Small-group hilo hawaii waterfalls tours glide past 80-foot Rainbow Falls, soar over Akaka's 442-foot drop, and wade into swim-ready hidden cascades — with the volcano, a black sand beach, and lunch folded into the same day. Compare the top-rated tours from $150 and book with free cancellation.
Our Pick — Best Overall · 5★ Top-Rated Hilo Waterfall & Volcano Tour — Full Day with Lunch
Discover the Big Island's natural wonders and cultural roots with a true Hilo local. Explore Kīlauea volcano at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, cruise the scenic Old Mamalahoa Highway past Kawainui Falls, visit Rainbow Falls on the Wailuku River, browse Hilo Farmer's Market, and finish at Richardson's Ocean Park — a rare black, green and white sand beach where sea turtles rest.
Real-time dates and group sizes for the top-rated Hilo waterfall and volcano tour — pay nothing today, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Every guided waterfall experience on the Big Island in one place — from full-day volcano and waterfall tours departing Hilo to a 2.5-hour zipline soaring over Akaka Falls. All tours include free cancellation.
from $199Our Pick — Best Overall Our pick as the best overall Hilo waterfall tour: one day, one born-and-raised local guide, and the volcano, two waterfalls, a black sand beach, and lunch all handled for you.
from $150Best for Swimming The only tour here where you actually swim in a waterfall — private, led by a native Hawaiian guide, and the lowest price on this page.
from $246Best for Adrenaline The adrenaline pick: seven progressive ziplines over the Hamakua Coast, capped by a quarter-mile flight above a 250-foot waterfall.
from $189Best if Short on Time The pick if you're short on time — volcano, lava tube, black sand beach, and Rainbow Falls packed into an efficient half day with lunch included.
from $187.95Best for Cruise Days Built around cruise schedules — pickup at the Hilo port and a 5.5-hour route timed to get you back to the ship with time to spare.
from $175Best Value The value pick — the lowest-priced full-day tour on this page, still covering Rainbow Falls, Volcanoes National Park, and the Big Island Candies stop.
| Tour | Duration | Price | Book | Highlights | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 hours | $199 | Volcano · Rainbow Falls · Beach · Lunch | Check | 5.0★ (42) | → | |
| 3.5 hours | $150 | Waiale Falls swim · Private · Cultural hike | Check | 4.9★ (8) | → | |
| 2.5 hours | $246 | Zipline · 250-ft Akaka waterfall · 7 lines | Check | 4.9★ (1105) | → | |
| Half-day | $189 | Kilauea · Lava tube · Black sand · Rainbow Falls | Check | 5.0★ (124) | → | |
| 5.5 hours | $188 | Kilauea · Thurston Lava Tube · Rainbow Falls · Gardens | Check | 4.9★ (428) | → | |
| 6–7 hours | $175 | Rainbow Falls · Volcanoes NP · Big Island Candies | Check | 4.8★ (69) | → |
Hilo's most-visited waterfalls are Rainbow Falls and the 442-foot Akaka Falls, both admired from short paved paths rather than swum in. If you want to actually swim, only the private Kulaniapia Falls near Hilo allows it. The table below compares height, drive time, access, swimming, and entry fees for every major fall on the Hilo side.
| Waterfall | Height | Drive from Hilo | Access | Can you swim? | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Falls | 80 ft | 5 min | Paved viewpoint, no hike | No | $5 + $10 parking |
| Akaka Falls | 442 ft | 25 min | 0.4-mile paved loop | No | $5 + $10 parking |
| Kulaniapia Falls | 120 ft | 15 min | Short walk (private land) | Yes | Day pass or tour |
| Pe'epe'e Falls & Boiling Pots | — | 5 min | Roadside overlook only | No, dangerous currents | Free |
Rainbow Falls — known in Hawaiian as Waiānuenue, 'rainbow-seen-in-water' — is Hilo's most iconic waterfall and the easiest to reach on the Big Island. The Wailuku River drops 80 feet over a natural lava cave before pooling below, and on sunny mornings a prismatic rainbow forms in the rising mist.
