Did NOT appreciate this experience. The pilot first of all wore white pants that showed up on pictures. We were specifically told to wear dark clothing and the PILOT wore white pants. I sat behind the pilot and DID NOT get many photos of the waterfalls as he catered to the front and otherside of the helicopter never flying where we could take a good photo of all the waterfalls, had to reach over people to get 2 pictures of the waterfalls. When we landed I told him and he said "Well do you want to go back?" Isaid yes I do. I called and complained they said they would look into it and get back to me. Also for people with long legs it was SUPER uncomfortable, packed in the helicopter like sardines. Would not recommend at this point. Heard so many great reviews from other people that took helicopter rides from different companies. read more

I am my wife took the tour in December. Had a great time. I did wear a bright T-shirt. I do regret that , some of my pictures have my reflection glare my fault sorry I should've known better but other than that, the helicopter was smooth and stable the pilot ( James ) was very knowledgeable and gave good commentary throughout the tour. A big shout out to the staff at Safari took very good care of us and had a great time. read more

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We were seated in back left side and middle and could not see much over taller people's heads in front and to the right of us. The pilot did not give much commentary and when did was mostly for things on right side which we could not see, the Napali coast was on the ride side and they turned around a couple times during the flight for left side to see quickly but did not return back along coast to be able to see from this left side so was very limited viewing and not worth the money spent. I would recommend another company without middle seats or better seating for viewability after spending so much. read more

Do not use this company. Nor their Viator third party. Both companies overbook themselves. The sky is clear today, yesterday it was rainy and they decided to still confirm us and take our $1000. This morning although people are going to the beach, biking, and the sun is out ( sun is as out as any day in the winter can be in kauai) they chose another party and cancelled ours. Now we have $1000 in the air. Literally. They should have honestly and ethically not charge our reservation and cancel us yesterday. They overbook themselves. So be careful! They will come back with weather excuses but we are not buying it today. No winds, no rains. Clean skies. My sister is flying on another company right now! read more

Took the tour in october. Was very disappointed They made sure we wore black so the pictures would turn out without glare. I think it goes with the pilot as well. he wore light colored pants. sitting in the back next to the window, all my pictures had a glare due to his light colored pants. Very disappointed. read more

Poor communication from office staff. We sat waiting for 40 minutes before they figured out the flight was not going to happen. They were not proactive in providing updates at all. Staff seemed lost and blaming it on a "director" that was with the helicopter. We never dod get to go up, but based on how they manage business and communicate, perhaps it was safer to not go up with this outfit. read more

This helicopter tour was amazing! From the moment we arrived, the Safari Helicopters team made us feel at ease. The check-in crew was calm, patient, and detailed--they walked us through everything from safety gear to what to do in case you feel sick (yes, even that!). Once in the air, our pilot flew with such smooth control that the entire ride felt effortless. The views were out of this world--lush valleys, hidden waterfalls, and rugged cliffs you just can't see any other way. A must-do if you're in Kauai. read more

Safari Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

This company is the way to go!! There were several options to chose from for helicopter rides, but Safari Helicopters had the best availability and price, and we definitely lucked out. The rundown: You meet at their office at your appointed time (30 mins prior to your scheduled helicopter time), have a brief run though on what to expect, and then you are shuttled to the airport. Once there, you're briefed again on wearing your life vest and headphones, and are escorted to the waiting chopper. We had pilot Max..and he was wonderful. He was knowledgeable about the terrain and the island history, and he did this amazing 360 degree turn in an area called the crater. I was amazed on how the take off, flight, and landing was so smooth, but I had my motion sickness baggie (provided by safari) ready just in case. It was so smooth that my friend's 2 year old kid fell asleep during the flight :) We also had headphones and mics if we needed to ask questions or wanted converse about our observations..but everyone was just stunned over the absolute beauty of Kauai. A helicopter ride is an absolute must in Kauai, and with the highest confidence, we recommend safari helicopters for the job. read more

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AMAZING journey around the island. Cannot appreciate the true beauty of this island unless by air. Our pilot was incredibly knowledgeable and taught us about both the natural history and the human history of the island. One of our greatest travel experiences ever. Would give 6 stars. read more

