Sacred Falls Adventure - Wailua River Kayak, Hike & Waterfall Swim
Overall Rating
4.79
Awesome Time & Awesome Guide
Reviewed by: Russell & Maddison, 2024/01/21The adventure starts with kayaking out of the marina and up the river. The current is very slow, so you have plenty of photo opportunities and chances to enjoy the views. Wear a hat and sunscreen, you don't have shade for much of this portion.
Next is a hike through the rainforest. 95% of the hike is easy. There are a few river crossings, muddy inclines, and slippery/uneven footings. The hike is definitely not grueling, and I never felt tired. But if someone had mobility or balance issues, they would struggle at a few spots. I'd take my kids, but not my grandma.
Third is lunch at the waterfall. It's an uneven/rocky area, but our lunch was good. The views here are amazing. The pool of water is VERY cold. It's shallow enough to walk all the way under the waterfall.
You get about an hour at the waterfall. Then you hike and kayak back to where you started.
Our guide was Justice. He was very knowledgeable about the plants, wildlife, and history of the area. He had lots of interesting stories. The trip was enjoyable & he definitely added to the fun. Justice will tell you that "Hawaii is magic" and after this vacation we might agree.
When we eventually make it back to Kauai, visiting the waterfall will surely be on the list of activities.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2024/01/17 |
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Fantastic tour-GREAT tour guide!
Reviewed by: Wilson Family, 2023/07/09The kayak/hiking/waterfall tour was beautiful. Exactly what we were looking for. Tour guide Harrison was fantastic, very knowledgeable about the local flora/fauna, history. Harrison was cool with letting our 10 year old daughter double kayak with him (she didn’t want to ride with mom and dad!). Lunch sandwiches were very yummy. Tour guide even provided a chilled pineapple after the tour. Harrison made sure we all had transportation after the tour and actually went out of his way to drop us off at the beach across the highway in his own personal vehicle. 100% recommend and would use again!! Also-prepare to get muddy LOL
Aloha Wilson O'hana,
Harrison does it again, i.e. provides a classic effort, as he does on all his tours.
We are the only tour company on the Wailua that provides pretty good lunches; my favorite is the veggie.
Will share your kind words with Harrison…slowly; don't want it to go to his head.
Thanks for sharing and warning folks about the mud.
A hui hou,
Micco
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2023/06/30 |
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Best Activity on the Kauai!
Reviewed by: Darrin, 2023/04/14I was excited to experience the natural beauty of Kauai by kayak and hike. What I wasn't expecting was to learn so much about the history and culture of the Wailua Valley, Wailua River, and Sacred Waterfalls. Our entire group felt like the tour was more a group of friends than a standard follow the leader tour. This was in no small part due to our fantastic tour guide, Izzy. I'd recommend asking for her.
Aloha Darrin,
We love our clients and I personally married one.
Izzy does a particularly good job of guiding singles and families alike and making them all feel part of an extended family while at the same time keeping you safe without loosing the sense of fun.
Leaving you "thoughtful" with the history and culture of the area is considered as important as any facet of our tours.
Thanks for you kind words and will make sure to share with Izzy.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2023/04/07 |
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Sacred falls adventure
Reviewed by: Tenille , 2023/03/01We had a great tour, and knowledgeable tour guide, Steve. The kayak and hike were beautiful and the water fall was sooo worth it! We did end up going ahead of our group when we were on our way back as we did have some slower paced people. But we found our way back easy. Would definitely go again!
Aloha Tenille,
Will let Steve know that you enjoyed the tour.
What is nice about our Wailua Rive tour to the falls is that by the time you might get tired paddling, there is the trail to the falls. Nice combination of paddling and hiking.
With the recent rains.the waterfall has been really gushing. Great picture.
Thank you for taking the time to share.
Until then....keep chasing waterfalls.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/27 |
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Loved this adventure.
Reviewed by: Chris, 2023/01/27This was a great tour that I am really happy that I went on. Harrison was our guide and was informative and a super nice guy. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to combine kayaking and hiking. The trail to get to the falls was a bit muddy but not too bad. The falls are very impressive. Lots of fun!
Aloha Chris,
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with Harrison. Harrison continues be outstanding and we are all lucky
to have him share his “aloha”.
Stay well and active.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2023/01/23 |
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Awesome experience
Reviewed by: Andrew, 2023/01/14So glad we were able to do this! Would highly recommend! Harrison, our tour guide was awesome and made the tour that much better. He had a bunch of fun and interesting information that taught us about the island.
Aloha Andrew,
Thanks for the 5 stars. We are so lucky to have Harrison on board and is one of our top guides.
