Mauna Kea Summit Stargazing Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Breathtaking sunset views from Mauna Kea summit
- Guided stargazing with professional astronomer
- Comfortable round-trip transportation provided
- Warm clothing and blankets for added comfort
- Small-group experience for personalized attention
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip transportation to Mauna Kea summit
- Guided stargazing session with professional astronomer
- Warm clothing and blankets for comfort
- Meals and beverages
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
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates in all weather conditions; cancellations may occur due to severe weather
- Children under 5 years old are not permitted on this tour
- Guests with mobility issues should consult with the tour operator prior to booking
Know before you go
- Dress in layers to accommodate changing temperatures
- Bring a valid ID for check-in purposes
- Be prepared for a high-altitude environment; stay hydrated
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Good to know
- 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.
- Guests must bring their own water bottles. Tour operator will provide filtered water refills.
- 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.
Traveler reviews
One-of-a-kind experience!
I’m so impressed with the all-encompassing nature of this activity. Every detail is well thought out and at each stage I thought: wow, there’s still more to come! But the highlight was truly our very knowledgeable guides, Jason and Aaron. They shared so much of their knowledge, as well as local culture and history. If you’re on the fence, just book it! Well worth the price to have these memories!
Stars and Galaxies for July 4th week
Second time doing this tour and there will be a third, fourth and fifth. Seeing the galaxies and constellations from Mauna Kea will never get old. You literally drive through clouds ro get there. Once acclimated at 9,000 feet the guide takes you all the way to the top (over 14,000 feet) to watch the sunset. It's otherworldly to be above the clouds, watching the suns set. Then, the guide takes you back to 9,000 feet and breaks the telescopes out so you can see the constellations. This is an experience that will never get old, ans you will always learn something new.
Star gazing at Mauna Kea
The star gazing was out of this world fantastic. Our guide Eugene was great!! He was very knowledgeable and an excellent driver
10/10 Recommend
Wonderful experience stargazing at the Mauankea summit area with Hawaii Forest & Trail yesterday. Our guide, Jeff, was fantastic--kind, funny, and deeply knowledgeable about the island and the skies. Reaching the summit to watch the sunset was incredible, but the best part of the experience was stargazing with Jeff. It was magical! I was really impressed with his knowledge and passion. Tour was a highlight of our trip to the Big Island. Given the length of the trip and the quality of the experience (comfortable van, parkas, gloves, and blankets provided, as well as delicious dinner and the most delectable cookies, I would say the trip is priced quite reasonably. My husband doesn't love tours and I was nervous how he would feel about it, but he was effusive about our guide and the opportunity to stargaze in such a remote location--high praise! I am eager to return to Hawaii to try another of their tours! Mahalo to Jeff for making the visit memorable.
Breathtaking, and Jeff was awesome!
Our experience was incredible. Jeff, our guide, and as incredibly knowledgeable on anything volcano related, Hawaiian culture, understanding island ecology and had a vast understanding of our universe! He was funny too. He really was the highlight of the trip, alongside the sunset and stargazing. Would highly recommend, and ask for Jeff!