Waimea Canyon & Wailua River

Fondly known as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific," the Waimea Canyon offers spectacular views that rival its mainland cousin, but also has an island personality all its own. Your Kauai Waimea Canyon tour includes a stop to see the Spouting Horn. The actual canyon is bursting with ever-changing color, with an array of yellow ginger and eucalyptus trees. Kauai's mokihana berries grow right up to the highest (3,500 feet) elevation. This Kauai tour takes you up to the canyon overlook and provides a visual history along the way. Located on the western end of Kauai, Waimea offers a rich history and plenty of adventure. The town's claim to fame is the landing spot where Captain Cook first set foot on Hawaiian soil in 1778. Though believed to be the god Lono, he proved to be a mortal and was slain. On the return leg of your Kauai tour, you'll pass through Old Koloa Town. Established in 1834 and situated in the heart of Hawaii's first sugar cane plantation, quaint old buildings have been carefully renovated and restored and are now home to unique shops and restaurants. As you drive by, your guide will share fascinating stories about life in the plantation era. After your morning journey to the Canyon, you'll return to the cruise pier, where you'll have time to grab lunch on board your ship. After your lunch break, you will be picked up to continue your adventure with a tour of the Wailua River, a long, slowly meandering river that starts at the Wai'ale'ale Crater and is fed by many tributaries on its way to the ocean. It is the only navigable river in Hawaii. For a unique Hawaiian adventure, join this cruise up the river on a long, flat-bottom riverboat to the sacred Fern Grotto, a lava rock grotto covered with tropical ferns. Hawaiian musicians will greet you at the grotto with traditional local songs, including the famous "Hawaiian Wedding Song." The superior acoustics within this natural amphitheater greatly enhance the music. The cruise takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, and provides many opportunities to photograph the tropical grasslands lining the river and the majestic cloud-covered Mt. Waialeale in the background. You may also see kayaks, motorboats, and water skiers along the way. After the river cruise, you'll be taken to the overlook at Opaekaa Falls, another romantic stop that will surely secure your love of this garden island.