Is Rainbow Falls free? Not anymore — the falls were free to visit for decades, but as of January 2026 the entrance fee is $5 per person plus $10 parking per vehicle (Hawaii state ID holders still enter free). The short viewpoint trail takes 10–15 minutes. Arrive between 8am and 10am for the best chance of seeing the rainbow effect. The upper lookout trail adds another 10 minutes and rewards you with a bird's-eye view of the falls through a canopy of massive banyan trees.
Directions from downtown Hilo are simple: follow Waiānuenue Avenue west for about 1.5 miles, turn right onto Rainbow Drive, and the parking lot sits right beside the falls inside Wailuku River State Park.
According to Hawaiian legend, the lava cave below is the home of the goddess Hina, mother of the demigod Māui. The myths give the waterfall a spiritual depth that guides love to share on tour.
Akaka Falls State Park is home to the most dramatic waterfall experience near Hilo. At 442 feet, Akaka Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Hawaii and the tallest on the Big Island of Hawaii. The water plunges in a single unbroken column into a lush, fern-draped ravine.
The park's 0.4-mile paved loop trail winds through tropical bamboo groves and wild ginger before delivering two viewpoints: first to Kahuna Falls (100 ft), then to Akaka Falls itself. The path includes stairs and some uneven ground, rated easy to moderate. Entry is $5 per person plus $10 parking — children 3 and under are free.
Akaka Falls is located 15 miles north of downtown Hilo on the Hamakua Coast, a drive of roughly 25 minutes through historic sugar plantation towns. Driving from Rainbow Falls to Akaka Falls takes about the same 25 minutes up Highway 19, so the two pair naturally into one morning. Most guided tours combine them with a volcano visit and a stop at a black sand beach in a single full day.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Height | 442 feet (134 meters) |
| Loop trail | 0.4 miles, ~30–45 minutes |
| Entry fee | $5/person + $10 parking |
| Distance from Hilo | 15 miles / ~25 min north |
| Also included | Views of Kahuna Falls (100 ft) |
| Difficulty | Easy to moderate — paved with stairs |
Pe'epe'e Falls — pronounced 'peh-eh peh-eh' and often written Peepee Falls — is a 55-foot cascade on the Wailuku River, just 1.6 miles upstream from Rainbow Falls inside Wailuku River State Park. Below the falls, the Boiling Pots — a series of wide basalt pools connected by underground channels — bubble and churn as water forces through hexagonal lava columns formed by slow-cooling basalt.
The viewpoint is free to access and is a short hike from the parking area at the end of Pe'epe'e Falls Road. It gives a dramatic side-on perspective of the falls and the natural beauty of the Wailuku River gorge. However, this location is strictly no-swimming: the pools hide powerful underwater currents that have caused multiple drownings. Hilo's Civil Defense authority posts regular warnings. Admire from the overlook only.
Search for waterfalls near Hilo and you will quickly run into the name Narnia Falls — an Instagram-era nickname for a chain of jungle swimming holes and small cascades on a stream just north of town. The Narnia hike is not a managed site: there is no official trail, no signage, and no real parking, the scramble down is muddy and flash-flood prone, and access crosses land where permission is disputed. Locals get asked about it constantly, and the honest answer is that if a swim beneath a waterfall is the goal, the guided Waiʻale Falls hike delivers the same magic legally and safely.
Further up the coast, Kaluahine Falls spills down the sea cliffs beside Waipiʻo Valley's black sand beach — an ephemeral fall that only runs after heavy rain, best spotted from the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout about 50 minutes north of Hilo. Together with Kahuna Falls (the 100-footer you pass on the Akaka loop) and Kawainui Falls on the Old Mamalahoa Highway, these round out the Hamakua Coast waterfalls most visitors drive straight past.
