Big Island Zipline Tours: Hāmākua or Kohala, Which Big Island Zipline Course Fits Your Trip?
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I write from Hilo, and when someone asks me about a Big Island zipline, I start with one question: which side of the island are you sleeping on?
Hāmākua or Kohala: Pick the Coast Before the Course
Choose the coast before you choose the course. Big Island zipline courses sit on the Hāmākua Coast near Hilo or in Kohala in the north, so the course chosen decides the drive.
Hilo sits on the windward coast and averaged about 126.72 inches (3,220 mm) of rain a year at Hilo International Airport between 1981 and 2010, with rain on 272 days of the year (source: Hilo, Hawaii, Wikipedia).
I saw that for myself in October 2013. Driving north along the Hāmākua Coast, I crossed bridge after bridge over gulches full of tree ferns and roaring water. The windows fogged with the warm, wet air. At ʻAkaka Falls the spray reached me on the path, cool on my face, and the roar drowned out every bird. What I took from that: wear shoes with good grip on the falls path, and give yourself time to pull over at the lookouts along the coast road.
ʻAkaka Falls is a 442-foot (135 m) waterfall viewed from a loop trail in ʻAkaka Falls State Park, which also overlooks the 300-foot Kahūnā Falls. The Hāmākua Coast runs about 50 miles north of Hilo and ends at Waipiʻo Valley (source: Hāmākua Coast, Wikipedia), so I would budget the coast road as its own part of the day.
Skip a Hāmākua course if you have already booked a Kona-side evening activity for the same day and have not checked the drive between the two coasts.
Big Island Zipline Tour Near Akaka Falls (250-ft Waterfall!): The Gradual Course for Families
The listing places this course near Akaka Falls and says it finishes above a private waterfall. It describes lines that build gradually. My advice: confirm weights with the operator before you pay, and read our Big Island with kids page if the zipline is one stop in a family day.
The card asks for enclosed shoes and an early check-in. Skip this listing if a swim stop is the reason you are booking, or if anyone in your group falls outside the weight range the card sets.
Big Island Zipline Tour Near Akaka Falls (250-ft Waterfall!)
From $246 · Price checked: Oct 2026
Best for: Zipline beginners and families with children over 40lbs wanting seven lines that build gradually, ending above a waterfall.
Not for: Anyone outside the 40 to 260lb weight range, as no refunds are given if limits are not met at check-in.
A 150-minute course of seven ziplines near Akaka Falls, finishing above a 250ft private waterfall, with children of 40 to 69lbs riding tandem with a guide. Confirm weights beforehand, enclosed shoes and the 30-minute early check-in.
Check availabilityExternal booking on Viator · pricing and cancellations handled by Viator
Which Big Island Zipline Tours Add a Swim, a Lunch or a Pickup
On this page, the Umauma Falls listing and the Kohala listing from Kona are the two that state a waterfall swim and a picnic lunch.
I care about this because a dry zipline course and a zipline-plus-swim day are different bookings, even when the titles look alike.
Big Island: 9-Line Waterfall Zipline Experience: A Lesser-Known Course to Locate First
The card describes a guided course over rainforest, waterfalls and a river, with dual lines for racing side by side. The listing does not state its location, so check it before you plan the drive.
The Waterfall Zipline Experience and the Zipline Experience Plus Private Waterfall Swim are sold by the same operator. Skip this listing if you need transport and the operator has not confirmed it, since the card asks you to check whether transport is offered.
Big Island: 9-Line Waterfall Zipline Experience
From $276.54 · Price checked: Oct 2026
Best for: Friends and couples who want a guided nine-line zipline course with dual lines for racing side by side.
Not for: Those afraid of heights, or wanting a swim, as this is ziplining only with no water time mentioned.
A two-hour guided course of nine ziplines over rainforest, waterfalls and a river, with entrance fees and equipment included. Confirm the location, weight and age limits, and whether transport is offered.
Check availabilityExternal booking on Viator · pricing and cancellations handled by Viator
Big Island 9-Line Zipline Experience Plus Private Waterfall Swim: The Zipline-and-Water Day
The listing says the visit is at Umauma Falls. On top of the ziplines it adds paddleboarding, kayaking, a private pond and waterfall swim, a guide and a picnic lunch. If waterfalls are your main draw, I keep more options on our waterfall tours page.
Skip this listing if someone in your group does not want to get wet, because the swim and paddle elements are what set it apart from a plain course.
Big Island 9-Line Zipline Experience Plus Private Waterfall Swim
From $347.13 · Price checked: Oct 2026
Best for: Active groups wanting ziplining plus a waterfall swim, kayaking or paddleboarding, with a picnic lunch, at Umauma Falls.
