In May 1922, Bishop Museum researchers Kenneth Emory and Thomas Maunupau visited Kaupo to document historical sites in the area. Maunupau wrote an account in Hawaiian of the journey that was published in serial form in the newspaper Ka Nupepa Kuokoa. This was later reprinted and translated in the book Huakai Makaikai a Kaupo, Maui.
Maunupau starts off the account with a description of the journey from Honolulu to Kaupo. It involves travelling by boat, car and mule over two days. A summary of Maunupau's detailed, vivid account is described below.
Maunupau and Emory leave Honolulu, Oahu on the Kilauea steamship at 8 p.m. on May 1, 1922. At 2 a.m. on May 2, the ship arrives in Lahaina, Maui. It is not clear how long the ship docks for, but Maunupau writes that, "It was not long in Lahaina" (Aole i loihi i Lahaina). The Kilauea sails around northwest Maui, and at 7 a.m., the ship arrives at Kahului Harbor, departing at 8 a.m. At 11 a.m., the ship arrives at Hana Bay, in east Maui. Maunupau and Emory rent a car and driver, who takes them through Hana and Kipahulu. At 12 p.m., Maunupau and Emory arrive at Kukuiula, in Kipahulu, where they meet a Kaupo native with mules. Maunupau and Emory travel by mule through a series of gulches, arriving at the house of their Kaupo host at 4:30 p.m.
The following table presents the separate legs of the journey and the duration.
| Leg | Method | Duration |
| Honolulu to Lahaina | Boat | 6 hours |
| Lahaina to Kahului | Boat | 5 hours |
| Kahului (loading) | Boat | 1 hour |
| Kahului to Hana | Boat | 4 hours |
| Hana to Kipahulu | Car | 1 hour |
| Kipahulu to Hana | Mule | 4.5 hours |
In total, Maunupau and Emory spend 20.5 hours in transit. Upon arriving in Kaupo, Maunupau writes, "I was thrilled to get back on solid ground, because I was sore from the long journey, and I was not used riding a mule." (Ua hauoli loa iho la au i ka lele ana iho iluna o ka aina honua paa, no ka mea, ua hele a opili i keia hele ana mai o ke ala loa, a o kekahi no hoi, aole i ano maamaa i ke au hoki.)
See a Google Earth simulation of Maunupau's journey here: