Kualoa Ranch advice

I would like to spend some time at Kualoa Ranch when I am in Honolulu. Can anyone share their experience there?

I would like to do a horseback riding tour. I'm debating on whether or not to spend the full day or half day at the ranch. I do want to see the sites where Lost and some movies were filmed at. A few of the other options also look interesting.

Thanks!

I would like to spend some time at Kualoa Ranch when I am in Honolulu. Can anyone share their experience there?

 

I would like to do a horseback riding tour. I'm debating on whether or not to spend the full day or half day at the ranch. I do want to see the sites where Lost and some movies were filmed at. A few of the other options also look interesting.

 

Thanks!

Here is a link to some reviews from land vacationers and its rate #2 out of 4 attractions

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g60649-d108380-r166811822-Kualoa_Hawaii-Kaaawa_Oahu_Hawaii.html

We have been there and had a great lunch, views are spectacular

Thank you! It seems most people love the time they spent at the ranch. I think I will go for the full day package. Thank again for the link. :)

We have just return from Hawaii a few days ago and while there we did the two hour horse back ride at the Kualoa Ranch. They take you into the Kaaawa Valley this is where Lost and Jurassic Park as well as other movies were filmed.

The horses only walked single line but that was fine by us as we wanted to enjoy the beautiful scenery and to be able to take heaps of photos. So if you are looking for something a little faster the horse ride will not be for you.

My tip is don't get to far ahead of the tour guide as they tell you heaps of information and if you are too far away from them you may not hear it all. Also you are not allowed to take any bags or backpacks only a camera. They do rent lockers.

I have down the fish pond tour, movie tour, and jungle exploration. These are all tame activities. It will be very easy to spend the entire day there doing the horseback rides, ATV rides, and/or Secret Island. Lunch is very good since they serve their own grass fed beef. There is transportation to the ranch and back to Waikiki. I do not think there is transportation from Aloha Towers. Best to rent a car on a pre-cruise day. It is a very long drive out to the ranch if you are in port for just the day. Doable, but not recommended.

If you want to do "everything", I would also recommend you book in advance since your time slots will be better coordinated and you will not be locked out of a tour time.

I am a "displaced local" and have been to the ranch many times. I have taken many out of towners to the ranch. The Morgan Family has tried to use this beautiful place to educate and entertain. Enjoy.

For anyone who is reading this and will be in town for the weekend, Kualoa Ranch is having an special event.

http://www.kitv.com/page/search/htv-hon/news/hawaii/kualoa-area-celebration-to-be-held-on-saturday/-/8905354/23955772/-/pptqmfz/-/index.html

You say it is a very long ride out to the ranch, do you know how long?

Are you aware of any private tour companies that will take you to the Kualua ranch?

Thanks in advance for any help.

You say it is a very long ride out to the ranch, do you know how long?

Are you aware of any private tour companies that will take you to the Kualua ranch?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Kualoa Ranch is about 20 mi. or 40 minutes from the dock. The ranch does pickup at various locations.

Roger

Kualoa Ranch is about 20 mi. or 40 minutes from the dock. The ranch does pickup at various locations.

Roger

I would give yourself an hour to get there from Aloha Towers, without traffic. Far is only relative in Hawaii to the amount of traffic, accidents, weather, etc. When they have the a major event out there, it has taken me 30 minutes to go 2 miles on a one lane each way highway. Even the entertainers were late (this is not the norm).

Traffic is town bound in the morning. You will be going opposite of traffic. Give yourself plenty of time coming back too.

Thanks for all the helpful information

When we went to Hawaii we used Adventure in Hawaii Tours to how to Kualoa Ranch. They picked us up at our hotel and we had a great time. We did the full day tour and loved every minute of it. The tours we picked were the Jungle Tour, the Movie Tour, the ATV Tour, and the Fishpond Tour. All were great! What a beautiful place to spend the day. Lunch was good too!

What is the fee to rent the lockers?

We stayed on the North Shore and and near Kaneohe after our cruise and were at the ranch a couple times. We opted to book our tours individually direct with Kualoa and not to spend a full day at a time since we were close by. But, if coming from Waikiki area, if you have been to Polynesian Cultural Center, you are in the neighborhood. It's an easy and very scenic drive.

We did two tours there, the Pinzgauer 8 wheel and the ATV. We had the longest horse back ride scheduled, but cancelled it last minute and wish we had not. If this tour goes into the Kaaawa Valley, then that would be my top recommendation. I believe this must be the valley we drove into on the ATV tour. Wow. You do not want to miss this. Probably one of the top two or three most gorgeous places in all of the Hawaiian islands.

The ranch is beautiful, but I would not repeat either the Pinzgauer or ATV, but would opt for a more sedate movie tour ( if it goes into Kaaawa Valley ) or the horseback ride, preferably.

Just a word about the ATV tour. They say that the pace of the ride is geared to the slowest person on the tour, but if you are inexperienced like me, you will be pushed to your absolute limits. I was way out of my comfort zone the entire time, and it's a wonder I did not have a serious accident. Please don't do this tour if you, like me, have never been on an ATV before or are not on the daring and athletic side. They tell you that if you veer off trail even once, your tour is over and you will be picked up. Parts of the trail are extremely challenging, rocky, steep inclines uphill and down with severe drop offs in some areas. One young woman did veer off , but luckily no drop off and it was just a scare for her. They did not make her end her tour, but we were probably 3/4 through by then.

We walked two blocks after getting off the ship over to Enterprise and rented a car, just so we could go back to Kualoa. (We did a half day tour before the cruise but didn't get to see the movie sites.) I would have loved to have had more time to spend there. The movie tour was fantastic and our tour guide was absolutely amazing. (Seriously, probably the best tour guide we've ever had anywhere!)

There are a few pictures from the ranch at the end of my trip review: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2252994