For visitors who want to swim in a waterfall, two private-access options exist near Hilo. Umauma Falls, about 14 miles north of Hilo on the Old Mamalahoa Highway, is the only triple-tier waterfall on the Big Island. The Umauma Experience charges $12 for a walking tour to the lookout, $50 for a guided two-hour private waterfall swim, and from $191 for a nine-line zipline tour over the falls.
Kulaniapia Falls, 9 miles from downtown Hilo, is a 120-foot private waterfall accessible on day passes. Advance booking is recommended for both. Neither is included in the guided tours featured on this page, but both are worth adding to your itinerary if time allows.
Planning which big island waterfalls to visit depends on how much time you have and whether you want to stay in Hilo for a focused experience or take a full circuit of the island. Self-guided visits to Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls are straightforward if you have a rental car — each is a short hike of under 30 minutes, and you can cover both in a half-day. If you came for hiking in Hilo, set expectations: the classic waterfall hikes here are short, paved, and family-friendly rather than backcountry treks — save the long trails for Volcanoes National Park. And if you plan your visit to start early in the day (before 9am), you beat the cruise ship crowds and catch Rainbow Falls at its most photogenic.
Guided full-day tours combine Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and a black sand beach in one seamless day — covering ground that would take three separate drives to do independently. Entry fees to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and parking fees are included in most featured tours, removing the biggest logistical headaches for side of the big island visitors arriving by cruise ship or short-stay flight.
The falls above cover the Hilo side, but the rest of the Big Island hides bigger drops within about an hour of town. If you are chasing big island waterfalls past the city limits, four are worth the drive.
| Waterfall | Type | Drive from Hilo | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umauma Falls | Three tiers | 25 min | Private (Umauma Experience), garden from $10 |
| Onomea Falls | Small, tiered | 15 min | Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, $35 |
| Hiʻilawe Falls | ~1,450 ft ribbon | 1 hr 15 min | Waipiʻo Valley lookout (free) |
| Kahuna Falls | Second drop | 25 min | On the Akaka Falls loop |
Umauma Falls drops in three tiers on the Hamakua Coast, about 25 minutes north of Hilo on private land run by the Umauma Experience. A self-guided garden walk starts at $10 for adults and $5 for children, and the same outfit runs ziplining across the gorge and kayaking on the pond above. Swimming beneath the falls comes only on a paid tour.
Fifteen minutes north, the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden threads a boardwalk past the small, tiered Onomea Falls and down to Onomea Bay along a four-mile scenic loop off the old highway. Entry runs $35 for adults and $25 for children, and the garden opens daily from 9 am with last entry at 4 pm. The trail drops about 500 feet to the ocean and back, so it walks more like a short hike than a stroll.
For the island's most dramatic drop, Hiʻilawe Falls plunges about 1,450 feet into Waipiʻo Valley, roughly an hour and fifteen minutes from Hilo. It ranks among the tallest waterfalls in Hawaii, though the remote Waihilau Falls stands taller still. Its flow leans on rain and upstream diversion, so it swings from a full white column to a thin thread and doubles after a storm.
The valley lookout is free and open, but the valley floor has been closed to non-resident drivers since February 2022, reachable now only by the Waipiʻo Valley Shuttle.
Closer in, Kahuna Falls shares the Akaka Falls loop 25 minutes north, half hidden by forest beside its 442-foot neighbor. Our Akaka Falls guide covers the pair and how to walk the loop to see them.
Hilo receives around 127 inches of rain per year — making it one of the rainiest cities in the United States and one of the best places in the world to see powerful, photogenic waterfalls. The wet season runs roughly November through March, with November being the wettest month (averaging nearly 16 inches). During this period, Rainbow Falls runs at full volume, Akaka Falls creates a sustained roar audible from the trailhead, and even smaller falls like Pe'epe'e and Wailuku River tributaries come alive.