Glad you enjoyed his “aloha” and hope to see you back on our island.
Meanwhile….try to remember all you learned from Harrison.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2023/01/12 |
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Outstanding adventure
Reviewed by: Tara Haefner, 2022/04/28Mike was a fantastic guide! He made it fun and was very knowledgeable about the area!!
Aloha Tara,
Keeping it fun, safe and leaving with some knowledge to help you understand the natural history is the aim in all our snorkel, waterfalls and Na Pali paddling tours.
Mike exemplifies this philosophy.
Thanks for sharing. Stay well and keep learning.
A hui hou,
Micco
Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/04/26 |
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Kauai Kayak was a great adventure!
Reviewed by: Dave, 2021/10/13We had an awesome time. The adventure was a little strenuous at times but we got through it and the end rewards was well worth the effort! Our guide Devan was great and encouraged everyone along the way and was very knowledgeable of the area. The waterfall was amazing but the water cold! We really enjoyed the experience. We’ll worth it!
Aloha Dave,
Glad that our guide enriched the experience and that you made it to the falls.
Reviews like yours helps match the tour to the right people and let them know what is in store.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
Keep chasing rainbows and waterfalls.
A hui hou,
Micco
Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2021/10/11 |
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Challenging but worth it!
Reviewed by: Mary W, 2021/09/20As a beginning kayaker, this was an energizing and satisfying ride. Make sure you have sturdy shoes for the hike. Our water ‘shoes’, more like socks, did not work as well as the closed toed more sturdy shoes would have been better and what most people had on. We made it though! That dip in the waterfall was worth the whole trip! J, our guide, was informative, attentive and amusing. Highly recommended.
Aloha Mary,
Yep…just the right amount of paddling and hiking. By the time your arms are getting tired…you are out and hiking to the falls.
Thanks for taking time to share and reflect on your tour with your guide Jay.
Sturdy hiking shoes makes it much more enjoyable; thanks for warning others.
Keep active and sharing aloha,
Thanks again for your nice review.
A hui hou,
Micco
Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2021/09/18 |
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Relaxing River Time
Reviewed by: Kelda & Jody Senyohl, 2021/08/11Ty was an amazing guide! He was extremely knowledgeable about the flora and very fun to talk with throughout the entire trip! Thank you also Ty for the recommendations for the North Shore! We snorkeled Tunnels and had an amazing sunset too!! Thank you for a terrific day! Mahalo!
Aloha Kelda y/o Jody,
Thanks for taking the time to confirm what we already know, i.e. that Tyler is rockin in the field!
You may not know that in the background Tyler running our Wailua River program and scheduling and hiring our other excellent guides while keeping equipment in excellent shape.
Tyler make it all possible.
Thanks for taking the time...and keep hiking, paddling and snorkeling.
A hui hou,
Micco
Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2021/08/09 |
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Worth the work!
Reviewed by: Kim H, 2021/06/24Ty was very patient and informative. We had a great time. The falls are definitely not a secret, got very crowded, I suggest taking the earliest tour possible. I would absolutely do this again!
Aloha Kim,
When we pioneered this tour to the Falls we called it the Secret Falls.
Victim of our own success...it quickly became the best known secret. Now we call it the Sacred Falls and inspite its popularity, as you observed and learned, it is still a terrific way to spend the day.
Thanks for sharing and for 5 star review and photo
Stay paddling and hiking.
A hui hou,
Micco
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2021/06/21 |
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A knowledge guide with a great sense of humor made it such a great experience!
Reviewed by: Libby V, 2020/12/26The waterfall is beautiful, the river is stunning in its peaceful beauty. The guide was so knowledgeable, engaging and funny; the food was so tasty! (I need to get the name of the place they got it from;-). Great experience overall, strongly recommend!
Aloha Libby, Thanks for taking the time to let us all know we are doing a good job. Makes it all worth it. Shoot us all when/if we ever loose our sense humor. Moral of the story is you can have fun and also be safe. Our caterer is Passions Bakery: https://www.passionbakeries.com/?v=7516fd43adaa
Stay well...and keep laughing and soon we wil be up and about.
A hui hou.
Micco
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Activity Date: | 2020/12/01 |
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Great knowledgable guided tour... amazing hike!
Reviewed by: Julia , 2020/11/18We signed up for the kayaking but the hike and the waterfall was the best part of it!!
Our guide Jay was so knowledgeable about the nature, trees, plants and history of Kauai! we learnt so much and even had a taste of Kuala along the way
highly recommend this adventure, the 5 hours passed so fast!
Do it!! all get and skill levels!
