A Horseback Riding experience by Waipio on Horseback. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: A scenic horseback riding tour that takes you from fertile gardens and a working livestock ranch to sweeping grasslands, oceanfront, and tree canopies
Tour Highlights:
- Local guides share the legends and history of the rich cultural landscape throughout the tour
- Sample tasty fruits from the family farm after the ride
- No prior horseback riding experience needed and great for families (from 7 y.o.)
- Ride alongside the historic Hamakua ditch and see coconut orchards, banana groves, and fishponds
Important: The tour is suitable for children from 7 years old, and there is a 200 lbs (91 kg) weight limit for participants. Please arrive 15 to 30 minutes before check in to assure a timely departure.
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult |
|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $150 |
Tour Provider: Waipio on Horseback
Activity: Horseback Riding
Tour start time: 09:30am, 12:30pm
Duration: 3 hours
Departure from: Hamakua Coast
Pick-up available? No
Cancellations: Groups of 5 participants (or less) will receive a full refund with 48 hours notice of cancellation. Groups of 6 or more participants will need to provide 72 hours notice. Customers will also receive a full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Notice needs to be given by phone (+1 808 775 7291) and no-shows will be charged the full price. For an additional $5 it is possible to shorten the cancellation notice period to 24 hours.
Read more: about horseback riding in our Big Island horseback riding guide.
After check-in at the ranch you walk to the corral, get in the saddle and head up mountain side for a tour that will give you between 2 and 2.5 hours in the saddle.
During the ride you explore a 500 acre mountain to ocean working cattle ranch including ocean views. We ride through a large coconut orchard, banana groves, and fishponds. We go alongside the historic Hamakua ditch and up into pasture blooming with purple flowers, tunnels of guava and iron woods.
This is a small group tour with a maximum of 8 participants. With this limited number of guests you are ensured a personal experience and plenty of attention from your guide.
About the farm
Some distinguishing features of the farm are:
- Fishponds full of Hamakua sunfish on your tour.
- Dwarf coconuts, breadfruit trees, kukui nut, sugar cane, taro, sweet potato and multiple varieties of heirloom bananas
- The historic Hamakua ditch. This engineering masterpiece built in 1906 was the lifeline to sugarcane’s century of success and today benefits farmers and wildlife.
- A spring-fed reservoir where cattle roam and horses take leisurely swims
- Sweeping grasslands and panoramic views where intact old-growth forests stand deep in gulches where precious ‘io and pueo, the Hawaiian hawk and Hawaiian owl, make their nest in these towering giants.
- A herd of adopted rescue herd of Kona Nightingales. These small donkeys are descendants of a bygone era when coffee plantations depended on their muscle and sturdiness, if left alone at night they would bray to companions in the distance inspiring the name “Nightingale” from the nocturnal songbird.
- Ocean views: Taste salt on the wind and hear waves pound against the sheer cliffs while we cruise under a canopy of ironwood trees near remnants of old Hawaiian settlements. The dry-stacked rock walls and cattle enclosures, tunnels and trails are sure to conjure visions of old-time Hawai’i commerce and travel. On a clear day, view north face cliffs of Waipi’o, Pololu and even Maui on the horizon.
We are affiliate partners with Waipio on Horseback and any booking on this page you make is made directly with Waipio on Horseback. We receive a percentage from the activity provider for each successful booking made through our website but this happens without any additional charge to you. (read more on the use of those links on our website here).
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