Polynesian Adventure Tours – Waimea Canyon & Wailua River Tour (K1)

This all-day excursion stitches together Kauai's greatest hits—from the crimson walls of Waimea Canyon to the fern-draped chamber of Fern Grotto. Your guide handles the driving and the storytelling, so you can settle in and watch each postcard scene unfold.

The morning begins high above the coastline at Waimea Canyon State Park, where layered cliffs and jungle-tipped ridges earn the nickname "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." After soaking in the views, the route swings past the blowhole at Spouting Horn, the ribbon of water at Opaeka'a Falls and the sweeping vista from Hanapepe Valley Lookout. A break in Old Koloa Town lets you browse sugar-mill storefronts and grab lunch at a local café.

In the afternoon, board an open-air boat for a gentle cruise up the Wailua River—the only navigable river in Hawaii. A short rainforest walk delivers you to Fern Grotto, a lava cave now draped in hanging ferns where musicians often play the Hawaiian Wedding Song beneath the natural cathedral ceiling.

Tour Highlights

• Waimea Canyon: panoramic overlooks of deep red gorges and lush valley floors
• Opaeka'a Falls: 150-foot waterfall framed by rainforest
• Spouting Horn: seawater jets erupting through a lava tube with every wave
• Hanapepe Valley Lookout: sweeping view over sugarcane fields and jungle slopes
• Old Koloa Town: 90-minute stop with time to purchase lunch
• Wailua River: narrated two-mile cruise on Hawaii's only navigable river
• Fern Grotto: short rainforest walk to a lava cave draped in ferns, accompanied by live music

Tour Inclusions

• Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
• Admission to Waimea Canyon Lookout
• Ticket for the Wailua River cruise to Fern Grotto
• Professional narration by a knowledgeable local guide