Silver Falls Ranch

We had the best time at Silver Falls Ranch. Craig, our trail guide, was the best. What a character! This was by far the best part of our vacation in Kauai. We will do this again when we return in a couple of years. Thank you Craig!

Took the 2 hour horseback ride with lunch. Good people, good horses, BUT WAY over priced. It was a beautiful day for a ride. Muddy on the horses, so I was worried they won’t make it, but we figured. the anticipation of the «Falls» and «Oasis» is definitely worth it. After about an hour ride, we reached a Gazebo under construction, so a tent was pitched in its place. Murky water puddle pond and what appears to be a stream were visible after dismounting! We figured this is just a bonus! NOPE!!! that was IT! Muddy green water pond, and NO falls, or oasis for that matter. It looked so dirty that even the kids, yes the kids, refused to go in. We had a rice /​Chicken meal and we returned. Gregg, the guide was good, but we couldn’t hear him in the back (only had 8 people on that ride.) I would have paid maybe $ 39 /​each, but at $ 119 /​each plus tips (yeah, they remind you to leave tips too many times, it got really uncomfortable!!) NOT worth it. Go on a different horseback ride folks.

This was a great tour overall — we did the 2 hour ride with lunch at the «falls.» When we arrived, the staff was super friendly, and showed us their pet chickens, which our girls go to hold. We quickly got fitted, went through safety instructions, and mounted up onto our horses. The horses looked very healthy, and followed instructions very well.
When we hit the trails, it was a great time of seeing the nature of Kauai at its greatest, while riding on wide trails to the falls. Once at the falls, our kids swam in the natural pool — the falls isn’t really a water fall, but a run off of a natural stream into the pool. We then ate pulled pork, rice, and cole slaw — tasty!
The only reason we are giving 4 vs. 5 stars is because the tour felt «rushed» and our guide, while very nice, seemed like she was trying to finish the tour quickly, versus relishing the moment. Yet, she also was making sure our horses were moving at the right pace to make lunch, and back again, probably for the next tour, so we respect that.
Overall, a great experience, and on in which all our family members enjoyed.

Great instructor and beautiful scenery. The horses were also very well trained. I would recommend going on the three hour tour. With this, you are able to see a crater, more scenery, eat a very good lunch, and swim in the silver falls.

This is a nice tour, if you are a riding beginner. The horses pretty much just walk in a single file around the property, so if you are going in to it thinking that this is a real riding experience, you will surely be disappointed. The lunch, was barely palatable. and that is giving it some credit. What I thought would be the highlight of the trip-​the waterfall… dirty, and not worth the extra charge for the «swim», which nobody in our tour group participated in.
All together, I would say, if you want to see the island in a new and exciting way, hike, or try ATV.
On the positive.. the staff at the ranch was very friendly.

I would actually give this 3.5 stars instead of 4, but since I can’t give half stars, I’ll round it up. We did the 2 hour horseback ride on a Sat. from 11am — 1pm. The ranch and ride is beautiful. The people who work there are nice. The ride itself is very slow. Even if you’ve never been on a horse before, you can easily do this. The horses are trained to follow each other in a single file line. They go very slow and stay in line, for the most part. If you’re looking for something a little faster, this would not be the ride for you. The one thing that they can improve on is the way the guide narrates his tours. We had Greg, who was very nice, friendly, knowledgable and talkative, however because he’s leading about 6 – 8 people on horses in a single file line, the people in the back can’t hear a word he’s saying! They definitely need to figure out another way to do it so that everyone can hear the guide. I felt like I only got half of the tour, since I was 2^nd to the end and couldn’t hear anything he said. The other thing they mixed up on was the horses. Apparently they match people to horses based on your weight. For our group, they mixed us up and put people on the wrong horses, so we had to switch half way through the ride. The ranch that we rode through was gorgeous and well maintained. During the first hour, we rode up to some beautiful waterfalls, where you can swim if you like. We also got lunch, which included kalua pork, rice, salad and cookies. Afterwards, the ride back is only about 20 min. I’d recommend wearing jeans and tennis shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy, as well as mosquito repellent for your arms. If you are staying on the island for a good amount of time, then I’d recommend this as one of the activities, otherwise if you’re short on time, I’d recommend other activities before this one.

I really really wanted to love this excursion, but I found it was severely overpriced :(
My friend and I went on a weekend, and I think overall, you are on the horse a total of less than an hour.
It was a fun thing to do, see the scenery, but I don’t think the price was worth the day. We paid $ 130 each and it included a little lunch (chicken teriyaki actually was yummy) but it just wasn’t long enough. I know we were all beginners, but you seriously trot at a walk pace. Nothing fast, at all, and I wanted to gallop a little, but no :(

Such a calming and enjoyable time. Absolutely loved it. The property was beautiful and we learned so much from our guide.

My daughter and I went on a trail ride. The plantation was beautiful. Our guide was very knowledgeable. We were able to see and appreciate so much. This is a must do when in Kauai.

This was a great adventure for the family. The guides, people and especially the horses were great to work with. We had 4 first time riders and two that hadn’t rode in forever and they paired you up with perfect horses for your skill level. We would definitely do this again.
Thanks Silver Falls Ranch!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Silver Falls. Susan, my guide, was interesting and she and I had a lot of things in common. My horse, Ono, was sweet and very gentle although he didn’t appreciate me giving him a boot in the side when he tried to sneak a bite. He didn’t test me again after that though The falls was beautiful but I didn’t go swimming because it was too cold. I definitely would recommend them to anyone interested in a trail ride on Kauai.

