Kauai Waimea Canyon & South Shore Excursion. Small Group
Description
Kick back in the comfort of our clean-air condition vehicles as we take you on a journey to enjoy the highlights of Kauai's South and West. Marvel at the power of nature at the Waimea Canyon and the Spouting horn water geyser, enjoy free samples at the largest coffee orchard in the US, walk to the Bay where the first Western explorers set foot, visit charming and authentic Hawaiian towns, and shop for locally made souvenirs. Our tours are lead by a mother and daughter owned business with over 20 years of combined experience. This is not your ordinary tour. We crafted this experience as if we were in your shoes. We believe in quality over quantity; our groups are small not to exceed 13. Take the day off from driving and let us show you Kauai through local eyes. The main Canyon lookout is closed for restoration until December 2025. The Canyon is about 15 miles long and 2 miles wide, therefore you can still enjoy phenomenal views from many spots as you go up the Canyon road.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our adventure begins with a visit to the beautiful Spouting Horn, an extinct lava tube that became a water geyser. Marvel at the power of nature as the waves crash on the shore and water rushes through the tube like a geyser. Your guide will share the legend of the site, sound effects and all. As we head back to our starting point we will cruise through the famous Tree Tunnel planted in 1912.
Our first stop is at the verdant Hanapepe valley, a great preamble to the Canyon. Partially owned by descendants of a missionary family, this valley is steeped in history, and natural beauty. Although we cant't see it from the road, Jurassic falls is nestled deep within this valley.
Time to step back in time with a visit to the charming and historic town of Hanapepe. Take a walk across the famous swinging bridge, built in 1912, enjoy some pastries and beverages at a local bakery, and shop for some wonderful souvenirs made in the state and by local artisan. For Disney lovers, this is the town that inspired the original film Lilo & Stich.
Waimea Canyon State Park is one of Kauai's natural wonders, known as the mini Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Marvel at this geological gem from various lookouts as we ascend the mountain to about 3800' in elevation. We will get out of the van in various locations for amazing picture ops. The main Canyon lookout is closed for restoration until December 2025. Please know the Canyon is about 15 miles long and 2 miles wide, therefore you can still enjoy phenomenal views from many spots as you go up the Canyon road. Majestic beauty at its finest!
Around 12:30-1 pm we will head to the beautiful grounds of the Waimea Plantation Cottages built in the early 1900's during the sugar plantation days. Overlooking at the blue Pacific Ocean and many tropical trees, we will enjoy delicious lunch at famous Chicken in a Barrel, with the largest beer wall on island. After lunch you will have the option to take a leisure stroll through the beautifully landscaped property to visit Waimea Bay, one of our few black sand beaches, and Captain Cook's first landing place in Hawaii.
Last in our agenda and after lunch, get ready to visit the magical world of coffee at the largest plantation in the USA, Kauai Coffee Co. Sample many roasts for free at the visitor center, take a stroll through the coffee tree garden, and shop for a wide selection of the freshest beans at their gift shop. Don’t like coffee? Enjoy an ice cream or cold beverage at the snack shop.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- IF YOU DON'T RECEIVE A TEXT FROM US THE DAY BEFORE THE TOUR BY 5PM CONTACT US ASAP TO MAKE SURE THE TOUR IS CONFIRMED, SPECIALLY IF YOU ARE BOOKING LAST MINUTE, ARE AN INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER WITH NO US PHONE NUMBER, OR YOU BOOKED THROUGH A TRAVEL AGENCY. A VIATOR OR TRAVEL AGENT CONFIRMATION IS NOT ENOUGH, THEY DON'T OPERATE THE TOUR, WE DO. We are a very small family business and sometimes we need to change the start time or we might get sick, have vehicle problems or have weather issues that impede us to operate. It is your responsibility to make sure either you or your travel agent provides us with a good number to contact you in case of changes or tour cancellations. Booking through third parties can sometimes be problematic and cause e a delay in our communications. WE UNDERSTAND YOUR VACATIONS IS IMPORTANT AND WE WANT TO BE A PART OF IT BUT PLEASE BE KIND AND UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL. We appreciate your understanding.
- If you are coming via ship and the ship doesn’t dock due to weather or other unforeseen events, We will honor a 50% refund or a full credit to be used within 12 months. All others No refunds pass the 24 hours prior to the start of the tour.
