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
Must-do Memorable trip for the Big Island
I would highly recommend this tour. The views from above the clouds were magnificent. The dinner was great and comforting. All of the stress was taken out of the trip. The guide picked us up and we were able to relax and enjoy his knowledgeable stories about the area and the island in general, while also enjoying the beautiful views. The road is quite difficult to travel on certain stretches, but he expertly maneuvered it. We had a wonderful time
Great experience!
This was an awesome experience. It was very cold on top of the mountain but the time was relatively brief and the van was available to get out of the wind. The views were incredible. The meal was surprisingly good and the hot chocolate was so nice after the cold. The star gazing was very interesting. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly and an excellent driver. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone with an interest in astronomy or just searching for the next awesome sunset experience.
Spectacular!
We loved every minute of this tour. The tour bus ride, dinner below the summit at the museum/gift shop, sunset and finally star gazing were all perfect. Our tour guide Jason was awesome! He provided great stories and insights into Hawaiian history as we made our way up the mountain, and his knowledge after dark during the star gazing portion of the trip was incredible. He showed a genuine love for astronomy, and Hawaii as a whole. You will NOT be disappointed with this tour.
Breathtaking! Jeff excellent guide👍🏻
Gorgeous stars , incredible sunset at 14k ft and over clouds. All the telescopes, countries represented. Jeff our guide was amazing! Very knowledgeable about the island- the mountains the people, the “green”environment in f Hawaii, and so knowledgeable about the the stars and galaxies. And he always was checking on us for altitude impact- had safety first. Recommend tour and recommend Jeff 👍🏻
Tour was perfect and...
Tour was perfect and couldn’t ask for a better tour guide. Wilson was so informative and knowledgeable. He was an excellent guide.