Mauna Kea Star Tour: Summit Stargazing Experience

Embark on a small-group adventure to the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii’s tallest peak. Explore the mysteries of space and time while enjoying breathtaking views from 13,796 feet above sea level.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel - Travelers staying in Kailua Kona will meet the guide here. Your guide will meet you at the benches closest to the hotel’s parking lot entrance at the curbside. There may be additional meeting location stops along the way to Maunakea. - Maunakea Visitor Information Station - Enjoy a…
What's Included
  • Private star show with telescope
  • Hooded parkas and gloves
  • Central Meeting Locations for Pick-up & Drop off
  • Hot cocoa and cookies
  • Local taxes
  • Guide
  • Hot picnic dinner
  • Pick-up & Dropoff from Central Meeting Locations
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a fascinating voyage through space and time at the Mauna Kea Observatory, perched high atop the peaks of Hawaii’s Big Island. The view from Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s loftiest pinnacle affectionately dubbed ‘White Mountain,’ situated 13,796 feet (4,200 meters) above sea level, offers a distinct perspective of the island. With our small-group…

Location
Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel
Palani Road
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(1546 Ratings)
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Douglas_l
Dec 22, 2025
Definitely book this tour! - Wilson did a great job. His demeanor, promptness attention to safety and knowledge made the tour a great experience. The views at the top were amazing 👏
Review provided by Viator
Christine_k
Dec 22, 2025
We enjoyed our trip to... - We enjoyed our trip to Mauna Kea and the stargazing afterwards. They were very pleasant to work with and flexible with our pick up location. We learned so much more than what we would have had we attempted to do this ourselves. We also especially appreciated the attention to the change in the elevation and precautions taken.
Review provided by Viator
Kgeer
Dec 11, 2025
Spectacular views and stargazing - This was a fantastic tour. Had dinner (provided) at visitor center, went to the summit for sunset which was so beautiful and then did stargazing on the way back down to visitor center. Our guide Jeff was wonderful and so knowledgeable. He set up telescopes and showed us countless galaxies, planets and nebulas. Just a wealth of information. Provided hot cocoa and cookies during stargazing. But dress warm, it was cold but the wind made it very cold. The only things I was not thrilled about: The amount of traffic up at the summit- way too many people! The state or someone needs to figure a way to limit it. Also I was not real happy that I had to pay full price since I had to drive to visitor center myself (from East side) since they only do transportation from Kona. I think there should be a discount for that. I missed out on a lot of information that was given to everyone else on the drive from Kona plus had to use my own gas.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary_a
Dec 9, 2025
So many stars! - First off the van was super comfortable and roomy. Our guide was all about safety, fun and memories and boy did Jeff deliver! We were served a delicious hot chicken stew which was filling. They had a vegetarian option that was also gluten free which my husband required. We made a couple of stops to acclimate to the high altitude. Saw a gorgeous sunset at the summit of Mauna Kea then descended 1000 feet for the most stars I’ve ever seen in my life. Just wow!
Review provided by Viator
Benjamin_v
Dec 6, 2025
A true on top of the... - A true on top of the world experience that was surreal. Eugene our guide was very knowledgeable and made the trip wonderful.
Review provided by Viator
Sarah_k
Dec 3, 2025
What an incredible... - What an incredible experience! The sunset was spectacular, and the stargazing was out of this world! :) Our guide and driver Jeff was so knowledgable and shared fascinating information about the history, geology, and culture of Hawaii. He took wonderful care of us. Dinner was tasty (although served quite early in the day to accommodate our itinerary), and the cookies and hot chocolate hit the spot after it got chilly once the sun went down. There are plenty of (clean!) bathroom breaks. I can't recommend this highly enough!
Review provided by Viator
Ken_r
Dec 3, 2025
Wow, What an Experience! - This was an amazing and incredible experience for everyone who participated in the trip. Our tour guide Jeff was informative, friendly and very knowledgeable about Mauna Kea and the sky above. The food and the stops were well-executed and our van Ohana had a great time overall. And, I was able to get some incredible pictures thanks to our guide. Be prepared for a long and sometimes bumpy journey, which is not meant as a negative comment, just a heads-up.
Review provided by Viator
Bill
Dec 1, 2025
On top of the world! Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. - Our guide Wilson was phenomenal. Incredibly knowledgeable, fun, kind, considerate, and down to "earth". The consummate host. His astronomical (and general Island acumen) is beyond amazing. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rosalind_j
Nov 30, 2025
Transformational Experience with Wilson - Amazing experience. Our tour guide, Wilson (from Seattle), was "the best" ever. He paced everything out well, had amazing knowledge, was accommodating and supportive, and helped create a bit of astrological community during the tour. And, then on the way home, we got a great "tunes" playlist that was all about space. The food was great (hot, tasty, and comforting) and the equipment (parka, travel vehicle, and telescopes) were the best. I highly recommend the company, Wilson, and the adventure.
Review provided by Viator
Departure26183430241
Nov 29, 2025
Amazing stargazing and sunset - We had a fantastic time with Hawaii Forest & Trail’s Mauna Kea Summit tour. Our guide Eugene was friendly, funny, and very knowledgeable. The tour was timed perfectly and Eugene entertained our group with fun facts and jokes throughout. We stopped at various spots on Mauna Kea to take pictures of the gigantic telescopes, watched the beautiful sunset, and spent 45 minutes to an hour stargazing near the Mauna Kea visitor centre. Eugene was an expert at navigating the night sky and showed us really cool nebulae, double stars, and distant galaxies through the Celestron 11 telescope. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in astronomy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $330
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).