Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Maui: Haleakala, the Road to Hana and Molokini
7 days on Maui from one hotel in Kihei: sunrise on Haleakala, the Road to Hana with a guide, a snorkel boat to Molokini, Upcountry farms, Iao Valley and Lahaina.
7 days · Round trip from Kahului · up to 12 guests
Dawn above the clouds from Haleakala, Maui Photo: scott1346 from Mechanicsville, MD, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haleakala_sunrise_1_(25905031745).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days, 6 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Kahului
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 6 h on day 5
- Activity level
Moderate
Walks of 1 to 4 km most days on paved paths, steps and uneven lava, with one dawn at altitude: the Haleakala summit area at 3,055 m, near freezing before sunrise. The snorkel is from a boat with lifejackets and noodles, and you can stay on deck. The Road to Hana day is about 6 hours in the vehicle with short walks at each stop. Every walk has an easier alternative, and you can sit any of it out.
- Meals included
- 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,115 (estimated price)
- Season
- All year; December to April for humpback whales off Maui
Highlights
Why this trip
- Sunrise from the summit area of Haleakala at 3,055 m, above a sea of cloud, with the sunrise permit or reservation held by our licensed operator
- The Road to Hana with a guide at the wheel: waterfalls, the Keanae peninsula and the black sand of Waianapanapa, with a set time to turn back
- A morning snorkel boat to Molokini, a sunken volcanic crater off the south coast, before the trade winds pick up
- Breakfast in Kula after sunrise, then a working Upcountry farm and the old ranching town of Makawao
- The Iao Needle at the 7 am opening, before the tour buses
- Lahaina, told by people who live there, with lunch at a business that has reopened
- One hotel for six nights and a whole free day on the south shore
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 6 h, on day 5.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,115 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 6 h, on day 5.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive on Maui
Kahului airport (OGG) to Kihei
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Kihei
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Kahului (OGG) on Maui, ideally landing by about 3 pm.
Morning
On the approach you cross the flat isthmus between the two volcanoes that make the island: the West Maui Mountains on one side and the long slope of Haleakala on the other, where you will be before dawn on day 3. Our driver meets you at arrivals for the 30-minute drive south to your hotel in Kihei, your base for all six nights, so you unpack once. If you land early, walk to the beach across the road, swim, or watch the light go orange over the islands of Kahoolawe and Lanai offshore. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group in the hotel lobby to talk through the week: the early start on Haleakala, the snorkel boat and the long day on the Hana Highway.
Evening
Then we walk to a welcome dinner nearby. Most guests from Canada wake early on the first mornings, which suits the plan.
Included
- Arrival transfer from Kahului airport (OGG) to your Kihei hotel
- Welcome meeting with your guide
- Welcome dinner in Kihei
Free time: Afternoon free before the welcome meeting
Activity: Landing after 6 pm? Your guide catches you up at breakfast.
Iao Valley and Lahaina
Kihei to Iao Valley State Monument and Wailuku, then Lahaina and Kaanapali, back to Kihei
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kihei
- Drive about 3 h
We are at Iao Valley State Monument for the 7 am opening, with the non-resident entry reservation made, while the valley is quiet and the cloud often still sits on the ridges. A paved path and steps lead to a view of the Iao Needle, a green spire rising about 370 m from the valley floor. Your guide tells the story of Kepaniwai, the 1790 battle in this valley in Kamehameha's campaign to unite the islands. Then over the pali road to the west side and Lahaina, once the royal capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom and a whaling port. The August 2023 wildfire killed more than 100 people here and destroyed most of the town. We do not tour the burn area: your guide explains the history and the rebuilding, and where a community group offers a talk we join it and pay its fee.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a reopened restaurant in Lahaina or Kaanapali, then a walk on Kaanapali Beach before driving back to Kihei by about 3:30 pm.
Included
- Iao Valley State Monument entry, reservation and walk to the Iao Needle viewpoint
- Lahaina: the town's history and its rebuilding, with a community talk where one is offered
- Lunch at a reopened restaurant in Lahaina or Kaanapali
- Kaanapali Beach walk
Easier option: Stay at the lower Iao viewpoint by the stream instead of climbing the steps.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Kihei; an early night helps before tomorrow's 3 am start
Activity: What visitors can see in Lahaina changes as rebuilding goes on. We follow Maui County's guidance for each date and ask the group not to photograph homes or the burn area.
