Built on the footprint of our Hawaiian ancestors, Limahuli Garden and Preserve is located on the north shore of the island of Kaua’i in one of the most biodiverse valleys in the Hawaiian Islands. Home to dozens of endangered plants and birds found nowhere else on earth, Limahuli Garden and Preserve highlights native and culturally-significant species in an authentic Hawaiian landscape.
Limahuli Garden is a pu’uhonua (place of refuge) for an ecological system that honors the connection between nature and humanity, where indigenous traditions live in the 21st Century. At Limahuli NTBG adapts ancestral resource management practices to address contemporary conservation challenges and restore health, function, and resilience to the valley. This approach is known as biocultural conservation. By visiting or volunteering in the garden you become part of our team and part of the solution.
For at least 1,500 years the Limahuli Valley has been a Hawaiian place. Today, Limahuli is one of of the last easily-accessible valleys with intact archaeological complexes, native forest, pristine stream, and the presence of the descendants of the valley’s original inhabitants caring for it.
IMPORTANT COVID-19 Information:
Please wear a mask while checking in and around our Visitor Center. Practice social distancing when you arrive in our parking lot, upon check in and while walking in the Garden. This helps to keep us all healthy and safe!
About the Tour
Ancient terraces, ancient wisdom, life and relationships with the land, the forest, and the water… the stories unfold as you open your guidebook and make your way through this special place. Envision what the valley might have looked like when the first Hawaiians arrived as you follow the path through the native forest walk. Discover the plants that traveled with them in their canoes and how their culture was inseparable from the plants that sustained them. Contemplate the impact of plant invaders and learn what is being done today to protect fragile ecosystems. Ascend to the Whale Trail and take in the dramatic panorama of the ocean. Feel the spirit of Limahuli.
Important Road information:
Please check the following Kauai highways website for road delays or closures prior to coming to the Garden.
https://hidot.hawaii.gov/2021-hanalei-hill-landslide/
Departure: Tuesday through Saturday
Tour Times: We are open from 8:30am and gates close at 3:15pm, please check in 15 minute prior to your reservation time and the garden closes at 4:30pm.
Tour Duration: 1.5 hours (recommended minimum)
Ticket Prices:
Adults (18 and older) – $25
Kama`aina (Bring your Hawaii Driver’s License) – $10
Children (17 and younger) – Free
*Parking is included with the purchase of all Garden tours. The Garden parking lot is reserved for visitors on Limahuli Garden tours only. It is a violation of our policy to leave your car in our parking lot and go to any other location besides our
botanical garden. This policy is strictly enforced.
Explore this timeless place with a small group as the inextricably interwoven stories of Hawaiian history, culture, natural history, and plants unfold during your visit. As you enjoy legends that abound about this ancient valley, you’ll see the features that inspired them. A guided tour offers you a deeper understanding of the delicate balance of the ecosystem in both ancient and modern times, and how today’s stewardship of the land is modeled after the traditional practices of its earliest inhabitants. Our docents are knowledgeable, enjoy ‘talking story’, and are passionate about sharing this living Hawaiian landscape.
Tour Type: Guided Tour
Departure: Tuesday through Friday
Tour Times: 10:00 a.m.
Tour Duration: 2.5 – 3 hours
Ticket Prices:
Adults (18 and older) – $40
Children (10-17 years old) $20 with paying adult
*Parking is included with the purchase of all Garden tours. The Garden parking lot is reserved for visitors on Limahuli Garden tours only. It is a violation of our policy to leave your car in our parking lot and go to any other location besides our
botanical garden. This policy is strictly enforced.
Explore Limahuli Valley as an outdoor classroom. Listen to the singing birds of the forest, the splashing waters of the stream, and hear stories of the valley that teach lessons about relationships and behaviors. This is recommended for families interested in guided tours.
Your family group must include at least one child 12 years of age or younger.
Are you looking for a group experience built around a particular theme or topic of interest, perhaps one that could be a mix between a guided tour and a hands-on component designed to reinforce the lessons of the day? We offer an opportunity to build a custom experience that includes elements of Hawaiian history, culture, natural history, sustainability, plants, and more in such a way that is tailored to your group’s interests.
An exclusive VIP experience that is tailored to your schedule and interests by a senior docent or Limahuli staff
Head to Limahuli Garden and Preserve for a plant sale on July 3, 2022! Plants from our Limahuli Garden collection will be available.
Save the date for August 20th 2022!
Join us for a night under the stars with your friends & family at our annual Summer Movie Nights! Featuring Encanto, Sing 2 & Jungle Cruise.
Head to our South Shore Visitor Center on Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to explore Kauai made gifts & crafts at our Weekly Aloha Market.
Explore our Hawaii Education Series for fun and inspirational videos and activities for classrooms and families across Hawaii.
Often overlooked, ferns are a critical part of Hawaii’s native forest ecosystems and watersheds. Learn how NTBG scientists are saving spores.
The propagation of a rare Hawaiian tree, Gardenia remyi, in our Conservation Nursery connects us to the past and shows us a way forward.
Kalaheo, Hawaii (May 3, 2022)—The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) has announced that it has […]
