All Reviews for Waipio Valley Tours

The tour was nice and Big Island is beautiful, but our tour guide gave an extensive history of Big Island which felt removed and disconnected from what we were seeing. The guide was asked multiple times from other people on the tour about things they had noticed during the tour but the guide was stuck on the historical narrative and refused to talk about "politics", yet the questions being asked were quite simple and relevant to what we were seeing. He was very knowledgeable but it made for a very tiring and boring ride. It would be great if he could break up the historical narrative with some more present-day information about Big Island.

What a marvelous adventure! This is my second time. The first time I did it with my local friend and my older grand daughter. It was stellar and why we opted do do it yet again. This time I brought my 2 grand girls (13 & 16). One is a good rider, one a beginner. Both of them had a marvelous time and had wonderful horses. I'm an advanced rider and loved my horse and the entire experience. The guides are a delight and taught me much I didn't know about the valley and it's contents and history, even though I already knew quite a bit. I can't say enough about how perfect the experience was. I'll do this ride again and again, every time I come to the island. I could not have been more pleased with everything about this adventure.

The staff was kind, and the horses were well-behaved. It seems that the horses have their own likes and dislikes, and the staff explained this to us. Finally, I got to eat naturally grown starfruit and mango, which were incredibly delicious.

スタッフも親切で馬もお利口さんです。馬も違う馬とも好き嫌いがあるみたいでスタッフも説明してくれました。最後に自然に生えているスターフルーツ、マンゴーを食べさせてもらったが最高においしかった。

I had some anxiety about meeting on-site and only using English, but it was wonderful. The horseback riding was great, and the location at Waipi'o Valley was fantastic. The guides were cheerful, and they entertained us by picking mangoes along the way. There was plenty of time for horseback riding, and I highly recommend this lovely tour. The location seemed a bit difficult to find, but it was easy enough with a rental car and Google Maps.

現地集合で英語のみということで不安なところもありましたが、素晴らしかったです。乗馬はもちろん、ワイピオ渓谷というロケーションが最高でした。ガイドさんも陽気な方々で、途中マンゴをもぎ取りもてなしてくれるなど、とても楽しませてくれました。もちろん乗馬の時間も十分あり、素敵なツアーでおすすめです。場所は分かりにくそうでしたが、レンタカーでGoogle マップで十分でした。

This horseback riding experience was so amazing! The guides were very experienced and there were experienced riders and first-timers in our group. Each participant was treated individually and to their level of comfort and experience! We rode through creeks and foliage and the slightest rainfall...it was a beautiful ride and gorgeous environment. The guides told us the history of the island and the Hawaiians who settled the valley...we also saw the wild horses along the way. Magical experience! 5-star!

I was worried about my English skills and whether I would enjoy it, but it was fine. There was nothing difficult, and I just let the well-trained horses take me on a walk while enjoying the scenery and plants. I thought it would have been better if the course didn't have a U-turn, but it seems that's how it is. All the tours I passed by were similar.

If you have a rental car, you can easily arrive with the help of a GPS while driving. I was torn between a plan with Japanese language support and transportation, but I recommend this tour because of its low price. The staff arriving late at the meeting time can be seen as a charming aspect of the foreign experience.

英語力が心配で楽しめるかな？っていう不安がありましたが、大丈夫。
難しい事は何もなく、よく慣れているお馬さんにお任せで景色や植物を見て散歩してきました。コースがUターンじゃなければ尚よろしいと思ったのですが、仕方がないみたい。どのツアーも同じような感じですれ違いました。
レンタカーが有れば、カーナビの助けも借りてドライブしながら簡単に到着出来ました。
日本語・送迎付きプランと迷いましたが、料金格安のこちらのツアーはお勧めです。
集合時間にスタッフが遅れてくる所は外国人らしさのご愛嬌という事で。

I participated in the afternoon tour. Since we drove down into the canyon, I was able to enjoy horseback riding in nature. Along the way, I encountered wild horses.

