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Kualoa Ranch Zipline On Oahu, Hawaii: Jurassic Park

Kualoa Ranch Zipline On Oahu, Hawaii: Jurassic Park

The Kualoa Zipline was one of the best I’ve ever experienced as it was much more than just the zipline itself. Set in the incredibly scenic Kualoa Valley, this will be one of the top activities during your vacation.

KUALOA RANCH ZIPLINE ON OAHU

Everything you need to know before you book your Kualoa Ranch Zipline experience is in this blog post. I had an awesome experience there and will share photos, videos, and all the details about what to expect, what to bring and how to get there below!

BOOKING A TOUR ON THE KUALOA RANCH ZIPLINE

The Kualoa Ranch Zipline on Oahu is an amazing Treetop Canopy Zipline Tour, which begins at the top of the amazing Ka’a’awa Valley with 7 exciting tandem sections, 2 suspension bridges, and 3 mini-hiking nature trails about 5 minutes in length. 

BOOK YOUR TOUR (sells out in advance): JURASSIC ZIPLINE: Kualoa Ranch

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE KUALOA RANCH ZIPLINE

Each zip line is has a culturally significant name coming from a different aspect of the valley with zip lengths ranging from 200 feet up to a quarter-mile. Along the way, you learn about Hawaiian traditions and get to experience, Ka’a’awa Valley first-hand by zipping through the native flora and fauna and crossing natural streams. I really enjoyed this aspect of the tour as it was more than just a zip line activity, it was a learning experience.

It is recommended to book 2-3 advance as it does sell out and Kualoa Ranch is one of the most long-standing and popular tourist attractions on the island of Oahu. If you click on the following link you can choose your package. You can combine zip-lining with a movie tour, a visit to the secret island, or with the ATV tour. There are lots of options but I suggest combining two as it is a 45-minute drive to Kualoa Ranch so it is a good idea to make a full-day adventure out of it before you return to Waikiki if that is where you are staying.

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When you book your Hawaii Rental Car online, I personally recommend and always use Discover Cars. They search for both local and international companies, so you get the best deal!

MY KUALOA RANCH EXPERIENCE

The sky was dark and the roads were empty as we were headed out on a 1.5-hour moped adventure along the East Coast towards Kualoa Ranch. We were booked in for the 8:30 am Zipline adventure at the historic ranch in Kaaawa Valley.

Riding a moped in the dark through imposing mountains was an eerie experience, especially when accompanied by the crashing of the waves threatening from below. The sky on the east side of Oahu is blanketed with millions of stars on a clear night. We stopped at Makapu’u Lookout for a short rest and to take the opportunity for a quick stargaze.

As we continued on our way through Kaneohe, the sun crept over the horizon and the sky was painted a vibrant orange  The sunrise exploded across the sky as we pulled into the parking lot of the ranch, exhibiting a striking red that blanketed the sky and made sure our day was off to an amazing start, despite having numb butts from driving on the mopeds for so long.

Kualoa Ranch Zip Line-15

Kualoa Ranch is a busy hub of tourism activity and it definitely has an authentic farm smell. They run tours through the Kaaawa Valley on horses, quad bikes, and buses. Kaaawa Valley is also a movie hotspot, having been used as the set for Jurassic Park but it has also been featured in many other films such as Jumanji, Karate Kid, Pearl Harbor, Fifty First Dates, and Hunger Games.

Kualoa Ranch Zip Line-16

Our safari-style tour bus picked us up and we rumbled up towards Kaaawa Valley while the driver pointed out historic agricultural and military sites along the way beginning the 2.5-hour tour.

A quick run-down of the safety gear, a short stroll up to a hill, and before we knew it we were standing on the platform for zip line number one. You fly down the line in pairs on separate wires. The instructor asked who would volunteer to go first. Jessie volunteered, which meant that she volunteered me too.

“Hold on and don’t swing your arms.”

Those were the last words I heard before we leaped away from the platform and off we went, zipping above dinosaur territory. A pretty cool feeling, especially in amongst such mind-blowing scenery.

Kualoa Ranch Zip Line Jessie

THE FOUR MOST POPULAR OAHU TOURS

IS THE KUALOA ZIPLINE A GOOD FAMILY ACTIVITY?