Flash flooding is a genuine risk in this season: always check the rain forecast for the upland areas before hiking near any stream, and never enter a stream if the water looks brown or is carrying debris.
| Month | Avg Rainfall | Waterfall Flow | Rainbow Visibility | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 in | Full | High (sunny gaps) | Moderate (cruise season) |
| Feb | 13 in | Full | High | Moderate |
| Mar | 12 in | Full | High | Moderate |
| Apr | 10 in | Strong | Peak (sunny mornings) | Low |
| May | 9 in | Strong | Good | Low ⭐ sweet spot |
| Jun | 7 in | Moderate | Good | Low (driest month) |
| Jul | 8 in | Moderate | Good | Medium |
| Aug | 8 in | Moderate | Good | Medium |
| Sep | 9 in | Moderate | Good | Low (price drop) |
| Oct | 11 in | Strong | Good | Low |
| Nov | 16 in | Full | Good (when sunny) | Low (wettest month) |
| Dec | 14 in | Full | Good | Moderate (holidays) |
Hilo's dry season runs from May through September, with June as the driest month averaging just over 7 inches of rainfall. In context, that still means regular showers — Hilo never fully dries out. The advantage: mornings are more often sunny, trails are less muddy, and Akaka Falls' 0.4-mile loop is more comfortable to walk.
For waterfall flow, the falls are still running well in May and September as the dry season ramps up and down. June through August sees the lowest flow levels, though both Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls are impressive year-round due to the consistent upstream rainfall.
If you're weighing the best time to visit Hilo overall, late April through June is the sweet spot most experienced visitors recommend: waterfalls still full from the wet season, skies clearer, prices lower than peak winter-cruise season.
Regardless of season, mornings are the prime window to visit Hilo Hawaii waterfalls. Rainbow Falls rainbows appear between 8am and 10am as the morning sun angles across the mist — by midday the angle is wrong and the rainbow disappears. Arrive early in the day and you also beat the cruise ship passengers who fan out from Hilo town from 10–11am onward.
Hilo is an adventurous destination on the northeastern side of the Big Island — the lush vegetation, botanical surroundings, and natural beauty of the Wailuku River valley create an open space unlike anything on the drier Kona side. Rain landing across the Hilo Watershed Forest Reserve on Mauna Kea's slopes funnels into the rivers and falls you see here. It is, quite simply, a paradise for waterfall lovers on the Hawaiian islands.
Hilo receives rain year-round, so the waterfalls never run dry. But the season changes the experience significantly — from thundering full-volume falls in the wet months to clearer skies and easier hiking in summer.
Rainbow Falls is 1.5 miles from Downtown Hilo along the Wailuku River. Akaka Falls is 15 miles north on the Hamakua Coast. Most guided tours visit both in a single day.
Hilo's waterfalls are stunning but the terrain is serious. Flash flooding, slippery rocks, and dangerous swim zones claim lives every year. Know before you go.
Can happen without warning after heavy rain upstream — even on a sunny day in Hilo. Never enter streams if the water looks brown or carries debris.
Boiling Pots and Pe'epe'e Falls are strictly off-limits. Underwater currents at Boiling Pots have caused multiple drownings. View from the overlook only.
Trails at Wailuku River and Akaka Falls State Park are paved but extremely slippery when wet. Sandals are dangerous — wear shoes with grip.
Hilo is one of the rainiest cities in the US. Pack a light poncho or rain jacket on every visit — afternoon showers arrive with little warning.
Remote falls like Umauma have weak or no reception. Download offline maps before you leave. Emergency response times in remote areas can be slow.
Morning light creates Rainbow Falls' iconic rainbow. An early start also beats cruise ship crowds, makes parking easier, and means cooler trail temperatures.
Big Mike was fantastic — absolutely stellar tour from start to finish! Being a true native of Hilo, his knowledge and stories of the Big Island made for a great day. He delivered much more than we were expecting.
Christian was amazing — best guide ever. His enthusiasm and passion for Hawaiʻi is apparent. Not only did we see beautiful waterfalls and swim in spots only locals would know about, we learned so much about Hawaiʻi history, culture, and Mana.
Jill was a fabulous tour guide. Highlight was seeing the March 10 eruption at Volcano National Park! Rainbow Falls was breathtaking. I highly recommend this company and tour — Jill was great with communication pre-tour.
