Five days on the Nā Pali Coast — the full eleven miles, earned
The Kalalau Trail is one of the most spectacular and most serious hikes in the United States. Eleven miles of sea cliffs, valley crossings, and jungle trail to a beach at the edge of the world. This trip is built around doing it right: two nights in, two nights at Kalalau Beach, two nights out — with a day on either end to prepare and decompress. The permit system is strict and intentional. The trail asks you to earn what it gives.
Season: April and May offer the best trail conditions — drier than winter, cooler than summer, Nā Pali sea conditions improving for boat resupply. Spring wildflowers line the Waimea Canyon approach.
Temps: 78°F high / 65°F low
Packing: Pack ruthlessly — every ounce matters on the trail. Waterproof everything; creek crossings are unavoidable. Lightweight camp shoes for beach and stream crossings. Bring reef-safe sunscreen (Hawaii law) and more water than you think you need.
Day 1: Arrive & Prepare
Today is logistics and land orientation. The North Shore drive from Līhuʻe — past the Hanalei valley taro overlook, across the one-lane bridges — will start the transition from traveler to visitor to guest of the land.
- 10:00 AM Arrive Līhuʻe Airport (LIH) & Pick Up Rental — 4WD vehicle recommended — the road to Polihale and some north shore pull-offs benefit from clearance.
- 11:30 AM Hanalei Valley Overlook — The descent into the North Shore begins here — a panoramic view of the valley taro fields framed by waterfalls.
- 12:30 PM Provisions — Hanalei Town — Stock your pack: Healthy Hut for quality trail food, Hanalei Taro & Juice Co. for a final real meal before the trail.
- 03:00 PM Limahuli Garden & Preserve (Optional) — A half-mile walk through ancient Hawaiian taro terraces and native forest — the quietest preparation for the trail.
- 05:30 PM Check In — Hanalei Colony Resort — The only true beachfront property in Hanalei — no TVs, no phones, simple condos facing the beach.
- 07:00 PM Dinner — Postcards Cafe — Seafood and vegetarian fine dining in a plantation-era house in Hanalei — one of the North Shore's most intimate dinners.
Day 2: Keʻe to Hanakāpīʻai to Hanakoa
The first day of the trail. Six miles in, including the first significant test: the Hanakāpīʻai climb. You'll reach the coast at mile 2 and understand immediately what the rest of the trail is offering.
- 07:30 AM Trailhead — Keʻe Beach (Hāʻena State Park) — Begin at Keʻe Beach. Advance reservation required for non-Hawaii residents through gohaena.com.
- 09:30 AM Hanakāpīʻai Beach (Mile 2) — Rest and water at the beach — do not enter the water here under any conditions.
- 02:00 PM Hanakoa Valley (Mile 6) — Camp — The first designated camping area — a valley floor camp beside a freshwater stream in dense forest.
Day 3: Hanakoa to Kalalau Beach
The final five miles are the most exposed and spectacular. The trail traverses open sea cliffs with almost no shade — start early, carry more water than you think you need, and arrive at Kalalau by early afternoon.
- 07:00 AM Depart Hanakoa — Final Push to Kalalau — Start early. The trail's most exposed miles run 8–11, with long sections on open cliff face with no shade.
- 01:00 PM Arrive Kalalau Beach — Rest & Establish Camp — The designated camping area is behind the beach near the stream. Set up and rest.
- 05:45 PM Kalalau Valley Trail — Waterfall & Plunge Pool — A 30-minute walk up the valley to a 300-foot waterfall and pool — the only swimming in this area with a safe entry.
Day 4: A Day at Kalalau
No miles today. Kalalau gives you a day to simply be in the most remote place you've reached on foot. Walk the valley floor, swim in the falls, read, sleep on the beach, watch the sun set behind the Na Pali cliffs.
- 06:30 AM Dawn at Kalalau Beach — Wake for first light — the valley walls catch the sunrise in orange and gold before the sun clears the ridge.
- 09:00 AM Valley Exploration — Taro Terraces & Upper Valley — Walk the valley floor trail past ancient loʻi terraces and wild tropical forest.
- 12:00 PM Rest — Open Afternoon at Kalalau — Read, sleep, swim in the falls pool, watch the goats on the valley walls.
- 05:30 PM Sunset from Kalalau Beach — Watch the sun drop behind the Na Pali cliffs from a beach with no road access.
Day 5: Return — Kalalau to Keʻe
The return is physically demanding — eleven miles with significant elevation change, the same exposed cliff sections now in reverse. Start before 7 AM to finish in daylight with energy to spare. The trail looks completely different going the other direction.
- 06:30 AM Break Camp & Depart Kalalau — Depart by 7 AM at the latest — the exposed sections are brutal in afternoon heat.
- 01:30 PM Arrive Keʻe Beach — Recovery Swim — The reef lagoon at Keʻe in summer conditions offers calm, protected snorkeling — the best post-trail reward on the island.
- 03:30 PM Hanalei Recovery — Wishing Well Shave Ice — The best shave ice on Kauaʻi. Organic fruit, natural syrups. You've earned this.
- 07:00 PM Dinner — Bar Acuda (Hanalei) — The North Shore's finest dinner — tapas, local fish, excellent wine. Reserve ahead.
Kalalau doesn't give itself away easily. The eleven miles in are the price of admission to one of the most intact wild places in Hawaiʻi — a beach that has been reached only by those who walked or paddled to it for a thousand years before you. That history is part of what you're walking through.