Safari Helicopters - Coast line view from the air. - Aerial Tours Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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We were planning a trip to Kauai. Realized that a helicopter ride is the best way to see the island. When I called them, they were super friendly and helped me decide the best package and date for the ride. Ended up booking a private Deluxe Waterfall Safari. Unfortunately our tour had to be cancelled 2 times because of weather conditions, but the staff here were really helpful in rescheduling it for us. We ended up flying just 2 hours before our flight back home :D On the day of the tour, they gave us a safety briefing and drove us to the heli pad. Our pilot Micah was very friendly and knowledgeable. This helicopter ride was the best way to end our trip to Kauai. Also shout out to Jessica for helping us out. read more

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All around terrible experience... We booked a Wednesday tour at 1pm and were excited for our trip, until we received a phone call day of, canceling our flight because they had 4 rather than 5 people signed up. They rebooked us to the following day at 3:30, upending our plans for our last day on the island, and to a day predicted to have inclement weather. My wife is an anxious flier, but was excited all the same. We arrived just in time to watch the pilots shaky landing from the tour before, while the other helicopters landed without issue. My wife was asked to board first, approaching the aircraft with blades flying overhead because they didn't bother to shut down from the flight before. She was a little hesitant as she started into the aircraft causing the pilot to roll his eyes and swear out loud in disgust, while the other staff member was pushing her from behind. Clearly NOT the way to handle someone experiencing anxiety. This sent my wife over the edge and she backed away saying I can't do this. This resulted in the pilot swearing out load again, which I heard myself because I was asked to come get my wife, and then to turn the craft off while he recalculated the weights. We were ushered back to the waiting area, where we saw the pilot exit the aircraft walk up to me and ask "Are you flying alone?" When I responded "It seems like it", his response was "Well you don't have to go", clearly wanting me to walk away. He then walked over to a cooler, where he pulled out a silver metal bottle which looked suspiciously like a Coors Light, slammed it and return to the helicopter. We boarded in the same order we had before, with the escort informing me that my wife's flight would not be refunded (clearly not the time for that discussion) and took off, but not until the pilot checked his Venmo account to see if he was being tipped from previous flights. The rest of the flight the captain kept the waterfalls and Nā Pali Coast on the right side of the craft while I sat on the left, clearly being punished for what he felt was an inconvenience to his day. 50 min later and another shaky landing, we were on the ground being asked to make sure we tip... They can inconvenience you without compensation, but if you get nervous they will not support you, and will gladly keep your money. read more

From the moment we arrived at the helipad, I was extremely happy I chose Safari over the other helicopter tours lined up for lift off. Safari has newer choppers with very large windows, giving all passengers a great view. Our pilot was very knowledgeable of the area and took the time to circle around the more breathtaking falls and canyons so no one missed out on the view. We even found a rainbow under a rain shower near one of the falls and circled around it, so everyone could get a direct view. The pilot and staff put safety first, so any initial fears melted away after liftoff, and a sense of jaw-dropping awe at the sights took over. read more

Kauai is the island that you want to tour by helicopter. Highly recommend seeing Kauai by air. read more

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Outstanding tour! So worth the price. Do the tour with the landing. Our pilot, Jim was great & so was the office staff. A WONDERFUL experience for all ages. read more

Safari Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

From the moment we arrived we felt very comfortable with the way Safari handles their customers. We checked in and went through a briefing then loaded up in a van for a short ride to the pad. Once there we successfully executed the loading process and met our pilot Max. The takeoff was exhilarating but the waterfalls were the reason we came and they did not disappoint. It had rained the night before and we were rewarded with so many beautiful waterfalls and Max took us right up to them. What we were able to see from the helicopter is a sight we will always remember. I have to mention the soundtrack on the Bose headsets that Max himself put together, it was magical. Thank you for a wonderful experience Safari Helicopters and Max! read more

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I researched extensively before booking my helicopter tour, and that research paid off! The other helicopters were flying much higher above the falls and the island than ours. The massive doors gave everyone a Perfect view, and our pilot, a native Hawaiian, gave so much information on the island and its history. There might be more famous names, but this was hand down the right choice read more

