Maverick Helicopters Hana Rainforest Tour: What to Know Before You Book

What to expect on the Hana rainforest helicopter tour

Maverick Helicopters flies this route from Kahului Heliport along Maui’s north coast, over Paia, Hoʻokipa Beach Park and Haiku, then east along the Road to Hana before landing on private land in the Hana rainforest. The Road to Hana helicopter tour takes about 75 minutes, and Maverick’s own site lists it from $399 per person.

The calendar below shows which flights still have seats on your dates. The listing currently offers free cancellation up to 72 hours before the flight.

The outbound leg takes about 20 minutes and passes Peahi, the surf break known as Jaws, and Jurassic Rock, with Haleakalā in the distance. One 2023 reviewer said many of the waterfalls on this coast can’t be seen from the Road to Hana drive.

The landing site is a former taro plantation on private land, with a stream, banana and passion fruit, and shaded seats. At the landing the pilot pours a champagne toast for passengers and points out the fruit growing on the site.

Reviewers rate the guide 4.9 out of 5. Pilots named in several reviews include Nick, John, Tone, Rick, Eddie and Jake, mostly for clear safety briefings and running commentary.

We haven’t taken this flight ourselves. This page is built from the GetYourGuide listing, Maverick’s own tour page and reviews going back to 2018, read in English, German, Dutch, Spanish and Italian. There are four things worth knowing before you book:

• Weather on the Hana side can move the flight to a different route, and the landing is dropped when that happens.
• Every flight needs at least four passengers, so a quiet day can mean your flight is not confirmed until close to the date.
• Seats are assigned by weight and balance at check-in, so you may not sit together or by a window.
• The landing takes up about 30 minutes of the 75, so the flying itself is closer to 40 minutes.

More than nine in ten reviews give the flight five stars, and fewer than one in thirty is below four. The lower-rated ones are mostly about these four points rather than the pilots or the landing.

This flight makes the most sense if the landing is the reason you are booking. If you mainly want time in the air, the 55-minute Molokai flight gives you more of it.

When the Molokai flight makes more sense

Maverick’s 55-minute flight to Molokai flies the other way, across the Pailolo Channel to the sea cliffs and old fishponds of Molokai. It held 4.9 out of 5 from more than 190 reviews when we checked. It has no landing, so the whole booking is time in the air.

It is also close to the route Maverick has offered on days when cloud closes the Hana side, according to some reviews. The Hana flight makes more sense if you want to stand in the rainforest. The Molokai flight suits you better if you would rather spend the time flying past cliffs and waterfalls. Its GetYourGuide listing showed the same unusually high starting price as the Hana flight when we checked, so compare the total with Maverick’s own site.

Air Maui’s 45-minute Hana Rainforest and Haleakalā Crater flight is a third option, from $396 per person with no landing. It had only 21 reviews when we checked, all strong, which is a small base to judge it on. Our Maui helicopter tours guide compares every operator on the island.

Five tips before you book

• Check the total price in the calendar before you pay. On October 16, 2026, the GetYourGuide listing showed a starting price of $2,513 per person, against $399 per person on Maverick’s own site for the same flight. Pick your date and party size and look at the total before you go ahead.
• Book a flight early in your stay. If your flight is moved or cancelled, you still have days left to fly again, as long as seats are available.
• Reconfirm your flight 72 hours before and ask how many seats are sold. The listing asks everyone to reconfirm 72 hours ahead, and a flight needs four passengers to go. One 2025 reviewer, booked as a couple, said the office called almost daily to say the flight was not confirmed and suggested buying two more seats.
• Wear closed-toe shoes and bring a photo ID. Maverick says the landing area is grass that can be wet or uneven. Everyone 18 and over needs a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or a passport, and photocopies or phone photos are not accepted.
• Ask at check-in if a seat matters to you. Seats are assigned by weight and balance and are not guaranteed together. A 2022 reviewer who was given a back seat said other passengers kept appearing in her videos.

How the 75 minutes are split

Maverick’s page describes about 20 minutes of flying each way and about 30 minutes on the ground. Add the 30-minute check-in before the flight and plan on close to two hours at Kahului Heliport. Hotel transfers are not included, so you drive or take a taxi to the heliport.

The cabin is enclosed, and one 2026 reviewer said it was warm enough that jackets weren’t needed. The same reviewer said a water bottle and a small shoulder bag were allowed on board. Maverick says photos and video are allowed throughout, including at the landing.

Maverick’s page doesn’t list departure times. On GetYourGuide they appear once you choose a date in the calendar.

Stop 1: Paia, Hoʻokipa Beach Park and Haiku

The first minutes follow the coast east from Kahului, over the town of Paia and Hoʻokipa Beach Park, then Haiku. The commentary starts here. A few reviewers mention that their pilot played music to go with the views.

Stop 2: The Road to Hana coastline

Past Haiku the coast turns into cliffs, forest and waterfalls. Maverick names Peahi (Jaws), the Road to Hana and Jurassic Rock as the highlights here. Several reviewers mention their pilot turning the helicopter so both sides of the cabin could see the waterfalls.

The route doesn’t continue to Hana town. One 2023 reviewer said they would have liked to fly further south toward Hana and over the beaches.

Stop 3: The landing in the Wailua Valley

The helicopter sets down at a former taro plantation in the Wailua Valley, on private land. Maverick describes a stream, shaded seating and fruit including banana, lilikoi (passion fruit), ginger, cacao and papaya in season. Reviewers describe tasting fruit straight from the trees and the pilot pouring champagne for passengers. Maverick suggests a light layer, since light drizzle can fall during the landing.

The GetYourGuide description says 35 minutes on the ground, while Maverick’s own page says about 30, so plan on about 30. Reviewers describe anything from about 20 to 30 minutes, and one 2023 reviewer was surprised the landing took up so much of the 75.

The landing depends on the weather over the Hana side, which is the windward, wetter side of Maui. When cloud or rain closes it, Maverick moves the flight to another route. Reviewers describe being switched to a West Maui and Molokai route instead. A 2022 reviewer said the 30-minute landing was replaced by 30 more minutes in the air. Most people who were moved still gave the flight four or five stars, but you lose the landing, which is the reason to book this flight over a fly-over. Our guide to the best time for a Hawaii helicopter tour covers how rain and cloud vary by season.

Other practical things to know

• Children two and older need their own seat. Children under two can sit on an adult’s lap with a birth certificate.
• Passengers weighing 275 lbs or more must buy an additional seat.
• You can’t fly within 24 hours of scuba diving.
• Late arrivals are turned away without a refund, and so are passengers without the right ID.
• Tips for the pilot are not included in the price.

Is the Hana rainforest helicopter tour worth it?

Yes, if you want to land somewhere you can’t reach by road and Maverick’s fare of $399 per person (when we checked) fits your budget. That price includes the flight, the landing and the champagne toast, and reviewers rate the pilots 4.9 out of 5.

It probably isn’t the best fit if you want as much time in the air as possible, since about 30 minutes of the 75 are on the ground. The Molokai flight gives you more time flying. It is also harder to justify if your trip is short and you can’t keep a spare day for the weather.

Before you pay, check the total in the GetYourGuide calendar against Maverick’s own price.

Check dates and prices

How we put this together

We have not taken this flight. We checked the GetYourGuide listing for tour 168503 and Maverick Helicopters’ own tour page on October 16, 2026, and read the reviews at every rating, including all of the lower-rated ones, in English and in the other languages they were written in. Prices and ratings change, so check the live listing before you book. We earn a commission if you book through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.