Awesome tour. Sights were amazing. The experience of the trip and the drive were like something out of the movies. Our tour guide was a local and gave us a local perspective on everything we saw. He told us the story behind the side by side falls, the big one and the little one. (Hint, it's a love story.) He was very flexible and accommodating, helping his guidees get the best out of their experience. We also had fresh fruits and sampled wild ferns along the way. Our guide explained how the locals were able to sustain them selves in this wild valley. read more

Waipio Valley Shuttle - The big and little waterfalls - Tours Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. From the moment I arrived, everyone involved was incredibly warm, welcoming and friendly but what truly made the experience exceptional was our guide, Seanry. His knowledge of Waipiʻo Valley, its history, culture, people, agriculture, waterways and the relationship between the community and the land, was extraordinary. He didn't simply drive us through a beautiful place, he helped us understand what we were seeing and why this valley is so sacred and deserving of respect. Equally important was the sense of safety Seanry created for our group. Navigating the incredibly steep road into Waipiʻo is no small thing, yet I felt completely comfortable in his hands. He was attentive, knowledgeable and genuinely cared about everyone's experience. Initially, I was disappointed to learn that the tour's permit does not include access to the black sand beach but once we entered the valley, however, that disappointment disappeared. There is SO much more to Waipiʻo than its beach. The waterfalls, taro fields, freshwater springs, wild horses, vegetation, history and people who continue to call the valley home made this one of the most meaningful experiences I've had on Hawaiʻi Island and throughout my world travels. The value for the money is beyond words. What you receive isn't simply transportation into a place most visitors can no longer access by vehicle or on foot, you receive an education and a deeper appreciation for Waipiʻo that you simply cannot get by standing at the lookout with another tour bus. I also came away understanding why these permitted tours are so important. If we ever hope to see responsible public access to the road expanded again, visitors need to understand how to enter this sacred place with respect, for the residents, the culture, the land and the fragile ecosystem. Experiences like this provide that education. If you are visiting the Big Island, do not just drive to the lookout or take another tour bus, take a picture and leave. Take THIS tour. Go into the valley. Listen to its stories. Learn about the people who have lived there and those who still do. Understand the land you're standing on. Waipiʻo deserves to be more than something we photograph. It deserves to be understood, respected and protected. And if you're fortunate enough to have Seanry as your guide, you're in excellent hands. A must do experience on Hawaiʻi Island! read more

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What a great experience!! This was a last minute decision to do this tour because a recommendation from another tourist we met and I am so glad we did it! Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and friendly! The views were spectacular and such great information on this tour! You can't reach this area in your own car so the only way to get there is through tour company. If you don't go on a tour you only get to see the lookout of the valley. It is such a fun experience going down the steep road and beautiful view of the coastline, wild horses coming up to the van, driving through streams, and even getting out of the van to dip our toes in the water. If you want to see beautiful landscape and learn about the land take this tour! read more

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Awesome tour of the valley! We saw things and places we'd never seen before, even though we'd driven down twice back when you were allowed. Our driver Forrest was friendly and knowledgeable, answering all questions in a thorough manner. This tour is well worth the time and price. read more

Waipio Valley Shuttle - View looking across the back of the valley. - Tours Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

All the stars - Our guide, Seanry was rad. We really enjoyed learning about the Waipio lands and all it's history. You walk away from this tour feeling more connected to the lands and culture. Thank you for continuing to offer these tours, the best thing we can do is educate tourist and create more respect and awareness of all the amazing history here in Hawaii. read more

Waipio Valley Shuttle - God rays - Tours Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

Our guide, Forest, was very knowable about the history of the valley as well as the flora and fauna. Unfortunately, the falls were not flowing due to drought conditions but I have no regrets going on this tour. I highly recommend. The tour starts at a local artist gallery, so take time to look around. read more

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Highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Hawai'i! Our tour guide was very friendly with plenty of interesting factoids alongside a history lesson of the region. They kick a few fun spots to stop and take a walk around. Bring water shoes if you want to walk around the river bank! read more

