We’ll begin our tour on Day 1 in the gateway city of Kahului on Maui and start right off by driving the famous Hana Highway along the coastline. The higway is an indespensible ingredient in every Maui adventure, covering 50 miles, over 600 switchbacks, and 50 bridges. We stop along the way to trace a portion of the ancient Kings Highway from Pailoa Bay in Waianapanapa State Park to Kainalimu Bay. This coastal trail traverses wind swept cliffs overlooking blowholes, sea arches and tidal pools to an ancent Hawaiin Temple site. We continue to beautiful Hana, where we’ll spend our first two overnights.
Day 2 we continue a little farther west to the Pipiwai Trail and an arm of the Haleakalā National Park. After a stop at the visitor center, we’ll climb through open grasslands and bamboo forests past stunning Makahiku Falls to Waimoku Falls, our turn-around point. Our return to Hana should be early enough to explore this fascinating village.
Day 3 we’re off to the north on the flanks of Puʻu Kukui to hike Waihee Ridge and the rain forest of Kanoa Ridge overlooking Waihee Canyon. There are spectacular views in every direction, of lush rainforest valley, Makamakaole Falls in the distance, and many views of the ocean, isthmus and Haleakala side of Maui. This evening we head to Kihei and the beach for our next two nights.
Day 4 is devoted to Haleakalia for what is consiered to be Maui’s signature hike. We’ll hike from the Visitors Center at Haleakala’s summit and descend into the volcano’s crater along the Sliding Sand Trail to the Holua Cabin, across the vallley floor, only to climb 1,500″ on the Hulemauu Trail to exit the crater.
We have a relaxing morning on Day 5 as we enjoy the beach and snorkle among the turtles in the bay. After lunch we head back to the airport in Kahului to catch the short flight to Kauai. We immediately head to Princeville township, a north shore community that started off as a sugar plantation. Our resort is nestled high into the cliff terrain of the area, offering views of both the inland mountains and the Pacific to the north.
The magnificent Kalalau Trail is our destination on Day 6. The trail leads from Ke’e Beach to Kalalau Beach along the famed Nāpali Coast. Originally built in the late 1800s, the trail serves as one of the only ways to access the beautiful Napali Coast via land. It crosses above towering sea cliffs and through lush tropical valleys then drops to sea level at Hanakapi’ai beach. We return to Princeville for the evening.
Day 7, we make our way back around to the east side of the island for an exploration of the Kuilau Ridge, hiding behind the Sleeping Giant. The variety of plant life deep in the forest is astounding, and the trail leads you to amazing panoramas of Makaleha Mountains. After our hike, we continue around the island to the south side for our final three nights.
Day 8 is a spectacular hike to the cliff’s edge on the southern NaPali Coast. From the ridge that forms Koke’e State Park, we take the Awa’awapuhi Trail west to the edge of the world. The incredibly steep ribs that fan out to the ocean look like flying buttresses, and in the deep blue waters below you can spot sail boats and sometimes whales.
ImpressiveWaimea Canyon, dubbed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is our plan for Day 9, along the Kukui Trail. The route drops 2,000 feet to the canyon floor for a lunch spot like no other. The hike back up gives us a new perspective on the unique flora of the area.
Our last Day 10 of the tour brings us to Poipu Beach, where we’ll walk the coastline of Poipu along the Shiprock Beach Trail and climb a promontory for an incredible panoramic view of the cinder cones and lava tubes that extend into the ocean as evidence of Kauai’s most recent volcanic activity. Late that afternoon, we return to Lihue for the conclusion of our Super Hawaii Tour.
