Kauai Canyon Explorer: Private Tour Featuring Waimea & Kokee

Such an amazing day with Shasta as our driver and tour guide. Great communication with tour group before the day of our tour. Loved everything, but especially the beautiful canyon. Thank you for the fun, personalized tour.

Absolutely book this tour and this company. We customized our tour for our interests and had the very best time!!! We did the tour day 3 of our trip so we could go back and visit any places Shasta showed us on the trip. Fabulous time!

Shasta did a fantastic job on our tour. She was a joy to spend the day with and is an expert photographer! We learned so many facts and enjoyed all the beautiful views. There wasn't a question she couldn't answer. This was a great way to spend our last day in Kauai. Thanks for adding to our memories!

It was one of the best private tour experiences we‘ve ever had! We‘re picked up on time at the cruise ship and had the best time on our 6 h island tour

Amazing host and driver, great views and knowledge of the area!! Trip was awesome and definitely something that I would recommend and possibly do again.

The landscape…amazing! Our guide Coco Maria, her kindness and her knowledge of the Island made our trip unforgettable! Ask for Coco Maria; you never regret!

Oh. My. Gosh! Cannot thank Coco enough for the wonderful experience she gave us on this tour! Mahalo! It was a pleasure to spend the day in her company, we could've done nothing but hang out with her and we would've had a great time. She was so personable and kind and a lot of fun. We loved getting to see the Waimea Canyon; it's majestic and has so many variations in vegetation and formation and coloration that anywhere you look is a unique scene. My 'in-laws' were particularly pleased with it's splendor in comparison to the Grand Canyon, which they enjoy. Coco took us to all of the lookout spots and, bonus, was a decent photographer with all the right placements of person to vista ratio. We also got to visit a bakery specializing in Malasadas (yes, yes, a thousand times yes!), the Kauai Coffee Company (freeeee samples!), the Koke'e Lodge (unctuously savory farm to table Hawaiian staples), & Koke'e State Park (although this particular tour did not have time for trails / views of Kalalau Valley) and Hanapepe, the little historic town featured in Lilo and Stitch with lots of great little local artisan shops. Coco shared interesting historical and cultural information along the way and was always encouraging us to ask questions. My partner was very interested in a geological book that she had, he even bought the last copy (it's out of print now) at the Koke'e Gift Shop. She gave us great recommendations for what else to try before we left (Wailua Shave Ice) and what to do on our last day between hotel check out and rental car return (Kilohana Plantation). We just loved Coco so much! <3 I named my super kawaii pineapple travel pillow souvenir 'Coco-chan' :3 Oh yeah, Coco's daughter, Shasta, is also a guide and we kept seeing her at different stops; I would 100% recommend her expertise as well. Ohana, yo!

The amazing views made more enjoyable by an expert and friendly guide. The stops and visits along the way highlighted what makes Kauai so beautiful as a place and a community.

Signed up for small group but because of low sign up adjusted to semi private tour for 4 people. Shasta was our host and she was very friendly and knowledgeable about island. Picked up and returned us up to our resort so no driving which was great. Gave us plenty of time at each stop and recommendations of what to look for, what to eat and where to shop. Always felt safe with her driving and use of head set made it easy to hear while driving. Would definitely recommend.

This tour was an engaging and stunning introduction to Kaua'i. We knew little to nothing about the island when we arrived and wouldn't have had the slightest idea where to drive and explore had we just gone out on our own. The tour taught us so much about the island, which greatly improved our experience for the rest of our visit. It was an incredible way to see many of the island's highlights from the best possible vantage points, while also enjoying an authentic experience of the culture of the island. Crucially, the company reached out to us a couple of days prior to the tour to alert us to issues with underbooking, and provided a range of options of how to still enjoy the tour while adjusting for the circumstances. The personal communication, friendliness and commitment to providing an excellent experience are second to none. Almost immediately, it felt like having a local friend show you their favorite spots on the island, rather than being an impersonal and overly rehearsed tour. We didn't know it upon booking, but the family-owned nature of the company really showed through over the course of the tour, which added to the authenticity and personal feel of the tour. That said, it was still a professional, clean and safe tour. I would recommend this to absolutely anyone visiting the island, regardless of age or party size. If you are lucky enough to have Shasta as your tour guide, I can 100% promise you're in for an excellent experience.

