Earlier this year when we spent a week at the Hanalei Bay Resort in Kauai, Hawaii, I had no idea my favorite excursion of our Hawaiian vacation would be ziplining with my daughter. Our adventure with Koloa Zipline completely took me out of my comfort zone and was so much fun! With an upcoming visit to the Kauai Beach Villas next year, we are definitely looking forward to ziplining again!
We booked our Koloa Zipline tour just a couple of days in advance. We were staying on the opposite side of the island and had a scenic drive to Koloa. After stopping at the retail store, we then drove to the base yard which is an old sugar mill, for check in.
The guides were very friendly and knowledgeable. They taught us how to safely use our harness and helped each of us on the tour to make sure we were comfortable before moving on to the safety class.
Koloa Zipline is unique because they provide “ground school” before beginning each tour. In the zipline 101 course you learn how to safely use the harness and handlebar pulleys. They also teach you zipline aerobatics if you’re interested in flying hands free, upside down, or a variety of other positions.
After ground school you take a short bus ride to the bases in the lush Kauai tropics. During the bus ride the guides shared Kauai history and pointed out wildlife along the route.
At seven years old, my daughter was able to walk the light hike between each base. During the uphill hikes the guides carried her gear.
The zipline tour includes eight lines with three of the longest in Kauai. The entire tour takes just under four hours and includes hiking, ziplining, a snack and excellent views.
Ziplining through the Kauai tropics is exhilarating!
All the guides were friendly, funny, and excellent with my daughter. She was the only child on the tour and received plenty of one on one attention and instruction. She was quite fond of Guga, a personal chef with a passion for fitness and outdoor recreation.
She was too light to go on some of the longer lines alone so she rode tandem with Guga.
*Minimum age of participants is 7 years old. Children between 7-17 must be accompanied by an adult. All participants must weigh less than 270 lbs. The tandem zipline weight cannot exceed a combined weight of 280lbs.
Although I brought a GoPro, my favorite video from our Koloa Zipline tour was taken by Guga on his phone.
As our tour progressed, my daughter asked to try different positions and wanted to ride upside down – with no hands!
She was so proud of herself!
I was not as brave but never worried about my daughter because of the great guides.
The tour included a snack with an amazing view.
Photos, some included in this post, were taken by Koloa Zipline. Because you definitely don’t want to drop anything, I did not bring my camera – or rental car keys. They were safely stored at the base yard before we started our adventure.
The entire tour group had an incredible time and everyone said they would love to do it again!
Be sure to read the Koloa Zipline tips when booking your zipline tour including weight & age requirements, physical requirements, cancellation/weather policy, and what to bring!
Learn more about Koloa Zipline by connecting with them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Be sure to enter my Kauai Beach Villas family vacation giveaway to win a 3-night stay at Kauai Beach Villas. Travel is valid through September 30, 2017. Plus, when you enter, you’ll immediately receive a 10% off promo code. Entrants agree to receive emails from Kauai Beach Villas. Giveaway entry period ends 12/31/16.
Who would you take on a Koloa Zipline adventure?