Canyon Rim Landing, 90 Minutes

Safari Helicopters runs this 90-minute flight, from $396 per person, rated 4.8 across 392 reviews. The helicopter lands on the rim of Olokele Canyon so you can step out and take it in.

Overview

This Safari Helicopters flight spends an hour and a half over Kauai and includes a landing on the rim of Olokele Canyon, with time to step out and walk around. About 35 minutes of the tour is spent at the canyon itself. The rest of the route passes the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon State Park and Mount Waialeale, all seen from the air. Note that the landing is on the canyon rim, not at Jurassic Falls, which the operator states is not part of this tour.

Each flight carries a maximum of six travellers. Several travellers said the canyon landing, with time out of the aircraft, was the part that set this tour apart.

The meeting point is on Akahi Street in Lihue, across from Hilo Hattie, and guests must check in 30 minutes before departure, with show time set at one hour prior. Hotel transport is not included. All fees and taxes are covered, and a fuel surcharge of 26.70 dollars is already built into the price. Snacks are not included.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Check in, LihueMeet at 3225 Akahi St, Lihue, across the street from Hilo Hattie. Check in 30 minutes before departure, with show time one hour prior to the flight.
2. Olokele Canyon landingLand on the rim of Olokele Canyon for 35 minutes, with time to get out and walk around. Admission is free.
3. Na Pali pass byThe helicopter passes the Na Pali Coast, with views of the cliffs and coastline from the air.
4. Waimea Canyon passThe route passes Waimea Canyon State Park, seen from the air.
5. Mount Waialeale passThe helicopter passes Mount Waialeale, with views from the air.
6. Return to meeting pointThe activity ends back at the same Akahi Street meeting point. Hotel drop off is not included.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points from the listing and from repeated reviewer comments will help the day go smoothly.

• Weight rules. The limit is 113 kg per passenger, and anyone over 250 lbs, or a pair combining over 420 lbs, needs an additional seat. Weights must be accurate, because the operator may require another seat or remove a passenger for safety reasons, with no refund in that case.
• Arrive early. Show time is one hour before departure, and check in is 30 minutes prior. The listing warns that arriving late can mean forfeiting the seat with no refund.
• Weather flexibility. The tour needs good weather, and several reviewers reported being rescheduled, sometimes more than once, before conditions allowed the flight.
• Seating and views. One reviewer noted the pilot made sure passengers on both sides of the cabin got a good view of each feature. Expect a shared flight of up to six travellers rather than a private charter.
• Food and drink. Snacks are not included, and the listing lists them as an exclusion. Eat before the one hour check in window.
• Photos at the landing. Reviewers repeatedly called the canyon landing the highlight, with time out of the aircraft to walk around. Several travellers said being on the ground at the landing site was what set this tour apart from other Kauai flights.

Common issues. Weather is the biggest one: the flight is cancelled or rescheduled when conditions are poor, and some reviewers reported departure times shifting several times across days. There is also a minimum traveller requirement, and the tour can be cancelled if it is not met, with a different date or a full refund offered. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, infants must sit on laps, and passengers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions are advised against it. One reviewer reported a last minute cancellation because no pilots were available. Note that this tour lands at Olokele Canyon and not at Jurassic Falls.

What To Know Before Flying