with our tour guide Ronda. (Keep reading if you'd like to know more about the trip) First we all gathered, and our tour guide Ronda Introduced herself and broke down the tour bit by bit which is helpful. Then we all introduced ourselves and became familiar with the group. After we all became familiar with each other we got to kayaking! Every now and then we would pull over and talk about the history, nature, and culture of this waterfall which was truly refreshing! My fave part (besides the waterfall) was seeing the beautiful flowers near the water. Once we got to the waterfall there was a beautiful hike we're we crossed rivers. Ronda was so insightful of the land and talked to us about the different plants! As a plant lover this was just awesome. Once we got to the waterfall Ronda was so kind enough to take photos of my family, we didn't even have to ask she offered! She gave us encouraging words and it was such a nice hike. I would recommend going to Ronda as your four guide if you want a safe space & friendly service. read more

Wailua Kayak Adventures - Ronda taking a nice photo of us - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Judah was very informative very friendly ,a very peaceful kind man ,we loved him!!!!! I would take this tour over and over and over again with Willy/ Judah as our guide!! Willy had shown us a very nice time and was very personable while we were over on the island of Hawaii must take his tour read more

Wailua Kayak Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

The Secret Falls guided tour was awesome! Well worth the hike to see the waterfall. It was perfect weather but I could see it being very slippery on a rainy day due to the mud. Our guide Judah was so helpful and knowledgeable about the history of the island and the plants and wildlife. Highly recommend! read more

Wailua Kayak Adventures - The secret waterfall - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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