Ku'uipo, Jules, and Maika were AMAZING guides! We went over 2 waterfalls, a ravine, through banana and hibiscus fields, and they even let us try fruits from the fields. The views were astounding. I would recommend this to everyone.
Born-and-raised Hilo guides know which waterfall has a rainbow at 8am, which lava tube still smells of sulfur, and which swim hole is safe after heavy rain.
See Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, Volcanoes National Park, and a black sand beach in a single guided day — stops that would take three separate drives to do alone.
Skip parking fees, confusing roads, and crowd timing. All featured tours include hotel, cruise port, and airport pickup directly in the Hilo area.
Every tour on this page offers a full refund up to 24 hours before your start time. Book your spot today and adjust your plans later.
A few habits make a Hilo waterfall day run smoothly, from how you pay to when you show up.
The main hilo hawaii waterfalls to visit are Rainbow Falls (80 ft, Wailuku River State Park), Akaka Falls (442 ft, state park on the Hamakua Coast), Pe'epe'e Falls (55 ft, Wailuku River, no swimming), Umauma Falls (triple-tier, private access), and Kulaniapia Falls (120 ft, private day passes). The big island waterfalls in the Hilo area are all within 20 miles of Hilo town on the northeastern side of the Big Island of Hawaii — among the most accessible waterfall clusters on the Hawaiian islands. See how a guided day combines multiple falls in our Volcano National Park and Rainbow Falls tour guide. Our full rundown of what waterfalls to see in Hilo ranks each one by height and how reliably it flows.
As of January 2026, Rainbow Falls in Wailuku River State Park charges $5 per person plus $10 parking per vehicle. Hawaii state ID holders enter free. Children 3 and under are free. The park was previously free — bring a credit card as payment is via QR code. Guided tours cover this fee in their price. Full fee and tour pricing details are in our Hilo waterfall cost guide.
Akaka Falls State Park charges $5 per person plus $10 parking per vehicle. Hawaii residents with a valid ID enter free. The fee covers the full 0.4-mile loop, which also passes Kahuna Falls (100 ft). Hours are 8:30am to 5pm daily. Most guided waterfall tours from Hilo include the park admission. See what every waterfall around Hilo costs to visit for the complete fee table.
Most big island waterfalls near Hilo are viewing-only. You cannot swim in the waterfalls at Rainbow Falls or Akaka Falls State Park — it is prohibited. Pe'epe'e Falls and Boiling Pots are strictly off-limits: powerful underwater currents have caused multiple drownings. For a supervised chance to swim in the waterfalls, book a guided tour to Umauma Falls ($50 per person) or the native Hawaiian waterfall hike to Waiʻale Falls (from $150) — the only legal swim-in-the-waterfalls experience near downtown Hilo. Read our full write-up of the native Hawaiian waterfall hike and swim experience for details. Our guide to visiting the falls on your own covers where swimming is legal and safe. Our full waterfall safety guide explains why, and where you can swim legally.
The rainbow at Rainbow Falls appears when the morning sun hits the mist at the right angle — typically between 8am and 10am on a sunny morning. Arrive early both for the rainbow and to beat the cruise ship crowds that arrive in Hilo from 10am onward. The rainbow dissipates by late morning as the sun moves higher.
Akaka Falls State Park is about 15 miles north of downtown Hilo — roughly a 25-minute drive on Highway 19 through the historic Hamakua Coast plantation towns of Papaikou and Honomu. Most guided tours combine Akaka Falls with Rainbow Falls, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and a black sand beach in a single full day from Hilo. For a tour that soars over Akaka Falls up close, see our Big Island zipline over Akaka Falls guide.
The drive from Kona to Hilo is about 80 miles and takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours via the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road). The northern route through Waimea and the Hamakua Coast takes closer to 2.5 hours but lets you stop at Akaka Falls on the way. Staying on the Kona side without a rental car? Our step-by-step guide to reaching Hilo's waterfalls from Kona compares driving, guided tours, and timing for the cross-island day.