午後のツアーに参加しました。渓谷を車で降りるので、自然のなかで乗馬が楽しめました。
途中で野生の馬に遭遇凍ました。

Once in lifetime trip with my parents (both in 70s but fit). We went to the ranch (a little hard to find), drove down with the guides in a 4 wheeler......quite a drive. A very scenic but bumpy 30 minute ride to stables, another 30 minutes to get the whole party mounted up on horseback, and then a leisurely 2+ hours trek through magical lush green landscape, splashing through streams and seeing wild horses grazing, surrounded by towering cliffs and occasional waterfalls.

Only issue -- you won't really hear the guides once you start going. So do some reading up on Waipio vallyet beforehand, and then just enjoy what you are seeing. My mom has never been on horseback, my dad maybe 40 years ago, and they did just fine.

Since it's a valley, there is no signal at all. I couldn't display the voucher, but I was able to participate properly. If you're going to Waipi'o, you should definitely print out the voucher. The tour was a series of breathtaking moments. Horseback riding in such a stunning landscape. I want to go again. I wonder how my horse, Holoholo, is doing.

渓谷なので電波が全く入りません。
voucher表示できなかったけど、ちゃんと参加できました。ワイピオに行くならvoucherはプリントアウトしとくべきですね。
ツアーは感動の連続でした。絶景の中の乗馬。また行きたいです。私が乗馬したホロホロ元気かなぁ

Thank you it was a nice experience to ride in the valley. We did this for our anniversary the only thing I would like to have done is ride side by side with my husband.
But we had a wonderful time.

Only English explanation.
There were 11 participants with two veteran female staff members. My 10-year-old son fell off the horse but was only slightly injured and was able to continue. We proceeded slowly, and while the horses were gentle, there were risks due to the height. He seemed to have fun, so it turned out well in the end.

英語説明のみです。
スタッフはベテラン女性2人に対して、参加者11人でした。
息子10才落馬しましたが、軽傷で続行出来ました。ゆっくりすすみ、馬はおとなしいですが、高さがあるので危険はつきます。本人も楽しかったそうなので、結果オーライでした

I had a hard time finding the barn at Waipi'o on Horseback. I thought there was a sign on the right side of the road, but it was actually on the left. I didn't realize it and ended up passing by and going all the way to the lookout. It's 11 miles from Honokaa on Highway 240, about 2 miles before the lookout.

After gathering at the barn, we descended into Waipi'o Valley for 20 minutes in a 4WD. We were advised to carry as little as possible, so I left my belongings in the rental car.

I joined an English tour with 8 people, but since there were 6 Japanese participants, the guide spoke in broken Japanese, saying things like "dangerous" and "left." However, all the documents and explanations about the trees during the tour were in English. They also took photos along the way, so a camera is a must. I was told that the 4WD wouldn't be locked, so while valuables shouldn't be brought, I wish I had brought a drink.

The horseback riding lasted about an hour. The horses calmly crossed rough paths and fast-flowing rivers. It was a unique experience that I really enjoyed.

ワイピオオンホースバックの納屋を探すのに苦労しました。道路右手に看板があると思ったら、実際は左手。気づかず通り過ぎて展望台まで行ってしまいました。ホノカアから240号で11マイル先、展望台から2マイル手前です。
納屋で集合した後、ワイピオ渓谷を4WDで20分下ります。荷物は極力持たないようにとのことでしたのでレンタカーに置いていきました。
8名の英語ツアーに参加しましたが、日本人が6名でしたのでガイドの方はアブナイ、ヒダリとかカタコトの日本語で話してくれます。ただ書類やツアー中の木々の説明は全て英語です。途中で写真も撮ってくれるのでカメラは必須です。移動する4WDは鍵をかけないとのことでしたので、貴重品はだめですがドリンクは持参すればよかったと思いました。
乗馬の時間は1時間くらいです。足場の悪い道や流れの速い川を馬は平然と渡って行きます。普段経験出来ないことなので、大変楽しかったです。

Last time I had a bad experience, so I wasn't expecting much this time, but it turned out great! It might have been a good thing that I interacted with local Americans who didn't speak Japanese.