Sunrise on Haleakala and Upcountry Maui
Kihei to the summit of Haleakala for sunrise, then Kula, an Upcountry farm and Makawao, back to Kihei
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kihei
- Drive about 4 h
The early start of the trip, and the reason we put it on day 3, while you still wake early.
Morning
We leave Kihei at about 3 am, the exact time set by the season's sunrise, and climb the switchbacks into Haleakala National Park in the dark, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, to the summit area at 3,055 m. The park requires a sunrise reservation for every vehicle, and our licensed operator holds the sunrise permit or reservation. The sun comes up over a sea of cloud and lights the crater below, a basin of red and grey cinder cones about 11 km long. It is near freezing at dawn; we bring blankets and hot drinks. After sunrise there is a short walk to a viewpoint and a look for the silverswords, a plant that grows almost nowhere else.
Afternoon
On the way down, breakfast in Kula, then a working Upcountry farm on the volcano's slopes with a tasting and a farm lunch, and a walk through Makawao, the old ranching town. Back in Kihei by about 2:30 pm to rest.
Included
- Haleakala National Park entry, with the sunrise permit or reservation held by our licensed operator
- Sunrise at the summit area, 3,055 m, with blankets and hot drinks
- Breakfast in Kula
- Upcountry farm visit with a tasting and lunch
- Makawao walk
Easier option: Stay in the warm vehicle while the group walks to the summit viewpoints.
More active option: Walk a short way down the Keoneheehee (Sliding Sands) trail into the crater and climb back slowly at altitude.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Kihei
Activity: Bring every warm layer you have. Not advised in pregnancy or with heart or breathing conditions. Total driving is about 4 hours over about 150 km, in stretches of under 2 hours.
Snorkel boat to Molokini
Kihei to the boat harbour, Molokini Crater and a second reef stop off the south coast, back to Kihei
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kihei
- Drive about 30 min
Afternoon
A short drive to the harbour for a morning snorkel boat at about 7 am, when the sea is usually at its flattest before the afternoon trade winds. Molokini is the rim of a sunken volcanic crater about 4 km off Maui's south coast, a crescent of rock that shelters a marine reserve of clear, calm water where you can often see 30 m down. The licensed operator's crew gives a briefing and provides masks, fins, lifejackets and flotation noodles, with lifeguards watching from the boat; your guide snorkels with the group. The second stop is a reef along the south coast where green sea turtles often graze: give them at least 3 m, as touching or chasing them is against the law in Hawaii. Breakfast and lunch are served on board, and from about December to April humpback whales are often seen on the crossing. Back in Kihei by about 12:30 pm, with the afternoon free.
Included
- Morning snorkel boat to Molokini Crater with a licensed operator
- Second snorkel stop on a south-coast reef
- Masks, fins, lifejackets and flotation noodles
- Breakfast and lunch on board
Easier option: Stay on deck, or snorkel only at the calmer second stop.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Kihei
Activity: Boat trips can be cancelled in high wind or surf; if so we rebook on day 6. Bring non-nano mineral sunscreen only.
The Road to Hana
Kihei to Paia, the Hana Highway, the Keanae peninsula, Waianapanapa State Park and Hana, back the same way
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kihei
- Drive about 6 h
The long day of the trip, and the one day over our 4-hour driving cap: about 6 hours on the road over about 210 km. We keep one Kihei base so you unpack once, and a Hana overnight would add a second hotel, so we go from Kihei with our driver at the wheel and your guide talking, and break it with a stop every 20 to 30 minutes. We leave at 6:30 am to be ahead of the rental cars, with coffee in Paia, then the Hana Highway along the wet northeast coast: hundreds of bends and dozens of one-lane bridges past rainforest and waterfalls such as Upper Waikani Falls. We stop on the Keanae peninsula, where taro is grown in terraced patches and the surf hits black lava. At Waianapanapa State Park, with the entry slot booked, you walk to the black sand beach and the sea caves.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Hana town. We turn back at 1:30 pm whatever the weather, so the drive home is in daylight, and reach Kihei by about 5:30 pm.
