Best of Maui: Sips, Sites & Bites (M1)

As someone who's been guiding visitors around Maui for years, I can tell you the Best of Maui: Sips, Sites & Bites (M1) tour delivers everything you'd want in a single day—and then some. This 11.5-hour adventure hits all the island's highlights, from volcanic craters to rainforest valleys, giving you an authentic taste of what makes our island so special.

You'll start with the breathtaking climb up Haleakala, our dormant volcano that built this island over a million years ago through countless lava flows. At 9,740 feet, the visitor center offers those jaw-dropping panoramic views everyone talks about. Keep your eyes peeled for the rare Silversword plant—you won't find this beauty anywhere else on Earth—and watch for our state bird, the Nene geese, wandering freely across their ancestral home. The sacred mountain, revered by Polynesian settlers who arrived between 400-650 A.D., showcases over 1,000 plant species as you wind through the 38-mile route's dramatic climate zones.

Next, you'll cruise through Kula's rustic countryside, where Portuguese and Chinese plantation workers once made their homes, before dropping into the emerald paradise of Iao Valley. This dense rainforest doubles as an ancient battleground and royal burial ground, dominated by the towering Iao Needle—a natural rock spire shooting 1,200 feet above the valley floor.

Your Best of Maui: Sips, Sites & Bites (M1) experience includes a carefully chosen lunch at Hali'imaile General Store and a distillery tour with tastings for guests 21+ with valid ID. Everything's covered—transportation, park admissions, lunch, and expert narration—with hotel pickup from major resorts.

Fair warning: dress warmly since summit temperatures can hit 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and this isn't recommended for pregnant women or anyone with heart, respiratory, back, or motion issues. Scuba divers need to wait 72 hours before joining.