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Being adventurous in the outdoorsy sense is definitely not something you can usually expect from me. I’m often that person who thinks about the worst-case scenarios that can arise when exploring the great outdoors. Ziplining? The line would likely break, and I’d fall to my death. Bungee jumping? Same. Certain death. Snorkeling? Again, death…by sharks (though I did this and survived the calm waters of Jamaica). White water rafting? Death by drowning. Sky diving? Nope, nope, nope.
I think you catch my drift…I don’t often say “yes” to adventure.
That being said, when we visited O’ahu, I felt an uncharacteristic urge to take a break from my regularly-scheduled eating and do something a little more “adventurous.” I came across Kualoa Ranch and saw that they had ATV tours and figured that was the perfect amount of adventure for us!
***Please note: Kualoa Ranch no longer offers single rider ATV tours; however, you can still do a multi-person Raptor UTV tour.***
Yes, there are safety elements you need to consider when riding ATVs – speed, protective gear, and definitely being aware of your surroundings. But I did like the fact that I could be in control with both steering and speed. If I ever felt uncomfortable, I could just slow it down (and you bet I did on those turns and downhill stretches – sorry babe!). Plus, I felt confident that the guides would be with us every step of the way, not to mention having my husband by my side, who has more experience with activities like these than myself.
About Kualoa Ranch
Let’s talk a little about the ranch first. If you don’t know about Kualoa Ranch, it’s a private nature reserve and working ranch that also happens to be a filming location for many movies and TV shows (aka Hollywood’s “Hawaii Backlot”). They host a variety of tours on their expansive land, including a movie tour, kayak tours, horseback tours, and of course, ATV/UTV adventure tours!
Kualoa is also dedicated to preserving the land as it is, and works to educate visitors about respecting the natural environment and its history.
The ATV Tour
***Please note: Kualoa Ranch no longer offers single rider ATV tours; however, you can still do a multi-person Raptor UTV tour.***
We booked the two-hour ATV tour at Kualoa Ranch after I read through many reviews, deciding that maximum time was necessary to really get to enjoy all of the scenery.
The meeting point for the ATV tours is down by the raptor cage! Gotta love those Jurassic Park set pieces, right? Before the tour, you’ll need to sign a liability waiver and watch a safety video (which comes in multiple languages for non-English speakers).
You’ll also select your helmet (they have a variety of sizes) and your guide will then assign out groups (i.e. they will split up a larger group of 12 into two smaller groups of six), and ATV rider positions (we were at the back of the pack – which is fine with me because I didn’t want to be the slowpoke holding up the group in the front!).
I’ll be honest – I was SO nervous before the tour started. But once I got the feel of it and went through a quick test course, it was actually smooth sailing! I can’t say the same for everyone in our group of six, which quickly dwindled down to five when a poor girl just could not figure out left from right. They gave the group TWO chances to get it right before getting stuck in the passenger seat of a UTV with your guide at the helm.
Once everyone got their bearings, off we went!
Stop No. 1 – The Bunker
The first part of our tour took us up the mountainside, stopping at an old World War II military bunker called Battery Cooper, which now displays movie and TV show memorabilia. The bunker has also served as a film set for certain movies and shows like Pearl Harbor and Lost!
Stop No. 2 – Jurassic World Gyrosphere Deck
Next, we were off to the area where they filmed the Gyrosphere ride entrance (you know, that human-sized hamster ball used to roll around amongst the big dinos) in the first of the new Jurassic World movies (starring Chris Pratt).
This viewpoint really gave us those sweeping views of the K’a’a’wa Valley (say that three times fast!) and the ocean, so make sure you walk up to the platform for the best views!
After our second stop, we set off on the most treacherous part of the ride (it was not really that treacherous…I’m just being a little dramatic). Up and down the mountainside we went, twisting and turning through the lush tropical landscape, as a light sprinkle started to fall.
I was a little more nervous during the parts with sharper turns and going downhill on the loose gravel. I took those real slow…so slow, that my husband almost bumped into the back of me on occasion. Hey – the last thing I wanted to do was flip this thing over and break some sort of limb! Safety first, right?
Once we got back down to the valley floor, we were cruising at higher speeds on flatter ground. I think I got my ATV up to a cool 16 mph (not sure what the allowed maximum is) and it felt great! What an awesome feeling to have the wind blowing in your face, just cruising along, admiring the sheer beauty of the mountains rising up on either side of you. Dare I say I imagined I could be in a scene from Jumanji?
Stop No. 3 – Jurassic Park Tree
Our next stop was at “the tree” that was used in the very first Jurassic Park movie where Sam Niel and the two kids take shelter from a big dinosaur stampede. The tree was actually damaged when they tried to relocate it on the property, so it’s not in its whole/original form, but glad they still were able to salvage a piece of cinema history!
Just be careful, you know, because there might be a T-Rex lurking about…
Fun Fact: Did you know most of the Hawaii scenes from the first movie were filmed on Kauai? They only filmed a few minutes worth of clips at Kualoa Ranch on Oahu!
Stop No. 4 – Bone Graveyard
Our last brief stop was at the bone graveyard, where you can see set pieces from Kong: Skull Island. We didn’t get off the ATVs at this point, but it was nice of our guide to let us pull over and safely snap a few pics!
A Few Notes on the Tour
As I mentioned above, sadly, the single-rider ATV tours have come to an end, so I’m glad we got a chance to sneak in there and experience this before it went away! I had such a blast doing it and it totally exceeded my expectations. It was definitely one of my favorite things I’ve ever done in Hawaii!
They do still have two-hour multi-person Raptor UTV tours as the permanent replacement for the single-rider ATV tours. While it’s not quite the same experience, I would definitely recommend you consider the Raptor tour for sightseeing value. The Raptor vehicles can seat more guests (approximately 2 to 6 per vehicle), and still give you an off-road tour experience.
Minimum Driving Age
Minimum driving age for the Raptor UTV vehicles is 21 years old and you must have a valid Driver’s License to be at the helm.
What to Wear
While there are no specific clothing requirements to ride in the Raptor UTV vehicles, here are some suggestions:
- Covered shoes (for safety and to keep those feet clean – especially if it’s rainy/muddy)
- Sun screen for sunny/hot days (even if it’s overcast in Hawaii, you can still get a sunburn)
- Sunglasses
- Bug spray if you have issues with mosquitos
- And don’t forget a good camera!
Tours go out rain or shine, so be prepared to dress accordingly! It can’t hurt to bring a change of clothes/shoes, just in case.
How to Book
The Kualoa Ranch off-road tours can be booked via Viator or Direct (direct is cheapest).
I’m SO glad that I “let my hair down” a bit to allow myself to experience and really enjoy this O’ahu activity. Are you a more adventurous traveler than me? I’d love to hear about your best outdoorsy experience in the comments below!
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