Rappel Maui - An Honest Review

2/1/2023

Late last month we had the opportunity to head out on an incredible waterfall rappel experience sponsored by Visit Maui. We had the best time trying out rappelling for the first time - even though it was during some flash flooding! The best part about this tour is that it goes rain or shine so you won't have to worry about cancelling or rescheduling! Read on for what you should know before trying it out for yourself and our complete, honest review of our experience!

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While in Maui we stayed at Lumeria Resort and loved it!

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What to Know

Although not in conjunction with, this tour with Rappel Maui begins at the Garden of Eden, located at mile marker 10.5 on the Road to Hana, you'll have to pay another $20 each if you're interested in exploring the gardens. Lasting for about 3 hours, the good thing is that it goes rain or shine - meaning if waterfalls are dry you go, and if there’s flash flooding you go. Of course the areas you rappel down can change based on current water levels due to safety concerns. No matter how the weather, you’ll have the chance to rappel down 3 different walls.

After getting fitted for a helmet, life jacket, special water shoes, and harnesses, they’ll go through what to expect during your tour. With a maximum group size of 8 and no prior experience required, it truly felt like we had the attention we needed to feel safe on every run. Since we went during heavy rains and high water levels, we didn’t necessarily rappel down a waterfall but we were pretty close to the rapidly moving muddy waters! After a safety brief and quick example by the tour guides - you’ll hook yourself in (don’t worry - they'll give it a check before you go down) and begin the first rappel!

Since our water levels were quite high, we started with a 40 foot rappel, and quickly moved on to their tallest rappel at 110 feet, finally ending with a 90 foot rappel. It’s important to keep in mind that once you get to the bottom you’ll have to climb about 100 steps to get back to ground level. If you have dryer weather, you'll begin with a 60 foot dry rappel, moving on to a 50 foot waterfall rappel and ending with a 30 foot waterfall rappel. The last two rappels will have a short swim at the bottom. Our tour consisted of a mixed group of ages and Rappel Maui also provided a photographer - photos are $30 each or $175 for the whole gallery. There is also discount if you purchase the entire gallery right after the activity onsite, and snacks provided at the end of the activity!

Book your own rappelling tour here with Rappel Maui!

Our Honest Review

Truth be told, we had an absolute blast rappelling for the first time. Even though it was down pouring and our first rappel was a little stiff, the guides were so patient and excellent teachers. We also learned that this is the same valley shown in the 6 second opening helicopter clip in Jurassic Park, proving that these views are absolutely stunning. With each rappel things got a little more challenging - eventually leading to bare rock and overhangs!

We highly recommend this adventure to anyone looking for a bit of an adrenaline rush while in Maui! The only stipulations are that participants are at least 10 years old, weigh between 70 and 250 pounds and have a waist measurement of 22 to 48 inches. We recommend bringing your GoPro - however they do have dry kegs available if you’d like to bring your cell phone. It’s also worth noting we recommend wearing a sun shirt or long sleeve and spandex shorts or leggings to protect your skin from the harnesses - extra points if you don't mind it getting wet or muddy. We also recommend bringing a change of clothes and a towel for afterwards! This is such a bucket list experience, we 100% recommend booking a tour while you're here! Plus it doesn't hurt that the views are so good - such a fun, unique way to experience the beauty of Maui!

Looking for more to do in Maui? Check out Visit Maui's website to get planning!

Watch our Rappelling adventures here!