When visiting the Hawaiian archipelago, a helicopter tour to the island of Kauai is your best bet of catching some of the best glimpses of the area. With 70% the island inaccessible by land, helicopter tours are in vogue with the tourists.
Some of the highlights from the Kauai Helicopter Tours include the Jurassic Park Falls, Waimea Canyon, Hanapepe Valley, Na Pali Coast, Mount Waialeale and Hanalei Valley. Most helicopter tours last between 50 minutes and an hour, although, longer tours can be arranged with a break in between.
At first a helicopter tour might sound ridiculously out of budget or an unnecessary expense. However, listed below are five reasons which should convince you otherwise.
Most of the waterfalls on the island are either located on private property, inaccessible by land or are hidden away by the dense vegetation. A helicopter ride is the only way to get up close and personal with Mother Nature here.
The Na Pali coast is a rugged 16-mile stretch with hidden valleys and dramatic cliffs. This part of the island is completely inaccessible by land due to the absence of roads. The only way to visit this part of the island is by a long hike, on a boat or in a helicopter.
When visiting the Waimea Canyon on foot, you will miss out on several views on the western edge of the island. The only way to catch a glimpse of the Grand Canyon of the Pacific is through helicopter tours. Sometimes when the weather is right, the pilots will dive down deep into the crevices of the canyon to allow tourists a better visibility of the grand ravine and the red and green landscape. You also get a much better view of the Waipo’s Falls from the air.
Experience incessant rainfall at Mount Waialeale, one of the wettest places on Earth! Soak in the picturesque views of the surrounding landscape as you hike through the dense vegetation to the valley below, which is aptly named the Blue Hole. Be careful as the hike is extremely dangerous and you can easily lose your way. Hiring a local guide for this expedition is recommended.
Some of the pilots have been flying for over 15 years on the route, and as the journey progresses you can start a fulfilling conversation with them, as they share stories of their most thrilling experiences with you. Some people will go the extra mile for you by pointing out the hidden waterfalls, and a majestic mountain range known as the Sleeping Giant that you would otherwise miss.
Do Your Research
A smart traveler researches their destination ahead of time and makes sure that they are comfortable with every element of the trip. The tour operators mentioned below are among the most high-recommended by tourists and you can visit their official websites for further information. However, we recommend you conduct an impartial research before heading out to Kauai.
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is one of the most highly recommended tour operators in the region, flying the latest ECO-star helicopters. They regularly conduct standard tours offer private charters.
Jack Harter flies A-Star helicopters with floor-to-ceiling windows for maximum visibility that can accommodate 6 tourists at a time, as well as Hughes 500s with open doors.
With over three decades in the business, Island Helicopters operate a similar fleet of the latest Eurocopter A-Star helicopters as jack Harter. They are also the only company to offer a landing at the base of the Jurassic Park Falls.
Age Restriction for Kauai Helicopter Tours
There is no maximum age limit on any of these tours, although, children below the age of 11 must be accompanied by an adult. Every occupant inside the helicopter must be individually seated, as lap riding is collectively not allowed by either operator. If your child is old enough to occupy a single seat, you can take them along on the ride.
One of the most common question that people have is whether these helicopter tours are safe, and the answer to this question is yes, these tours are 100% safe. With that being said, accidents do occur, but the tour operators meet the FAA’s stringent laws in maintaining their equipment and training staff in case of an emergency.
There are close to 10 registered helicopter tour companies operating in Kauai with over 100 flights daily combined, for the past 15 years, bringing the total number of flights to over 50,000. Every client is legally required to understand the liabilities involved along with a safety briefing on how to react and use the equipment on board in case of an emergency.
For travelling in a helicopter without doors, all passengers are required to hold on to any loose items that may fall out during the course of the flight. Any tour company that skips this safety briefing should be considered suspicious.
There are two major benefits of booking your tickets ahead of time.
If you like our analysis of the Kauai Helicopter Tours, let us know if you find it useful. Feel free to share your valuable inputs and suggestions with us via the Comments Section below.
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