What a fun, personal, and great sightseeing trip with Coco-small group tour-only 9 of us. We were a party of 3 and she took like a minute to treat us all like family. We got to see lots of various views of Waimea Canyon-waterfalls, gorgeous scenery, some cute goats we thought were falling off the cliff but they would scramble back up. We enjoyed our lunch at Kokee State Park and more views after. Coming back down stopping in Hanapepe we were thinking we are tired and too long of stop but we had to hurry to not keep everyone waiting-we enjoyed the local shops and walking the swinging bridge. She even dropped last couple off at the luau they were going to as they didn’t have a rental car. Will remember her if back on the island and people always ask me back home things to do when in Hawaii-Coco will be tops on that list.

Coco was an outstanding guide. She was so pleasant and knowlegable. We went to Waimea Canyon, the coffee plantation and several other stops. And she had, with her in the van, a young man who was so helpful assisting one of our party who had dementia, and difficulty entering and exiting the vehicle. We enjoyed the whole day with her.

Coco Maria is an awesome tour guide. I can’t say enough wonderful things about her❤️ She went above and beyond to show us all the amazing sites in Waimea Canyon and more.

This was a great sampling of western Kauai with the highlight being the various views of the canyon and Waipo falls . The tour guide was knowledgeable about the history and culture of Kauai and sought out great spots for photography. She also gave us ample opportunities for exploring and visiting the town of Hanapepe and Kauai coffee . I loved Hanapepe shops and the swinging bridge. Enjoyed others in our small group and the lunch at the lodge was very good.

My husband and I had an amazing private tour with Coco Maria (tour guide and also the owner), as part of celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. From the moment we stepped into her van we knew it was going to be a fun day! Coco is an incredible guide, who is passionate about what she does and has a true love of the island and people. She is high energy, very knowledgeable and entertaining in the way she shares it. She's also a great photographer! The stops in Waimea Canyon and Koke'e State Park were beautiful, and we had a delicious lunch at the Koke'e Lodge restaurant. We learned some history about Captain Cook and the Russian Fort and then went on to Hanapepe for shopping and a walk across the swinging bridge. We ended our day with Coco at the Kauai Coffee plantation to sample some coffee and take a walk thru the coffee orchard. By the end of the day, we felt like Coco was an old friend. Thank you again Coco for making the tour one of the highlights of our trip to Kauai. We would definitely recommend this tour given by Coco Maria of Kauai Soul Travel for anyone visiting Kauai!

COCO was an amazing tour guide. She brought us to some awesome sites and made recommendations for us to better our experience. She is very personable and makes sure you have enough time to experience each stop along the way.

The Tour was amazing. The host was delightful, with plenty of knowledge of the island and its culture. Even though we were all strangers Coco was able to creature a really nice environment for everybody to feel like friends. The sights are all worth experiencing and Coco knows where are the best views. Great views, plenty of laughs, lots of knowledge and a worthwhile experience. Thanks Coco for a lovely time.

Coco is an incredible tour guide! We had a absolutely wonderful day. It might be a long tour but the time passed quickly with the information Coco provided about the history, culture, geography, language and geology of Maui. She was very professional, personable and fun! She's also very resourceful - there was a potential issue with the scheduled lunch stop and she quickly arranged for an alternative that we really enjoyed. She communicated very well as soon as we booked the tour and after we arrived on the island. She also provided additional places to visit and eat even before we got there. We highly recommend Coco and her company if you vacation in Kauai!

Excellent tour! Highly recommended! Coco Maria, owner and tour guide, is an extraordinary host! She is knowledgeable of the history, folklore, geography, flora and fauna, and local economy. The 15 passenger air conditioned van is clean and very comfortable. There were 2 stops for food - a wonderful little bakery for breakfast, and a great restaurant in the mountains for lunch. Both with delicious food and beverage choices. Coco Maria is well-organized with carefully curated stops along the way, with plenty of time for exploration and picture taking. Most important of all, Coco Maria is a kind and “soulful” person who addressed each guests’ needs, desires and concerns, both young and elderly.

It was a fabulous day! We took a private tour and it was worth the extra cost. Coco was an amazing guide, very knowledgeable about the island. We got to enjoy amazing views at a leisurely pace and saw gorgeous views. Highly recommend!

What a fun trip! Coco was so knowledgeable and fun, she made sure that everyone in the group had an awesome experience. The beauty of Kauai plus Coco’s information on each area, truly made it an unforgettable trip for my sister and I. If you are going to Kauai, I highly recommend signing up for this tour!!

