Big Island: Mauna Kea Summit Tour with Free Night Star Photo
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
We will take you to the summit of Mauna Kea to see the sunset and we will do stargazing afterward (not at the summit). Our most unique part is that our guides will take the photo of the sunset and stars for you using their DSLR camera.
All photos are free of charge and you will get it to your smartphone at the end of the tour.
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
Please check the message on Viator. We will send a message about pick up time and location after the confirmation of your booking.
Please note that pick up location has a free parking lot but we do not take any responsibility or liability for any damage or loss caused through the parking
Please note that in times of bad weather sunset or stargazing are not 100% guaranteed and moonphase will affect the visibility of the stars.
Please note that, depending on any guests get altitude sickness or other conditions, the time spent at the summit and the stargazing location may be adjusted.
Guest under 16 years old or older than 75 cannot participate
Not recommended for person weight more than 300lb
Not recommended for person having respiratory problem such as asthma
Guest under 16 years old or older than 75 cannot participate
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
An astronomical telescope
Mauna Kea Summit Tour
Admission Fee for Mauna Kea
Free DSLR camera photo of stars with you in it! (weather and moon phase permitting))
BLT or Vegan sandwich (Please let us know by day before the tour or it will be automatically a BLT)
Snow parker, Ski pants, and Gloves
4x4 Passenger Van to the summit
Gratuities
What To Expect
Kailua-Kona
Pick up guests from each pick up location starting from Target in Kona. (pick up time varies depending on the season) 14:00-15:00pm Target's parking lot meet in front of the Mcdonald’s that is in the Target parking area (74-5453 Makala Blvd, Kailua-Kona) 14:45-15:45pm/ Queens’ Market Place Please meet up at the shuttle bus stop in backside of the shopping mall, a LARGE parking lot near the NOT Starbucks (69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr #201, Waikoloa) 15:30-16:30pm/ Gilbert Kahele Recreation Park (44-5400 Daniel K. Inouye Hwy, Waimea)
Onizuka Astronomy Complex
Onizuka Visitor Information Station We will take a break at the Onizuka Visitor Center at an altitude of 2,800m or 9,000ft for early dinner and altitude acclimatization. We also change clothes for winter clothes here depending on the weather. Also gift shop is open for guests to purchase the items. (No food or drink sale)
Options
Queens Market place Pick up
Starting point:
Queens' Marketplace, 69-201 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738, USA
Target Parking Lot by McDonald
Starting point:
Target, 74-5455 Makala Blvd, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
Reviews
1,334 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
5 Stars Mauna Kea Summit Tour
V6765LYcarolw,
Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour to the summit of Mauna Kea was absolutely amazing. Our guide, James, was outstanding! Very enthusiastic about his work, genuinely caring, and incredibly knowledgeable. He took excellent care of us throughout the entire experience. James shared fascinating information about the island’s history and the volcano, making the journey both educational and meaningful. The stargazing portion of the tour, along with the telescope viewing, was something we had never experienced before. We learned so much and were truly in awe. The light dinner BLT sandwich was surprisingly delicious, and James continually checked on everyone to make sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. He truly went above and beyond. The family photos he took were an extra-special touch that many other tours don’t offer. We also appreciated the winter parkas and pants provided. This is another thoughtful detail that set this tour apart, as we did not see other groups offering this level of preparedness. If we had one suggestion, it would be to update the touring vans with models that feature individual bucket seats for added comfort. Overall, we highly recommend this organization. It was an unforgettable experience, made exceptional by James’s professionalism and passion.
James was an amazing tour...
Courtney G,
Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00James was an amazing tour guide. He took individual pictures and double checked to make sure we loved our photos. The view was incredible at sunset, and they provided hot chocolate during stargazing to warm us up. Overall, this was a great experience. I will probably be coming back to do it again!!!
Mauna Kea Summit Sunset &...
Mica K,
Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing – Dec 9, 2025 Hawaii Eye Tours | Guide: Wes This tour was absolutely amazing and easily one of the best experiences of my trip. Wes was such a great guide—super kind, funny, and really easy to listen to. He explained everything in a way that made it interesting and never boring. The sunset was unreal and the stargazing was honestly unreal. I’ve never seen stars like that before—it felt like a dream. Everything was really well organized and I felt safe and taken care of the whole time. I would 100% recommend this tour to anyone visiting Hawaii. So worth it!
The star gazing was my...
awesomejtyip,
Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The star gazing was my highlight of the trip. James is very knowledgeable about the island and the tour itself. Gave us so much insights about Hawaiian culture as he himself, a proud Hawaiian. James took very nice pics for everyone on the tour patiently. Truly one of the best tour guides I have had! Def recommend!
Great experience
Alexander S,
Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00James was an awesome tour guide. Very down to earth and knowledgeable. We spent some time at the visitor center, were able to see the observatories, had awesome sunset views and a fantastic view of the night sky. James provided us with sandwiches, parkas and hot cocoa, and took fantastic pictures. Overall an awesome experience.
Stargazers delight
Ian V,
Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Anyone who loves the stars will love this tour! The night sky from nearly 14000 feet is like nothing we’ve seen! The Milky Way was in its full glory and Kilauea even sent us a big pink plume from down below! Our guide Shoyo taught us so much about volcanos and the history of the observatories and Hawaiian culture. He was also really friendly and funny in 2 languages. The sunset picnic BLT somehow tasted even better at altitude, and the hot chocolate under the North Star felt magical.
Sunset and Stargazing in Hawaii
Sithlordq,
Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had an unforgettable experience on the Sunset & Night Sky Tour. The evening started with a peaceful ride to the viewing point, where we watched the sun dip below the horizon in a blaze of warm colors. The guide shoyu was professional , knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the area, sharing stories and pointing out landmarks. Also loved the sandwich and hot cocoa drink
Good to do once
Pam H,
Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00Go when there is a new moon and not a full moon so you can see stars. We went on a full moon night and there weren’t any visible stars.
Kudos to our guide Shoyo....
Eleonora R,
Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00Kudos to our guide Shoyo. Beautiful ride up to the top and mesmerising stargazing. It takes some time after sunset for the stars to come out so I would have loved 5-10 minutes more at the parking lot, that part felt a bit rushed and confusing with 2 groups coming together, but overall everything was as advertised.
Experience among the stars!
Shivang T,
Dec 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This is the best sunset and stargrazing experience my wife and I had till date. James provided detailed insights on the way to Mauna Kea summit and stargrazing sight which essentially is few minutes from summit. He took amazing pictures among the stars. He even gaveme tips to get photos on my dsl!! Food+water on the way as well! Highly recommend this tour!!
From US$280.00
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