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This tour was a highlight of our time on the Big Island. Our tour guide, Forrest, made the experience memorable. He was knowledgeable and even had carrots with him so were able to feed the wild horses. We also loved the Waipio Art Gallery was wonderful, too. The staff were absolutely lovely. The Waipio Valley is a sacred, beautiful place. It was an honor to experience such a special place. Thanks again to, Forrest...a hui hou. read more

We did this on our 50th wedding anniversary as one thing of a day of wishes. We had an amazing time. Highly recommend this beautiful trip down into an amazing valley. read more

The only official and respectful way as a visitor to see this Valley of Kings. We happen to have a guide who was born and raised according to hawaain traditions in the actual valley. Felt safe, respectful of the few resisdents, and special privilege to see this place. Two stops for scenic photos. Beautiful place, special guide, informative and respectfully done. read more

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A very informative tour on the history of Waipio Valley. Our guide Forrest was great. We saw wild horses and learned a great deal about the generational farms here. read more

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Amazing beauty and peacefulness on this tour. Forrest was a fantastic guide, with genuine love for and awareness of Hawaii, the Big Island, the people, the culture, and the history. You get to go where few get to these days because of necessary restrictions. There is beauty all along this trip, from up close, to afar. Having wild horses approach us was a treat. read more

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We enjoyed our Waipio Valley shuttle tour with Forest! The tour operators were very accommodating (we had a few groups traveling together and asked to be placed in the same van). The Waipio Valley is closed to non-residents at this time, making a shuttle tour the only way to see this beautiful and special place. Even if the county road reopens to permitted non-resident hikers in the future, a shuttle will remain the ideal way to see the valley. The county road is steep and narrow, best handled by an experienced and professional driver. The area is inhabited by small family farms, who deserve to have their peace and property respected. Also, the Waipio Valley is home Hi'ilawe and Hakaloa waterfalls, which are important to the religious and traditional beliefs of Hawaiian people. Our tour operator shared stories with us and told us the history of the valley. In addition to human residents, the valley is also home to feral horses descended from Spanish Barbs and other horses brought to the island. I recommend this tour for a safe way to see an area of the Big Island that is otherwise difficult to access. read more

Awesome tour where we got to learn a lot of the history of the valley too. The custom made vans are cool too.

Forest was our guide and did a fun and excellent job of showing us the valley. I highly recommend the tour for both residents and tourists alike. read more

Kaleo our guide, what a great pleasure. The entire experience was more than expected. Really great to get a peak into a space that has been protected from invasion of the concrete jungles. So many great things to say about traveling one of the steepest roads in all the world! 6th according to a Guinness, then there's the amazing beauty of the mountains rising out of the ocean, the remarkable 1200+ ft waterfalls, to learn of the importance of the Taro the origin of the Hawaiian Islands that arose from the people of this amazing valley. Highly recommend taking a day to enjoy this truly amazing place on the Big Island! read more

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Incredible Tour with informative and passionate tour guides that live in the Waipio Valley. Can't say enough great things about this tour...scenery, history, local/natural wildlife and plants in the area...entertained our 7yr old boy (who doesn't like to sit still.) He especially loved looking for prawns in the stream. read more

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We enjoyed the 90 minute experience. Kaleo was our guide. He was born, and still lives in the area. He shared a lot of history and local legends with us. This area is really special and it would be interesting to spend more time here. At the time of writing the tour is a slow descent into the valley and the guide shares a lot of knowledge and provides ample photo ops. You stop to see the waterfall (from afar) and learn about Taro farming. Then you drive to a little riverside area where you have some time to relax and explore in your own. The ride up takes about 15 minutes. As of this writing there was no opportunity to hop off the shuttle and explore on your own or visit the beach but it sounds like that may be offered again in the future. Probably worth contacting them and asking to see what the current situation is but we were told you could only explore further with a direct invite from a resident. read more

This is a must do if youre visiting Hilo or Kona. Our tour guide Hili lived in the Waipo Valley for a good number of years. He was awesome and so knowledgeable. You can walk down to the valley but with a 25 to 33 percent grade i would not reccomend it. We stopped in our windowless van many times for photo ops like with the 1200 feet waterfall, taro fields, fruit trees and stories about those living there. There are wild horses in the valley and Hili had alfala cubes for them....but they werent out today. Today it was raining but that didnt stop us. We drove through several rivers and streams. The van is 4 wheel drive, a must for this type of terrain. The Valley of the Kings is a must do! read more

