World Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls is a commercial botanical gardens with a large waterfall, located between Umauma and Hakalau, at the corner of Leopolino Road and Hawaii Belt Road, State Highway 19, 16 miles north of Hilo, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii. The gardens are open daily with an admission fee. Major features include Kamaʻeʻe Falls, a 100feet waterfall, the second largest maze in Hawaii known as the Children's Maze, over 10acres of arboretum, and many specialized garden areas.
The gardens were founded in 1995 by Walter L. Wagner on 300acres of agricultural land bordered by the Umauma River and extending up Mauna Kea's slope. The Rainforest Walk was the first portion open to public touring on July 4, 1995.[1]
On September 2, 2004, a change of management of World Botanical Gardens took place, and in 2008 the Umauma Falls overlook and its surrounding 90 acres was sold to Umauma Experience.[2]
In 2009 the garden officially opened[3] a zip-line tour known as Zip Isle Zip Line Adventure descending into the Hanapueo stream gulch. This was developed by Experience Based Learning. This was to become one of many adventures that would initiate the collection known as Botanical World Adventures. The adventures include World Botanical Gardens, Zip Isle Zip Line and in 2011 the addition or Segway Off-Road Rainforest Adventure.