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Big Island
The trip into Waipio Valley was among the highlights of our trip to Big Island. Easy check in process with sweet and friendly receptionist.
Our driver and guide was informative, kind and truthfully, really fun to hang out with!
The cultural experience was terrific and the scenery was incredibly beautiful!
Thank you so much! I will recommend this adventure to anyone heading to the Big Island!
Mahalo nui loa!
Our guide, who was born & raised in the valley and still lives there, was amazing. We learned a lot about the day-to-day lives and history of the people in the valley. He was so friendly, welcoming & willing to answer any and all questions. He pointed out local birds & stopped to grab & show us a chameleon from a tree & paused again when a group of wild horses joined on the road. Also, the parking & check-in process were super easy plus the shop had bathrooms, several cute gift options and snacks/coffee available for purchase.
My wife and I were treated to a magnificent drive down the unusually steep road into Waipio Valley in the early afternoon of Thursday, 4/18/24. Our tour guide Kaleo is a great young man who has lived in this unique place for most of his life; he grew up here. Kaleo was friendly, very knowledgeable, and very hospitable. He led us to several spectacular sites including waterfalls, lush foliage, and flowing streams. One could readily sense the tremendous power and majesty of this valley. We will treasure the opportunity we had to visit here. Our tour was for 1.75 hours. We HIGHLY recommend taking time to experience this great tour!
This tour is wonderful. Waipio Valley is an incredible place, and the tour guide (who grew up in the Valley and lives there still) was phenomenal.
Our guide lived here and shared some stories and was extremely knowledgeable. We encountered wild horses. Before entering, pray and be respectful. Thank you for showing us this beautiful sacred land
We had done a tour of Waipio decades ago when it was a horse drawn wagon tour. The van tour we did this year was many times better than that one, and our guide was actually a resident of Waipio and gave a lot of insight into the area.
虹を見ることができなかったのは残念でしたが、子供たちはツアーを楽しんでいました。
It was a shame that we didn't see a rainbow, but the kids loved the tour.
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We very were honored to be in the presence of such a beautiful and sacred place. The discussion of Waipi’o history and culture from someone who was raised in the valley was a special experience. Thank you for your hospitality!
We are so happy that we took this tour! It was one of our favorite days of the vacation. Our tour guide, Omar, was very friendly and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about Hawaiian culture and the history of the valley itself. It was beautiful.
Fun,educational tour for the entire family. Thank you Omar for a great trip
Although this is now the only way that you can visit the Waipio Valley it is so worth taking the guided tour. Our guide was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the history and culture of the valley, and shared loads of local insights and stories which made this one of the best tours we have ever experienced
One of the best and most impressive tour we ever made!
I felt like I got to see all the best spots of Big Island on this 1 day tour!
Four years ago, I visited Waipi'o Valley and took photos from the observation deck. I joined this tour because it allows you to drive down to places that ordinary people can't access! The slope was steeper than I expected, and the driving was very slow and cautious. The guide spoke entirely in English, so I didn't understand anything, but the other foreign guests in the car were laughing and asking questions, so I think it was a good guide. It was fun to drive into the river and cross it; it felt like an attraction!
４年前に来た時は展望台から眺めて写真を撮ったワイピオ渓谷。こちらのツアーでは普通の人が行けない場所まで車で下って行けるとの事で参加しました！
思ってた以上に急斜面で、かなりゆっくり慎重に運転されてました。ガイドは完全に英語でしたので、私は全くわからずでしたが、車内の他の外国人の方は笑ったり質問したりしていたので、良いガイドさんだったと思います^_^河に車で入って横切ったりと、アトラクション的な感じもあったので、楽しかったです！
Translated by OpenAI
We’ve been to Waipio Valley several times but have never taken a guide-led tour, and it made a huge difference. The guide was charming, knowledgeable and experienced. We saw parts of the valley that we wouldn’t have been able to in the past, and certainly now that the valley is closed to non-residents. Highly recommend!
My wife and I took this tour with our three young kids. We had a very knowledgeable guide for our tour—Ray. He is a native of Waipo Valley and he had a lot of good information to tell us both about Waipo Valley and Hawaiian history in general. Beyond this, the valley itself is breathtakingly beautiful! All of us thoroughly enjoyed this tour.
Overall, this was an excellent tour!
I HIGHLY recommend this experience to everyone. My crew enjoyed a shuttle ride down to Waipio Valley with the most knowledgeable and engaging guide. We learned so much about history, culture, farming, and geography of the valley.
Five Stars.
Only authorized vehicles can enter down to the valley, so it's worth going. Basically, you receive explanations while remaining in the car, but it's not an ordinary drive as you cross rivers and navigate steep slopes. This time, I had elderly parents with me, and it was great that we could enjoy the sightseeing without any strain. It's also recommended for those with small children or anyone who may have some concerns about their physical stamina. We went there by rental car, and it was easy to arrive by setting the destination in the GPS.
渓谷の下までは許可された車両しか入れないので行く価値が有ります。基本的には車に乗ったままで説明を受けますが、川を車で渡ったり、急な坂道を登り降りするので普通のドライブではありません。今回は高齢の両親がいたのですが、無理なく観光できたので良かったです。小さなお子さんもそうですが、体力に少し不安のある方はおすすめです。レンタカーで現地に行きましたが、目的地に設定していけば簡単に到着しましたよー
Translated by OpenAI
The meeting point was in a remote area. The view of Waipi'o Valley was amazing, but the directions to the meeting place were a bit unclear. However, I managed to search for the address and arrived just in time for check-in.
