Plan Your Visit

Welcome to Kalaupapa National Historical Park!

The park was established in 1980 to preserve the memories and experiences of the people forcibly sent here. The park's mission is to provide a well-maintained community that ensures the present patient-residents of the Kalaupapa Settlement may live out their lives peacefully and comfortably. The park also supports education concerning Hansen's disease (leprosy), a disease shrouded in fear and ignorance for many centuries.

Hawai'i State law requires all individuals to secure a permit prior to entering Kalaupapa National Historical Park. For general visitors, permits are available through a guided tour (click link below). The DOH permit provides approval to book travel via air to Kalaupapa but does not grant permission to traverse the private property between the Kalae Hwy to the Kalaupapa Pali Trail. NPS is working towards securing an arrangement with the property owners. Until then, general visitor access is allowed only through the Kalaupapa Airport.

In addition to the strictly limited access to Kalaupapa National Historical Park, please be aware of several critical pieces of information:

Persons under 16 years of age are not permitted to visit Kalaupapa.

There are no medical facilities at Kalaupapa. Any emergency medical response can take hours and may require a helicopter flight to Oahu or Maui.

There are no dining or shopping facilities available at Kalaupapa. Guests of residents need to bring their own food and sundry supplies, and plan on taking their trash with them when they leave.

Photography of patient-residents and their property is strictly prohibited without their express written permission.

The 3.5 mile trail to the park is extremely steep and challenging with uneven surfaces. Hiking the trail is physically demanding and careful consideration should be given to your physical fitness level before beginning the hike. Read more about trail safety.