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Na Pali Ocean Rafting


 

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Explore Kauai's rugged Na Pali coast on board one of three different vessels with the Na Pali Explorer. The scenery along the Na Pali coastline is just breathtaking. There are sea caves and archways to explore, with numerous waterfalls falling directly into the ocean. Sealife abounds, including spinner and spotted dolphins, monk seals, and Hawaiian green sea turtles. Humpback whales are often seen during the winter months. All of these creatures are seen in their natural wild habitat!

Na Pali Explorer offers a huge advantage over most other rafting tours on Kauai because of the proximity of their departure points to the Na Pali. Two of their vessels depart from the Kikiaola small boat harbor west of Waimea, which cuts 20 minutes or so each way on the trip to the Na Pali compared to the boats that depart from the Port Allen Harbor on the south shore. This increases the amount of time you have along the scenic Kona and Na Pali coasts and cuts down on the time getting there and back. Tours operate from this west side location all year. The large 48 foot raft seats 35 people and offers the most comfortable journey. The small 26 foot raft seats 18 people and offers the most adventureous journey (including a beach landing on days when the ocean swells are small).

For those staying in the Princeville / Hanalei area, a third vessel operates out of Hanalei on the north shore of Kauai and is a 42 foot raft that seats 26 people. This raft operates on weekdays during the months of April through September. (Ocean swells make north shore departures impractical during the winter months.)

Please note when making a reservation that this tour operator does not accept American Express; Visa or Mastercard is required.

NPE / R


48 Foot Large Raft - west shore departure

Year-round daily departures. The capacity for this vessel is 35 people and the check in is at the Na Pali Explorer store in Waimea. This fast and comfortable boat offers shade and an on-board rest room, as well as a smoother ride than the smaller raft. This vessel is small enough to maneuver into sea caves during calm seas and is our favorite way to experience the coastline of the Na Pali. Minimum age is 5. No pregnant women, and no one with neck or back injuries permitted on the tour.

Note: Kikiaola Harbor is currently undergoing construction; during this time there are some days that the larger raft departs from Port Allen. On these days the checkin is still at the Na Pali Explorer shop in Waimea and they shuttle guests to the departure location.

  • Morning tour - 4.5 hours in length and includes snorkel gear, lunch, beverages, and a snorkel stop is typically made along the Na Pali or Kona coast. Check-in time varies with the season but is typically 6:30am in the summertime and 8:00am in the wintertime (your email confirmation will tell you the exact check-in time for your tour date). This tour operates 7 days a week. Adults $149, Children ages 5-12 $99
  • Afternoon tour - 3 hours in length and includes beverages, and a snack. This is a sightseeing excursion and does not include snorkeling. From December through April time is also spent watching humpback whales. Typically offered Tuesday and Friday only Adults $105, Children ages 5-12 $75

44 Foot Large Raft - north shore departure

April through September operations. The capacity for this vessel is 26 people and the check in is near the pier at Hanalei Bay. This raft is similar to the one used year-round for the west shore departures in that it offers shade and an on-board rest room. This vessel is small enough to maneuver into sea caves during calm seas and is our favorite way to experience the coastline of the Na Pali for those staying on the north shore. Minimum age is 5. No pregnant women, and no one with neck or back injuries permitted on the tour.

  • Morning tour - 4 hours in length and includes snorkel gear, snacks, beverages, and a snorkel stop is typically made along the Na Pali coast. Check-in time is typically 7:30am and this tour operates Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in April and May, and Monday through Saturday in June through September. Adults $149, Children ages 5-12 $99
  • Afternoon tour - 4 hours in length and includes snorkel gear, snacks, beverages, and a snorkel stop is typically made along the Na Pali coast. Check-in time is typically 12:30pm and this tour operates Monday through Saturday in June through September. Adults $149, Children ages 5-12 $99

26 Foot Small Raft - west shore departure T,TH, SAT & SUN and north shore departure M, W, & F

April through September daily. The capacity for this vessel is 16-18 people. This high speed zodiac is the more adventurous, high-energy ride. The speed and small size allows them to cover the nooks and crannies of the Na Pali coastline, and go right into the sea caves (ocean conditions permitting). They also have a permit to land at a remote beach which is an added bonus during the summer months and during calm seas in the fall and spring. Tours that include a beach landing are rare as there are a very limited number of permits issued by the state of Hawaii! Minimum age is 8. No pregnant women, and no one with neck or back injuries permitted on the tour.

  • Morning tour - 4 to 4.5 hours in length and includes snorkel gear, lunch, beverages, and snorkeling is typically done during the beach landing along the Na Pali. Checkin is at the Na Pali Explorer store in Waimea on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Checkin at Hanalei near the pier on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This tour operates 7 days a week April through September. Adults $149, Children ages 8-12 $99
  • Afternoon tour - 4 to4.5 hours in length and is identical to the morning tour in ammenities. This tour typically operates daily in June, July, and August. Checkin is at the Na Pali Explorer store in Waimea on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Checkin at Hanalei near the pier on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Adults $149, Children ages 8-12 $99

CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS

The Na Pali Explorer morning tours do not work for cruise ship passengers. If you are on the Pride of America and overnighting in Kauai, you can do an afternoon tour or you might also consider a sunset motor tour of the Na Pali on the afternoon / evening of day one in port. 


