Kauai · WAILUA RIVER KAYAK & FERN GROTTO
15 reviewed
Kauai’s only navigable river runs past a fern-draped grotto to a trailhead for a hidden waterfall you swim under. This page ranks the best Wailua River kayak and Secret Falls trips — guided versus self-paddle, how far the hike runs, family suitability, and the price of each — so you can pick before the morning tours fill.
Kayak the Wailua River and hike to Uluwehi Falls. Gear, guides, and a small-group adventure—muddy but worth it.
“If you’re traveling solo this is not the excursion for you. There are no single person kayaks. I was a single girl and the double kayak was very hard to steer and nobody waited for me.”
Kayak the Wailua River and hike to Secret Falls on Kauai. Learn paddling, swim at Uluwehi Falls, and return in about 5 hours.
“Brian was awesome. Good workout and got to learn more about kauai. Wear water shoes. Glad we did it.”
Paddle Kauai’s Wailua River, hike to Ulewehi Falls, and swim in a jungle pool on a guided secret-falls adventure.
“Adventure should be capitalized with Kayak Adventures. What an incredible tour. We were fortunate enough to have the islands most sought after guide. “Levi”, pronounced Levy. Not only did he get us all to and from the waterfall safely, he played his Ukulele and sang through hiking portion of the tour. If you are looking for the most picturesque and adventurous tour on the island, look no further. Thank you Kayak Adventures and especially Levi. The Allen’s”
Kayak Kauai’s Wailua River, hike to Secret Falls, and cool off with lunch and swim time on a guided, muddy-but-fun adventure.
“The area hasn't had rain since April (it's now mid-September) and clearly everyone on the staff knows the waterfall is not flowing--and hasn't been flowing for several weeks. We weren't made aware until after the kayak trip and well into our hike up to where the waterfall "usually" flows (at this point our guide showed us photos of it from back in April to assuage our disappointment). This seems a bit underhanded and deceitful when the booking clearly highlights this as a high point of the tour. A better choice would have been to offer a pre-arrival notice (say, 48 hrs prior) to offer a shorter, kayak-only option for half…”
Kayak the Wailua River, hike to Sacred Falls, and swim at the pool below, with lunch included on a small guided Kauai tour.
“Awesome tour that was made even better by our excellent guide Harrison. Our entire family had a great time!”
Kauai Waimea Canyon meets a Wailua River cruise to Fern Grotto, plus Spouting Horn and coffee tasting on an easy hotel pickup day tour.
“This tour stopped at multiple places in Kauai. We saw lots of interesting sights. We appreciated that the tour company picked us up right from our hotel as we did not have a rental car and getting around on the island without a car is tough! Our pick-up driver was Sabrina, and she was friendly, helpful and informative. Our tour guide was Chris, and we really enjoyed him and his explanation of the sites we saw. The only thing that was tough was the amount of time we spent on the bus (a very comfy bus)...but I really don't see any way around that! Kauai is not easy to get…”
Half-day south and west Kauai tour: Waimea Canyon, Spouting Horn, Poipu Beach, coffee tasting, plus a small-group guide and pickup.
“Our guide, Sean, was wonderful. He shared great information throughout our tour and was flexible about stopping points so we could make the most of our tour. We saw the beauty of Kauai and learned of its history. We received detailed and helpful communication about a convenient meeting place for pick up. We rode in a clean, comfortable vehicle. This excursion was a highlight of our trip.”
Fern Grotto river cruise, Kilauea lighthouse lookout, and North Shore views on a small-group Kauai day tour with pickup.
“The lighthouse and the church (supposedly part of paid tour))were borh closed, so big chunk of tour was unavailable! Viator should have told us this information ahead of time, and we would have cancellled tour.”
Kayak the Hule'ia River to Hidden Valley Falls on Kauai. Tandem paddle, jungle hike, rope swing, and canoe return.
“The tour guides were great but the falls were a little underwhelming. Eli and Isaiah were very friendly and patient with group.”
Kauai’s northeast in one day: Wailua River cruise to Fern Grotto, Kilauea Lighthouse sea birds, and Hanalei and Anini beaches.
“Great way to learn about Kauai. Domi, our guide was fantastic! We even got to meet his pet Omar the 500lb pig!”
Private Kauai secret waterfall hike with a pro photographer, 15 free photos, and a swim stop at Keālia Beach.
“Our tour guide was Elijah and the whole thing was amazing! Coming to Kauai is a gift to our daughter turning 21. She is In much better shape than my husband and I...they made it challenging for her while making sure we could keep up!! Chris even brought me poles mid hike!! Elijah took us to beautiful places with amazing views, taking photos along the way! He explained customs and history of the places we went! This tour is a must if coming to Kauai!”
Kayak up the Wailua River, hike to Secret Falls, then enjoy a hidden-valley picnic with spring water, swimming, and jungle history.
“This was an unbelievable experience, and worth every cent. The Kayaking was a first time event for the three of us, and the climb to this breathtaking waterfall was not to be missed. This had to be our favorite event of our time in Kauai. Thank you to our wonderful guide Tristan, who took such good care of us, We will be back”
Kauai cruise excursion from Nawiliwili: Opaekaa Falls, a Wailua River boat cruise with music, and Fern Grotto gardens.
“The tour was excellent very informative and great fun i would definitely recommend this tour to other people”
One full day in Kauai’s top sights: Waimea Canyon lookouts, Old Koloa Town, Wailua River cruise to Fern Grotto, plus falls and more.
“Miss K was an amazing tour guide. Knowledgeable on island history and attentive to our group. Would highly recommend this trip.”
App-driven Kauai road tour with offline GPS audio, waterfalls, heiaus, gardens, and food stops—built for flexible, money-smart sightseeing.
“This was really fun! We were a family of 8 traveling and my husband drove us. It was so fun! There are also hikes, you don’t have to do those right away, you can do them another day. Beautiful site seeing!!!”
