Our Private Jungle Mountain Hiking Tour moves at your pace and cater to your interests. Our goal is to provide what you want and allow you to experience Kauai your way. Because our tours are private we may have limited availability. Book now to ensure a private guide for the day(s) you are interested in exploring the island!

Our local guides take you to some of their favorite spots, the places they enjoy exploring in their free time. We hope to inspire understanding, respect and reverence for these sacred, often fragile, environments. Far beyond snapping a few pretty pictures, we aim to create life changing experiences that stay with you long after you return home!

- Transportation is included. We'll pick you up from your hotel, resort, or vacation rental.

Climbing the Giant: Sleeping Giant Tour

2-3 hours from your Pick up to Drop off (depending on meeting location); 3-4 miles Round trip, 960 ft elevation gain; Moderate/Difficult

Looking for a hike that gives you a workout with picturesque views, but don’t have a lot of time? This hike is for you! Nounou Mountain, aka "Sleeping Giant," is located on the East Side of Kaua'i, looming above the Wailua River - just inland from where Ancient Kauaian Ali'i (Hawaiian royalty) first chose to settle. Myths and legends abound about this landmark mountain ridge that resembles a very large man sleeping on his back.

"Up" will be the order of the day, as the trail zig-zags it’s way past lush vegetation before finally arriving on the Giant’s chin, nose and forehead (a climb of nearly 1,000 feet)! From the summit we’ll enjoy sweeping views of Mount Wai'ale'ale, the Wailua Homesteads and the entire eastern coastline!

Included

• Transportation Included
• Learn the legends of "The Sleeping Giant"
• Sweeping views of Mount Wai'ale'ale, the Wailua Homesteads and the entire Eastside coastline
• 1,000 ft elevation gain, a great workout!
• View and photograph many species of native and introduced birds & plants

Kuilau Ridge Jungle Trail to Mount Wai'ale'ale Viewpoint

2-3 hours from Pick up to Drop off; 3 miles Round trip, 640 ft elevation gain; Easy/Moderate

This gentle trail is a nature lover's dream! The word kuilau (koo-E-lau) means "to string together leaves or grass." Plant fibers were used for everything from thatching roofs (pili grass huts) to making large sails for ocean voyaging canoes (from the hala [tree] leaf), so one might imagine that this lush trail originally got its name from native Hawaiian's gathering and utilizing natural resources from the area.

After a quick stop at the roadside overlook to observe ‘O'paeka'a Falls, we drive deeper into the island’s verdant trailhead. Our hike begins as a gentle climb up a wide, well maintained trail. The trail is lined with impressive Sydney blue gum trees (Eucalyptus saligna), which can grow over 150 feet tall, and the occasional smatterings of albizia trees, massive in girth and height. As we make our way higher, views of several mountain ranges begin to emerge. On overcast days, we'll still be rewarded with densely green views of the heavily foliated gulches that dominate the foreground; their abundant native and introduced plant species offer much to discover. These plants include wild orchids, 'ohi'a lehua blossoms, hala and the la'i or ti plant (a popular material for making hula skirts, among many other uses).

At our turnaround point, there is a large open area with covered picnic tables and expansive views of Kahili Mountain to the South, Wai'ale'ale Mountain and Mount Kawi to the west and the Makaleha Mountains to the north.

Back at the arboretum, we will take a short stroll in an area dense with the widely popular, often photographed, "rainbow eucalyptus" trees (Eucalyptus deglupta). Time permitting, we will have the option of taking a quick dip in a cool mountain stream and/or walking up a small hill to once again look towards the majestic Wai'ale'ale Summit, statistically one of the wettest places on earth (averaging over 450 inches of rainfall annually; subsequently fully, or partially, concealed by clouds much of the time).

Included

• Transportation Included
  
• Diverse array of impressive native and non-native tree and plant species, including monkeypod, albezia and"rainbow eucalyptus"
• View 151-foot Opaeka'a Falls- Expansive views of Kahili Mountain, Wai'ale'ale Mountain, Mount Kawi and Makaleha Mountains
• Opportunities for bird watching

Waterfall Swim Add-On

After all that climbing, reward yourself with a refreshing dip beneath a remote cascading waterfall. This option will add approximately 4 hrs. to the tour time. We will stop at one of several “ono” (tasty) local restaurants to refuel before continuing on to this final phase of our adventure.

Requirements

• You must be able to walk on unpaved, uneven, and possibly muddy terrain
• The area has the potential to be rainy, so you should wear layered clothing and closed-toe shoes
• You may want to bring a towel, change of clothes, and slippers to change into after the hike