This half-day adventure blends water and trail in one of Kaua‘i’s most iconic settings. You’ll start with a mellow paddle up the sacred Wailua River—Hawai‘i’s only navigable river—passing ancient temples and jungle banks before landing your kayak and heading out on foot. The hike to Uluwehi Falls (aka Secret Falls) winds through muddy forest paths and shallow streams, ending in a dramatic 100-foot waterfall where you can take a refreshing swim. It’s not a walk in the park, but that’s part of the fun—and the payoff is pure Kaua‘i.
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4.8★ from 3,100+ reviews on TripAdvisor
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Up the River, Into the Wild
The Wailua River doesn’t rush. It curls, it glides, it reflects the sky like glass—until you dip a paddle and join the rhythm. The further you go, the quieter it gets. You pass beneath canopies of hau and kukui trees, past remnants of ancient Hawaiian heiau barely visible through the foliage, and it starts to feel like the modern world has dropped away.
We beached our kayaks near a trailhead that barely looked like a trail—just a slick path of mud and roots that dared you to test your balance. Shoes sunk a little with each step. There were mosquitoes. There were stream crossings. It was perfect.
“It felt like the whole island had opened its hand to you for just a minute.”
About 45 minutes in, we heard it before we saw it: the steady crash of falling water through trees. Then we broke through the canopy and there it was—Uluwehi Falls, rising 100 feet from a basin so clear you could see every ripple. A few of us stripped down and waded in. The water was cold, the spray hit your skin like mist, and it felt like the whole island had opened its hand to you for just a minute.
This isn’t a sanitized, flip-flop-friendly excursion. It’s muddy. It’s physical. It’s completely worth it.
