Hawaii delivered many wonderful days but my favourite on the island of Oahu was our visit to Kualoa Ranch. We were wowed by the scenery and loved the ATV Raptor tour.
Kualoa Ranch has provided a stunning backdrop for many movies including Jurassic Park and my personal favourite, 50 First Dates. And the good news is, the Movie and Ranch Tour offers an accessible vehicle for visitors who wish to tour Kualoa Ranch while remaining in their wheelchair.
Kualoa Ranch Hawaii review
We enjoyed the hour’s drive from Waikiki Beach, where we were staying, to get to Kualoa Ranch. Once I got the hang of driving on the right hand side of the road, and dared look left and right, I loved the mountainous scenery along the way.
Established in 1850, Kualoa is a 1600 hectare (4,000-acre) private nature reserve and working cattle ranch. The scenery around the property is jaw-droppingly beautiful, certainly proving it is a worthy backdrop for any movie scene, though it most definitely steals the show even from the most beautiful A-list movie star.
As we drove around Kualoa Ranch we admired the steep mountain cliffs (surely the inspiration for the Disney animation, Moana) the lush Hawaiian rainforest and ocean views. Kualoa Ranch has it all.
Amelia and I were booked on a two hour AV Raptor tour which gave us the chance to sample much of what Kualoa Ranch has to offer. There were a few bumpy sections along the way but having done many buggy tours in the past this one was pretty smooth going.
The tour has several stops allowing for photos and to learn more from the guides about Hawaiian culture, the property itself and the movies which have been filmed at Kualoa Ranch.
I have a confession to make, I don’t think I’ve ever watched Jurassic Park to the end. I know, absolutely shocking, but it’s just not my thing. Anyway, that didn’t stop me from getting involved in the shenanigans of a photo opportunity with the dinosaurs.
Amelia may have been mortified by my antics but Braeden thoroughly appreciated my efforts.
Although we were not on the movie tour, we did pass some of the sets from the movies in our travels.
Our tour guides were engaging and the scenery otherworldly making Kualoa Ranch an experience I’d highly recommend for anyone travelling to Hawaii. Even though this is a super popular tourist attraction, once out amongst the Hawaiian scenery it feels like it’s just you and your tour group.
It is important to note accessibility and to check it will be suitable to your access needs.
Accessibility at Kualoa Ranch Hawaii
Kualoa Ranch offers good accessibility but there are a few things to note that will make your experience smoother.
Kualoa Ranch’s activities are probably one of the most popular with visitors to Oahu so my first tip is to book in advance. Tours can be sold out weeks ahead of time in busy times. If you’d like to book the wheelchair accessible Movie & Ranch Tour, where guests can remain in their wheelchair, this needs to be booked at least 48 hours in advance. Make sure you speak to a staff member about booking this accessible/ADA tour and be clear about your needs.
On arrival at Kualoa Ranch there are multiple accessible parking bays in front of the entrance.
A ramp is located to the left of the large staircase providing step-free access to the entrance.
While on tour we spotted the wheelchair accessible/ADA tour vehicle (see photo above) but make sure you book this well in advance if you need it.
The AV Raptor tour requires a guest to be able to negotiate a small step up into the vehicle. We’ve done several of these tours with Braeden as he is able to do a standing transfer and would be able to manage this one. He loves buggy tours.
If you are hungry after all the excitement of the tour there is a range of food options for sale and a covered area for eating. Although the majority of the seating is picnic benches, there are several tables with chairs too.
Like many of the bathrooms in Hawaii, the accessible stalls at Kualoa Ranch are located within the men’s and women’s toilets. There are no unisex stand-alone accessible bathrooms.
We were guests of Kualoa Ranch but as usual our opinions are our own. I’d return to Kualoa Ranch at my own expense in a heartbeat.
