Mule Tour to Kalaupapa National Historical Park
Rated by TripAdvisor as the number one adventure on Molokai, the mule tour to Kalaupapa is highly recommended for any visitor to Hawaii’s most Hawaiian island.
A little online research revealed these descriptions – “scariest tour ever”, “hair raising experience”, and “I didn’t tell my significant other what we were about to do until it was too late”.
Needless to say, we were intrigued. Who knew riding a mule could be so exciting?
We arrived at the mule barn 30 minutes early, surprised by the cool morning temperature. We don’t often associate Hawaii with warm sweaters, but the mule barn is located high above sea level, where temperatures and climate can be unpredictable. We were thankful we grabbed our sweaters and rain jackets before leaving the hotel.
Nicole was excited about the day’s activity, really excited. She’s been horseback riding since she was a little girl and feels right at home on the back of a horse.
Cameron on the hand, not so much. He’s not a fan of big animals and usually needs some convincing before agreeing to a day of horseback riding (here’s a video from our horseback riding adventures in Belize).
Then we met Buzzy Sproat.
Buzzy is a legend on the island of Molokai. The grey-bearded cowboy is one of Hawaii’s top mule trainers, taking adventure seekers down the steep sea cliffs for over 40 years.
He’s also quite the entertainer. I’m willing to bet that anyone who has taken this tour remembers Buzzy just as much as the breathing-taking views and haunting tales of Kalaupapa.
“You know how we find the right mule for you?” Buzzy asked our group of ten.
“By weight?” replied Sam from Seattle.
“No. By your looks. I’m going to match you with the mule that looks the most like you!”
That joke landed big time with our tour group. He was clearly working his A-material that morning.
Buzzy prepped the group and paired everyone with their mule. “Don’t worry, they know where to go. Some like to hug the cliff’s edge, but I’ve never seen a mule commit suicide, so don’t worry. They don’t know how to fly either!”
Oddly, his words were encouraging.
To reach the Kalaupapa Peninsula our group first had to travel 3 miles down the word’s tallest sea cliffs, passing 26 switchbacks and descending close to 1,700 feet.
The ride is slow and bumpy, passing steep sections with nothing more than a few shrubs separating the trail from the Pacific below.
We quickly understood why this unique excursion gets the variety of reviews that it does. It’s scary and thrilling, amusing and adventurous.
It’s unlike any other tour we’ve experienced in our travels.
The mules occasionally stop to eat grass and leaves, allowing us time to breathe the fresh ocean air and absorb our incredible surroundings.
The trip down the tall sea cliffs took about an hour, passing through dense forest and rocky trails before arriving at an eerily secluded beach.
The above photo shows you the lush sea cliffs that we tackled that morning. If you look closely, you can actually see the zigzag trail on the far right (use your imagination).
We dismounted the mules at a stable and boarded a yellow school bus that was waiting for us. Buzzy tied up his mule and jumped behind the wheel of the rusty old bus, serving as both mule master and bus driver. He’s a man of many talents!
Kalaupapa has a very dark past.
It was the isolated location of a leprosy settlement that housed thousands of men, women and children that were exiled to the island and cut off from society. Buzzy shared his personal experiences and stories about the peninsula’s haunting past, but we’ll save those tales for a future post.
Things to know before you go:
- Make reservations ahead of time. This tour is the hottest ticket on Molokai!
- Bring warm clothes and a rain jacket, the weather is unpredictable
- Bring some snacks. Lunch is provided but it’s very basic
- You do not need any experience, the mules are trained by Buzzy and need very little instruction
- The ride is quite bumpy, so if you want to take photos bring one of these
- It’s a full day tour, starting at 8:00 AM and finishing around 3:30, plan accordingly
The Guided Mule Ride & Historical Park Tour costs $199 per person and includes entry permits, light picnic lunch, NPS trail maintenance fee and a souvenir certificate. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth the price. You will not find a tour like this anywhere else in the world.
To learn more or to book your reservation, click here.
