Wailua River Kayak Tour: Explore Nature and History
4.8
727 Ratings
Kapaʻa

For two decades, Rainbow Kayak Tours has been offering guided excursions on the Wailua River. Our seasoned guides are knowledgeable about the local wildlife and vegetation, as well as the rich history of this remarkable location.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Wailua River State Park - Paddle the majestic Wailua River for 2 miles each way (4 miles total round trip), original home of the first Hawaiians, who paddled 1500 miles from the Marquesas Islands to Kauai almost 1500 years ago. Hear the legends and learn about the flora and fauna of Kauais most sacred area.
  • Secret Falls (Uluwehi Falls) -…
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What's Included
  • Tandem kayaks
  • Paddles
  • Back rests
  • Dry bags
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Footwear - Bring Closed Toed Shoes / Reef shoes / Teeva Style Sandals. NO FLIP FLOPS OR CROCS
Additional Information
  • No Recent surgeries or bad knees/ankles/hips.
  • No pregnancies at this due to safety concerns.
Location
440 Aleka Pl
Aleka Place
440 Aleka Place, Kapaa, Hawaii, 96746. We're located behind Coconut Marketplace in the Aston Islander on the Beach Hotel parking area next to Johnny'z Wingz N Tingz. You can check in at Snorkel Depot.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(727 Ratings)
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Carla_e
Jul 18, 2025
Beautiful memories created! - Our guide, Kay, was incredibly informative and gave us an experience to last us a lifetime!! We hope to be again!
Review provided by Viator
Tazolov
Jul 17, 2025
Absolutely worth it! - Our family of 5 had the best time doing this tour. K was our guide and she did a fantastic job. Loved all of the details she shared about Hawaiian history and the different fauna on our hike. For our tour, we were later in the afternoon. We found the kayaking to the hike was a little more challenging than the return kayaking, but we attributed it to learning how to find our groove and there was a lot of traffic on the water way. For the hike, I was a little nervous reading other reviews. I decided to wear light athletic shoes that I didn’t mind getting wet, and was super glad I did because they gave me more grip on the slippery rocks. There is one area that you have to do a little climb, but you have things to grab in to. K offered walking sticks and I think it was super helpful. Definitely wear your sunblock AND mosquito repellent. Was a workout but definitely glad we did it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Boxrmk
Jul 12, 2025
A very relaxed experience with a little physical exertion. - Addicus was our tour guide. He has a very relaxed way about him. He explained everything in detail. He gave us a lot of information about the island that was very interesting and entertaining. He was very courteous when serving lunch and collecting our trash afterwards. The kayaks are double, so expect to share with a family member. The kayaking route to the hiking spot was not too rigorous. I recommend shoes with good traction and that you don’t mind getting wet. I wore my running shoes without socks and I was glad I did. The people wearing strapped sandals were struggling. It’s a beautiful hike and a beautiful waterfall. I totally recommend it. The company worked with us on a gluten free wrap. It was lettuce, turkey, cucumbers, and alfalfa sprouts. Surprisingly refreshing and tasty. The rest of us had a sandwich with ciabatta bread, turkey, and cheese. It was good.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
744kimberleyr
Jul 11, 2025
KayakWaterfall - "K" is an amazing guide, very knowledgeable of the culture,flora/fauna, and geography. She made the experience memorable for us, despite the very rude group that was wholly inconsiderate of others on the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicole
Jul 6, 2025
Challenging and fun day trip! - Great day trip! We loved the mix of kayaking and hiking. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Food was good! Great experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kelly_t
Jul 6, 2025
This was a great... - This was a great experience kayaking and hiking. We went on a day when there were low winds and the hiking was excellent (easy for us) just keep an eye on where you are stepping l.
Review provided by Viator
Kristen_s
Jun 27, 2025
I would highly recommend... - I would highly recommend for a solo traveler! Great experience and was a fantastic way to connect with people on a solo trip!
Review provided by Viator
Kwbock
Jun 14, 2025
So much fun! - From start to finish, this trip went well. Both the kayak and the hike were awesome and our guide helped make it even better. I’m sure all of the guides are great, but I can’t imagine there being better than Trey. Exceptional experience Rainbow!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karennephew
Jun 14, 2025
A true adventure! - So glad we signed up for this experience! What you need to know: kayaking is kinda long and can be taxing if you aren’t used to using your arms. However the guide stays with you if you fall back a little. We were both 70 y/o and did fine. Also be prepared for a hike to the falls through terrain full of rocks, some mud, roots, river and uneven ups and downs. Conditions can change at any time to higher water crossing and muck. The falls are beautiful but if you want to get back to it, you have to be ready to navigate lots of rocks in the water. I did a lot of falling around but made it under the falls. Determined I was going to experience it all!! We were given a good lunch, with a sandwich , chips, fruit and water. You can take your own if you want. We were plenty tired at the end but really glad we did it!!
Review provided by Viator
Aeselpaso
Jun 2, 2025
Awesome Adventure! - This tour was so much fun! Tour guides were Atticus and Trey. Tour began at 1230pm. We were given dry bags for our belongings and two bottles of water. You might want to bring more water – definitely bring sunscreen, maybe bug spray. Might want a towel also. You really need shoes that have good traction for walking over slippery rocks and trails. Don’t overpack though because you carry your stuff the whole way. Took a van over to the marina. Double kayaks and walking sticks provided. Tour involves a lot of physical activity so make sure you are up for it. Also - it takes teamwork to get kayak going where you want it to go. Married couples beware! The hike was amazing. So beautiful! Not easy but not Mt Everest. And the waterfall was perfect. Even though there was more than one group there, it didn’t seem overcrowded. We had ham/turkey sandwiches and fruit for lunch. Shout out to Atticus! This was his first tour to lead. He did a great job – you could tell he knew what to do. One suggestion is to gather the whole group before you start telling information about the flora and fauna. Project your voice to those in the back. Everyone does want to hear what you say. We had a great day and have been recommending this tour to everyone! Mahalo!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Check Availability
From $146
From $146
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).