Kauai: Secret Falls Kayak and Hike
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Kauai, USA
+2
- 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
If you’re looking for a grand adventure while in Kauai, book this Uluwehi Falls (Secret Falls) Kayaking and Hiking Half-Day Tour. First, follow a guide who knows the area well on the Wailua River by kayak for a 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) paddle adventure. Then, hit the shore for a hike through the rainforest-like setting all the way to Uluwehi Falls (Secret Falls) to take in the amazing views of the falls.
- Perfect for outdoor adventurers—combine kayaking and hiking into one day
- Kayak through the Wailua River with kayaking equipment provided
- Enjoy a moderate, 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) hike through lush rainforest
- Spend time at Uluwehi Falls (Secret Falls) once you arrive
What's Included
- Guided group kayak tour on the Wailua River
- Guided rainforest hike to Secret Falls
- Knowledgeable local guide
- Use of kayak, backrests, personal flotation devices and paddles
- LunchMeals, snacks or beverages are NOT provided on this tour.
- Roundtrip Transportation
- Proper footwear (guests must bring closed-toe shoes/sandals suitable for hiking and water)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 180 Wailua Rd, Kapaʻa, HI 96746, USA
**PLEASE CHECKIN 30 MINUTES PRIOR**
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Save time and hassle with this hike and kayak tour, where your guides will arrange all your gear and transport. You won’t have to deal with transporting your own kayak or finding parking at the national park, either.
Just easily find your guide at the meeting spot, and then you’ll be on your way for your multi-sport adventure.
You’ll be kayaking for around 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) in total, and hiking for about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers), so make sure you have a good breakfast beforehand, and maybe bring some snacks to keep you fueled up.
Your hike is through the rainforest, often on muddy trails. Your guide will point out all the wildlife in the area while you’re en route to the impressive Uluwehi Falls, aka Secret Falls.
After, you’ll kayak back to your meeting spot. The total tour takes around five hours.
Just easily find your guide at the meeting spot, and then you’ll be on your way for your multi-sport adventure.
You’ll be kayaking for around 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) in total, and hiking for about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers), so make sure you have a good breakfast beforehand, and maybe bring some snacks to keep you fueled up.
Your hike is through the rainforest, often on muddy trails. Your guide will point out all the wildlife in the area while you’re en route to the impressive Uluwehi Falls, aka Secret Falls.
After, you’ll kayak back to your meeting spot. The total tour takes around five hours.
1
Secret Falls (Uluwehi Falls)
2
Wailua River State Park
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
- Total distance is 4 miles by kayak and 2 miles hiking roundtrip
- For health and safety reasons, pregnant individuals are advised not to participate in this tour due to the potential risk of exposure to Leptospirosis.
- Participants that are physically not capable to paddle a kayak with proper coordination.
- Participants who are not physically fit to walk moderate to strenuous trail with an elevation increase to 465 feet in under 2 miles.
- Footwear that secures or straps to your feet are required (for safety crocs or flip flops are not allowed).
- Participants should be comfortable in the water and capable of moderate physical activity
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
This is a physical trip, but well worth it! You kayak for several miles & then hike for several more to get to the secret falls - which is beautiful! Our guide was Cayman & he was great! He was very knowledgeable and educational and lots of fun. I would highly recommend this trip. We are in our 70s and we’re a little slower than the younger kids, but we had no problem with the hike or the kayaking. It was a great time spent.
Reviews
4.8
based on 1,656 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Amazing, Cayman was our guide and he is very knowledgeable , friendly and professional, if you can ask for him
Beautiful scenery and knowledgeable guide. Learned a lot about flora and fauna in that particular Hawaiian ecosystem. I would rate it at an upper level moderate activity. Hike was strenuous with muddy/slippery trail sections and rocky river crossings. The kayaking was excellent as the guide taught us to navigate close to shore to cut down on windy conditions. Secret falls were a great reward!
It was a great experience. One of many highlights of our vacation. Our guide was Sam. He was funny and informative. If you’re healthy and active you can do it with no problems. The secret (not so secret) falls at the end was SOOO worth seeing! It is truly magical! We really loved this experience.
A fun combo paddle and hike to amazing falls. Mana did a great job adding local culture and history along the way.
Experience was super awesome, our guide Sam was the man! Hike was easy and waterfall was beautiful!!
This experience was much more strenuous than advertised. We had to walk/wade through 12-18 inches or so of rushing stream water, stepping on hidden, slippery rocks, making it very hard to keep my balance. The very strong guide held onto those who needed help, guiding us individually to the opposite shore. I would have fallen a few times without him.
Unfortunately, when we reached a destination, he spent too much time with a small group of people, leaving the rest of us feeling left out. While there were some nice rapids snd waterfalls on this trip, none of the 3 people in my group would recommend it for average people over age 60 or do.
A beautiful way to see a small part of Kauai’s beauty. 4 miles of Kayaking, 3 miles of hiking and gorgeous 360 degree views.
Cayman was a phenomenal tour guide. The waterfall was worth the trip and the kayak was beautiful scenery .
My husband and I had an amazing time on this excursion led by Cayman. I would definitely do it again.
