Gaze Down Upon Lush and Rugged Beauty
Kauai, Hawaii’s northernmost island, has gained the nickname of the Garden Isle. It is the greenest, lushest and most ancient of the Hawaiian islands. Its landscape is marked with vast valleys and craggy peaks making it truly a sight to take in.
From waterfalls that have made it on the Hollywood big screen to the sheer cliffs along the Na Pali Coast to a dormant volcano draped in greenery to canyons galore, there’s tons to see on Kauai. However, only a small percentage of Hawaii’s oldest island can be traveled by car, meaning that if you want to really see the scenery — those amazingly verdant valleys and plunging waterfalls — then the best way is to take to the skies.
A helicopter tour is a fantastic way to experience Kauai and see scenery that more land-bound tourists will never have a chance to glance at. From a comfortable air-conditioned helicopter you’ll be able to enjoy all of Kauai’s best sights and capture the photos to prove it.
Check out our list of the best Kauai helicopter tours and find inspiration for your next trip. These tours are sure to make your Hawaii vacation one that you won’t soon forget. There are plenty of options on offer for every budget and group.
Jurassic Falls Helicopter Landing Adventure with Island Helicopters
Island Helicopters has been giving helicopter tours of Kauai for nearly 40 years and their expertise shows in the service and experience they provide. For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, book the Jurassic Falls Helicopter Landing Adventure that lands at Manawaiopuna Falls. This 400-foot waterfall made a famous appearance in the 1993 blockbuster “Jurassic Park” and Island Helicopters is the only tour operator that’s authorized to take you on an excursion there.
Not only do you get to see the main sights on Kauai with a 50- to 55-minute helicopter flight, but you’ll get a chance to really feel the power of the massive waterfall. The helicopter will sit down right near the base of the waterfall and your pilot/guide will take you on a short, easy hike along a path that follows a stream right up to fall.
Here you’ll have a chance to take some photos and learn about the history of the area, the geology, and the plants and animals that call the area home — all while basking in the mist of the waterfall!
The company keeps comfort and safety at the forefront. Their tours take place in air-conditioned birds and they follow all the best practices for safety, including keeping the doors on the entire flight. You’ll get a true local experience here too as all the helicopter pilots they employ actually live on Kauai.
The Jurassic Falls Helicopter Landing Adventure costs $275 USD per person. For a cheaper option, the Grand Deluxe Circle Island Tour costs $145 USD — you’ll still see all the main areas on this tour, but the helicopter won’t land at the falls.
The Deluxe Waterfall Safari with Safari Helicopters
Safari Helicopters operates on both the Big Island and Kauai and offer several Kauai helicopter tour options for you to choose from. The Deluxe Waterfall Safari visits Na Pali, Waimea Canyon and Mount Waialeale over the course of about 60 minutes. Alternatively, the Refuge Eco-Tour flies the same route but adds on a 40-minute stop at the Kauai Wildlife Refuge, which has stunning views of the Olokele Canyon.
If you want to experience the amazing scenery of Kauai in a more relaxed private group setting, then they also offer chartered flights where you can rent the entire helicopter and have a bit more control over your route and itinerary.
The company only recruits very experienced pilots that fully meet and exceed FAA requirements and maintain the utmost safety on their helicopters, which means you can relax and enjoy the view without a care.
The Deluxe Waterfall Safari costs $314 USD per person while the Refuge Eco-Tour costs $314 per person, with special discounts applied for booking online. Safari Helicopters is a good option for families traveling with small children as many of the other companies on our list do not allow babies or very young children on their tours. There is no minimum age requirement at Safari Helicopters and they offer free tickets to infants under 24 months provided they sit in a parent’s lap.
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The Kauai Experience Tour with Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours
If you’re looking for a smaller, private tour experience, check out Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours. They offer tours with a maximum of three people per flight meaning that you’ll have the best possible views. Their Kauai Experience tour will explore the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, Manawaiopuna (“Jurassic Park”) Falls and Mount Waialeale (if weather allows).
If you truly believe a picture is worth a thousand words, they also offer a unique Photography Flight that will help you capture the perfect shot that you’re envisioning. On these tours, you choose the flight path and can choose to concentrate on those areas that are most important to you. On both of their tours you’ll have the option to have the doors on or off at no extra charge, as well as English narration during the trip.
The Kauai Experience tour is priced at $325 USD per person whereas the more bespoke Photography Flight is $693 per hour.
Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours is completely dedicated to passenger safety. As such, they only use FAA-approved quick release seat belts in all of their helicopters, they meet and exceed all FAA safety standards and are a member of the Hawaii Helicopter Association
The Discover Kauai Tour with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters
Well-regarded in the local tour scene, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, based out of Lihue and Princeville, offers tours to some of Kauai’s most stunning sights. You’ll have the chance to visit the Na Pali Coast, marked by its massive 3,000-foot sea cliffs that run 17 miles along the island’s northern shore. Or, visit the Waimea Canyon in the southwestern section of the island, which has been called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
On their Discover Kauai tour, you’ll depart Princeville and fly past Manawaiopuna Falls and then over the Hanapepe Valley, the Olokele Canyon and Waimea Canyon, and finish off by exploring the Na Pali Coast and Hanalei Bay.
