Quick Details
Adults
Ages 15 and older
$ 145
PREDAWN – MORNING BIKE TOUR
For those who prefer a later start or have already experienced Haleakala’s sunrise, the Pre-Dawn Bike Tour offers a less crowded adventure. Starting at 6,500 feet, this tour lets you witness vibrant pre-dawn colors in the sky as you descend the mountain’s exhilarating 29 switchbacks – not once, but twice!
Afterward, enjoy a ride through the agricultural community of Kula and stop in the charming town of Makawao before continuing your ride through the diverse landscapes back to the seaside town of Paia. This five-hour tour is made for experienced riders and leaves you plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your day on Maui.
Itinerary for the Pre-Dawn Bike Tour
Check in times vary throughout the year depending on the time of the sunrise. A text message will confirm the exact meet time at our office the day before the tour.
These are all approximate times given traffic and guests riding abilities. Some riders are much slower than others.
CHECK-IN TIME AND LOCATION: 4:45am – 5:15am, 497 Baldwin Ave, Paia HI 96779
NARRATED RIDE TO LAUNCH POINT (45 min): The van ride will start at the check-in location. And will include narration of history and focal points such as historic churches, the historic cowboy town of Makawao, agricultural town of Kula, and upcountry area being driven through. The ride will end at the launch point of 6500 feet.
FIRST BIKE RIDE (20 min): After a safety briefing and gear fitting the ride begins and proceeds through the 29 switchback turns through the beautiful bi-coastal views of Haleakala Ranch.
RIDE BACK TO LAUNCH POINT (10 min)
REPEATED BIKE RIDE (20 min): The fabulous 29 switchbacks will be repeated for a more exhilarating ride the second time.
VAN TOUR THROUGH KULA (15 min): Followed by a van tour through Kula to the town of Makawao.
EXPLORE MAKAWAO (30 min): Explore the town with either a cup of coffee or breakfast and some shopping.
FINAL BIKE RIDE (20 min): Ride bikes from Makawao down to our office on Baldwin Ave. where the tour began.
CHECK OUT THE AMAZING VIEWS ON OUR PRE-DAWN BIKE TOUR
A few beautiful moments from the pre-dawn experience.
SEASONAL CHECK-IN TIMES
This Maui pre-dawn tour is for those guests who may have been to Haleakala in the past or don’t want the early wake up and don’t want to go up to 10,000 feet to watch the sunrise. We offer this alternate bike tour that starts later and avoids the crowds and traffic while still seeing all the vibrant colors in the sky over Maui. You will enjoy riding down the 29 exhilarating switchbacks while watching the sun peaking over the mountain after watching the predawn colors. The upper portion of the 29 switchbacks will experienced twice for double the fun. Then the tour proceeds with a van tour through the agricultural community of Kula.
There will be a stop in the paniolo town of Makawao where there are coffee shops, eateries and local boutiques to enjoy. The ride will continue down though the pineapple fields, rainbow shower trees and historic churches to the seaside town of Paia back to the starting location. Leaving the rest of the day to explore and enjoy Maui.
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You can bring a backpack with you that will be stored in the van. This will carry all the necessary items you may need and can easily store additional layers of clothing or any purchases you make along the way.
- Warm clothing for higher elevations (It is very cold at the top of Haleakala.)
- Closed-toe shoes
- Layered clothing
- Pants (no dresses or baggy pants)
- Sunglasses and/or prescription glasses
- Sunscreen
- Camera
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Aside from the fun experience and the views, there are a few things that are included in the bike tour. These include:
- Volcano Chrome Cruiser bikes that are designed with drum brakes to handle the downhill ride.
- Granola bars
- Bottled water
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You can wear anything that will make you feel comfortable. However, closed-toed shoes and helmets are the only mandatory attire. Gloves, windbreakers, and windproof pants are highly recommended. Keep in mind that the temperatures in the early morning can be quite brisk and, when combined with the downhill speeds, you may find it chilly.
Jackets, sweatshirts, jeans, leggings, long-sleeved shirts, and the like are all safe options. Dressing in layers is always a good idea.
Check the weather before your tour and dress accordingly.
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It is our goal to make sure that everyone has an enjoyable – and safe – experience on this sunrise bike tour. For that reason, we have certain restrictions in place for your safety. If you have any questions or concerns about the below restrictions, please feel free to contact our office at 808 877-4944.
- Participants must be competent, experienced, and confident bike riders. They should be able to get on and off the bike safely, keep it under complete control at all times, and be able to maneuver the bike through 180-degree turns, as well as at speeds of 18-25mph.
- Riders must be a minimum of 15 years of age. Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
- Riders must not be pregnant.
- The maximum rider weight is 280lbs due to bike manufacturer limitations.
- Rider minimum height is 4′ 10” tall.
- Riders must wear closed-toed shoes only. No exceptions.
- Riders must be capable of engaging in activity at higher elevations.
- Riders cannot be taking medication that may cause drowsiness or fatigue.
- All riders must understand all risks involved in this tour, and must sign an acknowledgement of risk form.
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How dangerous is the Haleakala Pre-Dawn bike tour?
We don’t like to say that the bike tour is dangerous, but rather adventurous. As a rider, you have to be confident in handling yourself on a bike under certain conditions, including:
- Sharing a road with vehicles
- Traveling downhill from 6500’ vertical feet
- An average gradient of 5-6%
- Switchbacks and winding road
- Certain stretches of the road have no bike lane or shoulder
If you are not or would not be comfortable traveling on a bike in this situation, then this may not be the tour for you. You don’t have to be a professional bike rider to be able to enjoy the tour, but you do have to be able to control your bike. Remember, you are going to be heading downhill for many miles at a fast pace – and you will have cars next to you. If none of this concerns you, you will be fine. As with most outdoor adventures, however, there are risks involved.
Is the Haleakala Pre-Dawn Bike Tour a good choice for you?The Haleakala Pre-Dawn bike tour is an unforgettable experience for anyone who participates. If you are someone who can appreciate the beauty around you, then you won’t want to miss the views you will see throughout the entire tour. You can even stop to take pictures along the way. We are sure you will have a lot of fun.
We only recommend our bike tours to those who have had prior experience riding a bicycle downhill, as you will be traveling downhill at a fairly average gradient of 5-6% while sharing the roadway with other motor vehicles. So, you have to be a confident and steady rider who meets the age, height, and weight restrictions – as well as the ability to meet the aforementioned skills.