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The tour breakdown
Price
These prices are for an exclusive private tour with just you and your party in the car:
Children under 12 are $95 for the first day and $75 the second day. Big savings for families! Please have your own car seats if you have more than one child. If not I can provide it at an additional cost.
“Waimea Canyon State Park fees will be paid with your credit card at the entrance. Add $25 for car and $5 per person without Hawaii state driver’s license.”
Departure time
7:30, 8 or 9 am.
Princeville/Poipu areas require 9 am pick up.
One tour per day.
Meeting point
Your accommodation or a pre-approved meeting point in Kapaa. You can leave your car in Kapaa for the day.
*Due to the recent surge in gas prices I need to charge $50 for pickups in Poipu or Princeville. Poipu and Princeville pickups add an hour and a half to my driving time. With the unique geography of Kauai, the tours work best from Kapaa, the middle point on the island and our one main, and in parts, only highway.
Availability
7 days a week, all year long, one tour per day
Duration
Approximately 6 hours per day, including a stop for lunch each day.
Group size
1-7 people
Please note that my tours are exclusive, private tours. When you make a booking, it will only be your group on the tour.
* The information above does not apply for cruise ship passengers. If you are a cruiser then please click on the link below for cruise ship specific information and booking requests.
Included
Tour in a 2022 Hybrid Sienna Toyota 8 passenger van. Plenty of room and windows, lots of cupholders, usb charging. Big savings for families coming to Kauai. We will stop for lunch each day.
Not included
While we will stop for lunch, the meal itself is not included. I know some of the best spots in the island to stop, but let me know if you have any dietary restrictions to accommodate, i.e. vegetarian. Vegetarian diets are a bit challenging, especially when going to the Waimea Canyon and west side.
What to bring
Camera, snacks, water, light jacket, cash, light walking shoes, sandals (optional comfort), curiosity…
Staff
1 x local expert and friendly guide—Uncle Doug
Good to know
No long walks/hikes. There are non-stair options for the lookout spots—just let me know if you need to use them. If weather happens I’ll do my best to follow the sun and have some fun! If you’re slightly more restricted on time and only have one day on the island, it’s absolutely no problem at all! If you only have one day or coming from Oahu on a Kauai Day Trip then I’m happy to take you from the Waimea Canyon to Hanalei. Get in touch with me and start this wonderful Hawaiian adventure today!
"The Pacific Grand Canyon"
This is an example itinerary. This will be day 1 of your 2-day tour. You can also choose to explore here on your 1-day, 6-hour tour. These are just examples of what you can see—I am open to hearing your ideas too!
A Waimea Canyon tour generally starts with a visit to the Wailua Falls, made famous as the opening shot on “Fantasy Island” (for those of us who remember). An early stop is best as this site can get very congested later in the day. Then off to see the Canyon! The generally drier, sunbaked southwest part of Kauai is home to the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, a.k.a. Waimea Canyon. Stretching 14 miles long, 1 mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep, this canyon has views that are simply breathtaking. Afterwards, we can hop along to the famous Kalalau Lookout, known for its picturesque panorama views of the Kalalau Valley & the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. Next, we can stop at one of the most magnificent Kauai waterfalls—Waipo’o Falls! This 800-foot cascading waterfall can be seen from miles away, and it’s an amazing spectacle to witness. The Menehune Fishpond is another famous and unmissable spot on this Waimea private tour. Built nearly 1,000 years ago and listed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places, it is a fine example of ancient Hawaiian culture – find out why on the tour!
Kauai's lush tropical side
This is an example itinerary. This will be day 2 of your 2-day tour. You can also choose to explore here on your 1 day, 5-hour tour. These are just examples of what you can see—I am open to hearing your ideas too!
Kauai’s North Shore is tropical and generally cooler and more jungle-like than the drier, sun-baked southside. The famous North Shore is the side that people think of when they think of Hawaii. Packed with coconut trees, stunning volcanic mountains and far more scenic lookouts than on the westside, the tropical north end offers a different perspective of this ancient Hawaiian island.
On the North Shore tour I will show you a Sleeping Giant, a Great Ape and a Magic Dragon! The North Shore tour starts with a visit to the Coco Palms where Elvis starred in “Blue Hawaii”, the movie that introduced Hawaii and Kauai to the world, kickstarting Hawaii’s tourism industry. We talk about the ancient Hawaiian Heiaus (Hay-owz, ancient temples) found along the Wailua River State Park and their history. The Opeaka’a falls cascade down a 150-foot wall of basalt formed from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. The viewpoints here offer the chance for me to explain why Hawaii looks like it does on the map, why Kauai looks the way it does and why Mt. Waialelale is one of the wettest spots on Earth! We also need to make a stop at the awesome Kilauea Lighthouse(opens in a new tab). Perched cliffside and surrounded by the deep Pacific Ocean, the lighthouse offers some incredible views. We’ll then head further north and stop at Hanalei and Hanalei Bay, a must-see while in Kauai. The town of Hanalei sits in the middle of this 2-mile long beach and was voted ‘best beach in America in 2009’! Surrounded by jagged mountains and steep cliffs, the iconic Hanalei Pier is a truly wonderful place to spend some time unwinding. Here, I will point out a “magic dragon” to you that lived by the sea! I’ll also show you where I jogged on the beach with George Clooney when I worked as an extra on “The Descendants”.
