Waterfall hike, chocolate tour & historical sites on Maui

You make chocolate from the cacao tree in the same afternoon you hike to a waterfall.

This guided tour on Maui combines a short waterfall hike, a walk through cacao plants growing in rainforest, and a chocolate-making workshop at the Kings Gardens: an ancient Hawaiian archaeological site near Paia. The tour runs 2 hours and includes chips, a health bar, sparkling water, and chocolate samples. A live English-speaking guide leads the group through the gardens, where you'll see prehistoric ferns and ancient artifacts from Hawaii's last great king, and all profits support site preservation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Waterfall, Chocolate, and Historical Tour

• Hike to first waterfall near Paia
• See cacao growing in jungle habitat
• Taste and savor artisan chocolates
• Participate in chocolate making
• Visit ancient Hawaiian king's garden artifacts
• Explore ancient water tunnel of Mo'o
• See world's largest prehistoric dinosaur ferns
• Learn cacao from tree to dessert

The experience

You're 15 minutes from Paia when the waterfall hike starts: the first one on the Road to Hana, without the four-hour drive. The path is easy and short, designed to get you in front of the water without strain. From there, the tour moves into the rainforest section of the Kings Gardens, where cacao plants grow in their natural jungle habitat. You walk among them, taste the raw pods, and see how the beans develop before they ever reach a chocolate maker's hands.

The chocolate workshop is where the tour shifts from watching to doing. You participate in the artisan chocolate making, learning how cacao becomes the finished treat. The guide walks you through the process (fermentation, roasting, grinding), and you taste award-winning chocolates from around the world alongside what's made on-site. It's structured like wine tasting: you savor each piece, not just eat it. Chips, a health bar, sparkling water and chocolate samples are included throughout.

The gardens themselves are an archaeological site with limits on annual visitors. You'll see the world's largest prehistoric dinosaur ferns and walk ancient trails where Hawaii's last great king once walked. The guide points out artifacts and explains the water tunnel built for Mo'o, the giant lizard god in Hawaiian tradition. This is a working preservation project: all profits from your visit go directly to conservation and restoration of the site.

What’s included

• A 2-hour guided tour with a live English-speaking guide.
• a short waterfall hike to the first waterfall on the Road to Hana.
• a walk through cacao plants in the rainforest.
• hands-on chocolate-making workshop with tasting of award-winning chocolates from around the world.
• chips, health bar, and sparkling water.
• access to the archaeological site with ancient artifacts and the world's largest prehistoric dinosaur ferns.

Information

Lasts 2h, runs every day at 10:00 and 14:00, from US$ 147.99 per person, with a live guide in English and as a private tour.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00Another time? ›

GroupPrivate6 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.4 with pickup ›

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (17 to 90 years) · Child (under 17)

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by The Kings Gardens Maui

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want a waterfall and rainforest experience without committing a full day to the Road to Hana drive. The 2-hour format gets you to the water, through the cacao farm, and into chocolate making in a single afternoon near Paia. The hands-on chocolate workshop is the part most tours skip, so if making something with your own hands matters more than seeing a long list of stops, this one delivers that.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 17).

How far is this tour from the main towns on Maui?

The Kings Gardens are 15 minutes from Paia, so you avoid the long drive to Hana while still reaching a waterfall and rainforest setting on the same afternoon.

What exactly do I do in the chocolate-making part?

You participate in the artisan chocolate making workshop, learning the steps from fermentation through roasting and grinding, then taste the chocolates made on-site and samples from around the world.

Is the waterfall hike difficult?

The waterfall hike is described as fun and easy, designed for all fitness levels, and takes place on natural trails within the gardens themselves.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes chips, a health bar, sparkling water, chocolate samples, and the chocolate-making workshop. A live English-speaking guide leads the entire 2-hour experience.

Why does visiting this site matter beyond the tour itself?

The Kings Gardens are an ancient Hawaiian archaeological site with strict visitor limits, and all profits from tours go directly to preservation and conservation of the site.