Khalahari Indoor Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells: A Complete Review

We recently spent an amazing weekend at the Kalahari indoor waterpark in Wisconsin Dells! This is one of my favorite indoor resorts in the Dells, and I think it is top-line in several areas. First, it is by far the best for the adrenaline junkie, with numerous wild, heart-pumping rides you won’t find anywhere else in Wisconsin Dells. Secondly, it has some amazing areas for the youngest visitors, including its own mini lazy river for kids! Finally, Kalahari has more of a luxury feel, and with the right budget, there are plenty of ways to spend money to get even more out of your stay. Even with a base room cost, Kalahari is worth checking out. Read ahead for my review and all the important details. Stay tuned for a general review of the resort and its indoor amusement center, Tom Foolery. For activities outside of the resort, here are my top recommendations. Here is my packing list if you aren’t sure what to bring.

Top Tips

–Here is a link to the height requirements and weight limits for all the rides and a map of the indoor waterpark.

-Don’t arrive hungry; food is available at the park but is pricey.

-Wear well-fitted suits for the Flow Rider and get there early for a shorter wait time.

-Bring your own towels. Park towels must be returned before park closure for the day.

-All kids under 48 inches must wear life vests at all times.

-If you have room in your budget, consider renting a cabana.

Adrenaline Junkies at Kalahari

If you want to experience crazy indoor waterpark rides, Kalahari has to be your destination in Wisconsin Dells. The Screaming Hydra has riders step into a capsule with their hands behind their head and legs crossed…then the floor drops out of from under you! It sends you plunging into a steep and fast slide. The best part by far is the start. The minimum height is 54″, and you can try a bit of a warm-up to this slide with the Sahara Sidewinders. There is the same crazy start, but it releases you into a shorter drop and a twirly body slide.

The Master Blaster is a mix between a roller coaster and a waterslide. The slide sometimes goes up, you get frequent water blasts behind you to increase your speed, and half the ride is in the pitch dark, so you can’t see what’s coming next! I loved it. The minimum height is 42″

Check out the FlowRider! It is a wave that simulates boogie boarding. This ride needs its whole section. Check out below for more details.

Finally, if you love crazy slides, check out the Tanzanian Twister. This toilet-bowel-type ride ups the ante as it is a fast body slide. You can enter the toilet bowl at unpredictable angles before tumbling into the 9’6″ pool at the bottom. They verify that you consider yourself a strong swimmer before letting you go down this slide.

Young Kids in the Waterpark

For Kalahari’s youngest guests, check out Tiko’s Watering Hole. This semi-fenced-in area in the park’s back corner feels a bit calmer. Max water depth is only about 1 foot and features a kids-only mini lazy river! My 4 and 6-year-olds were on the older end of kids enjoying this area, and they loved having smaller tubes and more freedom to cruise in the river. I lost count of how many laps we did. You can see the whole thing from any section, so it’s easy to put your feet up and rest while your kids release their energy. Some tubes have no doughnut hole in the center to accommodate the littlest guests.

In addition to the lazy river, there are central areas to climb on and under, with a bunch of kid-sized slides to explore. Scattered around the slides are several water-spraying animals to climb on. They even have several hanging baby swings.

This whole area has only one entrance/exit, and while it isn’t gaited, it is reasonably easy to stand guard there and have reassurance that your kids haven’t gotten too far away. They recommend this area for kids 48″ and under.

Bigger Kids

In the center of the waterpark is the Leopard’s Lair. A large climbing and splash structure. At 4 and 6, my kids explored this from top to bottom with plenty of kids both older and younger than them. The website says “for all ages,” but the water slides here have a 100 lb weight limit, so most parents will have to wait at the bottom or climb down instead of riding the slides. This structure has a fence along the back, making it a bit easier than other structures I’ve seen to keep track of your kids. Instead of a dumping bucket, they have “air cannons” that make a big bang and splash water periodically. Remember, all kids 48″ or under have to wear life vests at all times in the park.

Water Slides

Master Blaster and Victoria Falls share stairs to the top. Master Blaster is the rollercoaster-esque adventure slide and fits 1-2 people with a max weight of 400 lbs. Victoria Falls is a family slide that fits 2 to 3 people. Kids under 42″ just need an adult accompanying them.

Rippling Rhino and Tanzanian Twister share a stairwell. The Rhino is a family tube ride for 2-to 3 riders. Kids under 42″ need an adult with them. My kids loved this one! The Tanzanian Twister is a toilet bowel body slide for strong swimmers.

Zig Zag Zebra and Elephant’s Trunk share stairs. The Zebra is a single or double tube for 42″ and over. The Elephant is a body slide with a minimum height of 48″. These are classic waterslides!

Finally, the Screaming Hydra and Sahara Sidewinders share a staircase. They are both body slides with a minimum height of 54″ and a max weight of 300 lbs. Both of these heart-dropping slides start with the rider in a capsule. Then, the floor drops out from under you! The Screaming Hydra goes straight down while the Sidewinders curb the speed with a turn. No jewelry is allowed.