Jeff, our guide, was knowledgeable and the same time too hilarious! Loved him! He showed us the do’s and don’t on how to handle a horse. We are beginners so he was very patient. My husband had Ali’i and I had Nakoa. As for Nakoa, he had me dialed in! Lol! On our path he decided to eat and eat and eat some more. Finally, got in control with the reins and I managed to steer him away. Along our trail, Jeff pointed out different plants and talked about the Hawaiian history.
After, we stopped at a rest stop /​you can swim at the waterfall (looked good but we didn’t go in) had lunch which was pork sliders w/​slaw sliced fruit and a Kauai cookie for dessert. Talk story a little bit then made our way back. I recommend this place in a heartbeat and will definitely comeback again!

Silver Falls Ranch is a huge beautiful property. We rode through lush countryside with the backdrop of the five million year old volcanic mountain surrounding us. We swam in the cool water at the bottom of a small waterfall just before we were served a delicious lunch. We dined with peacocks! David was the maker of our taro patties as well as our trail guide. David is very friendly and helpful to the guest. He is also very knowledgeable about the island and will answer all of your curious questions. He has worked on 4 different horse farms in Silver Falls is his favorite. At the end of the ride they took a picture of all the guest with their own individual cameras, smart. That says something. All the staff was very friendly. All in all it was a fantastic trip.

During our recent trip to Kauai I took my 10 year-​old daughter horseback riding. We are both beginning riders (I’ve ridden once prior). We booked the three hour «Tropical Trails Adventure» which promised to take you on «hidden trails through an ancient volcanic caldera to the base of Mount Makaleha.» Also included was a picnic teriyaki chicken lunch with a swim at Silver Falls.
The trip did not disappoint! Absolutely breathtaking views of Mount Makaleha and the interior of Kauai (although the trails were not really «hidden». We stayed on well-​marked horse trails the entire way — perfect for beginners like us). I’m glad we chose this trip over a horseback ride on the beach as the scenery was beautiful. Our guide was friendly, professional, and shared good knowledge of the local flora, fauna, and history of the island. There were a total of eight riders with one guide.
The ranch provided rain slickers for us as it was raining during our trip, but it just made the trip that much more fun! Lunch was in a tiny covered picnic area and very tasty. After lunch, my daughter and I changed into our bathing suits and we swam for about 20 minutes at «Silver Falls» — really just a deep pool with a small waterfall (Note: The pool was too deep and the current fairly strong that I did not let my 10 year-​old stray too far into the pool. She stayed near the edges and was fine) The water was really cold, be we had great fun splashing in the pool. Afterward, we changed and got back on our horses for a quick ride back to the stables.
Overall, this was one of the HIGHLIGHTS of our week in Kauai. We didn’t think about horseback riding in paradise but now that we’ve done it, we will definitely go back.
NOTE: If you are planning on this trip, bring some long pants with you to Kauai. I didn’t pack any so ended up buying a pair of jeans the night before at the Walmart in Lihue! Plan accordingly!

We ended up with only the 2 of us and the guide, which was really nice, the ride was slow and not thrilling by any means, but the scenery was beautiful and the staff was very friendly. The food was good and the swim at the waterfall was nice on a warm day on horseback. We enjoyed ourselves!

My wife and I went horse back riding here during our honeymoon. We selected this place based on the great reviews we read from Unilocal.We were first timers and felt comfortable the entire time. This place offers an amazing setting. You simply cannot find a better setting for horseback riding. I know you’re in Hawaii and maybe thinking an ocean setting would be more suffice and I wouldn’t disagree with you on that until you come see this place.
A small lunch was provided mid-​way through our tour with time to swim in their little lagoon (for lack of a better word). Our group was small which was nice. Our guide (forgot his name) was friendly, very helpful and knowledgeable of the grounds. At no time did we feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Awesome place and great tour!

My family and I signed up for the Silver Falls Ride in June 2015. The group consisted of a total of 8 riders and 4 were my family and I. The ride itself was okay. The four of us were the back half and I was at the very back. They had us ride single file with 8′ between each rider. No one really had 8′ between each rider though. I couldn’t hear what the tour guide was say during the entire tour so that may attribute to my rating since I didn’t learn anything on the ride. The staff was very friendly.
Suggestion (s):
Try to stay up towards the front if you want to hear anything.
Staff: Either reduce the number of riders or maybe double up. Maybe have a tour guide towards the back.

Marvellous day out — the facility caters to riders of all experience levels. The staff are very friendly, knowledgeable and patient — as were our trusty mounts. Our guide, Todd, was tops! He was very thorough in explaining the basics to my completely-​new-​to-​riding bf, and knew quite a bit about the history, flora and fauna of the area.
We took the ride to the waterfall — definitely worth a visit! A great fresh water swim. We had both the chicken and the taro for lunch — each was excellent — particularly the taro which was less familiar to us. Wish it could be shipped to California!
Overall, a lovely day. Highly recommended!

The Silver Falls Ranch Team makes you feel right at home, super friendly and competent. Four horse rookies for a two hours ride thru jungle and a historic volcano crater (6 million years ago).
Susan, our Guide, gave us advice and confidence. We had a great adventure!

My dad and I signed up for the Silver Falls ride which we were really looking forward to. Since I was a kid, my dad and I always signed up for horseback riding tours when we traveled. A ride in Maui over 10 years ago is still one of our most memorable and we were hoping that this would be a similar experience…
This ride was nice. Slow. Like really slow. My dad and I are intermediate riders and this was barely a ride… it was like a stroll. I understand they have to accommodate all types of riders but this is really a beginner’s tour. Also, the «waterfall» is not a waterfall. It’s water falling over rocks but still pretty I suppose. And then you sit and eat lunch and talk for a long while with the other riders and tour guide, then you take a 10 minute ride back to the stables… Lame. I would have rather skipped lunch and take a longer ride.
If you have any sort of experience riding, you may want to look elsewhere. If you have small children or are a first time rider, this may be the place for you.