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Mountain Tubing Adventure

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3 Hours5+Lunch Included300 Lbs Max
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★★★★★ 2,512+ reviews

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Tours Run Rain or Shine

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People tubing down a narrow waterway, one person splashing water playfully.
Person tubing down a river in a blue inflatable tube, wearing a helmet and gloves, surrounded by greenery.
Child tubing down a narrow water channel with a joyful expression.
Group of people in helmets and life vests posing on inflatable tubes in a water slide.
Person riding an inflatable tube down a water slide, smiling with arms raised, wearing a helmet and red top.

What To Expect

Group of people in an open-sided tour vehicle with Kauai Backcountry signage.

4WD

Experience a 4WD adventure through private lands with incredible mountain and valley vistas.

Lush green landscape with mountains under a clear blue sky.

Scenic Views

See Mt. Wai’ale’ale, one of the wettest spots on earth, and its spectacular waterfalls.

Group of people smiling in outdoor setting with inner tubes and helmets.

Gear Up

After a short safety briefing, grab a tube and jump in the refreshing water!

Person tubing down a narrow water channel with arms raised, wearing a helmet and gloves.

The Adventure

Float though 3 miles of open canals and 5 hand-dug tunnels illuminated only by your headlamp.

People tubing on a river, smiling and gesturing with thumbs up.

Relax & Refresh

Once tubing is complete, enjoy a picnic lunch and a cool dip in a natural swimming hole

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Kaua'i’s Only Water Tubing Adventure Activity!

Witness Kauai’s spectacular, historic engineering feats as you float down the open canals and through five amazing tunnels and flumes engineered and hand-dug circa 1870!

This tubing adventure is perfect for people ages 5 and over and in generally good physical condition. The gently flowing waters, beautiful scenery, flumes, and tunnels create a relaxing, fun, and fascinating experience. And when we say we are unique, we mean it! This is the only tubing activity of this type on Kaua’i, and we are the only eco-tour company with access to these 17,000 acres of former plantation lands.

Know Before You Go

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Know Before You Go

What To Bring

  • Secured water friendly shoes required,  NO FLIP FLOPS (rental shoes available)
  • REEF SAFE Sunscreen (Help us protect our precious Ocean!)
  • Swimsuit or clothing that can get wet
  • Towel and a dry change of clothing
  • Hat (recommended but not required)
  • Bug repellent

What's Included

  • Helmets
  • Headlamps
  • Gloves
  • Lunch
  • Water
  • Hand Sanitizer

Available for Rental

  • Crocs
  • GoPro
  • Wetsuits

FAQ

What are the age requirements for the tubing tour?

The minimum age requirement for the tubing tour is 5 years of age and 43 inches tall. There is no maximum age limit.

What physical condition do I need to be in, to go on the tubing    tour?

Our tubing tour requires one to be somewhat physically fit. You must be able to  stand independently in 3 feet of running water, walk/up and down a few steps, and be able to balance in a sitting position in a tube for at least 45 minutes.

Is there a weight restriction for the tubing tour?

The tubing manufacturer’s recommendations and for safety reasons, Kauai Backcountry Adventures requires that participants weigh less than 300 lbs.

Does the Tubing tour come with a lunch?

Yes. Our Tubers enjoy a “build your own” sandwich lunch along with chips and water. Note: Our caterer does not provide for any special dietary restrictions.

View Full FAQ

Related Adventure

Three women in helmets laughing outdoors with a mountainous background.
Woman ziplining over a lush green forest, wearing a yellow helmet.
Person zip-lining in outdoor setting, wearing helmet and sunglasses.
Person zip-lining over forested area, making a hand sign, with mountains in the background.
Person ziplining over lush green forest.

Zipline Tour

Zip along a series of seven lines, descending through tropical forests and over streams. Mt. Wai'ale'ale's waterfalls serve as your backdrop on this adventure across former plantation lands. Conclude with a swim in a mountain pool and lunch beneath bamboo groves.

3 Hours12+

Learn More

$169/

Rider

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Our 'Ohana: Meet Our Guides

Four people smiling in front of stacked blue tubes outdoors. Large group in colorful attire poses outside a yellow building.

Our guides are the heart of your adventure.

Many of them grew up exploring these same mountains, swimming these same waters, and learning the stories of this land from generations past. When they take you out, they’re not just leading a tour—they’re sharing a place that shaped them.


There’s a responsibility that comes with that. To keep you safe. To respect the land. And to make sure you leave with something real—not just photos, but a connection to Kaua‘i that stays with you.

  • Proud to give back: We’re grateful to be part of the Kaua‘i community and believe in giving back whenever we can. Throughout the year, we proudly support local nonprofits, youth programs, educational organizations, and community initiatives that help strengthen our island and create meaningful experiences for others.
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Local & Experienced

Our local guides share the beauty and spirit of Kaua’i with genuine Aloha. 

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Passionate & Authentic

We love what we do, and it shows in every adventure

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Safety First

Your well-being is always our top priority.  All guides are CPR/first aid certified

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Capture the moment

Tour photos available for purchase so you can relax and enjoy the adventure!

The History Behind The Adventure

The historic Līhuʻe Plantation ditch and tunnel system, originally developed in the mid-1800’s, once irrigated vast sugarcane fields across more than 17,000 acres of Kaua'i. After sugar production ended in 2000, much of the system sat unused until 2003, when sixth-generation Kamaʻāina siblings Kelley and David Carswell founded Kauaʻi Backcountry Adventures and introduced exclusive tubing tours through this remarkable historic waterway.

Flowing through some of the island’s most remote and breathtaking landscapes, the system offers spectacular views of the interior of the island, which is often hard to access. The waters, originating near Mount Waiʻaleʻale — one of the wettest places on earth — travel through hand-dug ditches and tunnels built by plantation workers more than a century ago.

Today, younger sister Karin Carswell Guest proudly continues the family tradition, keeping Kauaʻi Backcountry Adventures locally owned, family operated, and rooted in the spirit of Aloha.

If you’re looking to get off the beaten path, this one-of-a-kind Kauaʻi adventure offers an unforgettable journey through the island’s natural beauty and rich history. From start to finish, guests experience a fun-filled adventure that many describe as the highlight of their vacation.

Large group of workers standing on train cars beside fields, early 20th century.

TUBING! TUNNELS! TONS OF FUN!

KAUAI’S ONLY WATER TUBING ADVENTURE ACTIVITY!

Witness Kauai’s spectacular historic engineering feats as you float down the open canals and through five amazing tunnels and flumes engineered and hand-dug circa 1870!

This tubing adventure is perfect for people ages 5 yrs. and older and in generally good physical condition. The gently flowing waters, beautiful scenery, flumes, and tunnels create a relaxing, fun, and fascinating experience. And when we say we are unique, we mean it! This is the only tubing activity of this type on Kaua’i, and we are the only eco-tour company with access to these 17,000 acres of former plantation lands.

THIS KAUA’I MOUNTAIN TUBING ADVENTURE IS A UNIQUE AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!

Hop in one of our four-wheel-drive vehicles and traverse the former Lihue Plantation lands as we ride deep into Kauai’s pristine emerald green interior, where your exclusive tubing adventure begins! Start off by enjoying breathtaking vistas of Mt. Wai’ale’ale, deemed one of the wettest spots in the world and the second highest point on the island of Kaua’i. Witness her spectacular waterfalls before arriving at our launch site, where you will grab a tube, don a headlamp, and jump in the gently flowing waters. Float 2.5 miles of open canals and enjoy the wonder and magic of 5 tunnels illuminated by your headlamp. At the end of your adventure, you are guided to an enchanted picnic area for a delicious lunch and a cool dip in a natural swimming hole. There’s no better way to experience the Kaua’i mountains!

THE FASCINATING HISTORY

The historic Lihue Plantation ditch and tunnel system that once irrigated vast sugar crops had been unused since sugar was taken out of production in 2000. In January 2003, Kaua’i Backcountry opened a section for exclusive tubing tours. This water system runs through some of the most beautiful and remote lands on the island. It includes spectacular views of the ocean, coastline, mountains, and valleys. The waters that originate near the top of Mount Wai’ale’ale, one of the wettest spots in the world, are channeled through ditches and tunnels hand-dug by plantation workers over a century ago!

If you want to get off the beaten track, don’t miss this exclusive Kaua’i backcountry tubing tour. From start to finish, we take you on an amazing, fun-filled journey that you’re not likely to forget. Our customers tell us time and time again that our tours were the highlight of their vacation and often return for more of our tropical adventures.

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