Join the Kauai Tour Guy today
You have two choices: a 1-day tour consisting of 6 hours or a 2-day tour consisting of 5 hours each day. A 6-hour tour takes you to either the Waimea Canyon or to Hanalei and the North Shore. I recommend the 2-day tour option because that way you get your second day 20% off! On a 10 Hour All Kauai you see the very different but beautiful sides Kauai and:
You get the premier deal of 20% off your second day!
- 5 hours are better than 10 hours straight for touring
- Leaves half your day free
- Hedges your bet against the weather
- Second day we already know each other
- The days do not need to be consecutive
- If you are doing a helicopter ride, I can drop you off or pick you up
If you only have one day or coming from Oahu on a Kauai day trip, then I’m happy to take you to either the Waimea Canyon or to Hanalei and the North Shore. Book it now and start your wonderful Hawaiian adventure on Kauai today!
Choosing between the 1 or 2-day tour can be difficult. My private tour in Kauai can take you to Waimea Canyon and the spectacular southwest, but the North Shore of Kauai also offers stunning vistas, beautiful lush green surroundings and Kauai’s best beaches. It’s not possible to do both in one day (hence our 2-day option) due to the difficulty/length of the roads, but whatever you decide, I’ll make your experience unforgettable! Here are some highlights you could enjoy on the tour:
- Menehune Fishpond
- Wailua Falls
- Kilauea Lighthouse
- Waimea Canyon
- Kalalau Lookout
- Hanalei Town & Bay
- Beautiful beaches
- Backroads less traveled
- Opaeka’a Falls
- North Shore of Kauai and its unsurpassed tropical beauty
- Kong
- Puff The Magic Dragon
- Sleeping Giant
- Coco Palms—where Elvis stayed while filming “Blue Hawaii”
- Various sites of movie filmed here on Kauai
- The historic town of Hanapepe
- Glass Beach and cemetery
- Look at Niihau, the Forbidden Island and story of why it is forbidden
Here’s what Doug has to say:
“This is truly a private guided tour for you and your party only. We go at your pace. When I pick you up, the first thing I ask is if you need your coffee. I find out a little bit about you and your interests, where you’re from, what preconceptions about Kauai I might have to dispel (no active volcanoes) and off we go. I know where all the bathrooms are on the island, and I have found some folks are greatly relieved at that one. My dirty little secret is we tour according to my bladder and my stomach (with your input, of course). I am 63 after all and love to eat!
So what will we see? Beautiful scenery! Beaches! Fun! Learn about Kauai’s intriguing culture, geography and natural history as well as how we, as modern Hawaiians, look to the ancient Hawaiians for clues on sustainability. Folks, Kauai makes my job easy as a sightseeing guide, and there is nowhere that’s as darn pretty as here. Kauai is one of the most beautiful islands in the world, and I will show and share it with you. Glorious beaches, stunning rainbows, rugged mountains—you name it! We will also have opportunities to see the endangered monk seal, geographical spouting horn, the Sleeping Giant and Kong…so what are you waiting for? You never know what we’ll see along the backroads of Kauai…
Highlights
Tour Kauai in a 2022 Toyota Sienna Hybrid 8 passenger Van
So much to see from the unique forest of Koke'e State Park, to the glory of the Waimea Canyon State park and then to where I will challenge you to tell me where does the ocean end and the sky begin
We'll learn about each other and Kauai as we go. I see or learn something new each tour, Kauai never gets old
Visit the Kalalau Lookout, Waimea Canyon, 800ft Waipo'o Falls, 3100 acre Kauai Coffee Company Plantation(or not), Poipu, Spouting Horn and historic old town Koloa
Remember that as you tour the Westside, the North Shore offers a completely different experience from lush vegetation to more Movie sites than on the West. Book two days and save!
Flexible itineraries: we have endless suggestions but will always ask if you want to visit somewhere specific
FAQs:
Can you pick me up from the helicopter company for Oahu to Kauai Tour?
I can pick you up from the helicopter company for your Oahu to Kauai tour. Just let me know the time and location, and I’ll be there to ensure a smooth transition. Get ready for an incredible adventure on the Garden Isle!