Big Island GOAT Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars
- 5–8 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 9 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Delight in the awe-inspiring sunset at the top of Mauna Kea, the highest point in the Pacific. Your guide will share historic accounts of the Big Island. Stand amidst the world’s largest collection of research telescopes. Two of the eight telescopes which took the first photos of the black hole are here. Sip a hot beverage during your private star show and view planets with a professional telescope (Weather Permitting). Your guide will take astrophotography photos of you with our camera and email them to you.
Inclusions
What's included
- Experienced tour guide
- FREE night photo with our professional camera
- Snacks and a hot beverage
- Jackets and gloves to keep you warm
- Transportation in a comfortable 4X4 van
- Professional telescope (Weather Permitting)
What's not
- Dinner (Travelers may bring their own)
- Private Tour
Itinerary
One of the best places to see the sunset and stargazing and it's also the highest mountain on earth. Comfortable 4X4 passenger van as transportation.Jackets and gloves provided to keep you warm. Experienced tour guide to talk about our history and show you our amazing night with a laser pointer. Get close to the stars with our professional Celestron telescope and get a nice photo with our DSLR camera.
Maunakea is a celebrated and storied place in the cultural traditions of Hawai'i. While it is the dwelling place of the goddess Poli'ahu it is also associated with the Hawaiian deities Lilinoe and Waiau. The summit was considered the realm of the gods and in ancient times was kapu (forbidden) to all but the highest chiefs and priests. Occasionally Hawaiian ali'i (royalty) would make the long trek to the top, the last royal visitor being Queen Emma in 1881 who led her companions on the arduous 6 hour journey to the top to see the summit and rejuvenate herself in sacred Lake Waiau. The White Mountain Legends of the Mountain - Poli´ahu While today Maunakea is home to 13 international observatories and recieves thousands of visitors every year it remains a sacred place for the people of Hawai'i. On the the fourth Saturday of every month MKVIS hosts community speakers who speak about Mauna O Wakea from a cultural perspective.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.8
- 51,677
- 4102
- 351
- 228
- 122
Ratings come from 1,880 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Stunning views and so many stars!!!
This was a great tour experience to visit Mauna Kea, we were able to learn a lot of history while also seeing stunning views of sunset and more stars than I thought possible. Getting the telescopic photo with the milky way in the background was a huge win! Our guides Chris and Cade did a great job!
5This entire experience...
This entire experience was absolutely mind blowing we caught a beautiful sunset and then the stars or the stargazing portion of the tour seemed unreal the staff was super friendly and helpful everything went really well from beginning to end and I went up the volcano with my girlfriend and came down with a fiance. Very nice place to propose and definitely dress warm
5Fantastic experience and sights
A really great experience with knowledgeable guides, prioritizing safety, comfort and respect to the land and mountain.
5This experience was worth...
This experience was worth it. It was really fun to see the sunset and the star gazing was incredible. Kela, Chris, and Kade were phenomenal guides and were super knowledgeable. The photos with the star gazing were also unbelievable. We highly recommend this for anyone wanting a trip up the Mauna Kea summit.
5Best Stargazing in the World
The experience at the summit itself was great! We loved our guide Tay, who was super friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the mountain and the stars. We booked on a great night where there was a good amount of time between sunset and moonrise, so we got a really clear view of the Milky Way. However, we did have some difficulty with the pickup. We were not told what vehicle to meet up with, so it was unclear what we were supposed to do. We ended up standing around in a parking lot on a hot day because we didn't know where to go. That part of the experience could have been made much better with just a little bit of effort by the tour company. But ultimately it was worth it as the summit experience more than made up for the inconvenience.
5Must visit
Amazing experience. i was a bit hesitant but it’s definitely worth it. Very knowledgeable staff which obviously makes things better.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Maunakea Visitor Information Station
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 14 travellers
- Operated by
- Hawaii Island Holidays
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Weather can change rapidly (snow, fog, 120+ mph winds are possible year-round)
- Road closures may occur due to ice, snow, poor visibility, strong winds, or safety conditions
- No smoking, alcohol, or illegal drugs at any time.
- Please respect the mountain — leave no trash behind.
- Not allowed for travelers under 13 years old
- Not allowed for travelers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions
How it compares in Big Island of Hawaii
- Its from-price is 15% below the median of the 150 day trips we list in Big Island of Hawaii.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 150.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Big Island of Hawaii
The Big Island of Hawaii is the largest and youngest of the main Hawaiian islands, with active volcanoes, black-sand beaches, coffee farms and clear skies.
The Big Island is larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined and still being shaped by active volcanoes. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has steaming craters, lava fields and the Chain of Craters Road down to the sea. Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa both rise above 4,000 metres, and snow dusts their summits in winter.
Top-ranked sights in Big Island of Hawaii: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Rainbow Falls, Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku).
Special offers in Big Island of Hawaii
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
25% offFree cancellationPrivate Shore Excursion Tour: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
from
$1,995$1,496
