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• Exceeded expectations!

  Catherine M G,2026年6月18日

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Our tour guide was Jeff. He was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable about the seed collection/conservation, the summit, and stargazing. He was very kind, encouraging, and patient! This experience exceeded our expectations. The chicken stew was delicious. Loved the added attention to detail, which included super warm parkas, mittens, hot chocolate (yum), and chocolate dipped macadamia shortbread cookies. We had ample time at each stop, never feeling rushed. The can was very clean and in great condition. Highly recommend this adventure when you’re in HI.

• Stellar small group experience on Maunakea for sunset and stargazing

  Ann T,2026年6月17日

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  This was recommended by friends and the first thing we reserved this spring. Our host/driver/guide was Jeff. He was fantastic the whole trip. On the way up he gave us some history of the Hawaii, the geology of the island and what makes Maunakea the perfect spot to star gaze. Sunset was gorgeous but even better was our evening stargazing. Jeff had two telescopes - one we used our eyes and rhe second that we will receive the file of all the stars we gazed at. This truly was a small group of 12. Highlights was only 8% moon so we saw Jupiter, Venus and Mercury with our naked eye and seeing both northern and southern constellations. Definely dress warmly - although it was in the low 50s and coats and more are provided. Leave the driving to an expert, it is extremely dark on the way down with twists and turns in the road.

• Underwhelming experience

  428petei,2026年6月15日

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  3.00

  The guide/driver was punctual and very respectful however the trip was misleading because I was under the impression that we’ll enter the telescopes at the top of the mountain instead we left immediately after sunset, drove down to 9200ft right above the visitor center where there was a lot of cars with lights plus another bus full of people. I did not enjoy the stargazing part of it at all.

• Maura Kea Summit Sunset & Dark Sky Tour

  williambY582LL,2026年6月15日

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had a great door to door tour with Hawaii Forest and Trail. Jason was our local Hilo native tour guide, history, geology, volcanolgy expert, safety officer and humorist for our 8 hour adventure. HF & T provided a comfortable 12 person van for our group and picked us all up in Kona at our hotel Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha. Jason was bright and cheerful and made the whole experience very enjoyable and interesting. The adventure; Interesting drive up the coast to the saddle road and then up the road to the observatories. Jason was full of information about the area, wildlife, native and invasive plants and animals and Hawaiian history. HF & T was very conscious about everyone’s safety with the large altitude changes and how everyone felt. A couple stops were made along the way to help people adjust. Jason provided a nice hot small meal of soup/stew in a thermos with tea and bread at the Visitor Center stop. The drive itself up the steep mountain thru several climate zones was very interesting. Then we got to the top of the mountain. It was out of this world cool. Seeing all these huge scientific Big Boy telescopes was fascinating. To look out from the top of the world to the sea of clouds was breathtaking. Maybe part of that was the altitude and the cold 😂. Then to watch the sun slowly set in the west, the colors were just beautiful. It was truly peaceful, spiritual. People were just quiet and thoughtful. It was very moving. One of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced and I’m old and I’ve done a lot. 🙂 Then we waited as the sky turned dark and Jason set up his telescope and he showed us the beautiful dark sky on the top of Mauna Kea with no light pollution. What you could see with the naked eye and your phone camera was pretty amazing. Looking thru Jason’s telescope was a real treat. Then when we got home HF&T set us digital photos taken with Jason’s telescope. These are really beautiful. We reserved this tour several months ahead for my adult son, his partner and myself after doing a lot of research about different tour companies. HF&T was consistently rated the top tour guides for this adventure. We made this the Grande Finale adventure of our week on the Big Island. It was the perfect climax to a wonderful week on a beautiful island with warm and friendly locals. Thanks to Jason for safely getting us back down the mountain and back to our hotel. Pretty sure everyone fell asleep on the way back. Mahalo Jason and HF&T for a wonderful experience.

  

  

  

• Beautiful astronomy program

  Departure50230143396,2026年6月12日

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!!! Wilson is an Incredible tour guide and extremely experienced!! Beautifully structured program! I will be back to do this trip with Wilson!!!

• Possibly our best ever trip in Hawai’i.

  Martyn A,2026年6月7日

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Amazing. Fantastically organised trip from start to finish. Professional tour company - and what can I say about our guide, Jeff. Legend! Great historical info on the long drive up and back, great sense of humour - and although seeing the sunset at 14,000 feet with the initial reason for going - the stargazing was unbelievable. Both because of what you should see - but more importantly Jeff’s knowledge. You could tell this was a real passion and skill of his. The equipment he brought with him was amazing to see the stars like that. And all from an automated telescope and iPad screen! Food great. Drinks great. Hot chocolate (definitely needed). Nothing to fault. Thanks Jeff and the wider company. Awesome.

• Sunset and stars like never before

  316claire,2026年6月6日

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Our driver and guide Jeff was brilliant. He was personable considerate and very knowledgeable The chicken stew was delicious and the hot chocolate and cookie was very welcome The parkas provided were really warm but you do need to dress warmly and listen to The advice regarding high altitude. A really enjoyable experience a beautiful sunset and the stars were so bright and the sky so clear. Jeff was able to show us so many features and we made great memories Highly recommend this trip

• Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing with Hawaii Forest & Trail – A Must-Do Experience

  Sherrie G,2026年6月1日

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Our Mauna Kea Summit Sunset and Stargazing tour with Hawaii Forest & Trail was absolutely unforgettable. The views at the summit were nothing short of breathtaking—the kind of beauty that makes you pause and truly take it all in. Watching the sunset from above the clouds was simply magical. The experience was made even better with thoughtful touches throughout. The chicken stew was delicious and perfect for the cool mountain air. And during the stargazing portion, enjoying hot chocolate and a cookie while gazing up at the incredible night sky was the perfect way to end the evening. I also have to give special credit to Hawaii Forest & Trail and our guide. I had accidentally overbooked myself and needed to meet at a different location than originally planned. They were incredibly understanding, flexible, and went out of their way to accommodate the change, which I truly appreciated. Overall, this was an amazing experience from start to finish. Between the stunning views, great food, and exceptional service, this tour is definitely a must-do if you’re visiting the Big Island.

• Must-do Memorable trip for the Big Island

  Emily A,2026年5月21日

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  I would highly recommend this tour. The views from above the clouds were magnificent. The dinner was great and comforting. All of the stress was taken out of the trip. The guide picked us up and we were able to relax and enjoy his knowledgeable stories about the area and the island in general, while also enjoying the beautiful views. The road is quite difficult to travel on certain stretches, but he expertly maneuvered it. We had a wonderful time

• Great experience!

  Robin S,2026年5月19日

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  This was an awesome experience. It was very cold on top of the mountain but the time was relatively brief and the van was available to get out of the wind. The views were incredible. The meal was surprisingly good and the hot chocolate was so nice after the cold. The star gazing was very interesting. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly and an excellent driver. I would highly recommend this tour for anyone with an interest in astronomy or just searching for the next awesome sunset experience.

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