Big Island: Mauna Kea Summit and Stars Small-Group Adventure Tour
Description
Head to the Mauna Kea Observatory, nestled high in the mountains of the Big Island, and experience an intriguing and provocative journey through space and time. Discover Hawaii from the top of the island's tallest peak, Mauna Kea, also known as 'White Mountain,' located 13,796 feet (4,200 meters) above sea level. This small-group star-watching tour ensures a personalized and unique experience at the enchanting Mauna Kea summit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Travelers staying in Kailua Kona will meet the guide here. Your guide will meet you at the benches closest to the hotel's parking lot entrance at the curbside. **There may be additional meeting location stops along the way to Maunakea.**
Enjoy a warm picnic dinner while you acclimate to a higher elevation and learn about Hawaiian star navigation before you head to the summit.
Enjoy a sunset from above the clouds while overlooking the Pacific Ocean atop Maunakea. After the sunset, travel to a more comfortable elevation and let our guides reveal the night sky with our 11" Celestron telescopes.
Descend to a lower elevation after the sun sets and sip hot chocolate during a private star show with our 11” Celestron telescope. View deep space objects with our Stellina digital telescope and share captured images of the Hawaiian night sky with your friends & family
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum age is 13 years - No children under 13.
- Due to the high altitude, this tour is not suitable for those with respiratory, circulatory or heart conditions, pregnancy, or poor health.
- Scuba divers should be aware of altitude dangers. If you plan to scuba dive, do not plan to go to the summit within 24 hours after you dive due to the altitude.
- Guests are required to wear closed-toed shoe and long pants. We recommend bringing a sweatshirt or sweater for layering.
- Please provide your parka size (small, medium, large, x-large or xx-large) and meal choice at the time of booking. If you do not indicate this at the time of booking, you will need to contact the tour operator directly.
- There is minimal walking on this tour, the maximum being about 150 yards. Please note we are unable to accommodate any guests with a collapsible wheelchair. All guests must be able to enter and exit our vehicles on their own, and walk comfortably on uneven terrain with limited lighting on their own.
- The access road to Mauna Kea is four-wheel drive only, so it can be bumpy. The custom off-road transit vans will get you to the top and back in safety and comfort. The transit vans can carry a maximum of 12 passengers
- Snow is seasonal at Maunakea, with the heaviest snowfall occurring during the winter months
- Please note your scheduled pick-up time may differ from the tour start time displayed online. Contact us to confirm your meeting time & location.
- Weather changes can occur quickly, and the access road to the summit can close without warning; therefore we cannot guarantee access to the summit or favorable conditions.
- No scuba diving within 24 hours
Reviews(1,620)
The tour was such a unique experience! I loved everything about the tour. Our tour guide Wilson was such a great tour guide and driver. We felt safe and comfortable. The atmosphere was great. The group had a good time and the length of visit was nice. It was such an incredible time and I enjoyed every moment. My husband and I had a wonderful day.
Jeff was an outstanding guide and made the trip memorable and enjoyable. He was so knowledgeable about the region describing the areas we were passing through on the way up to the summit and then was passionate about the stars. We felt comfortable with the drive up and back. The meal was absolutely delicious and the cookies and hot chocolate welcome while we watched stars. The photos of the stars after were just an added bonus. Highly recommend this tour!
Mahalo for the wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that Jeff made your summit trip so comfortable, informative, and fun. It sounds like a perfect evening, from the hot chocolate and warm cookies under the stars to the delicious meal and souvenir photos. We truly appreciate your high recommendation!
I had heard how amazing the Mauna Kea Stargazing tour is and it truly lived up to the hype! I was in Hawaii for a milestone birthday celebration and this was definitely the highlight of the trip! Eugene was our guide and he was perfect. Fun, funny and full of facts. He made the trip comfortable and enjoyable. I whole heartedly recommend this tour!
Happy milestone birthday, and mahalo for spending such a special celebration with us! We're thrilled to hear the tour lived up to the hype and became the highlight of your Hawaii trip. Eugene will be delighted to know his humor, facts, and hospitality made your experience so memorable. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you back for another unforgettable night!