Aloha Julia, So nice to be outdoors and sharing the beauty of Kaua'i with visitors and locals alike once again. Good to know that Jay has dusted his wares and sharing his knowledge of all things Kaua'i. We are very fortunate to have him out in the field. Thanks again for your kind words and keep enjoying the salutary outdoors. Stay well. Micco/Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2020/11/16 |
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Great Adventure!
Reviewed by: Staci, 2020/03/14Jay was our guide and he couldn't have been more awesome. He's a local and a bit of a botanist so he was very knowledgeable and truly happy to take us on the tour. The kayak to the hike was fairly easy for two inexperienced kayakers as we were flowing down stream. The hike was fairly easy for non-experienced hikers. We went during the rainy season so it was very muddy, so it was a bit slick in spots, but that's part of what made it fun. The waterfall was astounding. So tall and powerful. Well worth the hike to see it's beauty. The lunch provided was enjoyable. The kayak trip back was a bit of a challenge as you're going upstream, but once you hit a nice flow, it becomes much easier. I would definitely recommend this excursion to anyone visiting the island looking for a little adventure!
Aloha Staci,
Glad you enjoyed your recent paddle and hike on our Wailua River Sacred/Secret Falls tours.
Jay is a local boy who has proudly been sharing the beauty of Kaua'i with friends, locals and visitors alike; he "walks the talk".
You're description of the tour is great. The more mud...translates for a more forceful waterfall.
Thanks for taking the time to share with us and others your experience.
Keep paddling and hiking.
A hui hou,
Micco
Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2020/02/18 |
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Review of kayak and hike
Reviewed by: John, 2019/07/26Overall I had fun. The trip is basically kayak for 2 miles, hike for 1 mile, visit a 100' water fall, and then hike back for 1 mile and then kayak for 2 miles. Since I like physical activity, this trip worked well for me.
Kayaking requires some physical work, and since there are 2 people per kayak, at last one should be in good physical shape.
Hiking was through lots of mud. You will cross streams, ankle deep mud, and will get dirty. Best to wear sandals since sneakers will be ruined. My youngest son loved this part (getting dirty is always fun).
Aloha John,
Thanks for taking the time and for your nice and constructive review on what to expect and what to bring.
If you don't like to paddle and hike this could be wrong tour for some.
Keep active...and thanks again.
A hui hou,
Micco
Head Guide.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2019/07/16 |
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Had a great time
Reviewed by: Nicole, 2019/05/02Even with the rain it was a blast... wear proper shoes they will get muddy!!
Aloha Nicole,
Without rain you could not have rainbows.
Thanks for warning people about shoes.
Until our trails meet again.
Thanks for taking the time.
Micco
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2019/04/29 |
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Sacred Falls Kayak and Hike
Reviewed by: Tena, 2019/04/19We very much enjoyed the kayak and hike to Sacred Falls! Our guide Dustin was outstanding! He shared his knowledge of the area and kept us entertained with his jokes throughout the tour. The hike is muddy so wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet and dirty.
We would definitely do this activity again!
Aloha Tena,
Dustin is on a roll. One out of every 3 honorable mentions this month, has Dustin's name affixed.
That said all our guides I can humbly say, "Do an outstanding job!".
Thanks for warning others about the property shoes to wear.
Stay paddling and hiking.
Thanks again for sharing.
Micco
Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2019/04/16 |
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Great time
Reviewed by: Ron Z, 2019/03/31This was a great time. This was our first time in kayak and we did awesome as our guide said. The hike to the falls was muddy but well worth it. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a little adventure.
Thanks Ron for a nice review. Summer "dryness" has arrived and the trail is a wee bit less muddy. Thanks for warning folks about the mud.
Stay paddling and hiking.
A hui hou,
Micco
Head Guide
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2019/03/27 |
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Best Part if our trip!
Reviewed by: Pilar Abalos, 2019/02/27We got to kayak down the Wailua River. Jay our guide was amazing. He told us about historical information about the beautiful island of Kauai and it’s history. Our hike to the waterfall was deep in the interior and he pointed out plants and trees and gave us history and background about them. He was patient and very friendly. Our swim in the falls was something on my bucket list and was definitely what I was expecting and more! Thank you to Jay and everyone at Kayak Kauai!
Aloha Pilar,
Glad to hear that not only that Jay did a great job guiding but that he help lighten "your bucket".
Keep filling up that bucket and thanks for letting others know what a good job Jay is doing; we are very
fortunate to have him on board.
A hui hou,
Micco
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2019/02/23 |
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Absolutely amazing! Exotic hike/waterfall swim checked off bucket list!
Reviewed by: Ashley , 2018/10/04Our leader, “T” was awesome. He had so many cool stories, and was a local that knew it all. He did the whole hike barefoot, which I could have never done!!
