Use promo code ‘ALOHAVIBES’ and SAVE $100 off your Adventure

Private Pipiwai Trail Tour

Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku Falls

Explore Maui’s Pipiwai Trail with a private guide: bamboo forest, waterfall views, and a Luxury Expedition reserved for your group.

Check Availability
Duration8–9 hours
ExperiencePrivate tour
Vehicle choicesLuxury Expedition

Plan your private day

Tour Details

Open each section for pickup guidance, the typical route, and a practical packing checklist.

Recommended Pickup Times

Door-to-Door Pickup

Pickup is available from your resort, hotel, condo, cruise-port meeting point, or another agreed location. Our office will confirm the exact pickup time for your area before your tour.

Cruise guests should call (808) 444-3770 so pickup can be coordinated with the ship schedule.

Typical Itinerary
Illustrated Maui route map with nine numbered Waimoku Falls itinerary stops
Typical Waimoku Falls route; stops may change with weather, access, and your group’s interests.

Stop 1

Provision in Kahului

Make a quick stop at Safeway for snacks, drinks, and any other goodies your group wants for the day.

View across Kahului Bay and the Central Maui shoreline
Kahului Bay provides Central Maui context for the tour’s provisioning stop. Photo: Sinoue@yahoo.com · resized for web. Photo source public domain

Stop 2

Upcountry Kula

Travel through Kula’s rolling Upcountry landscape as the route climbs toward Maui’s quieter countryside.

Cattle resting on rolling pasture at ʻUlupalakua Ranch on the slopes of Haleakalā
Rolling pasture on the slopes of Haleakalā in Upcountry Maui. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr · cropped and resized. Photo source CC BY 3.0 US

Explore Upcountry ranch history

Stop 3

ʻUlupalakua and the Honey Bee Sanctuary

Pass MauiWine in ʻUlupalakua, with an optional stop at the honey bee sanctuary when timing and availability permit.

Aerial view of vineyards at ʻUlupalakua Winery on Maui
Vineyards within ʻUlupalakua’s ranch and agricultural landscape. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr · resized for web. Photo source CC BY 3.0 US

Explore ʻUlupalakua ranch history

Stop 4

Remote Kaupō

Cross the Kaupō landscape with opportunities to pause for scenic photos at safe pullouts.

Rainbow over modern pasture and introduced grassland at Kaupō
A rainbow over modern pasture in the remote Kaupō landscape. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr · cropped and resized. Photo source CC BY 3.0 US

Explore the history of Kaupō

Stop 5

Historic Backside Churches

See long-standing church landmarks that reflect the communities of Maui’s remote southeast coast.

Hui Aloha Church framed by coconut palms at Kaupō, Maui
Hui Aloha Church at Kaupō is one landmark along Maui’s remote southeast coast. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr · resized for web. Photo source CC BY 3.0 US

Stop 6

Laulima Organic Farm

Visit this sustainability-focused farm and sample available exotic fruit grown on the property.

Kona Sugarloaf pineapple growing at Laulima Farm in Kīpahulu
A Kona Sugarloaf pineapple growing at Laulima Farm in Kīpahulu. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr · resized for web. Photo source CC BY 3.0 US

Stop 7

Wailua Falls

See the Kīpahulu waterfall only where current signs, traffic, and legal roadside space make a view appropriate; no swim is promised.

Wailua Falls descending a steep, forested East Maui cliff
Wailua Falls in Kīpahulu, East Maui. Photo: Christoph Strässler · cropped, resized and converted; derivative shared under CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo source CC BY-SA 2.0

Stop 8

Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku Falls

Enter Haleakalā National Park at Kīpahulu for the approximately three-to-four-hour Pipiwai Trail hike to Waimoku Falls.

Waimoku Falls descending a high green cliff above hikers at the Pīpīwai Trail viewing area
Waimoku Falls from the Pīpīwai Trail viewing area. Photo: Hawaii By Storm.

Explore Haleakalā National Park history

Stop 9

Choose a Local Food Stop

Pick a food destination for the return route before your guide takes you back to the original pickup point.