This tour takes you to places that are inaccessible to regular travelers, going down a steep slope in a four-wheel drive vehicle and driving through the river—an experience you can't have in Japan. Unfortunately, due to the rain, we could only see part of the waterfall, but I was overwhelmed by the magnificent nature. I created wonderful memories. The local driver was cheerful, and although the entire tour was conducted in English, I hardly noticed it and he treated us kindly, which was great. Thank you very much.
現地集合でしたが、辺境地でした。
ワイピオバレーの景色は最高でしたが、集合場所の案内が少し分かりづらかったですが、住所を検索して、なんとか時間に間に合って、チェックイン。
一般旅行者は通行止めでも、現地の方しか行けないところに入るツアーで、急な下り坂を四輪駆動車で降りて行き、川の中を突き進んで行くとても日本では体験できないツアーでした。
残念ながら滝は雨の為、一部だけしか見られなかったですが、壮大な自然に圧倒されました。
とても最高の思い出ができました。
現地のドライバーさんも陽気で、もちろん終始英語での案内でしたが、ほとんど気にすることなく、優しく接してくださり、良かったです。
ありがとうございました。
Translated by OpenAI
I was overwhelmed by the magnificent scenery. The location of the steep entrance in the rugged canyon, along with abundant water sources, is said to have once been the capital. Although it suffered damage from tsunamis twice, it is believed that everyone was safe due to the powerful mana (spiritual power) that protects it. We descended to the valley floor in a four-wheel drive vehicle, crossing four to five small streams. We got off at a riverbed further in to take a break, and it felt like a mysterious and sacred place. My wife wanted to explore on horseback, but due to my weight limit, we had to settle for the four-wheel drive course.
雄大な景色に圧倒されました。切り立った渓谷で急勾配の出入り口の立地、豊富な水源で、かつては首都となっていたそうです。2回、津波による被害を受けましたが、全員無事だったのは、強力なマナ（霊力）によって守られていると信じられています。四輪駆動車で谷底までおり、４～５の小川を渡っていきます。奥の河原で下りて休憩しましたが、神秘的で神聖な場所と感じ取れます。妻は、乗馬で散策するコースを希望していましたが、私の体重制限で断念して、四輪駆動車のコースとなりました。
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We had a wonderful time on our Waipio Shuttle experience with an exceptional guide, timely service, and of course, incredible scenery. Looking back on our family vacation to the Big Island, this was one of my favorite activities we got to share! Highly recommend, and look forward to returning.
A must do experience on the big island. The tour guide did a great job of driving the very steep and very bumpy road and explaining the history of the valley. If you get car sick or can't handle a really bumpy ride, you may want to wait til a hiking trail is made. At this time, this is the only way to see the valley. We finished our tour with a Hawaiian lunch at the food truck down the road and a fruit stand. It was a perfect day.
Took this tour 6 years ago and had the most amazing experience. So I had to do it again. This tour offers the best of Big Island because you get to see Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls. We saw lots of turtles at black sand beach and an actual rainbow at Rainbow Falls! Our guide Brent was very informative and helpful.
An absolute must see. The tour guides are from Waipio, so it's a great opportunity to really learn and experience the history and beauty of the land.
Amazing experience this is the best way to get into the vally and hear the story's from your guide I came back to the island to do just this and it did not disappoint.
Awesome trip down into the valley with incredible photo opportunities. Forest did an excellent job telling us the history and plant life even got to eat fresh passion fruit from a very nice local.
It was almost magical, definitely a fun tour to a place you cannot go on your own. Waipoi valley is like going to a hidden paradise that only a few outsiders get to visit and I feel envigorated that I was one of them. I saw many people in regular vehicles at the view point over looking the valley but only residents and tour groups are allowed to enter the valley and if you request it you can get off the 4x4 van and walk to the beach and catch the next vehicle back for a small fee. Overall I very nice experience.
After hiking this trail years ago and taking the van trip this time (2023), I would never choose another way to go other than the van ride. Pleasant driver and informative. Felt safe.
The six if us had a great time with Drew who kept us entertained while ensuring we understood the historical and cultural importance of many of the sites we visited. The dad jokes were appreciated over the course of the day travelling from Kona to Hilo and points in-between. The consensus highlight was the swim in the waterfall pool. Even the weather cooperated. Fabulous day! Mahalo Drew!
It was truly a valuable experience to visit Waipi'o Valley, which we couldn't have gone to on our own, and I definitely want to go again.
Since there was only an English tour, it was a bit challenging to interpret for my husband, but it was really a sacred area where we received a lot of energy.
The guide was also very kind, and I would love to participate again.
自分たちでは行けないワイピオ渓谷へ行けたのは本当に貴重な経験で絶対また行きたいです。
英語のツアーしかないので主人への通訳が少し大変でしたがほんとに神聖なエリアでたくさんパワーをもらいました。
ガイドさんもとっても親切で是非また参加したいです。
Translated by OpenAI