前回外れを引いたので、今回は期待していなかったのですが、当たりでした！
今回は日本人でなく、言葉の通じない地元アメリカ人なのが良かったのかも。

The meeting time was set for 1:00 PM, but the local staff arrived around 1:25 PM, so I thought it would have been fine to delay the meeting time a bit. The tour itself was enjoyable, as the instructor taught us about various fruits growing in the area and kept the mood lively. The Waipi'o Valley is also a place you can only visit through such tours, so it was very worthwhile.

ＰＭ1：00集合だったが、現地の係員が来たのがＰＭ1：25ぐらいだったので、もう少し集合時間は遅らせてもよいと思った。
ツアー自体は、インストラクターがいろいろと生えているフルーツを教えてくれたり、気分も盛り上げてくれるので、楽しかった。
ワイピオ渓谷自体もこういったツアーでないと行けないので、非常によかった

This time, Grandpa and Grandma were on their second horseback riding experience, while the other seven were first-timers. It was a total of nine people, and the one who enjoyed it the most was a third-grade girl.

After riding and holding the reins tightly, she crossed a stream and exclaimed, "This is fun!" When she saw the fruits and beautiful flowers along the path, she said, "How lovely!" And upon seeing the waterfall in the valley, she shouted, "This is the best!" She seemed to want more than just an hour of horseback riding.

Everyone else was also moved, whether it was crossing the river or when the horse started eating grass. Grandpa and Grandma, who recommended the horseback riding, were very satisfied.

今回は、ジジ・ババは２度目、その他７名は初めて。合計９名での乗馬体験でしたが、一番喜んだのは小３女の子。
乗馬して、手綱をしっかりホールドしたら小川を渡ると「楽しい－」、道脇の果物・綺麗な花を見たら「素敵！」、渓谷の滝を見たら「最高！」と大声を張り上げて、乗馬の楽しさを満喫し乗馬１時間では物足りない様子。
他の人達も、川を渡る時、馬が草を食べ始めた時全てが感動の連続で、乗馬を勧めたジジ・ババは大満足。

I was a bit anxious about the English guide, but the guide was great, and I was able to enjoy myself with a little Japanese. Horseback riding was a first experience for my whole family, and I thought we might need a bit of practice, but we were just taught how to ride and control the horse, and then we started riding. It turned out to be a really fun time.

After about two hours of horseback riding, my groin started to hurt. Also, the microbus ride to Waipi'o was enjoyable.

英語ガイドで少し不安がありましたが、ガイドの方が良く、少しの日本語で楽しく過ごせました。乗馬は家族全員が初めての体験で少しは練習がるのではと思いましたが、馬に乗る方法やコントロールする方法を教えて頂いただけで、乗馬開始、でもすごく楽しい時間を過ごすこととができました。
約2時間の乗馬が終わると股間が痛くなりまりました。また、ワイピオまでのマイクロバスは楽しかったです。

I went horseback riding in Waipi'o Valley, which is considered a sacred place for the people of Hawaii. We drove down a narrow, steep slope in a 4WD vehicle and rode horses in a secluded area that felt almost like a jungle. After a brief explanation, we got right into riding. We crossed a river and went through the forest; it truly felt like an adventure. My horse was named Sweet Oakley. He was well-trained and listened carefully to the instructions. My 8 and 11-year-old children also had a great time.

ハワイの人々にとっての聖地とされるワイピオ渓谷で乗馬しました。４WDの車で細くて急な坂を下り、ほぼジャングルのような人気の少ないところでお馬さんに乗りました。簡単な説明の後、すぐに乗馬。川をわたったり、森の中を抜けたり、まさにアドベンチャーといった感じです。スイートオーコレーという名前のお馬さんでした。きちんと調教されているので、しっかりインストラクションを聞いておくということを聞いてくれます。８歳１１歳の子供たちも楽しんでました。

This was my third horseback riding experience in Hawaii. I stayed in Waikoloa and met at the location, but I had no problems getting there using the navigation. The instructions were all in English, but just like on Oahu, important commands like "Don't eat grass!" were communicated in Japanese when the horses acted freely.