Start

Pickup from your resort, hotel, condo, or meeting location.

  1. Stop 1: Stop at Safeway in Kahului to grab goodies for the day.
  2. Stop 2: Drive through the rolling hills of Upcountry Kula.
  3. Stop 3: Pass MauiWine in ʻUlupalakua, with an optional honey-bee-sanctuary stop.
  4. Stop 4: Journey through pristine Kaupō with scenic photo stops.
  5. Stop 5: See historic backside Maui churches more than 150 years old.
  6. Stop 6: Visit sustainability-focused Laulima Organic Farm.
  7. Stop 7: View Wailua Falls from a legal roadside area when traffic and access permit.
  8. Stop 8: Hike the Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku Falls in Haleakalā National Park.
  9. Stop 9: Choose a local food stop for the return route.
Finish

Return to your original pickup point.

What to Bring
  • Swimwear (Optional)
  • Change of Clothes (Optional)
  • Warm Layers
  • Water Shoes or Flip-Flops
  • Shoes That Can Get Dirty
  • Towels
  • Reef-Safe Sunscreen
  • Charge Cards
  • Cash for Stops

Gratuity is not included.

Check Availability

Waimoku Falls at Pīpīwai Trail

Explore the Pipiwai Trail: Bamboo Forest & Waterfalls

Travel the quiet backside route to Kīpahulu, then hike the Pīpīwai Trail past its banyan tree, Makahiku Falls, and bamboo forest to Waimoku Falls. Select a point on the interactive map—or use the list—to see details, photographs, and related history.

North-up USGS topographic map of the Pīpīwai Trail in the Kīpahulu District, showing Hāna Highway, the visitor center, Pools of ʻOheʻo, Makahiku Falls, streams, terrain, and Waimoku Falls
Zoomed-in, north-up topographic map. Select a numbered point for a photograph and more information. Base map: USGS The National Map Trail data: National Park Service Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors

Trail point 1

Kīpahulu Visitor Center & Hale Hālāwai

Start beside the visitor center at the junction of the uphill Pīpīwai Trail and the separate coastal Kūloa Point Trail. Interpretive exhibits, Hale Hālāwai, rock walls, terraces, and house-site evidence introduce Kīpahulu’s layered Native Hawaiian, agricultural, plantation, ranching, and park history.

Kīpahulu Visitor Center with the Pacific Ocean visible beyond the building
Kīpahulu Visitor Center. Photo: National Park Service · public-domain U.S. federal work. View the NPS source NPS media use

Explore Haleakalā National Park history

Trail point 2

Pools of ʻOheʻo & Kūloa Point Trail

The 0.5-mile Kūloa Point Trail is a separate coastal loop rather than part of the uphill Pīpīwai hike. It reaches viewpoints over ʻOheʻo Gulch and cultural sites; always obey current park closures and remain on marked trails.

Pools and small cascades flowing through the volcanic rock of Oheo Gulch
Pools and cascades in the Kīpahulu District. Photo: Hawaii By Storm.

Explore Kīpahulu and Haleakalā history

Trail point 3

Makahiku Falls Overlook

The first major waterfall viewpoint is about half a mile from the trailhead. The mapped point marks the established overlook rather than the waterfall itself.

Makahiku Falls dropping beside a wall of dense green vegetation
Makahiku Falls. Photo: Angela Sevin · cropped and resized. Photo source CC BY 2.0

Trail point 4

Pīpīwai Banyan

A broad banyan with aerial roots stands along the climbing trail beyond the Makahiku overlook. Its map pin is placed approximately along the mapped trail because the tree is not published as a precise NPS geospatial point.

The large banyan on the Pipiwai Trail with spreading limbs and aerial roots
The large banyan along the Pīpīwai Trail. Photo: Hawaii By Storm.

Trail point 5

Bamboo Forest & Boardwalk

About one mile from the trailhead, the route enters dense bamboo and crosses wet sections on boardwalks and footbridges. Conditions can be slick even when the coast is dry.

