Nature School

Best Maunakea Tours on the Big island

Mauna Kea Summit SUNSET & Stargazing Adventure

English

Maunakea

Sunset & Stargazin

This spectacular Mauna Kea sunset and stargazing tour will bring you the most beautiful sunset you've ever seen in your entire life, at least, one of the most. The stars and sunset from above the clouds, at 13,803 ft! You can reach to the summit by a car! After a gorgeous sunset, we'll move down to the night sky lights up with thousands of glittering stars. ※ Estimated pickup time will be between 1:30~2:30pm @Kona area. ※ We don't discount even if we meet up at Hilo district. ※ It'll depend on traffic and weather conditions, but we'll drop you off around 9-10pm at Queen Market Place. ※We recommend to wear the long sleeve, pants, and sneaker Our tour include the items down blow. ・Guide (English Speaking) ・Snow jackets, pants and gloves ・Bottled water ・Hot Drinks ・Light meal (Normally BLT sandwich. Let us know ahead of time if you want to change to Veggie sandwich) ・Oxygen cylinder ・Astronomical telescope ・Admission fee for Mauna Kea summit

  • Adult (ages 16+)

    USD 270.00

  • Days of Week

    Sun,Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat

  • Duration

    8h

Outline

  • 14:45 - 14:55

    Target

    Please meet in front of the Mcdonald’s that is in the Target parking area 🤙/74-5455 Makala Blvd, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 ※Pick-up time varies depending on the season and the place you stay

    15:30 - 15:35

    Queens’ Market Place

    We will meet you at the shuttle bus stop in backside of the shopping mall near the yellow umbrella shade. 69-201 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738 ※Pick-up time varies depending on the season and the place you stay

    16:45 - 17:30

    Onizuka visitor center

    We took a break at the Onizuka Visitor Center at an altitude of 2,800m for a dinner and an altitude acclimatization. We also change clothes for winter clothes here.

    18:00 - 19:30

    Mauna Kea summit at an altitude of 4,205 m

    We will stay at the summit for about 60min until sunset. Watch the sunset at the top of Mauna Kea near the universe. Enjoy a fantastic moment!

    20:00 - 21:00

    Starry sky observation with an astronomical telescope and a laser pen at an altitude of 3,600-3,700 m (2,800 m depending on the weather)

    A guide explains the constellations and stars using a reflective telescope and laser pen. Hot drink will be provided at this time. At the end of stargazing we will take your photo with the stars!

    22:45 - 23:15

    Drop Off

    Dropping off the guest in reverse order of pick up

Add-ons / Transportation

Transportation

  • Target or Queens Market place Pick Up

Plan Information

  • What's Included
    • Guide (English Speaking)
    • Snow jackets, pants and gloves  
    • Bottled water
    • Hot Drinks
    • BLT sandwich Let us know ahead of time if you want to change to Veggie sandwich
    • Oxygen cylinder (Emergency use only) 
    • Astronomical telescope 
    • Admission fee for Maunakea summit
  • Restrictions
    • Not recommended for expectant mothers or guests with heart or respiratory problems.
    • No scuba diving within 24 hours before your tour date to avoid decompression sickness.
    • Participants must be older than 16 years old or younger than 70 years old.
    • Please refrain from drinking within 8 hours before the tour departs.
    • You can join the tour on the day of arrival on the island of Hawaii, but we do not do pick up or drop off at the airport.
    • Please refrain from bringing in any large luggage such as suitcases.
    • Cancellation within 48 hours before the tour pick-up time, due to problems such as flight delays and missing backs, we will not be able to meet the tour pick-up time and will be charged 100% even if you do not participate in the tour.
    • We do not provide transportation to Hilo or Waimea area.
    • No Wheelchairs are allowed to bring in the tour
  • What to Bring
    • Wear comfortable walking shoes. Long pants, a heavy sweater or jacket is highly recommended as the weather is extremely cold at night at the summit and temperatures can drop below freezing at any time of year with the wind chill factor.
    • We will guide you to the top of the mountain by car, so you do not have to climb on foot.
  • Additional Info
    • Depending on the weather, you may not be able to reach the summit of Mauna Kea. If the gate is closed due to bad weather during the tour, you will watch the sunset at the foot of Mauna Kea (around 2000m) or the beach, and observe the starry sky at the foot of Mauna Kea (around 2000m).
    • We will guide you to the summit of Mauna Kea, so there is no walking.
    • You need to sign the disclaimer when you participate.
    • The tour will be operated by Hawaiian Haoles, Inc. dba Hawaiian Eyes Tours.
    • IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT BE LIABLE TO ANY OTHER PARTY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, EVEN IF INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. FURTHERMORE, NEITHER PARTY MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY TO ANY OTHER PARTY REGARDING THE EFFECT THAT THE AGREEMENT MAY HAVE UPON THE FOREIGN, FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL TAX LIABILITY OF THE OTHER.
  • Cancellation Policies