- WEIGHT LIMITATION: Due to seating dimensions, comfort, and vehicle wear limitations, guests exceeding 250 lbs must book a private tour. This policy is strictly enforced. Reservations not complying with this policy may be canceled or denied boarding without refund. Call us if you have any questions.
- No refunds pass the 24 hours prior to the start of the tour.
- In consideration for on time guests and our after hours duties we are unable to wait for late arrivals.
- We can drop off guest at the cruise port at 3:30-4pm, and the airport.
- If you are attending Luau Kalamaku or Smith, we can drop you off after the tour.
- For private tour information call us or contact a Viator agent.
Reviews(133)
We originally booked through Viator for a Small group excursion but due to it not being fully booked, Coco from Kauai Soul Travel, LLC called me and offered us and another couple a semi private tour and it was delightful! Met Coco at Kauai Bakery where we purchased some malasadas to take with us to Kauai Coffee. Coco was a wonderful tour guide along the drive sharing with us all about Kauai and Hawaiian traditions and so much more! After Kauai Coffee where we spent some time doing a walking tour, purchasing coffee (and they’ll ship home) and enjoying some delicious cold Kauai Coffee and the malasadas, we were on our way to Waimea Canyon. Coco pulled over numerous times so we could get different views of the canyon and able to take pictures. Arriving at Waimea Canyon we spent time there taking pictures and enjoying the exquisite views. Coco took us to a special place for lunch called Kokee Lodge. She called ahead with our lunch orders and we found a table and our food served almost immediately - no waiting in line! That was great! Lunch was delicious and then we were on our way to see more of the Canyon. On our way down we stopped at the town of Hanapepe where we spent some time there doing the Swinging bridge and shopping and taking pictures at the Lilo and Stitch mural. All during our adventure, Coco continued to share with us about the different towns, all about the sugar cane that once thrived in Kauai, the different sites we should see and more. She recommended the Plantation Train and Rum tasting at the historic Kilohana Plantation that we weren’t aware of. Coco has been on the island for 30 years and knows so much about Kauai. My husband and I highly recommend Coco at Kauai Soul Travel for all your tour needs. Call Coco at 808-652-2247 and she will give you great ideas on what you should see during your stay at Kauai.
Our guide was fabulous! Not only saw sites but also learned about culture, history, geology, flora and fauna. She was also very fun and personable. Have done this tour with other tour group. This one was hands down the very best!!!!!
Excellent tour with our amazing, enthusiastic guide, Shasta! We met the small tour bus just a 10-min walk from the cruise terminal. The moment Shasta greeted us with her sparkling smile and enthusiastic "aloha," we knew it was going to be a fantastic day! This young lady is full of information, historical & current, and shared it throughout the adventure. All of the stops were wonderful, NOT crowded and the perfect spacing between them. Shasta's mom, Coco, is the other half of this excellent business. They will customize a tour, especially for you! So glad we found this excursion!
This small group tour was made so fun by nice people and Shasta! Shasta was very knowledgeable about the places she took us to on Kauai.
Coco Marie was great! We all loved her. She was funny, full of Interesting Hawaii facts and lore about the islands. She also helped everyone who needed assistance. We had a great time!
It was very fun trip, though the weather was not the best, we had a lot of laughs, and the sights were impressive and enjoyable! Coco-the tour operator made it a experience to remember, and shared her wisdom, and she is authentic.
Kauwai Soul Travel is an Amazing mother-daughter run business focused on the traditions, lore, landscape and flora/fauna of their beautiful homeland.
Coco was amazing! Fun gal and very knowledgeable. We would give her a 10000 if that was the top rating. All the sites and places she took us were great. Food and smoothie stop were terrific too. The small group was perfect. We really liked not being in a large group like a herd of cattle. We would HIGHLY recommend this company. Thank you Coco for a great day!
The scenery was spectacular. Not only were the final destinations amazing, but she made several stops along the way. We had the opportunity to take pics, eat and socialize. Coco Marie was a fabulous tour guide. She was knowledgeable, funny, engaging and entertaining. She has small groups so it’s more personal. I highly recommend. I went on two tours with her. Both were amazing!
Shasta did a great job pointing out sights along the way, explaining folklore, pointing out various plants, trees and flowers. Village’s we passed through histories also covered in detail. Lots of chances to self explore. We enjoyed the Kauai Coffee plantation stop, walking the streets of Hanapepe and its suspension bridge. But the best part was touring Waimea Canyon, really spactular! Shasta took many pictures for each group so all could be included. Much appreciated!
