Hawaii’s GOAT Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars

Overview

Available languages

German

Korean

Portuguese

Chinese

Japanese

English

Italian

French

Spanish

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

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Not recommended for travelers under 13 years old

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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)

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.

4 hours•Admission Included

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.

30 minutes•Admission Included

Options

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

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

Waikoloa Starbucks Pick Up

Waikoloa Queens' Marketplace Starbucks
Starting point:
Starbucks, Beach Resort, 69-201 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738, USA

Reviews

4.82

1,507 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

1355

Robert and Jessica are...
Fifi S,
Jul 1, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Robert and Jessica are the best tour guides you can find when visiting Mauna Kea. You can also learn history and culture from about Hawaii
Excellent guides. Quite...
Hong J,
Jun 30, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Excellent guides. Quite informative and engaging. Beautiful sunset and night sky to remember. Would recommend tour to others visiting the island.
28June25
Jake L,
Jun 30, 2025
- Viator
5.00
This was an absolute TREASURE of an adventure! Very good and very informative about both geography and Hawaiian cultural history
One of a kind Adventure!
Brit M,
Jun 25, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Packed with lots to see and so many memories to be made! Definitely a bucket-list adventure with everything taken care of so you get the absolute best out of the entire experience! Plus the dozens of photo and souvenir opportunities along the way cannot be beat! Worth every penny! Also shout out to Jamie (the coolest driver ever) for making sure we got to and from safely and efficiently and our amazing guides Val and Zack for making this trip out of this world! Together they kept everyone comfortable and entertained while also having so much knowledge about everything from the history of the surrounding area to the thousands of constellations in the sky! Definitely bring a coat though, the cold weather on the summit is no joke!
Everyone in our party of...
Sarah G,
Jun 23, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Everyone in our party of seven really loved this excursion, from teenagers on up to folks in their 60s. Our tour guide was friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the mountain, Hawaiian history, and especially the astronomy portion. The jackets they provided were clean, colorful, and most importantly kept us warm. Highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in the history of the volcano, amazing views and astronomy!