Kauai ATV

Koloa, Kauai

As you buckle into your harness, tighten your helmet, and adjust your mud goggles you realize that this is not going to be your typical leisurely ride in the country.   A "thumbs up" from the ATV guide and you fire up your engine as vibrations shake the roll cage surrounding you.  Ready for a 12-mile trek through a mountain tunnel, across streams and through lots of slippery red muddy terrain to a private waterfall your group speeds into the rainforest toward your remote destination. Howls of laughter mix with roar of your engine, awakening your inner teenager just in time to spray it with mud and a soak it in a fresh water stream. At a glance: Highlights: Mud buggy ride through a closed course track for 12 miles to a fresh water stream and waterfall for a picnic. A great adventure for kids of all ages. Options: Single, double or four-seat ATVs. The waterfall tour is the more aggressive ride, the Koloa tour is more gentle in more modern buggies with smoother suspensions. Children over 16 with valid driver's license can be drivers. Suggested Gear: Swim gear, water shoes, close-toed shoes Hazards!: The road is rough, and bumpy and the seats are barely padded. Be aware that your body and back will be shaken through out this tour. Also the engine is loud, ear plugs recommended, grab a cheap pair from hardware or grocery store. Reservations: Required Costs: $169/$144 per person: driver/passenger $15 for photo-disk of your tour. Where to begin: Check in to the Koloa offices of the Kauai ATV, this is where you sign in, and get the paperwork portion of the journey completed. An orientation explains that you will not be able to carry much, as the vibrations during the drive shake everything loose and many peoples' valuables have been lost before.  A red card given to you at check-in (in exchange for a credit card held as collateral) gives you directions to the ATV base station for loading up into the buggies. It is a short drive and you end up near the old remnants of the Koloa Sugar Mill. The base station area is where you get to leave your rental vehicle and pack yourself into the ATVs and safety gear for the mud-ride. Your group meets with the guides and gets equipped over a 20-minute period with a set of clean "cover  all clothes", goggles, and a helmet. Next you get the basic vehicle orientation and claim your own ATV. Much like a 1911 biplane pilot, you get to walk around and kick the tires and inspect your craft before you sign off on a waiver and get start your engine. The All Terrain Vehicle tour operates on 44,000 acres with 25 miles of trail laid out for you. In the beginning a quick run around the test track gets you tuned in to your cart and from there the real adventure begins when the guides unlock the gates to the old plantation acreage. Group size can be up to 20 people for 2 guides, basically forming a caravan of 8 to 10 vehicles with…