Doors-Off Helicopter Tour Of Kauai: My Review & Photos

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The Na Pali coast on Kauai might be probably the most lovely shoreline on the planet, and there’s no higher technique to see it than by air.

I’ve at all times needed to fly over Kauai in a helicopter with the doorways off, and final week it lastly occurred! I joined Jack Harter Helicopters on a 1 hour scenic flight across the island and took tons of of photographs.

It was a tremendous expertise, and I’ve to say I used to be impressed with the entire tour from begin to end. It was even higher than I anticipated.

In this overview, I’ll clarify all the things you’ll want to know concerning the Kauai scenic flights, together with the costs, security, and what to anticipate if you’re within the air. I’ll additionally share a few of the photos I took by myself flight!

 

The Company: Jack Harter Helicopters

I did my flight with Jack Harter Helicopters, an organization that dates again to 1975 on Kauai.

Today, there are many corporations providing helicopter excursions on Kauai, however Jack began the primary firm on the island.

They additionally pioneered the concept of doors-off excursions for higher views and pictures with none home windows in the way in which.

You can learn extra of their historical past right here. It’s very fascinating.

Disclosure: I obtained a free flight from Jack Harter in alternate for an trustworthy overview. All opinions are my very own. I solely advocate services that I really feel are prime quality and useful to my readers.

 

Kauai Scenic Flight: What To Expect

My tour began with a fast check-in on the Jack Harter workplace in Lihue, adopted by a 5 minute minivan switch to the airport with a bunch of different passengers.

There, we had a security briefing with some tips on tips on how to work the seatbelts in case of an emergency, after which we have been divided into two teams.

Jack Harter seats 4 passengers on every flight, with two passengers within the entrance with the pilot, and two within the rear.

The passenger within the entrance center seat may need to lean over to take photos, however except for that, you’ll all have window seats.

Everyone has an excellent view of the motion, so don’t fear about your seat task an excessive amount of. The helicopter even circles and hovers over a few of the finest picture spots, so everybody has an opportunity to take photos.

Our group flew with Chrissy Marsaglia, a feminine pilot from NYC who’s achieved the tour 1000’s of instances. She was an excellent communicator and you can inform she’s very comfy with flying. She defined every of the sights as we went.

We circled the island in a clockwise route, and listed below are a few of the issues I noticed:

• Manawaiopuna Falls. The 400-foot waterfall utilized in one of many opening scenes of Jurassic Park.
• Waimea Canyon. The Grand Canyon of the Pacific, with sections as much as 3,000 ft deep. If you’ve been to the state park by automobile, then it’s actually a deal with to see it up shut from a special angle.
• Waipo’o Falls. A multi-tiered waterfall in Waimea Canyon. This is identical waterfall you could have seen from the pull-off spots alongside the highway within the state park.
• Na Pali Coast. This was one of many tour highlights. We had loads of time to see all the primary landmarks of the Na Pali coast, just like the Kalalau Valley and Honopu Beach.
• North Shore. We handed over some nice seashores on the North Shore, together with Ke’e and Hanalei Bay.
• Mt Waialeale. An extinct volcanic mountain within the coronary heart of the island. It has a ‘weeping wall’ of waterfalls that come alive after rain.

       

Sometimes the excursions additionally fly over Wailua Falls, a preferred twin waterfall on the east aspect of Kauai.

Overall, one of the best a part of the tour for me was the Na Pali coast. It’s in all probability probably the most spectacular shoreline on the planet, and seeing these large cliffs from above was simply unbelievable.

If you’ve ever hiked the Kalalau Trail, or have plans to do this, then it’s additional particular seeing it from this special approach and figuring out you’ve hiked alongside the sting of these mountains and camped on the seashore.

One of the great issues about Jack Harter is that their excursions run for a full 60-65 minutes, in comparison with 45-50 minutes with different corporations on the island.

I clocked our flight at just a little over 65 minutes, from the second we climbed into the helicopter, to once we stepped out.

Even with the longer flight time, the entire thing is such a thrill it goes by quick!

       

 

When Is The Best Time To Fly?

As a photographer, I spent plenty of time making an attempt to determine one of the best time to do a helicopter flight on Kauai.

In basic, the driest and sunniest months are from April to October. This can be the proper time to do a helicopter tour of the island.

The wet season is principally from November to March, and it tends to be particularly moist in January and February. However, these months can nonetheless be simply tremendous for a helicopter tour.

I’ve visited Kauai within the wet season a number of instances, and most days are likely to have calm and sunny climate. The photographs on this article have been taken in January, and the climate was phenomenal, so don’t write it off.

       

Any time of day is sweet for flying, and there’s no ‘best’ time slot except you’re a photographer. Even then, the variations are fairly minor from hour to hour.

In the winter, afternoon or night is finest if you happen to’re a photographer desirous to seize the Na Pali coast by helicopter.

That’s when you possibly can catch the dramatic lighting and shadows in your photos. Otherwise, Na Pali is backlit for a lot of the day throughout the winter months.

In the summer time, it’s a bit totally different. Early morning has a few of the finest lighting for photographs, particularly for Na Pali and Waialeale, however truthfully any time of day will work nice. Midday brings out probably the most mild and colours.

If you’re watching the climate forecast in anticipation, don’t fear about just a little little bit of rain or wind. Those normally received’t have an effect on the excursions, and generally they make good rainbows and waterfalls.

 

What Does The Flight Cost?

As of 2026, the price of the 60 minute helicopter tour with Jack Harter is $399 USD per individual.

They even have shorter excursions at roughly half the worth. Those excursions don’t go to the Na Pali coast, so that you received’t see fairly as a lot, however they nonetheless go some nice surroundings at Waialeale and the waterfalls within the coronary heart of Kauai.

Either method, their excursions are actually value what they cost! Where else are you able to get views like this?

If you’re all for reserving, you possibly can examine the present costs and different phrases on their web site right here.

 

Is The Helicopter Safe?

I’m usually just a little nervous about helicopters, however Jack Harter has an awesome security document spanning greater than 60 years.

They’ve flown these routes tens of 1000’s of instances, they usually know them very nicely.

If the climate isn’t ok for flying, they’ll reschedule your tour for a greater day. Safety is the highest precedence.

Sure, it’s just a little scary if you first carry off the bottom and the doorways are large open, however you’re firmly secured with a seatbelt and harness.

Having the doorways off makes the entire expertise extra immersive. You nearly overlook you’re in a helicopter, and it feels such as you’re simply flying by means of Kauai with none boundaries.

Jack Harter additionally has excursions with the doorways on if you happen to choose that, however belief me: it’s extra enjoyable with them off, and it’s significantly better for taking photographs.

 

Other Tips For The Flight

• No Loose Items. For open door flights, they don’t permit unfastened issues like hats, luggage, or flip flops. Phones and cameras must have a strap, however they’ll present this if you happen to don’t have one. You can learn extra of their FAQ right here.
• Camera Settings. Shutter speeds of not less than 1/1000 sec are finest to keep away from movement blur or propellers within the body.
• Lens Type. A large angle lens is usually finest for this, since you’ll be flying at shut vary alongside large cliffs and canyons. I used a 10-24mm lens on my Fuji X-T5 digital camera, and most of my photos have been taken on the shortest focal size.

 

More Kauai Travel Guides

Thanks for trying! I hope you loved this overview of my doors-off flight with Jack Harter Helicopters.

Don’t overlook to take a look at my different journey guides for Hawaii earlier than you go!