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Awesome adventure in Waipio Valley Shuttle's 4-wheel drive, windowless van down to the valley floor! At the look out point you can see down into the valley, but taking the shuttle gives you an up close look into life in this vast and lush valley. There were a few very adventurous people hiking the road. That's not anything I would ever do considering the one lane, very steep grade road. And especially on the very wet and rainy day that we were there. I felt very safe in the shuttle. We had bouts of pouring rain, which added to the adventure of the rough drive on the road and through several river crossings. We didn't see any wild horses during our tour. We did see a lot of amazing sights! Our driver and guide, Hili, use to live in the valley. He knows his way around here. It was fascinating listening to his stories of life among the 70 or so residents of the valley. Most homes do not have electricity. The plant life is filled with sustainable and delicious food sources: taro fields, coconuts, avocados, cherries, guava, cocoa, citrus, bananas, the list goes on and on! We stopped several times on the drive for tastings of the fruit. And of course we had to stop to take a photo in front of the 1,200 foot waterfall! If you want to go down to the beach, you can arrange for the van to drop you off at a point where you walk down and they will pick you up later. The van does not drive down to the beach area. The pick up-drop off point is at Valley Artworks, just before you get to the look out point. I booked online for the best rate and used the "yelp" promo code to get an additional 10% off. Dress appropriately-closed toe shoes with sturdy sole and rain coat. The tour is 2 hours. No bathroom stops. This is a tour you will want to try for yourself! read more

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This was our first visit into Waipio Valley via Waipio Valley Shuttle, headquartered at Kukuihaele! Kaleo was our tour guide/driver and he was terrific! Besides the fact that he was born and raised in Waipio Valley and has a generational history there, he was knowledgeable and informative and funny, sharing history and legends of the valley. We crossed rivers and streams and saw wild mustangs that inhabit the valley. They come right up to the van and wait for handouts through the windowless windows! The kalo (taro) fields were lush and pretty, but functioning crops for the residents of the valley. The perspective from the valley floor is so different than what you see from the lookout at the top of the mountain. There are additional valleys that back up to Waimea, which are unseen from above! Worth the time to see Waipio Valley up close and personal! Woo hoo! read more

Waipio Valley Shuttle - Wild mustangs in Waipio Valley - Tours Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

Worth every penny. The place felt magical and did not want to leave. Would recommend this to anyone looking for a heavenly place on earth. Our guide was very knowledgeable and made sure we were safe and comfortable. read more

It was an amazing experience and an honor to explore the native Polynesian lands of Waipio Valley. Our local guide, Kaleo, was friendly, knowledgeable, and very passionate about the area and agriculture. He was a definite highlight of the tour! Would highly recommend. read more

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Forrest was so knowledgeable & very reassuring & a pleasure! Only 4 in our tour so we were able to ask questions & stop to certain cool locations. Highly recommend this tour! Loved it! read more

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We have been Hawaii Island residents for 12 years, and we have driven our own 4 wheel drive truck to Waipio several times. Yesterday we went on the Waipio Valley bus shuttle for the first time and highly recommend it! Our tour guide Forrest was quite knowledgeable and so pleasant. In the shuttle's customized GM van, we got to experience much more of the valley than ever before. It was a safe comfortable ride, which allowed us to traverse quite a few streams. So much fun - lots of free roaming wild horses came right up to our van... you have to take the ride to enjoy your own experience. Again kudos to our guide Forrest. read more

My wife and I took multiple tours on our trip to Hawaii and this was by far the best one. We were at first disappointed to learn that we were not allowed to hike on our own into the Waipio Valley because of a rule implemented in 2022. It forced us to book this tour because it is the only way tourists are allowed to visit the valley floor. The experience was infinitely more enjoyable, educational, and rewarding than hiking on our own or visiting the scenic outlook (open to the public with free parking) would have been. Our guide, Kaleo, was raised in the valley, and is obviously very engaged with his community. Thus he was able to explain not only the history and natural phenomena, but also his own personal experience living there. He was well spoken, easy to understand, friendly, accommodating, and able to answer every single question we had. Visiting the scenic overlook on your own for free is fine if you're short on time, but taking this tour is well with the time and expense. I left feeling humble and inspired. Also, there are wild horses. read more

