When we imagined exploring Kauai, we knew we wanted something beyond the typical tourist trail. We craved adventure, freedom, and the chance to fully immerse ourselves in the island’s wild beauty. That’s when we found Hawaiian Overlanders and their 4WD campers – and it was exactly what we needed! Renting a SUV with rooftop tent allowed us to roadtrip Kauai on our own terms, discovering hidden gems and tackling rugged trails along the way. After one incredible week of adventure, we just had to share this unforgettable experience with you.
Table of contents
- About Hawaiian Overlanders
- Our SUV with rooftop tent
- The guidebook
- The campsites
- Why choose Hawaiian Overlanders
- Our experience with Hawaiian Overlanders
About Hawaiian Overlanders
Hawaiian Overlanders offers SUV rentals on both Kauai and the Big Island, and each SUV is fully equipped for adventure. Every SUV comes with a comfortable rooftop tent (plus a ground tent for extra space), kitchen essentials, and plenty of storage. Whether you’re traveling as a family or with a group of friends, their SUVs can accommodate up to five people, making it perfect for any kind of trip. And with prices between $179 and $199 per day, it’s a great value for the experience you get.
What really stood out to us was the service. Hawaiian Overlanders is super flexible with check-in and return times. This is a huge relief when you’re trying to plan around your flights. A thing we also really appreciated was the fact that Nick picked us up and dropped us off at Lihue airport. It was such a relief not having to struggle to find the pickup location, or find a taxi to drop us off at the airport after our Hawaiian adventure came to an end. We also loved the detailed guidebook Nick provided. It included safe, legal camping spots with coordinates, plus local recommendations for activities and food. More on this later!
Lastly, you can also rent all sorts of gear from Hawaiian Overlanders to make your time on the island more special. We rented snorkeling gear, a beach umbrella, and a portable shower kit. You can also ask for a generator, speaker, or even a boat ride up to secret falls!
Our SUV with rooftop tent
Our Black FJ Cruiser was spacious, beautiful, and impressively clean (both in how it looked and how spotless it actually was). Hawaiian Overlanders also provided us with a series of YouTube videos to get accustomed to the car prior to our arrival, so we actually didn’t have any issues driving a 4WD. We were ready to go from the start!
But what we found even more impressive was that it was a fully equipped camper that had everything we needed. On the roof there’s a rooftop tent (including mattress and pillows), and in the trunk we had, well, everything! Listing all items would be long and tiresome, so we’ll try to keep it short. There was all sorts of kitchen gear (cooler, plates, bowls, silverware, cutting board, seasoning, trash bags, portable stove, lighter, …), camping gear (ground tent, sleeping bags, blankets, beach towels, chairs, flashlight, …), and enough tools like a machete, scissors, tire in-/deflator, … to not worry about anything. Setting up the rooftop tent was surprisingly easy, too. And if you know Kelvin, that says a lot! 😂
The guidebook
The thing we valued maybe even more than all the amenities, was the guidebook that Nick provided. It contained so much information, tips, tricks, and of course… a list of ALL (legal) campsites on Kauai. Some of these were paid campsites, others were free, and some of them were hidden gems that Nick himself discovered. Safe to say, he doesn’t want us giving away these campsites to non-customers, but we did manage to convince him to let us share two of ‘em. If you want to know all the other available campsites on Kauai, then all you have to do is rent a camper from Hawaiian Overlanders!
The campsites
It was tons of fun to plan out our route and choose our campsite for the night. Budget conscious as we are (😉), we decided to alternate between free and paid campsites for our six nights on the island. That way we were also sure of (at least) a clean shower every other day, and less hassle going to the toilet in the middle of the night. It was our first camping experience after all, and going “full wilderness” would be a bit too much, too fast!
Kumu Camp
The first campsite we’re allowed to share is Kumu Camp in the northeast of Kauai. It is a paid campsite that accepts both ground tents as well as rooftop tents, and offers amazing views of Anahola Beach and the ocean. Due to our flight over Kauai being rescheduled, we actually ended up here more than once in order to stay closer to Lihue Airport on the east shore of the island.
We absolutely loved Kumu! It had hot showers, spots near the beach and some more sheltered from the wind if you wanted to, a lovely crowd, electricity, wifi (at times),… nothing but positivity! You can also find yurts, tentalows, and bungalows on site, so they really have something for everyone. The sunrises and sunsets here are also really really magical.
Campsites for a camper with rooftop tent start at $25 (€ 23) per person, up to $35 (€ 32). Check out the official website of Kumu Camp to secure your spot.
Kekaha Beach
Another very special camp spot we stayed at was Kekaha Beach. Kekaha Beach is a completely free, open camp spot in the southwest of Kauai. This was one of those romantic ideas we had in mind before our Hawaii trip: spending the night on the beach, listening to the waves. Well, Kekaha definitely delivered!
We arrived well before sunset to claim a great spot, and also to get a bit of a tan in. 😉 The benefit of driving all the way on the beach is that you have everything right there with you! No need to carry around a cooler for drinks. Just open the trunk and pop one open! We had no issues driving on the sand, but in case we had we could just deflate the tires a bit (like Nick taught us) and it’d be okay.
Our experience on Kekaha Beach was so, so amazing. We ended the day with an amazing sunset (the southwest location is perfect for this), before an after hours stargazing sesh. Then we fell asleep to the sounds of the ocean. So magical! The following morning we were awoken by the waves and the bright sunlight. What an amazing feeling it is to wake up and just run into the ocean!
Why choose Hawaiian Overlanders
Before our trip, we already had high expectations for Hawaiian Overlanders. We first came across Nick’s company on Airbnb, then discovered them on Instagram, and eventually found their clean, professional website where we made our reservation. Being able to find a company on multiple platforms was a great sign of reliability! As first-time campers, we had tons of questions. The company was quick to respond both on social media and via email, helping us pick the perfect jeep for our adventure. The customer service was already shining before we even set foot on Kauai!
During the trip, all of our impressions were confirmed and then some. The airport pickup and drop-off were lifesavers, making our journey completely hassle-free. One standout feature we must mention (again) is the guidebook we received, which made a world of difference. It gave us detailed information on camp spots, public restrooms, where to grab ice, and even securing camping permits. Nick’s local expertise made the experience so much better.
Beyond that, we really have to mention all the support we got throughout our stay. From lending us his drone when ours malfunctioned to offering help whenever we needed it, Hawaiian Overlanders truly went above and beyond.
Fun fact
We even met a ton of Nick’s friends when we helped them get a boat back on a dock. During our week on Kauai, we saw Nick a handful of times. That should tell you how much we liked (and needed 😉) his company!
Our experience with Hawaiian Overlanders
Roadtripping Kauai with Hawaiian Overlanders was more than we could have hoped for. With the freedom to explore at our own pace, the comfort of a fully equipped camper, and the support from Nick, we discovered the island’s wild beauty in ways we never expected. Since it was our first camping trip, we didn’t know what to expect. But because of Nick’s and Hawaiian Overlanders’ superb service it exceeded all our expectations! If you’re looking for an authentic and adventurous way to experience Kauai, roadtripping Kauai with Hawaiian Overlanders is an opportunity you won’t want to miss.
