Wailua River on Kauai: Kayak to Secret Falls or Cruise to Fern Grotto?
6 min read
Check the state first. In its park notices of 30 October 2026, the Hawaiʻi Division of State Parks reopened the Wailua River and its designated landing and trailhead, but hiking beyond the trailhead and access to Uluwehi Falls, better known as Secret Falls, remain closed. Until that changes, ask the operator what the Secret Falls tours include on your date. Once the trail is open, and if you can paddle and walk, take the Guided Kayak and Hike to Secret Falls: 4.8 from 319 reviews, €105.92 per person, and the most reviews of the five. If paddling is out, the Fern Grotto river cruise is a day trip, not a quick excursion. Both start from the Wailua River on Kauai’s east side.
The five choices compared
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Kayak and Hike to Secret Falls | 5 hours | €105.92 | 4.8 from 319 reviews | Paddle and hike, moderate fitness |
| Wailua River Kayak and Secret Falls Hike Tour | 6 hours | €129.16 | 4.9 from 21 reviews | Paddle and hike, up to 12 people |
| Guided Hike and Waterfall Swim | 2 hours | €82.99 | 4.8 from 79 reviews | Short hike on a private estate near Lihue |
| Northeast Tour, Fern Grotto River Cruise & Lighthouse | 6 hours | €210.43 | 4.5 from 95 reviews | Seated, van and open-air boat |
| Waimea Town & Fern Grotto Tour | 9.5 hours | €206.08 | 4.7 from 73 reviews | Seated, long day |
The two Secret Falls tours
Secret Falls is also called Uluwehi Falls. Two operators run it and they are not identical. Duke’s Kayak Adventures (the first tour) describes a 5-mile paddle on the Wailua River, a hike on a boardwalk and a swim at a 100-foot waterfall; the second operator describes a 2-mile paddle, a mile-long hike and a 120-foot waterfall, with shuttle transport from Coconut Marketplace, lunch and a group of up to 12. Both lists carry a swim at the base of the falls, and neither page mentions the state’s closure of the trail.
The first page contradicts itself on children: it sets a minimum age of 6 under “Know before you go”, but its list of people who should not book says children under 13. Until you have asked the operator, treat 13 as the safe reading and do not book for a younger child on the strength of this page. The page also says the trail may be slippery after rain and that participants need moderate fitness; pregnant women and people with heart problems, bad knees or bad backs are advised against it. The second page lists back problems and recent surgeries as not suitable.
Check dates and prices for the Secret Falls kayak tour
A state park fee on top
The second operator’s page carries a notice: since February 2026, Hawaiʻi State Parks charges every visitor a $5 per person entry fee, paid by credit card at the park and not to the tour company. The state’s own park pages list the same $5 for non-residents. Ask the operator of the first tour whether the fee applies to your date. The same state notice also says individual kayakers may not go to Fern Grotto, which matters if you rent a kayak instead of joining a tour.
If you do not want to paddle
The Northeast Tour lasts six hours and combines an 80-minute riverboat cruise on the Wailua River to Fern Grotto with Opaekaʻa Falls, Kilauea Lighthouse, Anini Beach and Hanalei Bay. Hotel pickup is offered from Princeville to Kapaa, with a group of up to 14. Food, drinks and gratuities are listed separately. It excludes wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments. The page says the lighthouse wildlife refuge is entered on Wednesdays and viewed from the lookout on Mondays, so the day you go decides what you see.
The Waimea Town & Fern Grotto Tour is 9.5 hours long and runs Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Its page says admission to Smith’s Fern Grotto boat ride is included, lunch is at your own expense, and, from October 5, 2026, a temporary itinerary replaces Waimea Canyon and Spouting Horn with Hanapepe and Historic Waimea Town because of storm road closures. Check the current itinerary on the booking page. The operator labels this tour wheelchair accessible; confirm the details with the operator first.
For a short, easy-ish waterfall
The Guided Hike and Waterfall Swim runs near Lihue, not on the Wailua River: a quarter-mile hike each way to a 30-foot and a 60-foot waterfall, with swimming at the second. The page excludes children under 8 and people with mobility impairments, and one reviewer called the hike steep.
Our recommendation
Once the trail to Secret Falls has reopened, book the kayak and hike that matches your day: the five-hour tour for the most reviews, the six-hour one if you want lunch and a shuttle. Until then, the Guided Hike and Waterfall Swim on a private estate near Lihue is the waterfall swim on this list that does not depend on a state park trail. For a seated day, choose the six-hour Northeast Tour over the 9.5-hour one unless Waimea town is what you want. All options are on the Kauai waterfall, kayak and hiking tours page.