Waipio Valley Shuttle - Wild horses on the valley floor - Tours Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

Fantastic tour. Noah was super knowledgeable and gracious. He pointed out where he lives, he's *that* local. No other tour operators (or non-residents) are currently allowed in the valley. Easy online booking (and tipping, if you prefer), highly recommend. read more

Pretty comfortable way to tour this amazing lush valley where so much grows. Plus HORSES!! Check in at the counter of the store. Then wait out front. There are many different tours that pick up there so keep an ear out for yours. It's not gonna run like the Shinkansen so just relax and enjoy your vacay. I was super glad not to be the people walking up this crazy hike. It looked hot and rainy and miserable. The van is open air so no AC. It was not too hot or wet though. That drive is pretty breathtaking. It was pretty cool to drive through streams and "rivers." Our guide had lived in the valley and knew so much. It was amazing to see all the apple banana growing - I wanted to just take a whole bunch. I didn't. Also the coffee and guava and mountain apple etc that grows wile. But of course the best was the WILD HORSES. Saw a few foals which is of course the best. Pretty amazing that people live off the grid like that. read more

The tour was supposed to be longer. We purchased a tour for 1.5-2 hours and by 1h 15m we were already being dropped off back at the check in (at the art gallery). We also didn't see the wild horses. The tour guide saw some farther away but didn't make a point of letting us get closer and seeing them, or finding others - which was a goal of the tour for us and would have been a highlight for kids. We would have appreciated taking more time down in the valley, going around a bit and finding some wild horses if at all possible. This made the early return and the shortened tour time harder to bear. The valley is beautiful and it's breathtaking going down and highly interesting overall, but this tour wasn't a great substitute for the old days when one could walk down oneself. Glad we did that years ago, since apparently it's once-in-a-lifetime! read more

If you come all the way for the Waipio lookout, you might as well take this tour to go into the valley. The ride itself is half the fun! Our guide was knowledgeable and informative. Not only did he help us take our pictures, he even jumped out of the van to help a random family take THEIR photos! What a guy! We had a nice history lesson of the Waipio Valley, learned about different fruits and flowers, and got to feed some snacks to wild horses. So cute! Each seat on the van is a large window view. You can do this tour on your own, but by the time you can see the waterfall you will probably be exhausted and need to climb back up the super steep hill. This shuttle tour's price was very reasonable for what you get and such beautiful scenery. If you take the morning tour and get there early, definitely stop by the lookout first because the tour does not have time to stop there. In the afternoon the lookout point was a bit crowded with the tourists. read more

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What an awesome experience that was well worth every penny. Kaleo was a authentic, personable, and knowledgeable tour guide, who was born and raised in the valley. He shared not only the history of the sacred valley, but also stories of his childhood and information on the local wildlife. The tour met at the art gallery, where there are restrooms and parking (and yummy ice cream). From there everyone gets in a van as Kaleo drives the group down to the back of the valley, an area off limits to the general public. The views are incredible from the top to the bottom and back. read more

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This is a review from February 2021 We called early Saturday morning to make a reservation for 2 and thankfully there were still spots available on the shuttle. There's something so enjoyable and rewarding about experiencing a tour led by a local or a native. Kaleo is both. There wasn't a question too silly or too difficult for him to answer. He was crazy knowledgeable and passionate which made the ride easy and fun. Sure you can do the hike yourself but there's no service to ask Google, what that bird is or if the plants you're seeing are endemic or to tell you the tale of the waterfalls or how to give/do an offering before entering. I don't often enjoy tours because I don't like being talked at but Kaleo had all of us hooked on his every word. We especially enjoyed the pause at the bottom of the valley to take in our surroundings and dip our feet into the water. He stopped the car at every photo opportunity to ensure we were able to take clear photos. He was also a very safe driver and knew when to pull over to let other cars pass alongside us. He also actively cheered on the hikers which brought sparkles to their eyes! I'd also like to mention that the shuttle itself is really nice, clean, spacious and open windows which makes taking pictures that much easier. I point this out because I didn't see any open windows for the other tour vans/buses that we passed. We would do the tour again in a heartbeat and hope to do so soon with the rest of our family. Hands down the best tour we had in Hawaii and really I've ever had period. Thanks so much! read more

