Backcountry Adventures - Kauai Tubing

Minimum age is 5 and minimum height is 43 inches. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Maximum weight is 300 pounds. No neck or back injuries. Pregnant women require a note from their doctor OK'ing them to do this tour.

This hawaii activity gives you a chance to travel back in time to the sugar plantation era. Circa 1870 a series of ditches, tunnels, and flumes was hand-dug by Chinese laborers to deliver water from the rainforest to thirsty sugar cane fields near Lihue. This land is privately owned and has never before been accessible to the public. The recent closure of the Lihue plantation has made this tour possible ... allowing Kauai visitors the chance to travel into the island's interior and witness this engineering feat in a fun and relaxing way!

Your adventure begins at Backcountry Kauai's office on Highway 56 in Hanamaulu, just a few minutes away from the Lihue Airport. Your guides will fit you with gloves, a helmet, and head lamp and check your footwear to make sure that it won't come off and float away during your adventure. (some sort of strap on the back of your sandals is required ... rental shoes are available if you need them). Your group will then load into a Pinzgauer ... a Swiss-built 4WD transport vehicle ... and you head into the interior of the island ... crossing old sugar cane fields along the way. Your guides will tell you about the plantation's history and about the life of the men who maintained the ditch system you'll be enjoying. They also make up a few things along the way for your amusement ... the high tension power line that you encounter is NOT really their zip-line tour! The Pinzgauer will stop for a great photo op at an overlook that gives you the best view into the heart of Waialeale Crater that you are likely to get on your vacation. A few minutes later you arrive at the start of the ditch ... and you get a brief safety demonstration to help you enjoy your float. 

As you get into your tube you just sit back and enjoy the ride. This isn't a whitewater adventure, but it isn't the lazy river at your neighborhood waterpark either. The water is typically knee deep in most places, and the current moves you along fast enough that no paddling is required. This tour goes in and out of many tunnels, one of which is almost a mile long! You'll glide along in the underworld with a headlamp to light your way.

At the end of your tubing adventure there is a stop at a natural swimming hole where the guides prepare your picnic lunch. The total trip length is approximately 3 hours including lunch and the travel time to and from the flume.

This activity is priced per "floater" ... there are no children's rates. Advanced reservations are required. In addition to our normal 48 hour cancellation notice policy, this vendor requires 72 hours notice of cancellation for groups of 6 or more.

Tour Times:

Availability of specific times changes quickly. Your confirmation will have your exact tour start time listed. To ensure we can get you booked for this popular activity you have the following timing options to choose from:

• Any Available Time - we will book you for the first available time that fits your party
• Morning - we will book you for any available tour time that starts between 7:00 am and 9:30 am.
• Mid-Day - we will book you for any available tour time that starts between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm.
• Afternoon - we will book you for any available tour time that starts between 1:30 pm and 4:00 pm.

If a time within your selection is not available, we will contact you about the available times. IF YOU NEED A SPECIFIC TIME, please call or email to speak with an agent about availability.

 Kauai Tubing Tour Highlights:

• Fun tubing adventure with great views of Kauai’s rain-forest, mountains, valleys and the ocean
• Float down historic irrigation ditch and through several tunnels
• Swim in a natural swimming hole
• Learn about a part of Kauai’s history
• Only tubing activity of this type on Kauai

Tour Inclusions:

• Tube
  
• Headlamp
• Gloves
  
• Hand sanitizer
  
• Snacks and cold water
  
• Water-friendly shoes available for rental
• Wet-suit tops available for rental