For those who have bungee jumped or been sky diving, it won’t blow your socks off. It is a short scenic float through amazing surroundings, slow enough to allow you to take in where you are, or facetime with your family back home! This is why it is a great activity for a family or a group of friends it is a fun day for the thrill-seeker and the non-adventurer of the group.

Kualoa Ranch Zip Line Jackson

The shortest line is 200 feet and the longest line is a quarter of a mile. On the longest line, we did a ”coconut”, which is essentially tucking into a ball and going as fast as possible. The walk between each zip line is very short although two mini-suspension bridges kept us on our toes.

Each zip line has a culturally significant name and before our take-off the instructors tell a local story, teach a tradition or give a short lesson about native plants.

Kualoa Ranch Zip Line

Our instructors were really relaxed and took the time to get to know all the members of our group. Despite the chilled environment they knew what they were doing and were serious with the equipment at the appropriate times making us feel pretty safe throughout the day.

There were a couple of cameras along the course but the quality of the photos wasn’t amazing. We took our GoPro and people even used their iPhone on the zip line, which I advise doing as you will get some cool close-up video and photos without having to pay extra.

Kualoa Ranch Zip Line Selfie

KAAAWA VALLEY

This region of Oahu is still worth seeing even if you don’t want to pay for the tour or spend the whole day at Kualoa Ranch. Mountains looming on all sides, fog brushing their peaks,  you are surrounded by lush green as far as the eyes can see. It actually feels like you are standing in Jurassic Park, looking around the corner for a dinosaur.

Kualoa Ranch Zip Line

HOW TO GET TO KUALOA RANCH ON OAHU, HAWAII

If you aren’t trying to be a crazy moped duo like us, Kualoa Ranch offers a roundtrip shuttle service from Waikiki for $15 which is a decent deal. We began our drive back and our early morning began to get the best of us. Nothing a little nap on the sand at Waimanalo Beach didn’t fix!

I’ve pinned the location of Kualoa Ranch on the map below so you can see exactly where it is along the coast.

 

WHERE TO STAY ON OAHU

  • Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort (Overall Favorite): In the heart of Waikiki, this high-end resort is right on the beach with a private lagoon.
  • Sheraton Waikiki (Luxury): A luxury resort with the most amazing infinity pool on the island, which overlooks the beach.
  • Ewa Hotel Waikiki: (Value): Ewa Hotel is just one block back from the beach and is just over $150 USD.
  • Waikiki Beachside Hostel (Budget Choice): A budget alternative, which is still in an amazing location.
  • Disney Aulani Resort (Family Choice): This is a resort your kids will never forget. It honestly feels like you are living in a theme park.

MORE OAHU BLOG POSTS

I lived on Oahu for two years and loved adventuring from the beaches to the mountains to the waterfalls! These are my most popular blog post and guides from the beautiful island of Oahu to help you plan your trip!

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Scott Hill

Tuesday 30th of July 2019

Ziplining through the valley is quite a treat. And who doesn't want to zipline with a view around and beneath. This is such an amazing blog, thanks for sharing details about oahu ziplining. Looking forward to more adventurous blogs at this place.

Hailey

Wednesday 10th of October 2018

Do you remember how much it was to go Ziplining?

TRAVEL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF APRIL - Journey Era

Saturday 14th of May 2016

[…] Click Here to read the blog post […]

Joann

Wednesday 4th of May 2016

Dear Jessica and Jackson, I really enjoyed reading abut your zip line adventure in Oahu. Although I´ve visited Oahu, I have not been zip lining. You made it look so easy and exciting. I´ḿ excited to read your next post!

Happy trails, Mrs. Fordyce

Jackson & Jessie

Wednesday 4th of May 2016

Mrs. Fordyce, Thanks so much for reading and for your compliments. It definitely was a fun day out and a really beautiful part of the Island. Be sure to subscribe to never miss an article!

Doug

Wednesday 13th of April 2016

You have just given me another reason to visit Oahu again. The GoPro photos have great detail. Do you have any tips on editing the photos before posting?

Jackson & Jessie

Wednesday 13th of April 2016

Hi Doug, We were actually a little disappointed with these shots but don't use the go pro too much. We do use lightroom to edit most of our photos and do some basic touch ups and color corrections there. Thanks, Jackson & Jessie