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One star for the guide, and one star for Waipio, but really a shame they charge tourists (a couple) $140 for a short ride to the valley, in an old van. If you want to stay at the beach, add another $40. Anyone with a Hawaiian ID can go down for free. I understand the locals are tired of tourists, but go anywhere that's nice in the U.S. and you'll find tourists. This is not right. read more

Fantastic tour. Douglas was a wonderful guide, and I highly recommend him as a driver. Do an early AM tour!!! Why would you try to traverse down this STEEP mountain in your car when you can have an experienced driver do it and tell you the incredible history and details? Awesome investment of time and very reasonable price. read more

Waipio Valley Shuttle - Tallest waterfall on the island! - Tours Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

My mother, 80 years old, and I booked this tour in order to see the Waipi'o Valley and we are so glad we did! Douglas was our guide and he was incredible. My mother has some minor mobility issues and he quickly took her to sit in the front seat of the van so she wouldn't have to worry about climbing in and out of the back. He was so knowledgeable about the valley and was quite entertaining, too. He took his time making his way down the road, stopping often to let us take photos and take in everything around us. He let us smell guava and noni and picked hibiscus flowers for all of the women on the tour. We were fortunate to see a few of the wild horses, Douglas had alfalfa cubes in the van to treat them. This tour was amazing and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to see the valley. read more

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Just wow! This was a great tour. I have been wanting to get to the floor of Waipio Valley since 2007. And finally did so with my husband, our adult son and my mom and her husband. What an experience. The 25% grade down and backup is fun. But being down on the valley with a tour guide was perfect. Douglas was amazing. Not only is Hawaii his home, but it is evident when he speaks of home he speaks with pride. He told us all about the residents that remain in the valley, most off the grid and some with power now. We had several of the wild horses-a huge highlight for me-being a horse person-come up to the van. We crossed the river and creeks and witnessed first hand all the glory the valley has to offer. The Hi'ilawe Falls, the lush gardens, plants, flowers,taro farms, and so on. Douglas shared with us the story of how Hi'ilawe Falls got its name and the story of the Legend of Kamalo and the Shark God. He is a perfect storyteller and should be proud of his skills both driving and story telling. Thank you for sharing the Valley with us. We now know that the Black Sand beach is not an official part of this tour but we can leave the van, hike to the beach and return to a pickup point to get back to the top. Good to know for our future visit. read more

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Had an awful experience with our tour guide named Kaleo. He made our trip very awkward as he made some pretty disturbing gestures to one of his co-workers. My daughter was quite offended but we didn't want to make a scene at such a remote location and us not knowing our surroundings. read more

Douglas, our guide made us feel welcome. He is very knowledgeable about the Valley. His tour felt genuine and not rehearsed. He made time for everyone to take photos and if applicable he would stop the van and get out to show us examples of the native land and it's features. My wife and I enjoyed crossing the ravines. It felt like a Hawaiian style amusement park ride. We plan to recommend this specific tour to our friends and family as a "Must do!" read more

Waipio Valley Shuttle - Tours Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

Great small tour to see a beautiful restricted area where King Kamehameha once lived. I hope one day they are able to include the beach in the tour. Tour guide (former resident of the valley) was awesome. read more

Check-in is in An art gallery. Luckily I was able to score a same-day reservation as there was a cancellation for that day. This tour fills up very quickly so I would say to book in advance if possible. The van is a four-wheel-drive van so be ready for some bumps and driving through some small running water. This is a perfect trip for those who want to experience the Waipio Valley but are unable to do so if they are limited physically. Our tour guide was Douglas, who was full of energy, and provided wonderful rich facts about the history of Waipio Valley. You exit the Van to take pictures. I was able to see and pet a wild horse who was so beautiful. We saw some beautiful views of waterfalls, the valley, and learn about the rich history of Waipio Valley. Highly recommend read more