The Wave Pool, Lazy River, and Crocodile Cove

The wave pool is connected to the large lazy river. It is fun having them connected; however, it means that there are lots of tubes in the wave pool. My kids LOVE a good wave pool and prefer to swim in it rather than sit in a tube, so I felt I had to play defense a lot so they wouldn’t get run over by a big ole water tube.

The lazy river has several loops. When we were there during the week around spring break, one of the loops was closed. The river is fairly shallow, making it easy for the kids to swim and play.

The Crocodile Cove is a fancy pool with basketball hoops and an area to chill and swim.

FlowRider

While this isn’t the only Flow Rider in the world, it is the only one in the Dells, and I had such a blast! This experience is part of your ticket, but the lines can get long. Each participant gets a full minute or longer to try their hand at this boogie-boarding type experience. The lifeguards will provide instruction and give you some feedback on improving. They also get you to try the hardest tricks when your time is up, encouraging a wipeout so the next rider can step up. This was my first Flowrider, but it was great fun for a reasonably athletic person, and getting the basics down was straightforward. Take their recommendations for appropriate clothing choices seriously! I saw a lot of butt cracks and a couple of misplaced tops! I wore a one-piece and still needed a rash guard top as I kept losing my shoulder straps. The minimum height is 42″, and you must be a strong swimmer.

General Waterpark Details

Each resort guest can check out a towel, and you do not need everyone there to grab towels. You go to the towel desk near the entrance and check out the number of towels you need. You have to return them to the waterpark before it closes that day, which is kind of a bummer if you want to walk back to your room with a towel. We brought our own towels, used their towels to dry off, and then used our personal towels to walk back to the room.

The waterpark is well-designed but feels like a maze until you get your bearings. If you have a specific destination, it would be worth checking out the map near the lockers and entrance. Life vests are required for those 48″ and under and are available at Kalahari.

Lockers, showers, and changing rooms are available. There are also a few smaller family rooms for co-ed needs. The facility is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Day passes cost $40-$80, depending on the time and day. You get a group rate on these if you buy for 10 or more.

Food Options

There are two food stands in the waterpark. One is near the entrance and sells pizza and drinks, including alcohol. The other is near the back corner and sells chicken, burgers, and grab’n’go snacks. The food is convenient and not cheap, but they don’t allow carry-ins. Sample prices from 2024 include $29 for a 20″ cheese pizza, $10 for a cheeseburger, or $12 for a chicken Caesar sandwich. They do offer gluten-free pizza.

There is a swim-up bar for 21 and older with an indoor/outdoor hot tub. Many resorts have signs stating age restrictions for hot tubs that I feel are mostly ignored, but this one, being connected to the bar, seemed to enforce the age minimum AND has outdoor options, which is nicer than most I’ve seen.

We always like to check out some local restaurants instead of always eating at the resort. Here is a list of our favorites.

Extras and Add on’s

Renting a private cabana or bungalow at Kalahari’s indoor waterpark in Wisconsin Dells can decrease stress if you have room for that cost in your budget. Premier seating is a pre-reserved table that starts around $70 on a weekday but increases on weekends or during popular times. For top dollar, there is a private bungalow with a whirlpool that can fit up to 18 people. This costs at least $500/day on the weekdays and more on busy days. There are options in between those price points.

One thing I can’t wait to do next time is rent the FlowRider for a private session. The lines are long, and this ride is so fun! You can rent it for your private group or take surf lessons.

When you book your room, you can select tons of add-on features. One of the coolest is private access to the waterpark for a whole hour! Hit those rides without lines.

Conclusions

The best parts of the Indoor Waterpark at Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells are the exciting rides for big kids and adults, the dedicated mini lazy river for kids, the FlowRider, and the luxury feel.

A few downsides are the low weight limit for the slides off the climbing structure, the tubes in the wave pool, and the need to return the towels every night. I liked the lifevest rule for my kids’ ages, but it could be very frustrating for some kids.

Other Local Activities

Check out some local parks if you are ready to escape the hustle and bustle. Rocky Arbor State Park and Pewitt’s Nature Area have short hikes. Mirror Lake has lots of hiking options as well as camping and kayaking. Devil’s Lake has lots of hiking, including a strenuous and rewarding rocky hike to a beautiful view of the Lake.

Check out Dells Boat Tours, including the Upper Dells Tour, to see Witches Gulch. My kids love riding the Wisconsin Ducks, amphibious vehicles that can drive on land or water. If you want to kayak and get an up-close view of the awesome Dells, check out Vertical Illusions for rentals and tours.

If you love animals, check out Timbavati. We especially love the winter VIP tours. Or, in the summer, you can feed the animals at Wisconsin Deer Park.

If you are looking at other indoor waterpark resorts, consider Wilderness Resort for a huge selection of waterparks, Great Wolf Lodge focusing on kids under 10, or Mount Olympus if you are on a tight budget.