We lucked out because we shared the van with a small group. Coco is very knowledgeable about the places we visited even though she's is not native. She's lived on Kauai for a gazillion years, though, she might as well be. She did her history homework as she told us about places we visited. She has a fantastic sense of humor, friendly, chipper, and lovely. We stopped at Kauai Coffee - where she told us about the discount and free shipping. Then Aloha Sweet Delights for malasadas (YUM!!). Then up the mountain where she shoed us secret pathways. At Kokee Lodge we enjoyed a fantastic lunch (pre-ordered) and toured the museum. On the way back we shopped in Hanapepe where we walked around for about an hour on our own. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone. Especially if you can tour in the mini-van!

If you want to feel like you’re doing an express run through Kauai’s gems, do this. This was an amazing experience for my husband and I. The tour groups are 8-12 people. We explored wonderful views, historical landmarks, and experienced great local eats along the way. In between stops, our guide shared her knowledge on the history, culture, and agriculture of Kauai and other islands of Hawaii as well. You won’t find another tour like this, nor a tour guide that cares that much about your experience. Book it! You won’t regret it. Worth every single penny.

Delightful, amazing, insightful, wealth of knowledge, that is Coco. She is the best tour guide on the island. You won’t be disappointed.

Memorable day with fellow travelers, knowledgeable guide, and Kauai locals. Must take this tour. Well worth the day tour activities. Saw so much of the west and southside of Kauai. Thanks Coco.

Coco is the owner and guide and she’s terrifically friendly and accommodating. We had a private tour for our family of 5 (three teenagers). Coco met us at a reasonable hour and we started our trip with some coffee fresh from the source and then a wonderful Portuguese baked treat. We enjoyed her stories and she answered our questions as we drove through the countryside. We enjoyed a tasty lunch as well as the incredible views from several lookout stops along the way. She’s very familiar with the park personnel so we had preferential parking, making the walks shorter, and some secret views that were breathtaking. It’s a long day because of the driving distances, but Coco provided water and snacks and was flexible when we wanted to spend more or less time in specific areas. We thoroughly enjoyed our day!

Coco is a fabulous guide. She’s very knowledgeable and funny and it’s very apparent that she wants all participants to have a good time. The weather didn’t fully cooperate but she tried her best to see that we got the best available views of Waimea Canyon. Lunch at The Lodge was yummy and my husband was even treated to a birthday piece of pie which he kindly shared with me. The tour is long but there was a good variety of activities and the day went by very fast. Coco’s commentary was very interesting: that gal has a lot of facts in her head! Come on, take this tour, you won’t regret it.

Coco was outstanding. Incredibly knowledgeable, funny and seemed to know when to let people wander on their own. She made sure we ALL had gorgeous photos. Excellent driving and a clean vehicle. Highly recommend this tour.

The lunch stop was not very appealing. The tour overall was very interesting. We were able to see a lot of interesting spots along the way.

Coco Marie was the best tour guide I have ever had. She made the trip very enjoyable. Highly recommend this trip. The Lodge food was awesome. And the coconut pie, well ya just have to try it!

This tour was absolutely essential! Our guide Coco (not koko) was such a sweet soul! She is so passionate about sharing the Hawaiian heritage with new people. The sights of the canyon where absolutely breathtaking and the lunch was a welcomed treat at the top of mountain. Our only regret is not doing this earlier in our stay. It would have given us so much more context to the island of Kauai. Thanks again Coco -Sean/Cody/Trevor

Coco did an absolutely amazing job creating a fun, informative, tour. From the very beginning Coco was relatable and made learning about Hawaiian nature, culture, and food extremely easy and understandable, given the complexity of the history. I would certainly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience multiple facets of the culture, nature, and food on the island of Kauai. She gave plenty of time for us to tour around the various stops and is an excellent photographer.

Coco was a fabulous and fun tour guide. The stops were beautiful and Coco is great at relaying the history of the island and it’s people. The van was comfortable and cool. Wear secure shoes for dusty, rocky trails. We recommend the Kalua Plate (pulled pork with in-house bbq sauce). Yum! We highly recommend Coco and this tour!

