Kickin’ it in kauai
Meet: Location TBD, mid-day March 14th
Return: March 20th
Cost of Trip (EXCLUDING AIRFARE):
Member: ($586) Non member: ($782)
Activity: Backpacking the Napali Coast, hiking Waimea Canyon, vibing around Kauai, beaching off (a lot)
Difficulty: (9/10) Hard Distance (miles): 35 (kilometers): 56 Elevation (ft): ~5000
Recommended Prior Experience: prior backpacking experience required, extensive camping and hiking experience heavily recommended
Location of Trip: Kauai, Hawai’i
Native Land: Nā moku ʻehā
Pre-Trip Meeting: Location and time TBD. We will have two pre-trip meetings - one to book flights and go over trip details, and a second one to distribute gear and other stuff before the flights :)
HELLOOOOOOOOO HAWAI’I SENDERS!!!!!! Are you interested in going on the best spring break trip of your whole damn life? If so, look no further than this here trip page because…….WE’RE GOING TO KAUAI!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Get stoked and get hyped with us ‘cuz we’re gonna be KICKIN’ IT IN KAUAI. Kauai, one of the main Hawaiian islands, is known as “The Garden Isle” due to being incredibly lush and beautiful, and we’re gonna see all the nature it has to offer. We have a ton of fun activities planned, ranging from backpacking the esteemed Napali coast to chilling on the beach with sea turtles. For a more detailed outline of our itinerary and trip logistics, please read below!
Please also note that this trip requires an application, so please be sure to read this page in its entirety before continuing to that. The application is open now, and will close this Friday, 2/14 at 11:59pm.
ITINERARY:
Embark on a seven-day journey to the enchanting island of Kauai with guides Hayden & Diego! Our journey unfolds from Friday, 3/14 to Thursday, 3/20, promising a host of unforgettable experiences.
Our adventure commences on Day 1 as we set up camp at Lydgate State Beach. Nestled beside the ocean, the camp will be a great first spot to settle onto Kauai, providing the perfect backdrop for a chill afternoon on beautiful beaches.
On Day 2, we’ll start our morning on the beach, and then do some beautiful hikes in the Wailua area, seeing some waterfalls and potentially hiking Kauai’s “Sleeping Giant!” Later, we will head up the north side of the island towards Princeville, where we will spend another night by the ocean at Anini Beach!
Day 3 marks the start of our 2 day backpacking trip on the famed Napali Coast. We’ll be getting up bright and early to start our 11-mile trek on the Kalalau Trail, where we’ll be hiking the ridge alongside the Pacific ocean. There will be jungle, waterfalls, and yet another beach at the end of the trail where we’ll camp for the night. It’ll be a tough trek, but one that will be wholeheartedly worth it (look at some pictures, it’s gorgeous).
Continuing on Day 4, we hike the 11 miles back out from our beach campsite along the same beautiful ridgeline. It’ll be another full day of hiking along one of the best coastlines in the world, and afterwards we’ll spend another night on the beach at Anini.
Day 5 will be a chill, relaxing day for us to recover from hiking the Napali Coast. We’ll spend lots of time at the beach, enjoy some fresh fruit, and pick some activities based on what you want to do! Not all of your vacation can be dictated by us 🙄 (well…it can, but we would like for you guys to have some decision in it too). Towards the end of the day, we’ll drive over to the Waimea Canyon area where we’ll camp at Kokee State Park.
On day 6 we’ll go on a lil’ 8-ish mile hike through Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of the Pacific), where we get to walk through some lush jungle and see some massive waterfalls! We’ll spend our last night at Kokee State Park again, which overlooks the Napali Coast. Full circle :)
On Day 7…we fly back to USC :(
There is a chance we could squeeze in another small hike or some beach time, but that will heavily depend on the flight we select. That’ll be decided once we book tickets, but for now it is tentatively just our departure day.
And by the end it will have been one of the best weeks of your life, with some awesome activities, memories, and people (and hopefully guides)!!!
LOGISTICS (some very important info):
In addition to telling all of you about the jaw-dropping activities we’ll be doing, there is some logistical info we’d like to share so that all of you are aware of how this trip is gonna run!
Firstly, some concrete dates:
- We will be flying out of LA on Friday, March 14th (hopefully sometime a little after noon). Our first day in Kauai will consist of getting our rental cars, picking up food/supplies for the trip, and then getting into our activities on the itinerary!
- We will be flying back to LA on Thursday, March 20th (time is still TBD).
Secondly:
- There will be multiple pre-trip meetings! The first one will simply be going over some more logistics and booking plane tickets, and any future meetings will concern more preparation for the trip.
Thirdly:
- If you didn’t see this detail outlined above - PLANE TICKETS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE TRIP COST. The trip cost covers everything but the plane tickets - rental cars, camping permits/reservations, food, as well as all of the activities we’ll be doing!
Finally:
- Everything about this trip is subject to change. As much as we want our itinerary to stay the way it is, there is always a possibility that changes in flights, weather, or other issues could throw a wrench into what we have planned. We will make this the best trip possible regardless of the situation, but please acknowledge that what is currently on this trip page may not reflect what happens during the actual trip.
Aaaaand that’s all for now! If you have any questions, please feel free to email either of us!
Contact the Guides:
Hayden Naffziger: naffzige@usc.edu
Diego Salazar-Ortiz: diegos@usc.edu
What to Bring:
*REMINDER (overnights only) : if you do not have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking pack, or other technical gear (non-clothing), do not panic, SC Outfitters has these items for you! Your guides will send out a gear-request form the week of your trip where you’ll let them know what gear you need!
Large-capacity (70+ liters) backpack (we can help supply you with one if you don’t have one)
Sleeping pad
Warm sleeping bag (we can help supply you with one if you don’t have one)
Waterproof boots
Bowl with a closing lid and utensil (MESS KIT)
Clothing (recommendations below)*
Synthetic shirt for hiking in
Fleece top
Pants/shorts to hike in
Three pairs of socks (one to hike in, one to stay always dry in sleeping bag)
Puffer / light jacket if you get cold easily
Sun protection
Hat/visor
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Rain protection
Rain jacket
Rain pants (optional, but not a bad idea)
Trekking poles if you have bad knees
Personal toiletries
Camera
Capacity for 4 (IMPORTANT) liters of water (4 Nalgenes, 2 Nalgenes and a 2 liter bottle, etc.)
Swimsuit and towel
Headlamp / flashlight
Any necessary medications
Price of the trip includes (and we will provide):
Snacks
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided when a trip occurs during meal-times
Any technical gear required (ie. kayaks, snowshoes, snorkels, backpacking packs, sleeping bags, fishing rods, etc.)
All group / shared gear (tents, stoves, bear cans, first aid kit, etc.)
Any permits or campsite reservations needed
Cost of gas reimbursed for participant drivers
Amazing guides who love the outdoors and do this for free!
Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:
All SC Outfitters trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.
TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM
Difficulty rating for trips
1: No physical activity.
2: Leisurely walk.
3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity
4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.
5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity
6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.
7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.
10: u gunna die
**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!