Oahu Ultimate Circle Island Tour

• Door-to-door transport on spacious modern tour van (details & exceptions below)
• Knowledgeable guide with deep local ties
• Cooked-to-order hot local lunch
• Snacks, tastings, and drinks

Free pickups from virtually all lodgings in Waikiki / Honolulu. The most common lodgings can be selected from the drop-down list at checkout.

Honolulu airport pickups/dropoffs are available (8:15 am, with dropoff around 5 pm). Please note luggage is generally not permitted on this tour.

Arriving or departing on a cruise ship? The tour picks up at the terminal at 8 am and drops off around 5 pm. For Pride of America passengers, Saturdays may work, or better would be to choose another day; see FAQ below for more details.

Staying on the West Side (Ko Olina, Kapolei, Ewa Beach), the North Shore, or anywhere else outside Honolulu? You can meet in Honolulu (Ala Moana shopping center, free parking) at 7:30 am. Or you can book a private tour and it will include pickup/dropoff. However, if you are looking for pickup far from Honolulu, such as the North Shore, there would be a premium cost beyond a private, in which case you can email us to inquire.

More details can be found in the FAQs below.

• There is so much to see on the popular circle island route. This tour has been optimized by those with decades of experience and will ensure you see the most with high quality stops than would likely be possible on your own in one day. Proper pacing means you will spend the right amount of time on each stop without running out of time before dark or rushing through.
• Make a personal connection with a local guide with deep ties to Oahu, which will bring to life your Hawaii sightseeing experience.
• Visit some off-the-beaten-path sites based on your guide’s local insider knowledge
• This is a popular route that can be crowded at times; let the tour handle parking at the various stops, as well as optimize the best itinerary to minimize peak crowds
• Unfortunately car break-ins do occur on this route, and it’s less stressful and safer with a secured tour vehicle
• Especially taking into account the usually high cost and difficulty with parking in urban Waikiki, consider foregoing renting a vehicle on your trip (at least the whole time)

This map shows a general representation of the circle island tour route. The tour usually goes clockwise. This map does not show Ko Olina lodging pick-ups, which may also be possible.

The following are a mixture of stops (“S") and drive-bys ("D"), listed in chronological order. Stops in bold are longer (30-45 minutes), whereas other stops are less. Please note that this itinerary is not guaranteed and can vary a bit, depending on weather, traffic, time, and the make-up and interests of the group. The guide/driver has some flexibility, so feel free to speak up on your tour to express your interests, as well as to make a note with your booking.

To add on 1.5-2 hours at Pearl Harbor, consider our otherwise identical (but longer) Circle Island Combo Tour.

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl Crater (D) *
Tripler Army Medical Center (D)
Pacific Fuel Storage Bunkers (D)
Kamehameha Schools (D)
Fort Shafter (D)
Green World Coffee Farm & Gift Shop (S)
Dole Pineapple Plantation & Gift Shop (S)
Haleiwa Beach with possible turtle sightings (S)
Haleiwa Town - Hot Lunch and Shops (S)
Pua’ena Point (S)
Laniakea Beach (D)
Waimea Valley (D) **
Pu’u O Mahuka Heiau State Monument with view of Waimea Bay (S/D) *** 
Sunset Beach (S)
Chun’s Reef (D)
Kahuku Fruit Stands (S)
Morman Tabernacle in Laie (D)
Punalu’u (D)
Kahana Valley (D)
Kualoa Beach Park / Chinaman’s Hat (S)
Macadamia Nut Farm & Gift Shop (S)
Waikane (D)
Pali Lookout (S) ****
Honolulu sights (palaces, museums, etc.) (D/S)

* Tours are not permitted to stop here, only drive through
** Does not enter Waimea Valley botanical gardens; focus is on overlook views
*** 2023 update: this stop may not be possible due to access issues
**** Sometimes not visited due to road closure or traffic. In that case, more time is usually spent for Honolulu city tour, including photo stops, time permitting.

Shared Tour

The standard shared tour takes up to 8 people (usually on a van designed for 14) and is $179/person.

Due to the small size of the tour (8 people or less) and that a car seat is legally required for those age 7 & under (therefore taking up at least one seat), children are the same price as adults.

Private Tour

The price of a private tour is $1,399 for up to 8 people and then $150 for any additional people (up to 14 people total; for larger parties, please contact us). If you can only do a date within 24 hours (i.e. tomorrow), private tours are not currently bookable online, but please contact us as it may still be possible.

For the shared tour, in most cases you will be in a modern Ford Transit passenger van designed for 14 passengers but with only 8 tour guests maximum (often less). However, if there are only 4 people booked on the tour, it may be in a smaller vehicle (but luxury and spacious).

The Transit tour van has comfortable seats, air-conditioning, and large windows. It's not a low-ceiling cargo van like some other tour companies. Seating is mostly attached, but individual seats are molded. Couples will end up having their own row (designed for 3-4) which is better for maneuverability and comfort than if it was stand-alone "captain seats" and so they can easily see views on either side.

For private tours, larger groups of 7+ will definitely be in the Transit tour van. Smaller groups may be assigned a spacious and luxury smaller vehicle (e.g., Chevy Suburban or Ford Expedition) although if a preference for the Transit van is made at booking, we can likely confirm you for the larger vehicle.

• On occasion, the minimum of 4 paid seats for the shared tour may not be met, in which case we will contact you with options if we are unable to move others. To minimize this risk and you are booking within the next couple of months, if possible please choose a date that shows 6 spots or less available; otherwise if it doesn't say how many seats are left, it means you are the first to sign up. For a tour with no minimums, consider our large group Circle Island Tour.
• Not able to do an available day? If you pay for at least 4 spots or do a private, we may be able to open up another date for you, even possibly for tomorrow; please contact us with the number of people, the dates that would work for you, and your lodging. Or please consider our similar Circle Island Tour with Pearl Harbor.
  
• In the booking calendar for the shared tour, there may be some dates that require booking a minimum of 4 spots, especially within the next couple of weeks. This is because the tour requires 4 paid seats to go out at the shared tour price. If you are less than 4, these dates won't show up, but you may want to select 4 spots to see if any additional dates show up. You then have the option to book 4 spots in order to book that date and make a note at checkout if no one else signs up whether you would: 1) cancel or change dates, 2) proceed as a heavily discounted private tour by paying for all 4 seats. In the meantime, if another party signs up to meet the minimum, your final charge would just be for your actual party size (e.g., 2) versus all 4 seats. Alternative to making such a booking (preferred), you can contact us and we can keep you posted if we get another booking to allow you to book only your exact number of people on the shared tour.

Support a small family business run by a Native Hawaiian and veteran. Company started in 2008 by Hawaii born & raised Makani C., whose family goes back generations on the Island. After graduating from the Naval Academy, he served in Iraq and Afghanistan for 5 years as a Marine Officer (and earned a Joint Service Commendation Medal). His goal has been to provide a local perspective to the tourism industry with real stories from the people who live it and the knowledge passed-down from their families. He also employs many local veterans as guides.