I've always wanted to take a helicopter ride while in Hawaii but heard that Kauai was best. Well we finally made it to Kauai and I originally thought it was easy to get reservations for a helicopter tour so I didn't book it beforehand. However I guess with COVID and there not being as many pilots or something things booked up real quickly. My original choice was to fly Blue Hawaiian but my wife told me that they were already booked for the entire week we were there. My heart sank and I looked for other options and found a reservation available with Safari Helicopter on the last day we were in Kauai. Man I couldn't be happier that I found Safari! The helicopter was amazing and super comfortable. It fit our family of four and two other people. I had a middle seat and at 6'2" I never felt cramped or claustrophobic. The Bose headsets were super comfortable and made it easy to hear the pilot. Our pilot Joe was so awesome. He greeted everyone by name once they got buckled in and their headset on. He narrated the entire flight and happily answered any questions. The flight was very smooth and Joe made sure to rotate the helicopter at every stop so that both sides of the helicopter got to see the amazing views. Even though this was by far the most expensive experience we had on the island it was by far the most amazing. Worth every penny and so glad we chose Safari Helicopter Tours. read more

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An amazing adventure! Safari provided a wonderful ride of the island thanks to the professionalism & outstanding customer service of the front desk (don't know her name), Julian and skilled pilot Howie. Highly recommend and a must do when on the island of Kauai! read more

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[covidtime - March 2020 trip] Fantastic helicopter tour of Kauai. When we were last in Hawaii (big island), we wanted to do a helicopter tour of the volcanoes, but it didn't work out. This time it did. These trips are not inexpensive, but you see the island in a totally unique way. The service, schedule, discussions, pilot, the eco-tour with Keith Robinson, conservationist (which is unique to Safari Tours, as we actually landed on Keith's property to speak with him), were all fantastic. We recommend helicopter tours (oh, and balloon rides) when travelling, and Safari Helicopters did a fantastic job! read more

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Great locally run business with an amazingly friendly staff! I would certainly recommend them to anyone visiting the island. read more

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We went on the Kauai Canyon Landing Safari with captain Eric. We had a wonderful time! Our only wish was that we could've had a doors off experience but it was not available. This is still an amazing experience and the best way to view the entire island of Kauai. Between Waimea Canyon, the Napali coast line, and the various waterfalls, canyons and towns we saw, I don't think we could pick a favorite! The helicopter was comfortable to ride in and Eric was very informative about everything we saw. I would recommend Safari helicopters! read more

Safari Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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Wear black!!!! The windows are super reflective and will show any pattern or color on your shirt and ruin your photo and other peoples photos! Great tour! The pilot had full control. I did not feel any sense of danger at any time. The helicopter does shake quite a bit so I think I would've taken Dramamine if I knew. Highly recommend!! read more

Going on a helicopter ride in Kauai is one of the top things to do in Kauai. We are glad we chose Safari Helicopters as they made our experience a memorable one. Ryan, our host for the helicopter ride, was good about hyping us for our ride. He gave us a quick rundown of the helicopter ride and drove us to the helipad. The helicopter fits 7 people including the pilot. There are 3 people in front (including the pilot) and 4 seated in the back. We were seated at the front of the helicopter which gave us some great views. Our pilot, Kyle, was nice and addressed us by our names as we flew over Waimea Canyon, Pu'u Ka Pele forest Reserve, Napali Coast and Halele's Forest Reserve, to name a few. He was very knowledgeable about the history of Hawaii and gave us a lot of suggestions on hikes, beaches and spots for snorkeling or diving. He was very personable and happy to answer all our questions. Kyle ensured that he flew over all the main picture spots multiple times to ensure all sides of the helicopter got good views and were able to take pictures.The entire flight ride lasted for about an hour. This was definitely an unforgettable experience and well worth the money.We were able to get some discount through the Gold Shaka membership. read more

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AMAZING! Micah and Sherri were wonderful. Beautiful views, friendly service! Definitely coming back! read more

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Really nice helicopter tour. Totally worth it. No matter where you seat in the helicopter you will get a nice view as the pilot does a good job of turning the chopper around for everyone to see the view. read more

Safari Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Absolutely terrible experience. After booking we get a call that the tour we booked wasn't available at the time we booked it for... ok. So they moved our time and charged us an extra $20 for a "deluxe" tour. Then we get an email the night before saying due to operational issues they need to move the tour 3 hours later. Ok. We get to the tour office and wait for 40 minutes for them to tell us the group is overweight and we can't take off. They ask someone to drop from the group but they don't know how to split a reservation on the computer. She says we won't be eligible for refunds because it's not their fault we didn't report accurate weights. Eventually she calls the owner and gets us sorted. Then she gets a call the mechanic is looking at our helicopter and they're having problems with the fuel line. 40 minute additional wait. Now they're delaying us an additional hour because the last group was delayed. After another 40 minutes waiting she tells us the previous groups are still backed up and we'll have to wait another 2 hours! Totally unhelpful, difficult and frustrating experience. Would not set foot near this company again. Major waste of time and effort. Not a single apology from staff for the screw up. We wasted our last day on the island waiting for a chopper that was never ready. read more

