By: Hawaii Tours
Date: January 26, 2020
During any visit to one of the Hawaiian Island, you will encounter some of the most beautiful natural sites that you might ever see. These are some of the most dramatic sites and stunning features the islands have to offer, and each is as impressive as the next, in its own unique way. During a visit to Kauai, there is one site that stands above all others, and we mean that literally. Mount Waialeale encompasses a majority of the island, and helps to create the dramatic landscapes of Kauai, thanks to the volcanic history of the imposing mountain.
As you make your way around Kauai, you’ll quickly discover that just about anywhere you see touched by Mount Waialeale, stretching from the southern part of the island to the northern, and all the way to the west. The extinct shield volcano is the second highest point on the island, and due to the incredible amount of rainfall that it receives, is also the second wettest place on Earth, receiving over 400 inches of rain each year, with the average amount coming in at over 450 inches annually. Mt. Waialeale receives rain approximately 360 days per year, creating conditions on some parts of the mountain that are impossible to navigate, and though hiking trails are found on the slopes, actually hiking on them is quite dangerous and not recommended.
Massive amounts of rainfall has helped to create a unique environment, which are vital to the island and the many different rare plant species that are found all over the mountain. The Alaka’I Wildlife Preserve is a natural wetlands where tropical plants and flowers thrive, and perhaps most incredibly, some of the plants and flowers found on the slopes of Mount Waialeale are exclusive to Hawaii.
Though Hawaii is most well-known for its perfect beaches, the interiors of the island are actually an incredible place to visit during your trip, and should not be overlooked. The natural diversity makes the mountains and rainforests found on any island great for exploring, and there are plenty of trails and paths to discover. The most dramatic features that result from Kauai’s Mount Waialeale are Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast, the two most popular sites on the island, and two of the most picturesque places in all of Hawaii. The Na Pali Coast is the place on Kauai for ocean activities on the island, and is also the place where you go for an extreme 14 mile hike that traverses the towering ocean cliffs that rise as high as 400 feet above sea level. Difficult to navigate, the best way to see Mount Waialeale, Waimea Canyon, and the Na Pali Coast is on a Kauai helicopter tour, taking you to parts of the island that are entirely inaccessible by land.
Due to the high volume of visitors traveling to Hawaii year round, our Kauai tours and Kauai activities sell out quickly. In many cases, tours sell out weeks or months in advance. To ensure your spots on tour, we recommend reserving your tours today. Call our office or book online to take advantage of our low price guarantee today.
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