Kauai Zipline: North Shore or South Shore?
Where Kauai's zipline courses are: Koloa on the south shore, Kipu Ranch and the backcountry course near Lihue, none on the north shore, with drive times from Poipu, Lihue, Kapaa and Princeville.
There is no zipline course on Kauai’s north shore that we could find in November 2026. Every course is on the south shore or near Lihue: Koloa and Shaka Zipline on the south shore, in and around Poipu, and Kipu Ranch and the backcountry course on the Lihue side. From Princeville the nearest is about 44 km by road, roughly 50 minutes.
Why not the north shore
Princeville Ranch is the north-shore name that still comes up in zipline searches. Its own site lists horseback lessons only, and its zipline page returned “Page Not Found” when we checked in November 2026. An activity desk on Kauai, adventureinhawaii.com, writes that Princeville Ranch permanently stopped its zipline tours. If you are staying in Princeville or Hanalei, a zipline means a drive south.
For the rest of the north-shore day, beaches, the Na Pali coast and the winter surf warnings, visit-kauai.org covers both shores.
The courses, by area
| Area | Course | Operator | Books on |
|---|---|---|---|
| South shore, Koloa | 8 lines, about 3 hours, ages 7+ | Koloa Zipline | Viator or GetYourGuide |
| South shore, Poipu | 8 lines, about 3 hours, ages 10+ (an agency’s figures) | Shaka Zipline | Booking agencies |
| Lihue side, Kipu Ranch | FlyLine (1 line) and Zip & Splash, a limited-time fall 2026 offer; a full-day safari | Outfitters Kauai | outfitterskauai.com; the safari also on Viator |
| Lihue side, the interior | 7 lines, 3 hours, ages 12+, a swim and lunch | Kauai Backcountry Adventures | kauaibackcountry.com |
Courses and statuses from each operator’s own site, November 2026; Shaka Zipline’s from the agency page adventureinhawaii.com, because its own site did not load.
Shaka Zipline is the fourth operator. It checks riders in at its storefront in the Poipu Shopping Village, 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Drive, and takes them up to the course in a 4x4 van. adventureinhawaii.com lists the 8-line tour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and a 5-line tour on Tuesdays and Thursdays (November 2026). We have not worked out drive times to it, and it is not in the drive table below.
Drive times to each course
| From | Koloa | Kipu Ranch | Lihue backcountry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poipu Beach Park | 4 km, 7 min | 18 km, 26 min | 25 km, 31 min |
| Lihue Airport | 20 km, 27 min | 10 km, 16 min | 5 km, 9 min |
| Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor | 21 km, 26 min | 8 km, 15 min | 8 km, 11 min |
| Kapaa | 34 km, 43 min | 23 km, 31 min | 14 km, 19 min |
| Princeville | 64 km, 74 min | 54 km, 62 min | 44 km, 50 min |
Routed distances and free-flowing drive times, worked out in November 2026, to Mahaulepu Road at Koloa, to Kipu Road for Kipu Ranch and to the backcountry meeting point on Kuhio Highway in Lihue. The Kipu safari checks in at the Kayak Shack, 2494 Niumalu Road, nearer Nawiliwili. Allow longer at busy times.
From Poipu, the Koloa course is a few minutes away, while the Lihue courses take close to half an hour. From Kapaa and the east side, the backcountry course is closest. From Princeville every course is close to an hour or more.
So which shore?
If you are staying on the south shore, take the Koloa course: it is next door, takes children from 7 and sells on Viator and GetYourGuide. If you are in Lihue or near the airport, the three courses in the drive table are within about half an hour, so choose by the riders rather than the drive: which Kauai zipline is best sorts them by who is going.
Staying on the South Shore? Koloa Is Closest
Koloa Zipline's 8-line course, a few minutes from Poipu: about 3 hours, ages 7 and up, one price for adults and children.
Check dates on Viator