Flying_Squirrel_2003
Apr 2017
When someone says the tour will be five hours, my first impression is, "No thanks." However, this half day kayaking/hiking adventure was physically a challenge but very worth the trip and the time. My 13 year old daughter had a blast. We got there to Duke's garage location at around noon and joined approximately 9 other people. When everyone arrived, we packed up and boarded a 15 passenger van heading to our launch point, the marina of the Wailua River. Generally, two people were in a kayak. It took about an hour of kayaking to get to the start of the hiking trail. Prepare to get muddy. Wear water socks (best option) or tennis shoes you plan to get soaked. Please wear shoes even though our guide went barefoot. I tried the barefoot method and lasted about five feet before I quickly put on my shoes. Ouch. The trail is medium difficulty with lots of roots and obstacles to traverse. The guide stopped a few times to tell stories. The trail takes you to the secret water fall that everyone seems to know about. There is a large pool of water at the base of the falls. It was almost impossible to walk in the water to the falls. I had to swim to it. The rocks and even boulders in the water were a challenge. Going back behind the falls was the highlight of the tour. The water was freezing and the falls were very loud. We stayed at the falls until approx 3:15 and then started our hike back to the kayaks. The rowing back was a workout but manageable. Once back to the marina, we assisted the guide in loading up all the kayaks onto the trailer. We arrived back to Duke's garage at about 5:00 pm. I am pretty sure all the different groups gave our guide a tip. I highly recommend the tour. Put on bug spray, sunblock, bring snacks and water and I recommend wearing water socks.