Big Island: Kohala Zipline & Private Waterfall Swim Day Tour

4.93

(132 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were bumping along the road out of Kona before I’d even finished my coffee—our guide, Kaleo, had that kind of easy laugh that makes you forget how early it is. He pointed out old lava flows as we wound into North Kohala, which I only half-listened to at first (sorry, Kaleo), but then he started telling stories about King Kamehameha’s childhood here and suddenly I was wide awake. The air changed too, cooler and sweet with ginger somewhere nearby. I remember thinking the green here looks different—almost electric after all that black rock near Kona.

The ziplining part? Honestly, my hands were shaking when they strapped me in. Eight lines, six wobbly bridges (I counted), one rappel—my knees definitely noticed that last bit. But flying over those trees was wild; you could see the ocean blinking through gaps in the canopy. At one point I yelled something (not printable) and the guy behind me just whooped back. There’s this moment on the longest line where everything goes quiet except for wind and your own heartbeat—I still think about that.

Afterwards we hiked down to these old stone terraces—Kaleo said they were ancient taro fields—and then followed a muddy path to a waterfall hidden by vines. The water was cold enough to make you gasp but so clear you could see pebbles on the bottom. Lunch was simple sandwiches but tasted like five-star stuff sitting above the Kohala Coast with wet hair and sun on your face. Someone passed around fresh pineapple and we all just sat there for a while not saying much, which felt right somehow.