At All About the View ATV Tours, you are encouraged to explore the rich cultural landscape from mountain to sea beginning at WOH Ranch, via a UTV. Your UTV tour, which can be a solo, tandem, or tandem with passengers begins at the working WOH Ranch in Honokaa, HI. UTV, in case you are wondering, is pretty much the same premise as an ATV but it includes a roll bar/cage. Two guests at most are allowed to ride the UTV for your tour around the picturesque Honokaa area, with groups of 12 or fewer being accommodated during any tour.
When beginning your tour, you will start at the working ranch and farm operation at WOH. This location provides exclusive and enchanting views of the Hamakua. You will travel through land divisions that stretch from the mountain to the ocean and feature an abundance of native fauna and flora. The breathtaking gardens making up the area feature fishponds full of Hamakua sunfish, breadfruit trees, dwarf coconuts, sugar cane, sweet potato, taro, multiple varieties of bananas, and more. After moving past this beautiful scenery you will end up at the engineering masterpiece known as the Hamakua ditch, originally built in 1906 as a lifeline for the sugarcane industry. Even today it remains a benefit for area farmers and wildlife.
Your tour will then take you past the spring-fed reservoir where you will see horses and cattle roaming or taking leisurely swims. You will then head towards the mountain where you will enjoy a sweeping panoramic view of the grasslands. You will also likely note old-growth forests, where the Hawaiian hawk and Hawaiian owl make their nests. You might also spy turkey flocks, and wild boar, along with Hawaii’s beloved nene goose. From this elevation of 2,350 feet, your journey will then take you towards the ocean, descending into the grasslands which are home to a rescued herd of Kona Nightingales.
If you have never heard of this species, you might be surprised to learn that unlike you probably assumed, this isn’t a flock of bird or fowl of any kind, but instead a herd of small donkeys who are descended from a bygone era when the area coffee plantations required the use of their sturdiness and muscle. At night when left alone, these donkeys will bray to companions, making a nightingale call, which is what inspires their Nightingale name.
When your tour arrives at the ocean, you will hear the waves pounding against the sheer cliffs as you safely cruise under a canopy of ironwood trees, located near some Hawaiian settlement remnants. Taste the salt in the wind and look for the dry-stacked rock walls and cattle enclosures, trails, and tunnels that hint at the area’s history of commerce and travel. Enjoy the beautiful Hamakua coastline, where on a clear day you can view north face cliffs of Maui, Polou, and Waipio on the horizon. The site was historically used as a delivery access point for Hawaiian sugar. Today, fishermen will still gather sustenance from this area by catching mahi-mahi, ulua, and barracuda.
This location is known for fascinating marine life, so be sure to look for humpback whales as they make their seasonal migrations. You might also see spinner dolphins leaping in acrobatic displays playfully with their families or spy turtles riding the surges of foam. At the end of the tour, departure is always bittersweet. While you have enjoyed your experience immensely, you are sad to see it end. You will cozy back into your UTV for the long haul up the range to the WOH Ranch where you began, hopefully with some memorable stories and experiences to take back with you.
Insider Tips:
-Wear comfortable clothing for your ATV tour. They recommend long pants and long sleeves, along with closed-toe shoes.
-Bring along any water or snacks you might want to enjoy on your tour.
-Guests must be aged seven and up and no more than 275lbs to ride the ATV.