While enjoying the great nature of Waipi'o Valley, we crossed rivers and observed sweet potato fields, wild coffee, and avocado trees, which provided ample riding time. By the time I got off the horse, my knees were shaking (laughs).

My dog followed along during the ride, happily going into the grass and playing in the river, which was very cute. The weather was bad, and there was heavy rain on the way to the stables, so I was worried about whether we would go ahead despite the rain gear being available, but it stopped raining by the time we set off on the horses. I would have been completely satisfied if it hadn't rained!

ハワイでは三回目の乗馬でした。
ワイコロアに宿泊していて、現地集合でしたが、ナビを使い問題なく行く事ができました。説明は全部英語でしたが、オアフ島と変わりなく、馬が自由にした時は「草食べない！」など、大切な指示は日本語で伝えてくれました。
ワイピオ渓谷の大自然を眺めながら、川を渡ったり、イモ畑、野生のコーヒー、アボカドの木など観察しなから、十分な乗馬時間でした。
馬から降りた時には膝がガクガクになっていました(笑)
飼っている犬がずっと乗馬についてきて、楽しそうに草むらの中に入っていったり、川で遊んだり、とても可愛かったです。
天気が悪く、集合場所から馬舎に向かう時に大雨で、カッパの貸し出しはあっても決行するか不安でしたが、馬に乗って出発する時には雨が止みました。雨が降らなければ大満足でした！

As a beginner, I had some anxiety about riding, but since three assistants accompanied us, I was able to ride without any issues after just learning the commands for right, left, and stop before mounting. I think it's a course that beginners can enjoy thoroughly. Although it was a tour in the rain, I had a great time. As mentioned in the comments, the helmet and raincoat had a bit of a sweaty smell, so I wore my own hat under the helmet!

初心者で、馬に乗るのに若干の不安がありましたが、
私たちの時は3人のアシスタントが同行してくれたので、騎乗前に、右、左、止まる、の動作だけ教えてもらっただけで問題なく乗れました。
初心者は十分楽しめるコースだと思います。
雨の中のツアーとなりましたが、楽しめました。
コメントに書いてある通り、ヘルメットとレインコートは多少汗臭かかったので、自分の帽子の上からヘルメットかぶりました！

As other reviews have mentioned, the helmet was very smelly (surprised).
The guide only speaks English, but he was friendly and attentive to everyone, helping us when we were in trouble, so the kids were able to enjoy horseback riding without anxiety.

You can bring a water bottle, as it can fit in the saddlebag for the horse, but there wasn't really time to drink, haha.

I had a wonderful experience.
I recommend it.

他の方の口コミ投稿通り、ヘルメットはとても臭かった（驚）
ガイドさんは英語しか話せませんが、フレンドリーで
みんなの様子をよく見ていてくれて困っていると助けてくれるので
子供も不安なく楽しく乗馬できていました。

お水のペットボトルなどは馬にかけるサドルバッグに入れられることができるので持っていくことは可能です。が、飲む余裕はなかったです笑

素晴らしい体験をすることができました。
おすすめです。

Verry good tour. Our guide was a geologist and provided a lot of information on the formation of the island chain and the volcanic activity and its aftermath.

Our tour guide knew so much about the island - history, weather, plants, animals, local favorite spots for food and fun, beaches, etc. I wish we had reserved the tour earlier in our stay so that we could take advantage of the tips he gave! We had plenty of time at each stop to really experience each of them - Kona coffee, lava tubes, black sand beaches, turtles, volcanoes, waterfalls and more! We had beautiful weather everywhere except Akaka Falls and the driver was equipped with rain jackets for everyone. I highly recommend this tour!

I had always been unable to make a reservation for just one person, but I finally got to participate. I was a bit worried since it was only in English, but as long as I understood how to use the rope, it was fine. Even if you don't understand English, you can generally figure things out by watching the guide's movements.

I had previous experience with horseback riding, so it felt familiar. Riding the horse is fun, and there are beautiful views, including entering the river, but it was just a U-turn in a place without anything special before heading back.

