ATV Tours on Maui

If you’re a fan of off-road driving, you may be interested in exploring Hawaiʻi’s terrain on an ATV tour. Often a muddy adventure, ATV tours are a fun way to explore scenic areas of the island, including jungles, ranches, and beaches, often on private land that would be inaccessible otherwise.

In this guide, we explain what you can expect from an ATV tour on Maui and provide a list of the two local ATV companies and the tours they offer.

List + Comparison of ATV Tours on Maui

There are just two ATV tours on Maui, but they explore different parts of the islands. Below, we break them down so you can know what to expect.

Maui Off-Road Adventures

The Maui Off-Road Adventures ATV Tour operates on the west coast of Maui outside of Lāhainā, running 5 times per day (9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m.). The tour climbs about 2,000 feet in elevation as you explore the foothills via switch-back trails, with stops at viewpoints that offer sweeping ocean and outer island views.

The adventure includes multiple river crossings and explanations about the local flora and fauna. Most of the appeal of this tour comes from its bird’s-eye view of the coast and ocean as you play around in the foothills above Lāhainā.

The Maui Off-road Adventure ATV tour brings you by viewpoints that offer sweeping ocean and outer island views. Credit: the Maui Offroad Adventures Facebook page.

Important: The pricing for this tour is much different than its competitor below. In their matrix, it’s more cost effective to go with a group than to go as an individual driver. A solo adult driver costs $349, but one adult driver and one adult passenger combo costs $433; one adult driver and one child passenger costs $353. If you don’t want to drive, you can ride with a guide for $189.

Good to know: This tour operates in a partnership with the Puʻu Kukui Watershed, and you will learn about it on the tour. You can a glimpse of the arrangement and see some visual inspiration below, including the terrain the tour explores.

Maui Mountain Activities

The ATV tour from Maui Mountain Activities operates twice a day at 8:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. The tour explores a 500-acre ranch, offering ocean views as well as a glimpse of what life is like on a local ranch. The appeal of this tour is that it showcases the beauty of the West Maui Mountains in North Maui, with views of waterfalls (from a distance) flowing down its lush peaks. The tour ends with a ride along the ocean down at sea level.

Important: You should understand beforehand that though the tour goes very close to the ocean, you won’t ride on the actual sand. Rather, you will tackle the dirt paths adjacent to the coast, with stops to take photos.

Good to know: This tour takes you to a lesser visited part of the island on the north west coast, a mix of jungle and ranch land. Take advantage of being up that way and visit some of the other sites along the north shore, including the budding down of Wailuku.

ATV tours on other Hawaiian islands

You can join an ATV tour on any of the other main Hawaiian islands.

ATV tours on Oʻahu

There are 3 different ATV tours on Oʻahu. The most spectacular ones are organized on the scenic Kualoa Ranch, but the Gunstock Ranch and Coral Crater adventure park also offer good options. Read more about those in our guide to ATV tours on Oʻahu.

ATV tours on Kauaʻi

Kauaʻi features two ATV tours that can be considered to be the “full package” and include beach walks, waterfall visits, and touring through the only tunnel on Kauaʻi! Of course, you also get to explore many miles of dirt roads on private lands by ATV.

Read more about all options in our guide to ATV tours on Kauaʻi.

ATV tours on the Big Island

The Big Island offers by far the greatest diversity of ATV tours in Hawaiʻi. Options range from getting dirty on muddy tracks and washing up at a private on-property waterfall to a more paced exploration of a traditional farm, and many things in between.

Read more about all options in our guide to ATV tours on the Big Island.

What are ATV Tours like?

ATV tours are for people who crave a side of adrenaline with their outdoor experience. Tours are fun rain or shine, and though they all operate on the same premise (you get to play around on an ATV), they differ in terms of the terrain and extras they offer.

With few exceptions, most tours in Hawaiʻi allow you to drive the ATV yourself. The experience typically starts with a safety briefing and a short crash course (pun intended) on how to operate an ATV. Tours are beginner friendly, with no previous experience driving an ATV necessary. Drivers need to be at least 16 years old, but those younger can still come along as passengers.

Tours include a guide that you will follow in your ATV, navigating the landscape, be it ranch land, jungle, mountains, or beach terrain. Stops are made at scenic points, and some tours offer snacks and extensive narration.

One of the most important factors to consider when booking an ATV tour is location. In addition to the experience of driving the ATV, most tours put an emphasis on the scenic views and landscape, often operating on private land that would be otherwise inaccessible. When comparing companies and their tours, take note of where they take place and the kind of terrain they tackle, as that will be a big differentiating factor.

What should you bring/wear on an ATV tour?

ATV tours will provide safety equipment, such as goggles and helmets. Here’s what you’ll need to bring yourself:

• Closed-toe shoes (these are required by most tours)
• Long pants (to help protect your legs from the ATV)
• Sun glasses (to keep the sun, wind, and mud out of your eyes)
• Sunscreen (goes without saying)
• Poncho (a good protective later in case of rain, also protects against mud)
• Change of clothes and towel for after the tour (tours happen rain or shine and you may get dirty)