Included
- Guided Road to Hana in our own vehicle, with a driver
- Waterfall stops, including Upper Waikani Falls
- The Keanae peninsula
- Waianapanapa State Park entry and reservation: the black sand beach and sea caves
- Lunch in Hana
Easier option: Skip the day and stay in Kihei for a beach day instead.
More active option: The coastal trail at Waianapanapa, about 1.5 km each way on lava rock.
Free time: Evening free in Kihei
Activity: About 6 hours of driving in stretches of 20 to 45 minutes. The road is narrow and winding: bring motion-sickness tablets if you need them and a rain layer. If the highway is closed after heavy rain, we swap this day with day 6.
A free day on the south shore
Kihei and the south shore at your own pace
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Kihei
A whole day with nothing planned, after three early starts.
Morning
Kihei and Wailea have a string of beaches along the south shore with calm water most mornings, and a paved coastal path between the Wailea resorts that is good for a walk at sunrise. Your guide is at the hotel at breakfast to suggest a plan or book what you want. From about December to April a whale watch from Maalaea, about 20 minutes away, is the most popular choice: humpback whales spend the winter in the channels between Maui, Lanai and Kahoolawe.
Evening
The Maui Ocean Center at Maalaea is another option for a rainy morning, and a luau in the evening is a third. Or do nothing at all: the hotel pool and a book are a fine use of the day. If the snorkel boat or the Road to Hana was rained out, we run it today instead. Tonight the group meets for a farewell dinner in Kihei.
Included
- Farewell dinner in Kihei
Optional experiences
- Whale watch from Maalaea, December to April. About 2 hours; the price is shown when you book
- Luau on the south or west shore. Evening; the price is shown when you book
Free time: The whole day is free until the farewell dinner
Activity: This is also the weather back-up day for the snorkel boat and the Road to Hana.
Depart from Maui
Kihei to Kahului airport (OGG)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
A last morning on the south shore. If the sea is calm, your guide walks anyone who wants a last swim or snorkel to the beach at about 7:30 am, when the water is usually flattest and turtles are often grazing near the rocks; others can take a slow breakfast or walk the beach path. Check out at about 10:30 am and drive about 30 minutes north across the isthmus to Kahului airport (OGG), arriving by about 11:15 am, where our service ends. Kahului has nonstop flights to the US West Coast and seasonal flights to western Canada, and we confirm your flight options home when you book. Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm. If you want to stay on, we can add nights at the group hotel in Kihei, or help you add a few days on another island; our three-island and four-island Hawaii trips show what is possible.
Included
- Transfer to Kahului airport (OGG)
Free time: Early morning free for a last swim
Activity: Book your flight home to leave Kahului after about 1 pm.
- Kahuluistart
- Kihei6 nights
- Kahuluiend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Maui's south shore around Kihei is dry and warm all year, about 27 to 31 C by day in summer and 25 to 28 C in winter. The Hana side and the West Maui Mountains are much wetter, with showers in any month and heavier rain from about November to March, when the Hana Highway can close for a few hours after storms. The sea off Molokini is usually calmest in the early morning. From about December to April humpback whales winter in the channels around Maui, and you can often see them from the shore and the snorkel boat. At the Haleakala summit dawn is near freezing in every season.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want a full week on Maui without renting a car or booking permits and timed entries
- Anyone who wants Haleakala at sunrise, Molokini and the Road to Hana in one trip, with a guide who explains them
- Solo travellers and couples who like a small group and one hotel for the week
- First-time visitors to Hawaii who would rather see one island well than four in a hurry
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want several islands: see our three-island and four-island Hawaii trips
- A beach resort week with long lazy days every day
- Anyone who cannot manage altitude near 3,000 m, a 3 am start or a 6-hour day on a winding road
- Travellers who would rather drive themselves
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
6 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Kihei6 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 6 nights in Kihei on Maui's south shore, all in one hotel
- A central hotel of a 3-star-plus standard, close to the beach and restaurants; we name it when we confirm your dates
- Hotel taxes and mandatory resort fees
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Arrival and departure transfers at Kahului airport (OGG)
- A vehicle and driver for the group every day, from a local partner
- The snorkel boat to Molokini with a licensed operator
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from the welcome meeting on day 1 to the airport on day 7
- Licensed local partners where sites require them: the Haleakala sunrise permit, state park commercial permits and the boat crew and lifeguards
Activities
- Haleakala National Park: sunrise at the summit area, with the sunrise permit or reservation held by our licensed operator, blankets and hot drinks
- Iao Valley State Monument at the 7 am opening
- Lahaina's history and rebuilding with your guide, with a community talk where one is offered, and a walk on Kaanapali Beach
- An Upcountry farm visit with a tasting, and Makawao
- Molokini Crater snorkel boat with a second reef stop, masks, fins and flotation
- The Road to Hana with the Keanae peninsula, waterfall stops and Waianapanapa State Park
- All park and state park entry fees and reservations for the visits above
Meals
- 6 breakfasts
- 4 lunches: in Lahaina or Kaanapali, at the Upcountry farm, on the snorkel boat and in Hana
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner and a farewell dinner in Kihei
Not included
- Flights to and from Kahului (OGG)
- US entry documents: an ESTA or visa where needed
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed above
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide, driver, boat crew and local guides
- Optional activities, such as a whale watch or a luau on the free day
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,115 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the Maui trip include?