Activity Tips

I've been on numerous Na Pali boat tours, but a day on the water with the Na Pali Explorer took me further along the Na Pali coast than I'd ever been before. Their closer departure point to the Na Pali allows more time to explore this spectacular area. Their three different rafts allow for a choice in your adventure that you don't have with other companies. 

For people who are considering a Na Pali adventure, I don't think the choice is between this raft company and other raft companies ... their closer departures make this company an absolute winner. The question is, "Which one of their rafts is the best choice for my adventure?"

That depends on you ... if you are a die hard and a bumpy, wild ride sounds like fun to you, then the smaller raft offers high adventure. This raft rates a 10 on the adventure scale ... its small size allows them to get into every nook and cranny of the Na Pali coast, and even allows a beach landing at a remote spot (weather and ocean conditions permitting). The smaller raft lacks creature comforts ... be sure to bring lots of sunscreen and wear a hat (one with a string that goes under your neck so it doesn't blow away ... they don't turn around and chase after lost hats). The smaller raft has no rest room ... when nature calls, well, nature is your answer! But if you've got teens this is the trip they are going to love!

The larger rafts are a great compromise ... it allows you to have the creature comforts like shade and an on-board rest room that you'd get on a larger boat, but it still offers the low-to-the-water ride of a zodiac raft. It has a smoother, cushier ride than the zodiac, but it is still fast enough to cover the entire Na Pali coast and small enough to get into several of the most spectacular sea caves. As a matter of fact, I believe you get to see more of the Na Pali on the larger raft. While the smaller raft is doing a beach landing, the larger raft goes further along the Na Pali coast and offers more time for exploring this incredible coastline.

There are some days along the Na Pali, especially in the wintertime, when a huge north swell will prevent any raft from entering any of the sea caves. Just being close enough to witness these monster waves crashing on the cliffs is a spectacular experience. Occasionally in the wintertime conditions will not allow them to reach the Na Pali. If that's the case the captain will select an alternate destination along the south shore that is safe and also offers a memorable day on the water. While the Na Pali is always their preferred destination, even on days when they can't get there they guarantee you a great time and a fun adventure. As a general rule If it is too rough for these guys to go to the Na Pali, it's too rough for any boats to go there.

We are also excited to now offer a north shore Hanalei departure for our clients who are staying in Hanalei and Princeville. This departure point is only available during the calm months of April through September. In the late fall, winter, and early spring the large north swells come rolling in and Hanalei Bay often closes out with breaking waves, which makes boating there impossible. If you are coming in the summer months, the north shore departure is your best choice if you are staying anywhere on the north shore, or the east shore areas of Kapa'a and Lihue. If you are staying in Poipu or elsewhere along the south or west shore, we would suggest the west side departures instead.

As a resident of Hawaii, I consider the Na Pali coastline to be the most scenic and most sacred place in the islands. There are better places in Hawaii to snorkel, but nothing compares with the dramatic scenery and raw natural beauty of this wild coastline. 

 

 

 

 

   

Na Pali Rafting Reservations

 

 Select Date

 (mm/dd/yyyy)

click on calendar icon to set date, or enter manually in mm/dd/yyyy format

 

# of adults

# of Children (12 and under)

minimum age for children is 5 on the large raft and 8 on the small raft  

NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

 

First Name

Last Name

State

Country (if other than USA)

Cell Phone

Day Phone

Evening Phone

E-mail

Name of Hotel or Condo on Kauai

I acknowledge that I have read the booking procedures below and wish to submit this reservation for processing.

Upon submitting your activity reservation for processing, we will make reservations for you and send an e-mail confirming all of the details. These confirmations are often sent a few minutes after your reservation, but some activities take longer to confirm than others. You will receive an e-mail confirmation by the end of the next business day at the latest. There are no tickets that you need to pick up prior to your event. Your e-mail confirmation will have all the details you need to check in and enjoy your selected activity. This saves you precious time when you arrive in Hawaii. 

Please be sure that you have typed your email address perfectly; an incorrect address will prevent you from getting your confirmation details, and we will have no way of knowing that you never received your confirmation. We cannot be responsible for errors that clients make which causes them to miss their tour. If you do not see your email confirmation within 24 hours please call us right away to check on the status of your order.

A credit card is required to guarantee payment for your reservations, but the activities on this page ARE NOT CHARGED when your order is placed. These activities are operated by vendors who charge you at the time of check-in for your activity. Adventureinhawaii.com will provide this vendor with your billing information so that your space is reserved. Even though your credit card is not charged in advance, it is import to realize that you are making a confirmed reservation. No-shows will be charged in full by the activity provider on the credit card used to secure the reservation .

After making reservations, you may reschedule or cancel your activity up until 48 hours prior to its start (a few activities have 72 hour cancellation policies ... see your confirmation e-mail for details). Within 48 hours of the start of your activity all reservations are final and non-refundable (unless the event is cancelled by the vendor due to weather or other factors ... in which case you are refunded in full). Due to our incredible climate here, weather cancellations are rare.  No-shows and cancellations without adequate notice are charged in full on the credit card used to secure the reservation and are non-refundable.

 

 

 

 

Most rates quoted on this website do not include the Hawaiian state sales tax which adds 4.1667%, 

or the state harbor fee of 3% on boat excursions. Adventureinhawaii.com is a FREE reservations service;

 we have no hidden service charges or fees that we charge for servicing your reservation

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