Unforgettable family experience! We had an absolute blast kayaking and hiking out to the secret falls, with plenty of time to relax and enjoy the water. Our guide, Corey, was awesome—he was so knowledgeable, taking the time to teach us about the local edible flowers and history along the way. Highly recommend this tour if you're looking for an incredible outdoor adventure!
It is an awesome experience. I loved the kayaking and the hike to the falls. The scenery is beautiful. The communication about what to wear and bring was accurate. Our only complaint is the guy did not interact much. He did not give directions or check to see if we were keeping up.
Loved the whole experience. Gorgeous scenery throughout. Good exercise for your body. Definitely beats sitting in a boat in my opinion.
Great views and experience! Very fun and worth the price. Would recommend it to anyone that enjoys kayaking and hiking.
Great kayak along a beautiful river, fun hike and most amazing waterfall. Kai did an excellent job as our tour guide, he had a lot of helpful information.
This trip was a lot of fun and our tour guide Khayman made it even more enjoyable! I highly recommend!
NO SAFETY.
Avoid it.
They took us by van carrying a cart full of kayaks which were not fixed…. They kayaks crashed into the van breaking the glass. The guide didn’t stop to check if we were hurt and didn’t apologise. Fortunately the kayak didn’t hit us in the head because we ducked but it would have otherwise. On top of that, the entire floor was covered in glass which is extremely dangerous.
The guide gave basically no explanation of the place. There was no safety briefing before boarding the kayaks and my children were left behind multiple times, without the guide checking in on them. Once we had boarded the kayaks we were given no instructions, hence why my children (minors) both struggled. Lastly, my sons shoe broke mid hike and the guide did not help whatsoever, leaving him to walk barefoot for 2 miles.
The trip is a lot of fun abut you will get muddy! Our guide, Kai, was awesome. He has 10 yrs experience and is very knowledgeable, patient, and funny. He made sure we went at a pace that was comfortable for everyone in the group and didn’t rush us. He did forewarn us prior to departing that because of the rain, we may not be able to do the hike and gave us the option to reschedule, get a full refund or try and do both. He said if we got to the hike and he didn’t feel it was safe we wouldn’t do it and would get a partial refund. He gave us time in private to discuss among the group but our decision needed to be unanimous (if we all wanted to do the hike), as we all had to stay with the group. We decided to go ahead and were fortunate to be able to do it. It did start to rain once we made it to the falls so we decided to not stay very long and head back.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for sharing your detailed experience! We’re so glad Kai’s knowledge, patience, and humor made your adventure safe and enjoyable, even with the rain adding a muddy twist. His care in giving options and prioritizing safety truly reflects our commitment to every guest. We’re happy you were able to reach the falls and enjoy the journey despite the weather. Thank you for your recommendation — we look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable day. Aloha!
This experience was very fun, but I would say its a bit difficult for older people with not great balance. The hiking was a bit more advanced than we anticipated. The rain also made the trail muddy and slippery. I will say the guide were fantastic, fun and I really enjoyed the activity even though mother nature made it a bit of an adventure.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for sharing your experience! We’re glad you found the adventure fun and immersive, even with the rain making the trail a bit more challenging. Our guides always strive to keep things safe, enjoyable, and lighthearted, and we’re happy they made a positive impact on your journey. Thank you for your recommendation — we look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable day on the river and trail. Aloha!
What an awesome experience. Kayman was awesome. He was our guide and he took great care of us. God’s creation is beautiful!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for sharing your adventure! We’re so glad Kayman took great care of your group and made the journey memorable. God’s creation truly shines here, and we’re grateful you chose to experience it with us. We look forward to welcoming you back for another beautiful day on the river and trail. Aloha!
Our guide Kai was a very warm friendly and knowledgeable native Hawaiian. He made the journey so fun and was very careful to make sure that everyone was safe. This is a local family owned business that put their hearts into their work. Highly recommend them for this amazing adventure. The hike is doable for non-athletic people but come prepared to get dirty and have hiking sandals that can drain easily.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for celebrating your anniversary with us! We’re so glad Kai made your adventure safe, fun, and memorable with his warmth and knowledge. As a local family-owned business, we truly put our hearts into every tour, and it means a lot to hear that reflected in your experience. Thank you for your recommendation — we look forward to welcoming you back for another special day. Aloha!
The kayak was moderately difficult, especially for families traveling with kids. However it was very fun, and absolutely beautiful. The hike was more of a stroll, but you get to see amazing scenery and learn a lot of history. Secret Falls is beautiful, however it is not much of a “secret” and is packed with people. We were disappointed that we only had about 20 minutes at the Falls before having to turn around to go back. Our tour guide was Sam, and he was fantastic. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would recommend. We will go back again.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for sharing your experience! We’re glad you enjoyed the adventure and that Sam made the journey fun and informative. While Secret Falls can be popular, we’re happy you still found the scenery and history rewarding. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back for another visit. Aloha!
