Piiholo Ranch Zipline Maui

In the rainforest on the north east slope of Haleakala is Piiholo Ranch. Rolling hills and dramatic valleys cover the landscape shaped by time. Towering trees and lush tropical vegetation make this area one of the most beautiful on Maui. It’s the kind of place you’d love to see from a bird’s eye view. If you’re up for the challenge and ready for the thrill of a lifetime, you can on the Piiholo Ranch Zipline! This Maui Zipline Tour is one of the most thrilling adventures available in Hawaii.

Besides for the gorgeous landscape, Piiholo Ranch Zip Line Tours boasts the only 4 person tandem zipline in Hawaii as well as the longest zip line in Hawaii – over a half mile of exhilaration where, under the right conditions, you can race along at speeds exceeding 60 miles per hour!

Watch a video of this Maui Zipline Tour

You know you’re in for a thrill from the moment the tour begins as you cross the first valley on foot over a swinging suspension bridge. Only 7 Maui zipline tour participants can cross the bridge at a time, so if there are more in your group than that, you might get to watch the bridge sway before your turn. Don’t let the butterflies in your stomach stop you from crossing, because the first Hawaii zipline on this tour is the 4 person tandem zip – the only one in Hawaii! We know we mentioned that before, but for families and friends, there is NOTHING that compares to sharing the excitement of this zipline tour with those closest to you. After a short briefing and instructional chat, your Piiholo Ranch Zip Line guide will take you to the top of the first tower. This 4 person tandem zip is the shortest of the course over a gentle grassland (Piiholo Ranch is a working cattle ranch). They’re breaking you in easy here, though from the top of the tower this looks anything but easy! Be sure to take a look around at the top of the tower – there are some great views of the surrounding rainforest. After your harness is attached to the line, your guide gives you a countdown and you take a leap over the edge of the tower. Your heart will pound because it goes against every fiber of your being to take that jump. But thrill seekers know that the adrenaline rush is WELL worth it.

All too soon, the first zip is over and you wait for the rest of the group at a covered picnic area. When its sunny, you’ll be glad for the shade. When its raining, you’ll be glad for the shelter. Raining? Yes, this Maui Zipline Tour on Piiholo Ranch takes place rain or shine! In a rainforest, rain is to be expected.

When your Maui Zip Line Tour group is finished with the first zip, you’ll take a short hike over to the second course up a suspended rope bridge to another tower. Now you know what to expect, except from here on out the rest of the zip lines are 2 person. This zip is also your first over a valley. Don’t just look straight ahead – look around at the lush vegetation that covers the valley walls and floor. Keep your eyes open for wild animals, too. Deer and wild boar are sometimes seen. As you soar over the valley, you might not be able to suppress a shout of excitement. No one else does, so why should you?

The third zipline again starts with a climb up a rope bridge to another tower, and the line takes you back over the valley you just crossed. This time, you can see the steep rock face on the other side that you just jumped off on the last zip! If the thrill of zipping over a Maui rainforest valley isn’t enough to get you off the edge, the promise of snacks at the other end might. Juice, water, chips, and nature bars are available at the other end if you dare… As you replenish your energy, you’ll be serenaded by the screams of excitement by others who have gone before you. Literally, the group before you should be finishing their Maui zipline tour about now and some of them will be coming down the half mile line. But not you, not yet!

After your snack, a massive tower awaits – here is the difference between the 4 line course and the 5 line course. If you’ve chosen the 4 Maui Zip Line course, you’ll take a route over the valley back to the parking lot – a thrilling zip that is a fitting end to the most exciting Maui activity there is. The 5 line challenge course has a lot more in store for those adventurers with enough guts to accept it. Number 4 is a quarter mile monster back to the other side of the valley. The view from atop the tower is amazing - Be sure to look around! As you zip across the valley, look on the bottom to your left for two swimming holes surely used by the ancient Hawaiian people.

At the end of number 4 on the Piiholo Ranch Zip Line Tour in Maui, you are at the bottom of Piiholo hill where you will wait for your cowboy limousine ride to the top. Your rugged 4 wheel drive transport arrives, and as soon as your escort gets permission from the ranchers, he will drive you to the top where the best view of the ranch, rainforest and valley awaits. This is surely an opportunity for a picture if ever there was one! There is no tower here – just a simple platform and a full half mile zipline down the hill, over the valley, and back to the suspension bridge. If you missed the pools number 4, this is a better chance to see them, as the line passes directly over top. As far as grand finales go, this half-mile Maui zip line is one of the best! Take the cannonball position to pick up some serious speed! It seems like time has stopped while you’re on the line, the wind whipping around you, the landscape racing by under you. Surely this is what it must feel like to fly!

Before you know it you’re back on terra firma, though your pulse will still be racing. The walk back across the suspension bridge over the valley that started the Piiholo ranch zipline tour is not so intimidating now, no matter how much it sways as you cross it.

If this Maui Zip Line Tour sounds like fun to you, it is! But there are some slight restrictions to consider. First, if you’re scared of heights, this might not be the best choice. Heights are part of the game. Second, you must be able to carry your harness (about 12 pounds) up the rope / platform bridges and while walking short distances. Third, you cannot weigh more than 275 pounds. You will have to step on a scale before the tour, so make sure you’re under the limit. Finally, you must be at least 10 years old to participate.

Some quick facts about the Maui Zipline Tours on Piiholo Ranch:

• The cables are STRONG – they won’t snap under your weight. They are the same cables used on aircraft carriers used to stop jets from speeding off the edge of the ship as they land!
• Rain coats are provided, but they won’t make you wear them. Keep in mind that it does rain often in the rainforest where Piiholo ranch Maui Zipline tour is located.
• You are encouraged to take pictures, but you cannot do so while zipping.
• You must wear close toed shoes. Long pants are encouraged.

The 4 Zipline Tour is offered at 9:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm.

The 5 Zipline Tour is offered at 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 1:00 pm.