If you enjoyed looking at the stars this tour is for you. Jeff was our guide for this tour and he was extremely knowledgeable about the observatories at the top of Mauna Kea. I was amazed at how many different observatories there were at the top of the mountain. After watching the sunset we drove down about a thousand feet where Jeff then set up two telescopes for us to view the stars through. Through the telescopes, we got to see the Omega centauri globula star cluster, the Dumbbell nebula, the Eagle nebula and the Ring nebula just to name a few. He also explained and showed us how to find the different stars in the sky. It was quite amazing. Be prepared because it can be very cold at the top of the mountain. They did supply us with parkas and gloves. But I recommend definitely long pants and a sweater or sweat shirt for under the parka. It can be very windy at the top.
Mahalo for the glowing review! We're thrilled you had an amazing stargazing experience with Jeff and enjoyed taking in the Mauna Kea observatories, nebulae, and star clusters. Thanks also for sharing those great cold-weather packing tips—layering up definitely makes all the difference up there. We hope to welcome you back under the stars again soon!
This was one of the most memorable excursions my husband and I have ever experienced. Watching the sunset from the summit of Mauna Kea was truly breathtaking, followed by an incredible stargazing session. Our tour guide, Wilson, was exceptional. He brought along telescopes that allowed us to observe various constellations and celestial bodies, and his knowledge enhanced the experience, enabling us to see details we would not have noticed otherwise. We also observed several shooting stars throughout the evening. Overall, it was a wonderful experience that was well worth the cost.
Mahalo for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled that watching the sunset and stargazing atop Mauna Kea was such a memorable experience for you and your husband. Wilson will be delighted to hear your kind words—he takes great pride in sharing his knowledge and guiding guests through the night sky. Catching those shooting stars sounds like the perfect touch to a special evening! We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future.
Great experience. Our guide Jeff was knowledgeable and fantastic at planning the time! Very much worth it especially if you love the night sky!
Mahalo for the great review! We are thrilled Jeff took such good care of your time and that you had an incredible experience taking in the night sky. We really appreciate the recommendation!
The tour was amazing, the tour guide was super friendly and very knowledgeable. The tour van was new and comfortable. The sunset was breathtaking and the stargazing with hot chocolate on hand was just the perfect touch. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Mahalo for the wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear you loved the breathtaking sunset, the stargazing with hot chocolate, and the comfortable ride. It was a true pleasure hosting you, and we hope to welcome you back again soon!
We had a great time on the tour up to the top of the mount with Jeff as our guide. It was amazing to see such a collection of large scopes with a beautiful sunset. Stargazing after sunset was cool, unfortunately it was a night with a full moon so we weren’t able to see many objects from what would have been a Bortle 1 (very dark) sky.
Mahalo for the amazing review! We're happy Jeff helped make your sunset and observatory experience great. The moon definitely puts on its own show up there, but we'd love to welcome you back for a moonless night in the future!
Of the many activities I've done on the big island over the last 5 years, this is one I'll always remember! Jason, the Guide, was fantastic and super knowledgeable about all things Hawaii, geology and the cosmos. The views from the top (next to the observatories) are up there with the summit of Kilauea and Haleakala, the latter of which can be seen from this summit. A must see activity!
Mahalo for the incredible review! High praise considering all the amazing experiences on the Big Island! We’re thrilled Jason shared his passion for Hawaii, geology, and astronomy with you, and that the summit views made such a lasting impression.
Having an experienced guide who truly treasures the Island heritage and Mauna Kea makes such a difference. Years ago my husband and I drove ourselves and it was too much with the roads and the altitude. Jason made our experience one that will be remembered and cherished forever. Priceless and worth every cent paid.
Mahalo for your heartfelt review! We couldn't agree more—having a knowledgeable guide makes all the difference, especially on Mauna Kea. We’re thrilled that Jason could make this trip stress-free and truly unforgettable for you both!
