Mauna Kea Stargazing Experience with Pro Astro-Photographer
4.8
207 Ratings
Hawaii County
Experience the ultimate stargazing adventure on Mauna Kea with a pro astro-photographer and analog-astronaut. Discover celestial objects, view deep space with a telescope, and capture stunning photos with the Milky Way.
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Mauna Kea - Enjoy a unique stargazing experience with free photos of your trip.
What's Included
  • Parka jackets provided for warmth
  • Professional photographer guide included
  • Complimentary medium resolution photos
  • All activities covered
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Optional Photo Upgrades Available
Additional Information

Guided by a seasoned Analog-Astronaut and a professional Astro-Photographer, we are the only stargazing firm that purposely avoids the moon’s brightness and meticulously chooses our times and locations to provide you with the best possible stargazing experience.

Our tour is split into three segments:

Opening Segment:
Your guide will highlight different stars, galaxies and constellations using a high-power green laser pointer, while sharing stories and experiences from their time as an Analog-Astronaut, among other things.

Middle Segment:
Experience the live intricacies of the cosmos via a high-tech, light-sensitive camera attached to a telescope. This will allow you stunning views of celestial bodies such as nebulae and galaxies that you might not have thought possible.

Closing Segment:
Your Astro-Photographer will capture a few impressive snaps of you with the Milky Way as your backdrop.

All standard resolution photos that are taken during our venture are included in the cost.

Options for upgrading to high-resolution images are readily available.

The location of the stargazing changes nightly based on factors like cloud cover and crowd levels. Typically, we set up at the peaks of Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa, selecting whichever spot provides the most favorable conditions.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Dress code: Wear pants and closed-toed shoes
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Weather can reach 30F. We have parka jackets that have pockets and a hood, although that may not be enough for some
  • Not recommended for travelers with any mobility/ambulatory restrictions, back, heart and hearing problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Pregnant Travelers should discuss with their doctor before hand.
  • Not suitable for some senior citizens
  • Not recommended for chronic complainers ;)
Location
Pu'u Huluhulu Cinder cone parking lot
Text us prior to your tour for an updated meeting spot. We might not be meeting at this location.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(207 Ratings)
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Fearless48647024393
Apr 8, 2024
A gorgeous tour - Really exciting and unforgettable star-gazing experience with James, the pro. Seeing the most amazing sky in my life and luckily seeing shooting stars . Highly recommend this tour with James!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bjorn_q
Mar 30, 2024
Fun and knowledgeable... - Fun and knowledgeable guides, would highly recommend to anyone looking for a detailed explanation of the night sky.
Review provided by Viator
Enriqueme2024sr
Mar 23, 2024
Fantastic tour and tour guide !!!! So recommended !! - Absolutely fantastic. James was so easy going, informative and inspirational. If he recommends to go forward with the tour, do it!! We had a great time during the tour and pictures were breathtaking🤩. James is such a great host and he really made the experience easy and enjoyable even though I had to wake up at 2AM (I’m not a morning person 😅). We love the tour and it was so worth it. Thank you James!!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amy_c
Mar 20, 2024
Amazing - The whole experience was amazing! We really enjoyed the knowledge and humor of James. The whole experience was enhanced by the beautiful photographs and that we were able to get one of a kind photos. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Jessica_travels14
Mar 17, 2024
Epic Tours Stargazing - We had an amazing experience stargazing with James! We happened to arrive in Kona during a couple of their very few cloudy days, and James still managed to find clear skies for perfect viewing. Had we booked with anyone else, it would’ve been cancelled. He was professional, flexible, and shared a ton of interesting information about the stars. We did a few excursions on this trip, but this was the favorite! Definitely recommend the photo upgrade too. The quality is so worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine_b
Mar 15, 2024
Don’t hesitate, book! - James was phenomenal! We got cancelled from a different company and lucked out to get into this one instead. He is so knowledgeable and was creative finding a good location. The picture was so fun too…. Absolutely a Hawaii must-do!
Review provided by Viator
Roving610789
Feb 21, 2024
Most EPIC night sky experience EVER! - This was an amazing experience. I went solo and my guide was so accommodating, knowledgeable, and fun - the moon wasn’t out so the stars were incredibly visible! James, our guide, pointed out many interesting things and did a great job! This is one of the most unique things I’ve done on the Island of Hawai’i! I highly recommend this - nowhere else have I seen a night sky like this!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Creatingdawn
Feb 10, 2024
10 out of 10 recommend! - My boyfriend and I loved this tour with James and the photos we got! We actually live on the island, so are no strangers to the dark nights that lack light pollution, and yet it still takes my breath away every time we reserve an evening to envelop ourselves in an open sky. What makes the stargazing even better is the expertise James provides, pointing out various constellations (many from the southern hemisphere can be seen here!), the stories, fun facts, and the close-up images we get to view in real time. He even showed us an ENTIRE galaxy! Which might make one feel small if he didn't remind us that we are all made of the same substances as everything we were looking at, just stars in different forms....all unified, all one. I have been very fortunate to have many friends that are amazing photographers, getting pictures with beautiful backgrounds, however, the pictures we got from this tour are some of my absolute favorites! Highly recommend getting the photo upgrade, it's definitely worth it! Pictures last longer than any event you experience, so they mean a lot to me as a memento. And rarely do pictures look like what your eyes actually saw, but these will! I came with several ideas for poses that we wanted to do and wore a red dress as his website suggests for color contrast. I especially love silhouette shots so this was the perfect opportunity. We never felt rushed and he guided us if we need to move in certain ways or adjust so that we could get the image we were trying for. Long story short....10 out of 10 recommend =)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eller-bees
Feb 5, 2024
Stargazing adventure!!! - Star gazing was on the top of our list of things to do on the island. This is by far the best tour. It is very cold and remember to wear thick socks because the provided parka’s don’t cover that part (lol). There are so many stars you don’t ever see and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. James is so informative and patient to capture everyone’s picture. I don’t recommend this for kids as even my teenager had a tough time with the temperatures being so cold for so long. James will move you time if the moon or weather interferes with your peak experience. Definitely check this out. The drive to “the spot” feels like an alien planet. You will need to purchase higher resolution pictures if you want to have large prints made of your experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ryan_j
Mar 21, 2024
Massively overpriced - This massively overpriced tour is nothing you can’t do yourself for free. The “telescope” was a camera with a zoom lens. Mostly just a bunch of pointing out constellations with a laser pointer - something you can do with an app on your iPhone.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 14 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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