Kualoa Ranch has a long and storied history, one that the current owners of the property can trace back some six generations to Dr. Gerritt P. Judd. Dr. Judd was a missionary and physician who first came to Oahu in 1827, where he would live out the remainder of his days. He purchased the beautiful stretch of land on the east coast of Oahu that still comprises Kualoa Ranch today from King Kamehameha III in 1850. In the intervening years, this 4,000-acre parcel has become famous for its idyllic coastline, scenic beaches, and status as one of Hollywood’s most prominent Hawaiian filming locations. Kualoa Ranch tours offers visitors over 15 unique experiences to choose from, including a number of popular guided boat, jeep, e-bike, and horseback walking tours.
Popular Tours
Kualoa Ranch tours come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, ensuring that they’re suitable for visitors seeking all different types of guided experiences during their time in Oahu. Most notably, Kualoa Ranch runs multiple guided tours that focus on a combination of the attraction’s history, culture, scenery, and importance to the movie industry. However, Kualoa Ranch also features a selection of experiences that let guests go on horseback walks, e-bike rides, UTV tours, zipline rides, and even just hang out for hours at a time on a secluded private beach along beloved Kaneohe Bay. Keep reading for more information on three of Kualoa Ranch’s most popular guided tours.
Hollywood Movie Sites Tour: Over the course of the past 70 years, hundreds of movies and TV shows have been filmed right here on Kualoa Ranch, including such favorites as Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, Fifty First Dates, Magnum P.I., Hawaii Five-O, and Lost. Throughout this 90-minute excursion, participants will learn all about the memorable stretch of land that’s been called “Hollywood’s Hawaii Backlot” while having the chance to view notable pieces of memorabilia firsthand. You’ll even see Godzilla’s footprints for yourself!
Ocean Voyage Adventure: Kualoa Ranch’s Ocean Voyage Adventure combines the educational and the entertaining in a delightful manner that’s perfect for the whole family. Of the tour’s 90-minute runtime, roughly half is spent learning about the attraction’s rich history as one of Oahu’s “aquacultural” hubs, while the other half consists of a 45-minute catamaran cruise of breathtaking Kaneohe Bay.
Kualoa Grown Tour: This distinctive tour lets visitors share in the rich natural history of Kualoa Ranch by taking participants on a 90-minute tour of the site that emphasizes the area’s agricultural operations. Highlights of the Kualoa Grown Tours include an open-air trolley ride through the ranch’s lush gardens, the chance to sample local produce, and a stop at Moli’i, an ancient Hawaiian fishpond believed to be approximately 1,000 years old.
Things to Know & Insider Tips
*For those Kualoa Ranch tours that take place in one of the attraction’s iconic dark-green jeeps, trolleys, or buses, it’s important to keep in mind that seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re traveling as part of a group or family, and guaranteeing seating next to the other members of your family is vital to you, you’re going to want to arrive well in advance of your tour’s scheduled departure time.
*Certain popular Kualoa Ranch experiences have strict age restrictions. For example, the popular Malama Experience at Kualoa Ranch—which teaches visitors about local stewardship of the land while enlisting their help in a series of hands-on tasks—doesn’t permit any children under the age of five years old to participate. In particular, if you’ll be visiting Oahu with kids, make a point of reading the tour’s fine print before proceeding too far with your planning.
*While Kualoa Ranch tours are on occasion canceled due to severe weather—namely high winds and lightning—more often than not they run rain or shine. As a result, be sure and check the forecast before arriving for your guided tour; this will help you come prepared for anything Mother Nature has in store for your excursion!
*When in doubt, book your Kualoa Ranch tour of choice ahead of time. Many of Kualoa Ranch’s most popular offerings sell out several weeks in advance, which means making a reservation could save you a number of headaches. If you book your tour directly through Kualoa Ranch, you can cancel any time up to 48 hours before your tour’s scheduled departure and receive a full refund.
Is This the Tour Company for You?
The only real way to experience the legendary 4,000-acre private nature reserve that is Kualoa Ranch is by going on one of its guided tours, so if seeing where your favorite movie or TV show was filmed in Hawaii is on your to-do list, you’re going to want to head straight to this popular Oahu attraction. From there, the only question remaining is: which tour is right for you? The answer to that tough query, of course, will depend entirely on what you want out of your Kualoa Ranch experience.