Waipio Valley Explorer from Kona

Explore the ancient breadbasket of Hawaii Island on this unique exploration of the lush Hamakua Coast. Start with a drive between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes to Rainbow Falls in Hilo. This iconic waterfall features an 80 foot tall twin waterfall system. Look for the rainbow effect that gives the waterfall its name! Continue the drive through the Onomea Scenic Route, a 4-mile section of the original old highway punctuated with historic wooden bridges, waterfalls, and lush tropical foliage. Stop at famous What’s Shakin’ for lunch. Leaving Onomea behind, drive to Akaka Falls for a short walk through the fern forest studded with orchids to see this majestic beauty. Enjoy expansive views of the falls tumbling 440 feet. Finally, transfer to four-wheel-drive van for the careful drive down into Waipio Valley. Known as the Valley of the Kings, Waipio Valley is a place of impossibly steep cliffs carved by waterfalls cascading more than a thousand feet to the valley floor. Once inhabited by thousands and now still home to taro farms and wild horses, Waipio Valley is a lush, mystical place rarely visited. Explore the valley before making the steep drive back out and returning to Kona.