Tour HANA...in Style; then continue your Excursion on the magnificent Road Past HANA with Maui's #1 Luxury Tour Company.
Maui Rainforest
The lush vegetation along the road to Hana allows for many creative photo opportunities. Maui is blessed with both a dry, sunny side and a wet, lush side. Our Road to Hana Tour winds through the lush rain forests of Maui. This gives you the opportunity to see, feel, smell and hear the sounds of our rainforest. Let us take you there you will be glad you took our "Road to Hana Van Tour".
"Well informed, careful driver. He was courteous and affable. This tour was the highlight of our trip."
--- Phyllis Stuelke
Valley Isle Excursions, Inc. takes you on one of the most breathtaking drives on earth through Maui's tropical rainforest. 52 miles, 617 curves, 56 one lane bridges, pineapple fields, spectacular cliffs, bamboo jungles, waterfalls, tropical streams and pools, colorful and fragrant island flowers and rainforest vegetation are all to be enjoyed on your way to "Heavenly Hana".
The island of Maui is blessed with amazing landscapes and seascapes. After a day tour with Valley Isle Excursions you will definitely be singing Maui No Ka Oi (Maui is the best).
The bulk of Maui's forests stretch across the rainy northern sections of the West Maui Mountains and Mount Haleakala. This rain feeds a tropical rainforest filled with colorful trees, noisy birds, fragrant flowers and hundreds of streams. The terrain is quite steep and water rushes down the mountain creating incredible waterfalls up to 400 feet in height.
The Maui rainforest covers a good portion of Haleakala from about sea-level to the tree-line which is at about 6000 feet. The rainforest on Maui are typical of forests around the world with their many layers of plant and animal zones. Trees such as the Koa make up the canopy and shelter the many smaller trees, ferns and shrubs growing closer to the ground. Over the past few hundred years many species of non-native plants and weeds have been introduced into the ecosystem. Guava, coffee, bamboo and ginger have flourished in Maui's tropical environment forcing many of the native species out. A Maui rainforest hike into the huge bamboo stands of Maui will be something you will never forget.
Animals on Maui Hikes
Many of the animals you may encounter in the rain forests of Maui are non-native like the mongoose and the feral pig. Both have been introduced to Hawaii by the polynesians centuries ago and by the european land owners. Kauai is the only island in the Hawaiian chain that does not have a mongoose issue. The mongoose was introduced to deal with the rats in the sugarcane fields. This ultimately did not work because the two animals are on opposite schedules so they never crossed paths. The native birds are particularly endangered because of the mongoose which they target for food. The feral pig is by far the most destructive by eating and crushing the delicate roots of native trees. As those trees die the soil is subject to erosion causing landslides and greater destruction.
Maui Eco Tours
Valley Isle Excursions wants you to experience the Hawaii of your dreams which means hiking into the rainforest of Oheo Gulch, above the Seven Pools. What do we think is the best Maui rainforest hike? It's the one that can be done by all ages and starts at the Seven Pools by the ocean and follows the Oheo Gulch. It's an easy uphill climb through a varied landscape of bamboo, banyan and stands of fruit trees and bushes. You'll wander past hundreds of waterfalls, steep cliffs and crystal clear mountain pools. Being environmentally responsible is always a top priority as we know our ecosystem is very fragile. On our Maui eco tours we teach you all about the environment of the island while showing you the beauty and excitement that this rugged land has to offer.
Maui Hikes
There are so many Maui hikes to pools to enjoy that a couple weeks on the island is just not enough. A day trip to Hana will wet your appetite for more eco-adventures so book your tour early in your vacation. If you enjoy hiking you will also want to go down into Haleakala crater, go up the Iao Valley as well as exploring the trails just past Makena that wander through a volcanic landscape created just a few centuries ago.
|
