Manawaiopuna Falls: How to See Jurassic Falls on a Kauai Helicopter Tour

A Valley With No Road

Manawaiopuna Falls drops 400 feet inside Hanapepe Valley. Island Helicopters describes it as a 400-foot waterfall in a private valley in the interior of Kauai, with no road to it and no public trail.

Port Allen Airport, one mile southwest of Hanapepe, is a base for scenic helicopter tours in that part of the island. Most flights to the falls, however, check in at Lihue Airport.

Why No Trail Exists

The falls sit on private land, so a helicopter is the only way in. The land around the falls is private and off-limits, so you cannot drive there or hike in. Landing near the falls was forbidden until 2009, and even now only a small number of landings per week are allowed.

If you want a waterfall hike on Kauai, the Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali Coast crosses five valleys over 11 miles, and anyone going beyond Hanakapiai Valley needs an overnight camping permit. That is the legal alternative, but it does not reach Manawaiopuna.

From Film Set to Flight Route

The waterfall featured in the background of several scenes in Jurassic Park, released in 1993. Since then travellers have called it Jurassic Park falls or Jurassic Falls.

Safari Helicopters notes that the falls plunge 400 feet and were featured in the film. Blue Hawaiian also points visitors to the falls in Hanapepe Valley, surrounded by rich native flora. No other waterfall on the island carries this film history, which is why pilots point it out on most circle-island routes.

What Private Ownership Means for You

Because the falls sit on private land, a helicopter is the only way in. Landing near the falls was forbidden until 2009, when Island Helicopters was allowed a limited number of landings per week. The company describes its landing zone as private and says it is the only operator licensed to land guests at Manawaiopuna Falls.

For your planning this means one thing. If stepping onto the ground at the falls matters to you, there is exactly one tour to book. If a view from above is enough, the Safari Deluxe Waterfall Helicopter Tour crosses the valley in 55 minutes.

Landing Versus Flyover

The table compares the landing tour with the flyover helicopter tours over Hanapepe Valley by price, flight length and time on the ground. Only one company is allowed to land at the base of the falls, while many helicopter tours fly over it. The landing option is the Jurassic Falls Landing Adventure, priced at $449.30 per person with all surcharges and fees included, according to Island Helicopters. It runs 75 to 80 minutes including the landing and is offered 5 days a week.

Flyover tours cost less and still show you the falls from above. The cheapest flyover listed here is the Safari Deluxe Waterfall Helicopter Tour at $335.70 per person for 55 minutes.

Hawaii air tour rules also shape what you see. Air tours may not fly below 1,500 feet above the surface over any area of the state, except during takeoff and landing or with FAA authorisation.

Step by Step

Check-in at Lihue Airport requires arriving 45 minutes early. After your safety briefing you lift off and cross the island toward Hanapepe Valley.

At the falls the helicopter sets down at a private landing zone near the base, and you get approximately 20 to 25 minutes to explore on foot. On the way back the return flight includes the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon and Mount Waialeale depending on conditions. The full route also takes in Mt. Waialeale Crater, Hanalei Valley, Olokele Canyon and Lumahai Beach.

Waimea Canyon itself stretches about 14 miles and reaches depths of up to 3,600 feet, so the flight home is a sightseeing tour in its own right.

Season Matters Too

Summer, June to August, and early fall, September to October, have the most reliable weather. Winter is wetter but makes for incredible waterfalls, so heavier flow on Manawaiopuna is a winter trade-off.

The rain numbers explain why. Mount Waialeale in the middle of Kauai is one of the wettest places on Earth, and the USGS reports it averaged 373 inches of rain a year from 1949 to 2008. Hawaii has two seasons, summer from May to October and winter from October to April. Ali'i Kauai Air Tours recommends booking at least a few weeks ahead, and summer tours sell out quickly. The full calendar is in the guide to the best time for a helicopter tour in Kauai.

Clothing, Bags and Photos

Island Helicopters advises dark non-reflective clothing and closed-toe shoes with good traction. Dark shirts also cut window glare, which helps on a doors-on flyover just as much as on a landing tour.

Bags usually are not allowed on board, so leave everything you do not need at your car or hotel. Bring sunglasses and a phone or small camera that fits in a pocket. Island Helicopters does not allow tripods or drones at the waterfall. Every one of the Kauai helicopter tours listed here has free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

Booking and Cancellation Basics

Ali'i Kauai Air Tours recommends booking at least a few weeks ahead, and summer tours sell out quickly. For the landing tour the constraint is sharper still, because Island Helicopters is allowed only a limited number of landings per week at the falls.

Every tour listed here offers free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, so you can reserve your preferred morning slot early and adjust later if the forecast turns.

Rules That Protect the Flight

FAA 14 CFR Part 136 Subpart D sets operating rules for VFR air tours in Hawaii. Tours may not fly below 1,500 feet above the surface or come closer than 1,500 feet to any person or property, with exceptions for takeoff and landing. A single-engine rotorcraft beyond the shore must carry floats with flotation gear in reach, and pilots must brief water ditching procedures before takeoff.

Weather is the real variable. NTSB investigators noted after a 2019 crash that Hawaii terrain limits weather observation and that air tour pilots rely heavily on their own in-flight weather assessments. Morning flights reduce that risk, which is another reason to fly early. The record is set out in the Kauai helicopter crash record.

What Each Route Includes

The table compares which falls, which landing and what price each route over Hanapepe Valley gives, with the Island Helicopters fare from its own site. The landing tour route includes Na Pali Coast, Mt. Waialeale Crater, Hanalei Valley, Waimea Canyon, Olokele Canyon, Jurassic Falls and Lumahai Beach, according to Island Helicopters. The Na Pali Coast is a 16-mile stretch of sea cliffs, and Hanalei Valley shelters a 917-acre national wildlife refuge.

If a landing is beyond your budget, the Safari Deluxe Waterfall Helicopter Tour at $335.70 per person for 55 minutes covers the island's waterfall country, and the Safari Helicopter Tour with Olokele Canyon Landing at $369 adds a landing on the rim of Olokele Canyon, though not at Jurassic Falls itself.