Tall bamboo arching above the Pipiwai Trail
Bamboo forest along the Pīpīwai Trail. Photo: National Park Service · cropped and resized. Photo source NPS media use

Explore Haleakalā National Park history

Trail point 6

Waimoku Falls Viewing Area

The mapped trail ends at the established viewing area roughly two miles from the visitor center. The full out-and-back hike is about four miles with approximately 800 feet of elevation change; stay behind all barriers and follow current park directions.

Waimoku Falls descending a high green cliff above hikers at the viewing area
Waimoku Falls from the trail viewing area. Photo: Hawaii By Storm.

Explore Haleakalā National Park history

Start

Kīpahulu Visitor Center, parking area, and the Pīpīwai Trail junction.

  1. Trail point 1: Begin at Kīpahulu Visitor Center and Hale Hālāwai.
  2. Trail point 2: Take the separate Kūloa Point loop to viewpoints over the Pools of ʻOheʻo.
  3. Trail point 3: Reach the Makahiku Falls overlook about 0.5 mile from the trailhead.
  4. Trail point 4: Pause at the Pīpīwai banyan beyond the Makahiku overlook.
  5. Trail point 5: Enter the bamboo forest and boardwalks about one mile in.
  6. Trail point 6: Reach the Waimoku Falls viewing area at the mapped trail end.
Finish

Waimoku Falls viewing area, followed by the return hike on the same trail.

Map note: The trail line and mapped locations use published geographic data. Conditions, closures, safe viewing areas, and access can change; always follow current National Park Service signs and guide instructions.

Tour overview

Plan Your Private Pipiwai Trail Tour on Maui

Traverse the Pipiwai Trail in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park, where your group will encounter the famous banyan tree, Makahiku Falls, a towering bamboo forest, and Waimoku Falls cascading down a nearly 400-foot cliff face.

Your local guide takes the reverse, or backside, route through Upcountry Kula, remote Kaupō, historic communities, and the organic farms of Kīpahulu. Because the experience is private, the pace can be tailored to your group. Guests who do not complete the entire trail may wait at the visitor center while others enjoy the approximately three-to-four-hour hike.

This tour focuses on the Pipiwai Trail and Maui’s backside rather than combining the complete Road to Hāna into the same day. Choose Hāna & Back separately to experience more of East Maui without rushing either adventure.

How long is the Pipiwai Trail? The full hike is approximately four miles round trip, with about 800 feet of elevation gain. Allow approximately three to four hours for the hike on this tour; the complete day, including transportation and other stops, is eight to nine hours. The National Park Service describes the trail as moderately strenuous.

Where is the trail? Pīpīwai is in the coastal Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park, beyond Hāna, not at the Haleakalā summit. The Makahiku Falls overlook is about half a mile from the trailhead, the bamboo forest is roughly one mile in, and the Waimoku Falls viewing area is about two miles in. You return along the same trail.

Come prepared for uneven footing and warm, wet weather. Wear sturdy hiking shoes with grip, carry water and snacks, and bring rain protection. Remain on marked trails and observe posted closures and barriers. This is a waterfall-viewing hike; do not plan to enter the Pools of ʻOheʻo, which the park lists as closed to entry.

Trail conditions: This is a moderate hike in a remote area, and physical fitness is recommended. Weather, water, road, park, and trail conditions can change the route, stop order, swimming opportunities, or access.

Your private East Maui adventure

Luxury Expedition

Travel the remote backside route in a spacious private SUV with room for up to seven guests.

Private-vehicle pricing: Prices shown are the flat rate for your entire private vehicle—not per person.

Guests standing beneath Waimoku Falls on the Pipiwai Trail

Up to 7 guests

Luxury Expedition

$1,399.95 Flat rate · per vehicle

Plus 4.712% GE tax. Guests 6 and 7 will have a middle seat.

View Luxury Expedition Dates

Live Luxury Expedition availability

Explore more private Maui tours

Is Waimoku Falls not what you’re looking for?

Here’s some other options.

Private-vehicle pricing: Prices shown are the flat rate for your entire private vehicle—not per person.