No — Hilo is a relaxed, small town and one of the friendlier ports of call in Hawaii; normal travel common sense covers you downtown. The genuine dangers are natural, not urban: flash floods on the Wailuku River, slippery rock at every trailhead, and the strict no-swim zones at Boiling Pots and Pe'epe'e Falls, where underwater currents have caused drownings. Stick to marked overlooks and legal swim spots and a waterfall day here is very safe — our safety guide to Hilo's waterfalls covers the details.
Hilo's waterfalls run year-round due to 127 inches of annual rainfall — making the hilo side of the big island a paradise for waterfall lovers in any season. For the most dramatic flow, visit November through March (wet season). For better hiking conditions and clearer skies, late April through June is the sweet spot — the falls are still full from winter rains but mornings are often sunny. June is the driest month but big island waterfalls near Hilo remain impressive. Mauna Kea's slopes catch moisture year-round, so even in the dry season there is always natural beauty flowing through the valley. For a tour that makes the most of a single full day whatever the season, see our Hilo volcano, waterfalls, and beach tour with lunch review. Our month-by-month guide to Hilo's waterfalls breaks down flow, crowds, and weather for every season.
Wear closed-toe shoes with grip — trails are paved but extremely slippery when wet. Bring a light rain jacket or poncho (Hilo can shower any time of day), sunscreen for the beach stops, and a waterproof bag or case for your phone and camera. Guided tours provide rain ponchos and umbrellas if needed. The full waterfall packing list covers footwear, rain gear, and the volcano-summit layer most visitors forget.
Yes — a waterfall day is one of the easiest things to do in Hilo with kids, and most full-day tours welcome children from age 5 onward. The zipline near Akaka Falls requires a minimum weight of 40 lbs and is best suited for children 6+. The native Hawaiian cultural waterfall hike is for ages 5 and up. The half-day volcano and waterfall tours have no minimum age. Check each tour's age and weight restrictions before booking. Our Big Island half-day volcano and waterfalls with lunch guide covers the most family-friendly option in detail. Families weighing a guided tour against self-driving can read our honest take on Hilo waterfall tours. See our guide to visiting Hilo's waterfalls with kids for ages, timing, and the best family tours.
A rental car makes self-guided visits easier, but all featured guided tours include hotel, airport, and cruise port pickup within the Hilo area — so you can see multiple waterfalls in one day without renting a car. Rainbow Falls is also reachable by taxi or rideshare from central Hilo for about $10–15 each way. Docking at the Hilo cruise port and looking for things to do in a short day? Our Hilo shore excursion covering volcano, lava tube, and waterfall is timed to work within a typical port window. For the full comparison, see our DIY versus guided tour breakdown.
Yes. Rainbow Falls is one of the most rewarding of all the Hilo Hawaii waterfalls: an 80-foot cascade visible from a paved overlook just five minutes from downtown, with no hike required. Arrive between 9 and 10 a.m. on a sunny morning to catch the rainbow in the rising mist. It pairs naturally with Akaka Falls on the same day, so most visitors see both. Our volcano and Rainbow Falls Hilo tour review shows how it fits a full-day itinerary.
Akaka Falls is the most celebrated of the big island waterfalls, a 442-foot single drop reached by a short paved rainforest loop near Hilo. Many visitors rank Rainbow Falls and the private Kulaniapia Falls close behind. Beauty is personal, so seeing several waterfalls in one day is the surest way to pick your own favorite. Our guide to the waterfalls you will see in Hilo compares each one side by side.
A few short films that show what Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, and the Boiling Pots actually look like before you go.
A walking tour of the two headline falls on the Hilo side.
Video: Hawaii Walking ToursThe Wailuku River falls running full after a Hilo storm.
Video: YouTubeA recent immersive look at Rainbow Falls and the Hilo bayfront.
Video: Port MonkeysVideos load from YouTube only when you press play.