I am planning a trip to Hawaii in a couple of weeks and will be hiking the first 6 miles and back of the Kalalau trail. I have read so many places that this is very hard. Last November I hiked all around New Zealand, including the Tongarario Crossing which, although very strenuous, was extremely rewarding and beautiful and I made it out of there just fine. I also did a good amount of hiking on NZ's south island as well. Has anyone hiked in both countries and can give me a comparison? Thank you in advance!

Haven't been to New Zealand, but if you're experienced with strenuous hiking I think you'll find the difficulty of the Kalalau trail to be overrated. Yes, you're constantly climbing or descending, and the trail is badly eroded and full of roots and rocks, and crosses a nasty crumbling cliffside far above the water at one point (past the 6 mile mark). Nevertheless my group did the full 11 miles in about 5 hours, and we're far from the worlds's fastest hikers.

Why only 6 miles? If it is at all possible, I would try to hike to the end of the trail at Kalalau Beach, an unbelievably beautiful place.

Thanks Jay for the info. I can't camp over night which is why I am probably only going to do whatever I can do in a day.

This hike is my favorite due to kee beach is right next to the trail head. I agree its not hat hard but imho it is very beautifull, the ocean vistas are just great and lots of small water falls along the way. Kee beach is real neat , after your hike change you gear out into your snorkel gear and snorkel the whole area , lots of fish and a BIG plus just over the reef there are many turtles, i saw at least 10 . To get over the reef you should float over be carefull if water to shallow you cant make it coral will cut you up, and dont walk on it like some do that kills whats left of it. Note bring an inflatable float go out as close to the reef as possible and you can see the turtles swimming all along the reef.
My second favorite hike is the Baby Grand Canyon. Go to the visitors station top of the road and get a map, ask for the hike to the sacred pools of ( lol, yes ) fertility. This hike is very beauifull also, the canyon views are great, and then when you reach some pools along the way you can soak your feet, then continue to the sacred pools, they cascade one to the other till there is a great water fall that drops for several hundred feet, very majestic. This canyon area has several longer hikes also but i did not do them. have a great time. sail

sail10,
Is the canyon hike described in the Kauai Revealed (blue) book? Is sounds very nice. How strenuous and long is it? Would it be appropriate for two children, 10 and 7?

I would only go part of the way to the sacred pool hike, the first half. The second half that continues to the pools can make for a long hike for a 7 yr. old.

Now saying that there are other hikes that are shorter. Go the visitors center and get the hiking map. Ask questions per your children and how hard a hike you are looking at on the map.The area is very beautifull and the kids will really be awed as you will to.

Now to comment on the difficuilty of the sacred pool hike, i saw several children on the hike but none that i saw ever made it to the pools. Time line is about 2-3 hrs. each way, and that included many stops.I have a moto hike till you stop smilling , then start back. NOTE there is a service that will take you to the offical trail head , the reason i am saying this from where you must park you car, it is a good mile hike from your car to the trail head.Sorry i dont know the name of the service, just caught a glance on a big truck.
To conclude dont miss the kee beach hike there are 2. 1 goes to the blue lagoon ( movie scen) and the other is up the mountain ridge , both are suitable for children ,and the kids and your self will have a ball at the beach, very calm.***Caution as for all hikes in Hawaii , you must be on the lookout for flash floods or really flash water falls , check the weather for any unde rain the night before. Have a great trip, sail

Forgot to answer your question on kauai revealed. I think the hike is in the book, not sure i found it reading either kauai revealed or fromers travel book. sail

We just did the four mile hike into the first waterfall and back on Kalalua. Technically the hike is not at all difficult (compared to some mountain terrain I've been on). What got to me was the heat and afternoon sun on the way back. Bring plenty of water and you'll be OK.

i think you asked us to compare hiking in hawaii to hiking in new zealand, right?

i have hiked extensively in both places, and apart from the common idea that both make you tired and get your feet dirty, i'm not sure what you are after?

if you mean scenically? the kalaulau trail will not offer you the variety and change of scenery that the tongarario crossing did. you are not "crossing" anything here, just hiking alongside a cliff edge. very pretty, but not a lot of variety compared to tongariro.

i hope that answers your question. also, it's going to be a lot hotter/more humid in hawaii, and with a much greater chance of rain on that trail, which will make your footing slick, especially on the initial climb up.