Not for: Travellers short on time who only want to zipline, as this half-day package adds water activities and lunch.
A four-hour visit to Umauma Falls with nine ziplines, paddleboarding, kayaking, a private pond and waterfall swim, a guide and picnic lunch. Confirm weight and age limits, what to bring for swimming and whether transport is offered.
Check availabilityExternal booking on Viator · pricing and cancellations handled by Viator
Kohala From Kona: When the Full-Day Format Makes Sense
The card describes a day from Kona with early-morning pickup, a North Kohala zipline, a picnic lunch with coast views and a private waterfall swim.
Kohala is the oldest of the five volcanoes that make up Hawaiʻi Island; Pololū Valley at its northern end is reached by a short graded trail to the valley floor (source: Pololū Valley, Wikipedia).
In March 2023 I stood where the road runs out. From the Pololū Valley lookout at the end of the road in Kohala, I watched rain squalls march down the green cliffs toward the sea. The wind smelled of salt and wet grass. Below, waves broke white on the boulder beach, and their boom rolled up the valley walls a moment after each wave landed. My advice: wear sturdy shoes if you go down the valley trail, because the rocks stay slick after the showers.
Big Island Kohala Zip and Dip Tour from Kona: The Kona-Side Full Day
The listing leaves from Kona with pickup and runs its zipline in North Kohala. The card asks you to confirm pickup locations, zipline weight limits and the number of lines. Skip this listing if you are staying in Hilo, or if you only want a short ride and would rather keep your afternoon free.
Big Island Kohala Zip and Dip Tour from Kona
From $308.90 · Price checked: Oct 2026
Best for: Active travellers based in Kona wanting a full day combining a zipline, picnic lunch and private waterfall swim in North Kohala.
Not for: Anyone wanting a late start or short outing, as this is a nine-hour day with early-morning pickup.
A nine-hour day from Kona with early-morning pickup, a North Kohala zipline, picnic lunch with coast views and a private waterfall swim. Confirm pickup locations, zipline weight limits and the number of lines.
Check availabilityExternal booking on Viator · pricing and cancellations handled by Viator
How to Compare Big Island Zipline Listings Side by Side
To compare these listings properly, read four things from each card: where it says it runs, how it states the line count, whether a swim is written on it, and what it says about transport.
| Listing | Location as the card states it | Line count | Swim stop | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zipline Tour Near Akaka Falls | Near Akaka Falls | Stated on the card | Card does not mention a swim | Card does not mention pickup |
| 9-Line Waterfall Zipline Experience | Not stated; check the listing | Stated in the listing title | Card does not mention a swim | Card says confirm whether offered |
| 9-Line Zipline Experience Plus Private Waterfall Swim | Umauma Falls | Stated in the listing title | Yes, per the card | Card says confirm whether offered |
| Kohala Zip and Dip Tour from Kona | North Kohala, pickup from Kona | Card says confirm; check the listing | Yes, per the card | Early-morning pickup, per the card |
For a deeper side-by-side, I keep a page on the Akaka zipline versus Kohala zipline choice.
Weight and age rules are where I see the biggest risk of a wasted morning, since each card asks you to confirm them.
What to Check Before Booking a Big Island Zipline
Before you pay, check the course location, the drive from where you are sleeping, the inclusions on the card and the cancellation terms. For safety, health and cancellation questions, the operator's listing and official advisories are the sources I point to.
Two listings sold by the same operator can still run from different places, so I would not assume a shared site because the titles look alike.
I would not put a weather-dependent booking on the last day of a trip, because that leaves no night to rebook if the operator reschedules.
Skip this listing type altogether if your only free window is a half day on the far side of the island from your hotel.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Big Island zipline closer to Hilo or to Kona?
That depends on the course, since some run on the Hāmākua side and one listing here runs in North Kohala with pickup from Kona.
Which Big Island zipline listings include a waterfall swim?
On this page, the Umauma Falls listing and the Kohala Zip and Dip Tour from Kona state a swim on their cards.
Can young children do a zipline on the Big Island?
The listing near Akaka Falls says children within its weight range ride tandem with a guide.
Do Big Island zipline tours include hotel pickup?
The Kohala listing states an early-morning pickup from Kona. The two cards from the shared operator ask you to confirm whether transport is offered, and the Akaka Falls card does not mention pickup.
What should I wear to a Big Island zipline?
The Akaka Falls card asks for enclosed shoes, and the Umauma Falls card asks you to check what to bring for swimming.
Written from Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island, Hawaiʻi. Check the National Park Service, state park and operator pages for current conditions before you go.
Keoni writes Big Island Tour Guide's tour comparisons using published tour details and official park and state sources. About Keoni.