What a great way to see Kauai! We had an excellent experience with Safari. Julian, the assisting staff, was Awesome! Very friendly, professional, comprehensive in his safety tips. The only disappointment was our pilot, Howie. His flying expertise was flawless. However, we were surprised by his coldness towards us. He was five minutes late in showing up for our trip, delaying our takeoff by 15 minutes. We stood in the holding area, waiting for him, and he casually walked by us and refused to wave or acknowledge us, even though Julian was calling out to him. During the trip, he pointed out all the sites, but in AI fashion: "This is the falls." "That is the canyon," with no other detail/banter/nothing. So maybe you can crack the code on how to lighten up Howie. read more

The staff was great - personable, professional, and funny! They offered to take pictures for you and gave you the run down clearly. The helicopter is not as cramped and the windows are large enough so you can get a full view. Stopping into the canyon was also great. A beautiful view on top! Our initial ride was cancelled due to weather, but it was odd we had to sit through the whole safety talk and got our seat assignments before they told us. We rescheduled for the very next day and it was great! I would recommend as they suggest - book this on your first day here in case it needs to get rescheduled. If they cannot reschedule you, you get a full refund. Remember to wear dark clothing to avoid window glare in pictures. Even wearing a long sleeve dark shirt is good for the ride. They mention this in the instructions, but seriously don't forget! Ruins it for everyone trying to take nice pics if you do. The woman in the front seat wore a tank top so a glare of her arm was happening at certain times. Safari Helicopters was great and we thought was worth the value! Would recommend to anyone! read more

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Beautiful idea, great start and atmosphere but due to assigned seating I was #6 so I was back left of the helicopter. I knew my views wouldn't be anything like the front row but I expected the pilot to accommodate more. My views were obstructed about 80-85% of the flight due to being on the far left side. (See pictures below to see my view) Our pilot only turned a couple of times at 3 designated spots but other than that you were looking mostly at the ocean. You don't fly back the same way you came so you don't get the same experience as the other side does. Extremely disappointed as this was the big splurge on our trip. I saw better views of the coast from the boat tour. After returning. I reviewed our photos to find a majority are ruined by pilot's white pants. After telling passengers to stay away from light colors, I would assume the pilot would know to do the same. Again, disappointing. read more

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2 stars is because the pilot was skilled and very pleasant. By far one of the worst helicopter experiences I have had. The picture attached was my view the entire flight. I do not understand why they didn't cover this woman with a black blanket. Per their instructions they require you wear dark.colors yet they seated her at the window. It was atrocious. I informed two different team members after the flight and showed them my best photo (the one attached). They didn't seem to care. I would recommend trying a different company. There are plenty to choose from on Kauai. read more

Safari Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

I booked kuai delux tour 2/5/24 for 4 for 2/8 am. Pleasant lady on the phone booked trip but did not mention cancellation policy or any information about restrictions on phone. On the 2/7/24 I called and spoke with the same lady to notify them we had sick members in our party. The pleasant lady turned snark. she stated since I set Tour up by myself we would be charged anyway. I explained we were to travel with 2 other people, which she agree. I commented the other 2 people would not be happy if we arrived sick and spread our virus. She said no discounts! I will be charged full and I was to sign waivers. I opened waiver which states clearly if you arrive sick you will not be allowed to go on tour. Since we were sick we didn't go but were charged full fair. BEWARE read more

I had always wanted to do this ever since I came here in 1988 as a kid and I thought that would be the coolest thing ever to fly around Kauai in a helicopter, unfortunately my parents weren't into it so I never got to do it. Finally though after 34 years I got the chance to do the helicopter tour with Safari and it did not disappoint (seriously 34 years is a long time to wait). We had originally wanted to do a canyon landing but it had rained too much so did the waterfalls tour and I'm not sure I would have wanted to do the landing now that I know how amazing the waterfall tour is. It's a really cool experience and definitely met my expectation, ride was great and our pilot was amazing, talked to us the whole time and even answered every question from the 4 kids we had on the tour. People working at the office were really nice too, can't say enough good things about this helicopter tour provider, definitely do it if you have the chance and don't make your kids wait 34 years! read more