Read more from our trip to Molokai:
- Unspoiled coastlines. Untamed wilderness. Our upcoming trip to Molokai
- Our First Impressions of Molokai
- Aloha from the laidback Hawaiian Island of Moloka’i!
- VIDEO: Hiking the lush Halawa Valley to giant waterfalls
- The Natural Beauty of Kalaupapa
- Colourful Hawaiian Sunset on Molokai
- VIDEO: The Scenic (and dizzying) Drive to Halawa Valley
Have you visited the Hawaiian Island of Molokai? What did you think?
Share your experience in the comments section below, we’d love to read about it!
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Thanks to Buzzy and the good people at the Molokai Visitors Bureau for the complimentary Molokai Mule Tour. As always, opinions shared are entirely our own. We think every visitor to Molokai should take a trip to the Kalaupapa Peninsula and learn about its history. You don’t have to ride the mule, you can also hike the trail or take a short flight.
Awesome!
Indeed!
this looks awesome!
It is pretty awesome! 🙂
Stunning pictures, but I think I’d go crazy, with the fear of heigths that I have…
I’m not good with heights either – and it was pretty scary is some sections – but it was okay. The ride up was easy because you didn’t have to look down
Wow guys! Looks like an awesome adventure. I’m a bit concerned about those mules being treated badly for touristic purposes 🙁
The animals are treated quite well and are in good health. Like us, they have to go to work every day too! They spend about an hour going down and an hour going up, then they spend the rest of the time eating. It’s not too demanding. Daily exercise is a good thing 🙂
Not sure I could do it without freaking out. The steep drops look terrifying!
It was pretty nerve racking in some sections. I just looked the other way and held on tight!
I LOVE that you did this. I’ve had it on my list ever since I became obsessed with Molokai after reading the book of the same name. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend it. It’s my favorite and everyone I recommend it to has loved it.
Thanks for the book recommendation – we’ll have to check it out!
It’s one of the most interesting excursions we’ve done in a long time. Unlike anything else… anywhere. Add it to your list for your trip to Molokai!
Yes! Very good book 🙂
I would love to do this, it would be a bit a scary but what an experience.
It is a little scary in some sections. I (Cam) found myself focused on not falling off the mule and not looking over the side, which got me through it. I was fine on the way up.
Wow looks like a great trip. Is there much to do on Molokai? I heard there is a beautiful rainforest and that the beaches are uncrowded. I am looking to visit Hawaii but I am not into tourist crowds. Do you think Molokai would be a good place to get away form it all?
Hi Angie – there is a lot to do on the island if you like the outdoors and are self sufficient. We are writing a post about things to do on the island, so make sure you check back in a couple days.
Molokai is definitely uncrowded. Most beaches are empty and you’ll rarely run into other tourists. This is not a party island with big hotels and nightclubs. It’s slow, laid back and simple.
I’ve never been on a mule but I’m sure this scenery is amazing on any kind of transport!
Very true! Many people choose to hike the trail as well.
#1 Thing on my list of things to do on my first trip to Hawaii….Feb. 2018….patiently waiting for the thrill of a lifetime!!!
It is so much fun! It’s a great trip.
Wow, I didn’t know that horses can climb in so narrow passes, It looks like amazing place to visit(:
Yes, these and those cliffs are steep. Molokai is amazing. Highly recommend visiting.
I am afraid of heights, but I have talked myself into trying this mule ride in September. What a trip!
Oh, I am sure it is worth every penny! Dolphin Encounters in Florida, etc., are $200 a pop.
This mule ride is the #1, by a long shot, thing I want to do when I visit Hawaii (1st timer). I am sure I would pay more 🙂
In the cool Molokai uplands, a pack of mules prepare for the day’s ride down to the world’s most unique and formerly forbidden village of Kalaupapa. The journey begins from the Mule Barn with a mule guide briefing. You’ll learn your mule’s name and the Mule Skinners (guides) will teach you how to ride and control the mules. No worries, these mules are personally trained by company owner Buzzy Sproat. Well known in the Hawaii Rodeo circuit, Buzzy is also considered one of Hawaii’s foremost experts on Mules.