This was quite the adventure. Caiman was an incredible guide. So generous with his time and patience. We were a group of 9 with our youngest being 9. And he made sure to give each one of us tips and advice of how to get through the path. His sense of humor was also an added bonus 😂
The experience included a 2-mile kayak down the river and a 1.5 mile hike through shallow waters, some muddy patches of terrain, small boulders to climb over, and thankfully, a nice wooden path to rest. When we finally reached the Uluwehi Falls, we were so happy to have a little break. The water was cold but incredibly refreshing. Such a beautiful site. The sad part was that we had to do the whole trip back to get to base camp 😅.
This trip is quite physical, but really immersive. You’ll need some really good water shoes because you’ll walk through pebbles and some uneven surfaces. Bring snacks and water! And bring some good energy. The falls await.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for your thoughtful review! We’re so glad Caiman made your adventure fun, safe, and memorable with his patience, humor, and guidance. The trek is definitely a challenge, but reaching Uluwehi Falls makes it all worthwhile. Thank you for recommending tips for future guests — we hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon. Aloha!
We had such a wonderful time on this tour! We especially loved Ku, the cutest little dog guide ever! Kai was also a very friendly and knowledgeable person to lead our group. My husband and I highly recommend booking this tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for sharing your wonderful experience! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the tour and that Kai made your day with his friendly guidance and island knowledge. And of course, Ku is always thrilled to be everyone’s favorite four‑legged guide — he takes his job very seriously! We truly appreciate your recommendation and are grateful you chose to spend your adventure with us. Aloha and hope to see you again soon!
It’s definitely an aggressive adventure!
Cory our guide was definitely the best for our trip. He was very helpful to us in our kayak as well as very helpful in getting across the river. Very knowledgeable. If you can request him!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this adventurous trek and that Cory made such a strong impression. He’s an excellent guide — knowledgeable, supportive, and always ready to help guests navigate both the kayak and the river crossings. We appreciate your recommendation and are glad he helped make your day memorable. We hope to welcome you back for another great adventure soon. Aloha!
Kayaking was fun! The hike was beautiful! Sturdy hiking footwear is a must! You cross through the river and across 2 or 3 streams. It is muddy and rocky. Our guide, K man was awesome!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo, Jolene! We’re so glad you enjoyed both the kayaking and the beautiful hike. You’re absolutely right—sturdy footwear makes the adventure much more comfortable with the river crossings, streams, mud, and rocks along the way.
K-Man will be stoked to hear your shoutout. Thanks for choosing Perfect Ohana, and we hope to see you again on the Wailua River!
Such a fun experience of being out in nature and with amazing scenery! Loved it all. We got to spend time in the waterfall as well. Hands down the best experience!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for the amazing review! We’re thrilled you loved being out in nature and taking in the beautiful scenery. Spending time at the waterfall is always a highlight, and we’re so glad it made the experience unforgettable for you.
We appreciate you choosing Perfect Ohana and hope to adventure with you again soon!
Great hiking experience with the family, beautiful scenery in a small guided group!
Our guide, Kaymon, was amazing and made it even more enjoyable and memorable!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Mahalo for sharing your experience! We’re so glad your family enjoyed the Secret Falls Kayak & Hike. The scenery on the river and trail is truly something special, and it’s great to hear our small-group style made it even better.
Kaymon will be thrilled to know he helped make your adventure memorable. We appreciate you choosing Perfect Ohana and hope to welcome you back on the water soon!
Great experience in Kauai!
A great experience led by Kai and his little dog Ku.
From check-in to all the fun after, this was a wonderful experience. The kayaking is active and along a beautiful, calm river. The hike is pretty easy, even with the mud and river crossing and the falls are lovely. Definitely wear sturdy shoes for hiking and take a water proof bag for your food, phone, etc.
Highly recommend this company and would do it again!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience. Kai and Ku clearly made the day extra special, and it’s wonderful to hear how smooth everything felt from check-in through the hike and falls. Your tips about sturdy shoes and a waterproof bag are super helpful for future guests too. We’re so glad you had a great time and would do it again — we’d love to welcome you back for another journey!
This is so fun! The canoe ride, the hike, the waterfall swim! We loved it definitely do this Worth the time and money
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Mahalo for your wonderful feedback!
We’re so glad you had such a fun and memorable time on the Secret Falls Kayak & Hike. From the kayak ride to the hike and the refreshing waterfall swim, it’s great to hear you enjoyed every part of the adventure.
Thank you for recommending us and for sharing your enthusiasm — we’re honored this was worth both your time and money. We look forward to welcoming you back for another Kauai experience soon!
Mahalo nui loa and a hui hou!
Your guide will walk you through it. Make sure you wear closed toe water shoes. It was a lot of fun. Really pretty hike.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Mahalo for sharing your experience!
We’re so glad you had fun on the Secret Falls Kayak & Hike and enjoyed the beautiful trail. It’s great to hear that your guide made the adventure smooth and enjoyable, and we appreciate your helpful tip about wearing closed‑toe water shoes — that’s excellent advice for future guests.
Thank you for choosing Aliʻi Kayaks and for recommending the hike. We’re thrilled this was such a positive part of your Kauai visit and hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon.
Mahalo nui loa and a hui hou!
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$128.25
per personWas $135.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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