    • Until 12:00, 2 days prior: 0%
    • After 12:00, 2 days prior: 100%

Reviews

Average Rating

5.0(182)

  • 5-star

    173

  • 4-star

    9

  • 3-star

    0

  • 2-star

    0

  • 1-star

    0

  • Family

    4.9(54)

  • Couple

    5(78)

  • Friend

    5(29)

  • Solo

    4.8(21)

  • Work

    0(0)

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Star Rating

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Participation Period

Language

Customer Reviews

  • 5

    Participation Date: 2026-05

    Couple

    Fabulous tour to the heavens!!

    James provided a wonderful evening tour of the Mauna Kea summit and stargazing below the clouds. Enjoyed the amazing views!! James has to be one of THE friendliest people I've ever met, and he genuinely works to ensure that guests have a fantastic time on the tour. His commentary on the drive was both educational and entertaining. The cold weather gear provided was much appreciated and allowed us to enjoy the time at the top. All around great experience. Highly recommend.

    B

    Brianne Klotzsche

    Posted Date: 2026/05/20

  • 5

    Participation Date: 2026-05

    Couple

    Unforgettable Sunset & Stargazing Experience with West!

    We had an absolutely incredible time on the Mauna Kea tour. Our guide, West, was fantastic—super friendly, knowledgeable, and kept us entertained throughout the trip. The entire tour was well-organized and ran smoothly from start to finish. On the way up, West shared fascinating stories about the history of the Big Island. We had a great stop at the Visitor Center where a delicious BLT sandwich and water were provided. Once we reached the Summit, West managed to find the best spot for us to watch the sunset. During the golden hour, he took professional photos of us for free! The stargazing session at 3800 meters was the highlight. West gave us a detailed introduction to the constellations and stars we were seeing. They even provided hot cocoa and warm jackets, so we never felt the cold. We also got a free professional photo with the starry sky as our backdrop. Highly recommended to anyone visiting the Big Island! Thanks, West, for making this so memorable!

    S

    Sherry Chen

    Posted Date: 2026/05/15

  • 5

    Participation Date: 2026-05

    Friends / Colleagues

    Excellent

    The tour is fantastic! Our guide James is so good!

    X

    Xin

    Posted Date: 2026/05/13

  • 5

    Participation Date: 2026-05

    Couple

    Highly recommend this activity

    Chris was an excellent tour guide and even better photographer. We would recommend this tour to anyone, even if you have rented a car, as it takes the stress out of the drive and you don't need to pack a big warm coat. The sunset from the summit with the observatories was beautiful. It was definitely worth going the whole way up to the top.

    A

    Archana

    Posted Date: 2026/05/12

  • 5

    Participation Date: 2026-05

    Couple

    Amazing!

    Was a great way to spend our wedding anniversary, watching the sun then watching the stars. James was our guide and you could truly feel the aloha spirit coming from him, seeing how he treated his friends and others around him. The jacket and pants were clutch as it was very cold at night. I wasn't expecting much from the sandwich but it was delicious. Would definitely recommend to others.

    M

    Megumi

    Posted Date: 2026/05/11

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Time

  • Adult (ages 16+)

    USD 270.00