We had a Nepali Coast tour get cancelled on us last minute so I jumped online and found this Da Westside Explorer Tour with Coco. I'm so happy we did. It seriously was such a fun treat! Coco is the best. She is hilarious and kept us laughing the whole time. She is super knowledgable about the history and culture of the island and showed us some hidden Kauai gems...Including the elusive glaciers in Waimea Canyon ;) By the end of the trip, we felt like Coco was an old friend. Thank you again Coco- We had such a great time

Put on your thinking cap because Coco is going to quiz you! Lol. The group I was in, we all had a blast with her. Very informative. She knows the island very well - back ins, foods, and all that stuff. If you have no idea what to do or want to plan your own days and not be on the events schedule, their schedule—I would recommend this as your first day so you can get an idea of what to do. And be on your schedule. You will enjoy this tour! I would do this again. But I will book in advance and do a private tour so I can see the waterfalls. Unfortunately, I didn’t see the waterfalls. Next time! Private tours are limited spots. I was recommended by a friend and considered canceling, however, I didn’t and I’m happy I did the tour. Don’t forget to ask her about “Glacier” lmao 😜

We had a really great experience with Coco! She has a great personality, is extremely knowledgeable about the entire island and its history, she's friendly, has a sense of humor, knows all the good spots, and more. Couldn't recommend this experience enough.

The whole day was amazing and we got to see so much that I would not have known about on my own. We went as a family and the kids ages 10 and 7 really enjoyed it!! Coco was the best guide and gave us many wonderful memories of the day!!

We took Da Westside Explorer tour on the first day of our visit to Kauai, and it set the tone for the rest of our vacation. Coco was fantastic! Aside from a great day touring and learning about the island, we were able to make a list of "must do" experiences for the rest of our stay. Highly recommended.

Coco is the best! Book your tour at the beginning of your trip so you can utilize all her knowledge of the island to make your stay even better.

While our weather was not the greatest, we had a pleasant group and a friendly, knowledgeable guide in Coco. In spite of the mist and occasional shower, Coco made sure we got to see many beautiful parts of Waimea Canyon. The stops at a bakery, coffee plantation, Hanapepe swinging bridge and others were worthwhile too. The lunch (BLT sandwich) at the Kokee Lodge restaurant was very good and the discount helped with the cost.

Great tour with Coco, she is a wonderful & knowledgeable tour guide. The tour highlighted the amazing & beautiful west side of the island, Waimea Canyon. Additionally there were several other stops that introduced us to Kauai’s local coffee, local bakery with island specialties & local specialty shops with locally made products. Recommend this tour!

Taking a tour with a tour guide is a great way to see scenery along with information understanding its history. Coco was friendly and informative both of the Waimea Canyon as well as the history of Hawaii. We had great stops at the Kauai Coffee company as well as a local bakery and the Koloee Lodge for lunch was delicious. There were some really great vantage points we might not have gotten otherwise.

Very nice experience with a very kind person! Coco, the owner, an excellent driver and local guide helped us to know and understand better the history and the nature of this wonderful island that is Kauai! Dont't miss Waimea Canyon with her and of course the bakery! I will take with me the memory of this excursion in the future!

This trip was fantastic ! The eight hours just flew by. Not only was the scenery spectacular but the pace was perfect. The tour guide Coco was knowledgeable, personable and a lot of fun! She set the tone for all of the participants. We had trouble getting from our hotel to pickup place. Coco solved the problem and went out of her way to accommodate us. The lunch at the lodge was really delicious and very well organized. There was nothing not to like about this tour.

Coco acted like a knowledgeable friend who was taking you for a drive. She made a point to know everyone in our group and soon, were all friends too. I highly recommend this tour.

Coco was the best! She’s friendly and very welcoming. She has such a great sense of humor that we laughed so much during our tour! It was nice that this tour was in a smaller group, it was cozy. She was very knowledgeable of the culture and had great stories and information to share. I felt like we started out as strangers and felt like we were families by the end of the tour. That’s how much Coco made us felt so comfortable. Thank you Coco for such an amazing time!

Coco drove us around the Waimea Canyon and she knew the very best photo ops. She is an excellent tour guide. The stories she shared added so much flavor to the time spent together.

Coco was great! Sweet and friendly, entertaining for kids and adults alike. Very informative and made the best of a rainy day, able to pivot the tour to accommodate and keep everything fun and engaging

We had a great day riding to amazing scenic areas and some local small businesses that we probably wouldn’t have stopped at if we were exploring by ourselves. Our guide”CoCo” was very informative about the history and also has a very fun personality. We got to meet new people in our small group who were very nice and it was fun having conversations with them.