It was challenging since it was sudden, but it's also possible to walk there, so I thought I would try walking next time and take it slow.

一人のためなのかいつも予約できなかったが、やっと参加できた。英語のみなので若干心配だったが綱の使い方がわかれば大丈夫。英語がわからなくてもガイドの動かしかたを見ていれば大体分かる。
乗馬自体は別途経験済みだったのでいつも通りだった。馬に乗るのは楽しいしきれいな景色もあり川に入るとかはあるが、特別なものがないところでUターンして戻ってくるだけだった。
急なので大変だが歩いて行くことも可能なので、次回は歩いていってゆっくりしてみようと思った。

This was most definitely the highlight of my families trip, the scenery is beyond amazing. Nothing like i have EVER seen before and the horses are absolutely amazing. It was my kids and my husband’s first time riding and the horses were great for them! Actually made them fall in love with horseback riding just like I am! So thank you to the ranch for letting us experience that as a family! I would MOST DEFINITELY recommend doing this on your vacation or even if you live there and looking for something to do!

The scenery of the valley explored on horseback was very beautiful, and it was a fun experience with a bit of thrill. You can also see power spots. The guide speaks English and some broken Japanese. Contrary to appearances, they are very polite. Even beginner riders in the family were satisfied!

乗馬で巡る渓谷の風景はとても美しく、少しスリルも感じる楽しい経験でした。パワースポットも見れます。ガイドは英語と片言の日本語話せます。見かけによらず(?)丁寧です。乗馬初心者の家族も満足してます！

It was a horseback riding experience in a place that is usually not accessible in Waipi'o Valley, allowing us to enjoy the magnificent nature of Hawaii, which was fantastic! The staff were very accommodating, and they made sure that even the children who couldn't speak English had a great time. (Adults should understand a little bit.) The travel time to and from the location is about 30 to 40 minutes, and the riding time is around an hour and a half, which felt just right. I want to go again!

ワイピオバレーの普段入れないところでの乗馬だったので、雄大なハワイの自然を見られて堪能でき、最高でした！
スタッフの方もとてもよくしてくれ、英語ができない子どももとても楽しませてくれました。
（大人は少しわかった方がいいです）
行き帰りの移動に3〜40分、乗馬の時間は1時間半くらいですがちょうどいい感じです。
また行きたいです！

Our family had a great time on this horse ride through the peaceful Waipi'o valley. We learned a lot about it from our very knowledgeable guides (they are also residents of the valley!). No riding experience is necessary but our 11 y.o. daughter has taken lessons, and we've done a few other, similar tours. It's all just walking pace (no trotting) but you go through small rivers and streams and see some beautiful vegetation and waterfalls. We were so glad not to have to walk the steep and dangerous path from the main (paved) road down to the valley floor where the stable is. The view from the top is spectacular! We went during an unusually dry and hot spell, so if you go after a rainfall, I'm sure it's even more incredible. What's especially nice is the tour is small (our group was 10 people), so you get highly personalized attention. Be sure to bring water, sunscreen, and bugspray! All in all, I would highly recommend.

My wife and I did not have a car for the week but wanted to see the Island for what it had to offer. This tour came to our Hotel and picked us up as well as brought us back and gave a view of the Island most people would not be able to see. Our driver Nathan was excellent and gave us a relaxed and informed trip and even gave us some extra insights that a book would not give. The views were amazing and gave you an option if you wanted to come back and stay for more indepth viewing. I would recommend going with a tour to really get the flavor of the Island.

I had a great time riding horses and crossing the river while enjoying nature. The horses were so cute! It might be a good idea to bring insect repellent!

馬に乗って川を渡ったり、自然を満喫出来て楽しかったです。
馬がとても可愛かった〜
虫除けを持っていくといいかも！

The guides where friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The area was gorgeous, pictures do not do it justice. The horses knew what they were doing so it was simple for all levels of riding. I highly recommend anyone on the Big Island to make the trip to tour Waipio Valley!