Six nights in one central Kihei hotel with taxes and resort fees, 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 2 dinners, airport transfers, a vehicle and driver every day, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every visit in the day plan with its entry fee and reservation: Haleakala at sunrise, the Molokini snorkel boat, the Road to Hana, Iao Valley, the Upcountry farm and Lahaina.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, so the group fits in one small vehicle on the Hana Highway and around one table at lunch. Coach tours of Hawaii can carry 40 or more. If you want fewer people, the private version is for your party only.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide is with the group from the welcome dinner to the airport. Local partners provide the vehicle and driver, the permits that national and state parks require of tour groups, and the boat and crew for Molokini. We name each partner when we confirm your dates.
How fit do I need to be for this Maui tour?
Moderately fit. Most days have 1 to 4 km of walking on paths, steps and uneven lava. The Haleakala summit area is 3,055 m and near freezing at dawn, the snorkel is from a boat with flotation, and the Road to Hana is a long day in the vehicle. Every walk has an easier option.
I am travelling solo. What does a room of my own cost?
A room of your own is CAD 1,115 on top of the small-group price, shown before you book. If you would rather share, we can try to pair you with another solo traveller of the same gender; tell us when you request to book. Solo guests take part in everything on the same terms as couples.
When is the best time to visit Maui on this trip?
The trip runs all year, and Kihei is warm and dry in every month. From about December to April humpback whales winter around Maui, but the Hana side is wetter and the road can close after storms. Summer is drier and the sea usually calmer for snorkelling. The Haleakala summit is cold at dawn all year.
How long is the Road to Hana day, and why go with a guide?
About 6 hours of driving over about 210 km, from 6:30 am to about 5:30 pm, with a stop every 20 to 30 minutes and lunch in Hana. Our driver handles the bends and one-lane bridges, we hold the Waianapanapa entry slot, and we turn back at 1:30 pm so the drive home is in daylight.
How early is the Haleakala sunrise start?
Pickup is at about 3 am from Kihei, set by the season's sunrise, for a drive of roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours to the summit area at 3,055 m. Our licensed operator holds the sunrise permit or reservation; we bring blankets and hot drinks, and have breakfast in Kula on the way down. You are back by mid-afternoon.
Is it right to visit Lahaina after the fire?
Yes, with care. West Maui reopened to visitors in stages from late 2023, and the businesses that have reopened depend on them. We do not tour the burn area or photograph homes. We follow Maui County's guidance for visitors on each date, eat at a business that has reopened, and join a community talk where one is offered.
How does booking work?
Choose the small-group or private style and your start date, then send a request to book. We check the hotel, the boat and the timed entries for that date and confirm your trip within 24 hours. No payment is taken until we confirm.
Can we travel on our own dates?
Yes. The private version runs for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle every day. If you would rather travel independently without a guide, ask us from the dates section for a separate quote for the same hotel, boat and entries.
Do I need a visa or ESTA for Hawaii?
Hawaii is part of the United States. Canadian citizens need a valid passport and no visa for a visit of this length. Many other visitors need an ESTA under the Visa Waiver Program or a US visa, arranged before you fly. Check the rules for your passport when you book.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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