Big Island GOAT Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
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.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Not allowed for travelers under 13 years old
Not allowed for travelers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not allowed for pregnant travelers
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Mauna Kea Summit
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.
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)
Dinner (Travelers may bring their own)
Private Tour
Options
Kona Bank Of Hawaii Pick Up
Kona BOH Pick Up : Kona Commons shopping center Bank of Hawaii (across the lot from the Kona Target)
Starting point:
Bank of Hawaii, 74-5457 Makala Blvd Suite 102, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
Hilo Naniloa Hotel Pick Up
Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo - a DoubleTree by Hilton “A” lot, near Crowns nightclub
Starting point:
Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo - a DoubleTree by Hilton, 93 Banyan Dr, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
Waikoloa Starbucks Pick Up
Waikoloa Queens' Marketplace Starbucks
Starting point:
Starbucks, Beach Resort, 69-201 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738, USA
Reviews
1,716 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Magical experience throughout the night at Mauna Kea
Minyoung S,,Feb 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Pick-up van arrives at designated place and you hop in. After driving couple of hours, you arrive at Mauna Kea. The road upwards to the summit is quite bumpy but it’s worth it. You get to spend like 30 min at the middle stop so your body adjusts to the height. Then you arrive at the summit. The view is incredible, feels like you’re in a different planet - Mars. It’s quite chilly so better bring some cozy clothes. You wait till the sun sets, and then drive down a bit where you can see the stars. You can have some snacks and hot cocoa to warm up. And then the magic show begins throughout the night sky. Full of stars and constellations with explanation from the guide. Guide also has special equipment to see the close-up of the popular stars. One of the best experience ever. Once everything is over, the van drives you back to your hotel and drop you off. Cannot recommend enough, and would love to join the tour again!
Mauna Kea
Laura K,,Feb 21, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a great experience despite the weather. (And nobody can completely predict that. ) Very organized trip. Kept very informed along the way. Our guides were fantastic. Val and John were so informative, so friendly and you could really feel their passion for what they are doing. Now we had mostly cloudy at sunset and about 99% cloud cover for the stars. But even with that, they kept a positive attitude and kept us engaged. Definitely giving us the aloha vibe. (And our driver to the vans, Bing, was very friendly and informative as well. )
100% recommend. I went...
Troy P,,Feb 21, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00100% recommend. I went for my 31st birthday and it was amazing! Definitely bring warm clothes. I’m from Alaska, and I was freezing! They provide jackets and hot cocoa which was great! The stars were beautiful, and the buss drivers were wonderful. Overall 10/10.
Highly recommend this tour company
akaplan98,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Our tour guide -Tay- was fantastic. Knew geology, astrology, mythology and more. A great tour leader. The parkas they gave out, showing some wear, were the long overcoat style and very warm. Snacks were plentiful. Overall a great experience.
Val, Chris and Bing were...
Julie R,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Val, Chris and Bing were amazing guides and so knowledgable about Hawai’i. Sunset from the summit and stargazing was breathtaking.
GOAT for a reason
Trevor O,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Friendly and knowledgeable tour guides. Lots to see and learn during the tour. They provide heavy coats at the top of the mountain when temperatures drop and lots of snacks! Feels like they were prepared for everything. Definitely recommend this group if you're considering a trip up Mauna Kea.
Beautiful and informative experience
Debra S,,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a very interesting tour as they provided you with lots of information about the island in addition to information about the night sky.
Was awesome. .
John H,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Tour Guides were awesome. Really cared about you and made sure you were always feeling okay at high altitude. They made transitions easy. Plenty of breaks guides very knowledgeable about the area and full of facts and stories of how the area came to be. Would do it again
Excellent Tour of Mauna Kea
Erin F,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was simply a wonderful and unforgettable tour! John was an outstanding guide, providing us with interesting information about Mauna Kea and the surrounding area. The parkas that were provided by the tour company were incredibly warm, more blanket than coat, and the snacks were better than I anticipated. The stargazing portion of the tour was excellent with expert details from the narration to looking through the telescope. Tay, the guide with the group from Kona, also was exceptional, relaying fascinating information about astronomy. I highly recommend this tour! The views from Mauna Kea will stay with me forever!
Best experience on Big island!
Safari33909123570,,Feb 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. John, our tour guide, was extremely knowledgeable and made our tour very enjoyable. He was attentive and helpful when my mother was having issues with the elevation and his guidance helped her immensely. The views at the summit are breathtaking, but the highlight was the stargazing afterwards. I’m unsure if John is an actual astronomer or not, but he certainly seemed like it! My family learned so much from this experience and being able to see nebulas and galaxies in person was incredible, in addition to all the information we learned about the stars. If you visit big island this is a MUST DO! We will be doing this tour again if we ever visit Hawaii again.
From US$289.00
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Operated by Hawaii Island Holidays