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What a great and professional company from the moment of the reservation all the way until the end of our trip! Micah was remarkable pilot with so much information and with great music. Robert our tour and safety guard was very helpful with a lot of knowledge of the island. Many thanks for making our time in Kauai so memorable...Aloha read more

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We had a wonderful ride in the sky with a bird's eye view. I never felt afraid and our pilot was fun and so knowledgeable of the island. He really made me feel at ease. I would recommend this read more

AMAZING!!! Totally worth it. Do the longer tour! Our tour guide 'MAX' was wonderful. read more

We went on a helicopter tour with Max as our pilot. It was so great! I highly recommend if you are in Kauai to take a helicopter ride. It was a fantastic way to see the island. read more

I made a yelp account just to post this. Well I am sure this tour would have been a phenomenal experience..... the customer service was incredibly subpar. We booked our tour for a Sunday, but when the confirmation came through it showed Monday as the tour date. We tried to fix this issue both in person and on the phone, but we were told that there was nothing to be done because it was within 48 hours of our trip (Note that our tour was booked the day before, within that 48 hour window and there was STILL nothing they were willing to do). The manager refused to speak to us on the phone and the overall experience was incredibly disrespectful. I could not be less impressed with Safari Helicopters customer service department. With so many options on island, don't take a chance with your free time by using this company, it is obvious they don't care about the customer, just the money. read more

Pilot Howie took my family of six (without me) on an amazing flight and landing midway through the flight! Julian, as the host, was amazing as he shuttled them all back and forth, took pictures and made sure they were all informed, safe, and hydrated. The family had an absolutely amazing experience and I highly recommend this company. Now I will be going with my wife on a second day given the amazing experience they all had! read more

We were initially a bit dubious and anxious about this, but this turned out to be an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience that our family will never forget. The magnificent views of Kauai, from a vantage point that allows for views you could never reach on foot, by car, or by boat, were spectacular. Our pilot, Joe, was informative and reassuring. He gave us historical, cultural, and geographical information to give background to the fantastic views. He reassured us by telling us each time we might experience a bit of bumpy airflow over certain ridges, to normalize any turbulence we might've experienced. We were so glad to fly with him. And why Safari? Of all the many helicopter companies I called, Safari had the most patient, informative and cheerful receptionist-I believe Leilani? She answered all my myriad questions with great patience and kindness. In the end, her customer service won me over to book with this company! Well done! The only tip I will offer, both for the company and for the review readers...PLEASE wear dark colors on your flight...the reflection of light colors on the glass made for poor photos in sunny conditions. I wonder if there is some type of dark covering that the company can provide? read more

Found this spot while browsing through the Shaka gold club website(found out about this while booking Smiths Luau - great spot as well). The Shaka customer service folks also recommend Safari as a good spot. The prices were reasonable compared to every other helicopter company I inquired with. They were easy to coordinate with for booking and were willing to hold my reservation for a few days while I confirmed details for them. They were also one of the few places who had an early AM flight at 8:30 am which is best for a place like Kauai to avoid turbulence and bad weather. Ryan was the person who greeted us and was super awesome at making each of us individually feel comfortable. He was extra attentive about taking down everyone's names and addressing as such while talking to us. It is the small things that make the difference! Ryan gave us an orientation session and drove us to the helipad. Kyle was super sweet and very hospitable pilot. He was also very attentive and made sure to address each one of us individually while pointing out the landmarks on our flight. He gave us so many tips of places to hike, snorkel, eat etc - so much so we had to start taking notes after a while. The recommendations were awesome and made the rest of our trip great. The best part of the ride was the views - Kauai is truly an amazing place to do this and the helicopter ride is the best way to view these inaccessible parts of the island. Recommend taking some Dramamine ahead of the flight just to be safe- some folks in our party did get a bit queasy towards the end - the rain clouds can be a bit unexpected and you definitely don't want that to ruin your experience. Safari helicopters is a must do if you are in Kauai - great staff and a truly amazing experience ! read more

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