Beautiful adventure. Well worth the money.
Mr T...has a lot of "sole"...that is why he can amble in bare feet.
T is classic and allot of fun. A real pleasure to work with. Glad to hear
that he is sharing his aloha in the field. Thanks for sharing.
A hui hou,
Micco
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2018/09/29 |
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Awesome experience!!
Reviewed by: Isaiah & Alyssa Webb, 2018/09/25Loved the tour guides - justice was awesome! Gave us a lot of island knowledge and had so much fun along the way! Definitely do this tour before leaving the island!
Aloha Isaiah,
Glad to hear you had a good time on our Sacred Falls paddle and hike.
Justice is training with us and is keen on becoming a guide.
I am pleased to hear that he is an upcoming guide.
Keep paddling and thanks for the kind review.
Micco
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2018/09/22 |
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Go!
Reviewed by: Nathan from LA, 2018/07/29This was one of the highlights of our trip, like the title say... Go! It was beautiful, challenging (slippery on a sunny day - potentially dangerous if you aren’t wearing proper shoes for the hike portion) and exhilarating. Our guide Tyler was a wealth of information and kept everyone relaxed through a new experience.
Nathan....thanks for sharing. Come back and enjoy our other tours and guides. Retain those Kaua'i memories. Thanks again. Micco
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2018/07/26 |
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Awesome!
Reviewed by: Sjewkes , 2018/06/16This was a great way to really see Kauai by water and land. The waterfall was worth the hike. Remember to wear really good shoes for the hike as you will cross over some fast moving water. My shoes kept slipping off. Overall, a great activity.
Thanks for your review. Always have loved the Hawaiian word for waterfall: "wail lele" which is defined as "jumping waters". Come back and enjoy our other snorkel and paddling tours. And yes...aqua shoes or sturdy tennis shoes is a must. A hui hou and thanks again.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2018/06/13 |
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Great Experience and Workout!
Reviewed by: Sharilynn , 2017/12/21There are some amazing views and creatures to see. The guide was awesome. We took two kids in the front of our Kayaks (which means we did all the rowing) therefore the groups with 2 adults per boat went way ahead of us. Don’t sign up for group activities if you expect the world to evolve around you. The group we went with seemed to rush through everything and we were trying to enjoy the trip and views.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2017/12/16 |
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Favorite Adventure in Kaua'i
Reviewed by: Amanda Edwards, 2017/12/09A MUST-DO....be prepared for mud...it's a rainforest!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/18 |
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Empfehlenswert
Reviewed by: Paseba, 2017/11/26Die Kajaktour ist einfach zu bewältigen, zieht sich aber meiner Meinung nach mit 45min etwas hin. Die Wanderung zum Wasserfall ist eine Erfahrung für sich: Durch einen Fluss mit doch recht starker Strömung (Sicherung durch ein Seil), über wirklich schlammige Wege durch den Dschungel und das alles wieder zurück. Ist aber für jedermann gut zu bewältigen. Auf jeden Fall Wasserschuhe mitnehmen. Teilweise standen wir knöcheltief im Schlamm. Der Wasserfall ist großartig (30m hoch), das Wasser sehr erfrischend. Man darf aber nicht erwarten, dort mit seiner Gruppe allein zu sein. Im Minutentakt kommen neue Besucher am Wasserfall an. Trotzdem eine schöne Location.
Würde die Tour wieder machen!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/16 |
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Must do!
Reviewed by: Sharon, 2017/11/17Fantastic!
Jesse was a terrific guide
The brows were outstanding!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/14 |
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Sacred Falls Adventure
Reviewed by: Danielle, 2017/07/03The Sacred Falls Adventure was just perfect for my husband and me. The sites were beautiful! Our tour guide was informative about plants and birds on the way to the waterfall and made our adventure more special!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/06/29 |
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Wailua river
Reviewed by: Tiff, 2016/08/09Kayaking was easy. Hike was nice and the waterfall gorgeous the water was cold. The lunch provided was yummy. The guide was kind informative and patient.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2016/07/27 |
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Wailua river
Reviewed by: Gforce, 2016/08/09The guide was patient and made shure I was okay because of my asthma. Once we made it to the waterfall I was able to sit on the rocks relax eat lunch and enjoy the sound of the waterfall.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2016/07/27 |
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Wow Russell and/or Maddison,
One of you should write a guide book. Do you want to start writing copy for us? (Smiling face)
A very,,,,very good description of what is involved and might say the the excellence of our guides such as Justice.
Thanks for taking the time…it’s a beautiful world out there.
Stay well and active.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide