Maui Off Road Adventures · Napili
Two hours on red-dirt trails above Kapalua in a four-seat side-by-side, with two stops to swap drivers and dust or mud depending on the week. Pick it to share the driving with family: children from 7 ride along, and the base in Napili sits just north of Ka'anapali.
Maui Off Road Adventures runs this tour from a fenced yard in Napili, just off Napilihau Street past the farmers market. The address says Lahaina, but you are north of Ka'anapali near Kapalua Airport, nowhere near Lahaina town. The listing describes over 1,400 acres (565 hectares) of terrain near the airport and a ride through the Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve area. On the operator's tour page, the trails climb up to 2,000 feet, with switch-backs, river-bed crossings and views of the ocean and the outer islands.
The name says ATV. The vehicle is a four-seat side-by-side (UTV): you sit belted in next to each other, helmet and goggles on, and the guides lead the line. The group stops twice so drivers can switch and take photos, which means every licensed adult gets a turn. Many guests mention planting a native tree, such as a koa, linked to the operator's partnership with the Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve. One guest wrote that a video of the whole ride is offered afterwards.
Three caveats. Guides set the pace, so speed fans can come away flat: one reviewer wrote "If you like FAST, look elsewhere", another felt much of the route was like driving through a corn field with the ocean opening up now and then. The operator tells you to expect to get very dirty and possibly soaking wet. And the rule that catches families out: a driver must be 25 or older to carry anyone under 18.
From Honoapiilani Highway, turn right onto Napilihau Street, take the first right and look for the chain-link fence just past the farmers market. Bring your driver's licence if you plan to drive.
Helmets and goggles are handed out and required for everyone. Seat belts stay on, the guides set the pace, and driving off the existing trails ends your tour.
Red-dirt switch-backs, river-bed crossings and forest tracks, climbing up to 2,000 feet above the coast. Dust after a dry week, mud after rain.
The line pulls over twice so drivers can switch seats and everyone can photograph the ocean and the islands offshore.
Many guests mention planting a native tree for reforestation during the ride.
The operator has wash stations and restrooms, but no showers. A towel for the rental car seat is the smartest thing you can pack.
★★★★★A must do on Maui! We had a blast off roading through the jungle, getting dusty and muddy and seeing a different side of the island! Our guides were fun, friendly, and knowledgeable. We also got to plant a tree to help with reforestation. [...]
★★★★★It was amazing, totally worth the money, and we planted a Koa tree to help restore the rainforest that once existed before pineapple fields were put in. I really appreciated the conservation aspect of this, something I didn't expect when booking.
★★★★★Even if you've never driven an atv, you can do this. The guides were extremely helpful. I thought we would just putt up the hill, I was wrong. You really get to open those atvs up.
★★★★★[...] After that comes the beauty of the island and how fun it was to ride in the side-by-sides. Awesome trails, beautiful sites and some cool history. They do a great job at maintaining their machines as well!
Read next:
No. The base is in Napili, north of Ka'anapali near Kapalua Airport. It uses a Lahaina postal address (4900 Honoapiilani Highway), but it is outside the town burned in 2023.
A four-seat side-by-side (UTV). You sit next to each other with seat belts on, and drivers swap at two stops. For a quad of your own, look at the West Maui Mountains ATV ride.
From $203 per person on Viator, where every driver and passenger needs a ticket. The operator's own rate card is per vehicle: $405 for two adults, $375 for a solo driver. Our price guide runs the family maths.
Yes, rain or shine. Raincoats can be rented and ponchos bought at the base. On Viator you can cancel free up to 24 hours before; booked direct, cancellations within 48 hours are charged in full.
Ready to book
Two hours of red-dirt trails above Kapalua in a four-seat side-by-side, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
West Maui Mountains ATV AdventureYour own quad on a ranch on the Wailuku side: waterfall views from above, the coast below, eight riders at most.★ 4.9 · 1.5 hours · from $229
Ka'anapali Small-Group Zipline AdventureEight ziplines over red-earth ravines above Ka'anapali, reached by an off-road ride up the mountain.★ 4.8 · 3 hours · from $237
West Maui Mountains Waterfall & Ocean Horseback RideUp to about 2,500 feet for distant waterfalls, down along the coast, and a canter spot for confident riders.★ 4.8 · 3 hours · from $208