Mendes Ranch – See Maui on Horseback!

Family owned and operated  the Mendes Ranch offers visitors to Maui an opportunity to see Maui on horseback (they also offer ATV tours) while getting to know this wonderful family. The original Mendes arrived in Maui from the Azores Island,Portugal in 1866. The ranch is located on land homesteaded in the 1940’s by Manuel Mendes “Red” and his son Ernest Mendes, hard to say how they survived those early years of roughing it out on the ranch with no electricity, no running water,dirt roads over rocky terrain but somehow they managed. Now the ranch is ran by Ernest son Allan J Mendes, the ranch has grown to 3000 acres, 300 head of cattle and 80 horses.

The journey begins at the corral where you are greeted by real Paniolo’s(cowboys) you are introduced to your horse. Trail rides  take you across an actual working cattle ranch past breathtaking views such as the one featured here, through rolling pastures into lush rain forest and gaze down into Eki Crater to view some of Maui’s largest waterfalls. Narrated tours continue down the mountain where you will see Hawaiian taro patches and plantation homes, continue along Waihe’e Valley to the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean with amazing photo opportunities such  the one shown here of Pete & Terrie(two of my favorite clients) during their recent visit.