Alternatively, from Lihue you can take the Kauai Eco Adventure tour, which visits some of the same sites as well as Mount Waialeale, a dormant volcano that is draped with emerald green vegetation and is often covered in mist, with waterfalls at every bend.
The pilots here are also tour guides certified by the State of Hawaii. They narrate the whole way so you’ll know what you are looking at as you explore Kauai’s hidden secrets. They also offer an early morning tour called Rise and Shine, a Happy Hour tour and private charters.
Blue Hawaiian’s Discover Kauai tour is priced at $349 USD per person whereas the Kauai Eco Adventure is $269. You’ll save a bit of cash if you are an early riser as the Rise and Shine tour is priced at $229 a person. Alternatively, book a private charter and you can have input in designing your custom itinerary. These are priced by the hour starting from $2,320 an hour for the whole group.
90-Minute AStar Tour with Jack Harter Helicopters
Jack Harter Helicopters has been in the tour business longer than most of the other tour companies on our list and they have earned quite the reputation over all of those years. They’ve been offering tours on Kauai since 1962 and have seen many changes in Kauai’s tourism.
Book a 60- or 90-minute tour and you’ll get to enjoy some of the best views in Hawaii from the comfort of a luxurious, air-conditioned AStar helicopter equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows and the capacity to carry six passengers. Or, you’ll take to the sky in a Hughes 500 flown with the doors off and feel really close to nature.
They have special permission from the FAA to fly at the lowest permissible altitudes of any tour operator in Hawaii, offering you unmatched views.
There’s no prerecorded narration accompanying this flight. Instead, the helicopters are equipped with two-way intercoms that allow the passenger and pilot to converse throughout the flight. This means that the narration is a bit different on each flight and able to be tailored to each group’s unique interests.
The tours depart from Lihue Heliport and visit such sights as Nawiliwili Harbor and Menehune Fishpond, Kipu Kai and the Tunnel of Trees, Manawaiopuna Falls in Hanapepe Valley, Olokele and Waimea Canyon, Na Pali, Mount Waialeale and Wailua Falls.
The 60- to 65-minute AStar Tour is their most affordable, priced at $289 with online specials saving you even more. Alternatively, the 60- to 65-minute Hughes 500 Tour is $309 per person. The longer 90- to 95-minute AStar Tour is priced at $434 — this tour is flown at slower speeds and the pilot is able to set up fantastic photo ops.
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The Ultimate Kauai Adventure Tour with Sunshine Helicopters
Sunshine Helicopters is a family owned and operated business started by two veterans, including a former army helicopter pilot who received a Purple Heart. Their 50- to 55-minute Ultimate Kauai Adventure Tour will take you to all the amazing, and otherwise unreachable, spots you’re dying to see in Kauai such as the Na Pali Coast, Wailua Falls, Waimea Canyon and Mount Waialeale.
The tour narration will teach you all about the history and myth surrounding the different sites you will see.
They offer a couple of seating options on their tours. You can book the Open Seating option if you are hoping to save a bit of money, or the First Class Seat if you want to splash out and ensure you have the best seat on the tour. They also offer a discounted early bird tour for early risers.
After your tour, you’ll have the option to purchase a video of your actual flight with narration by the pilot so you can experience it over and over again and show your friends back home. Sunshine Helicopters offers a portable lifting device that makes their tours handicapped accessible.
There are several seating and pricing options on each Sunshine Helicopters Tour. However, the Ultimate Kauai Adventure Tour starts at $254 USD per person, and you’ll save a bit if you book online. Fly before 8:30 a.m. or anytime after 2 p.m. and you’ll save $50 per person on the price of the tour, which makes this an incredibly good value. We’d suggest you put that extra cash toward a nice post-flight dinner.
The Kauai Explore Tour with Maverick Helicopters
Flying out of Port Allen Airport on the western side of Kauai, Maverick Helicopters offers a VIP experience with two flight options in Kauai. The 25-minute Kauai Discovery tour takes you on an express look at the natural marvels of Western Kauai, including the 14-mile-long Waimea Canyon, the Na Pali-Kona Forest Reserve that includes Awini Falls and Waialae Falls, as well as an up-close look at Manawaiopuna Falls. You’ll end your trip by flying over the Hanapepe Valley, notable for its stunning mountain ranges and rich farmland.
If it’s a longer tour you’re after, the Kauai Explorer may be more what you’re looking for. Two of the island’s most recognizable landmarks, the Na Pali Coast and the Waimea Canyon, are both included but you’ll also get a look at several other fantastic sites in this 50-minute tour. You’ll also see one of the wettest places on Earth, the tropical rainforest that surrounds Mount Waialeale, as well as Mount Makana and the Bali Hai Cliffs.
They also offer helicopter tours in Maui in case your trip itinerary takes you there as well. The express version, the Kauai Discovery, is one of the cheapest helicopter tour options you’ll find on the island as it’s priced at only $169 USD per person inclusive of all fees. Alternatively, if you want to book the longer Kauai Explorer tour, it will set you back $269 per person.