Mauna Kea Stargazing Experience with Pro Astro-Photographer
4.8
274 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: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Onizuka Astronomy Complex - Guided by an expert astronomer and astro-photographer, these tours bypass the busy Onizuka Visitor Center, offering a serene experience at secluded spots on Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa. Tours are scheduled to avoid bright moonlight, ensuring optimal stargazing conditions.
    Each 90-minute session features:
    • An informative star…
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What's Included
  • Parka Jackets
  • Professional photographer guide
  • All activities
  • Complimentary Medium Resolution Photos
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Optional Photo Upgrades Available
Additional Information

Guided by an astronomer and an astro-photographer, this is the only stargazing tour that merges expert insights with astrophotography, providing two-hour sessions, avoiding crowds, and offering a stargazing guarantee.
Part 1 –
Open to all ages. Gather at the dark-sky site on the secure, comfortable slopes of Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa. Unwind in a…

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Location
Pu'u Huluhulu Cinder cone parking lot
Text us 6 hours prior to your tour for an updated meeting location, we meet at other locations on Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa. If you have an international phone number, please send us a local contact number once you have it. Send us your email address if you want the photos after the tour.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(274 Ratings)
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Chrisfc5244xc
Jul 24, 2026
Unforgettable experience - Amazing experience. Dylan and his crew were great and gave an great talk.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ericmu4083ni
Jul 7, 2026
Nothing but the highest level of integrity and looking out for clients - Even though I actually never went on the tour with the company I need to write a review on their behalf. They were thinking of cancelling the tour due to clouds and were very communicative around that sending constant updates. I was going to summit on my own anyway for sunset (not via tour) and when I got up there, it was above the cloud line and clear. They decided to continue with the tour at a later time, but when I told them it was clear near the summit, rather than trying to 'earn the fee/make the sale' they suggested I cancel the tour, stay at summit, and offered a full refund. This was awesome and cant thank the tour company enough. Would highly recommend the company in terms of communication and integrity and I am sure the tour itself is excellent and worth the money. Because of their thoughtfulness and generousity I was able to stay near summit and get excellent milky way photos. Could not recommend this company enough based on their honesty and thoughtfulness.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffgoh
Jun 8, 2026
Amazing stargazing experience - An amazing experience where you are able to get an unobstructed view of the stars. We took so may great pictures and our guide was very good.
Review provided by Viator
Rhonda
Jun 6, 2026
WOW - The stars were beyond words! Our guides were fabulous, We learned all lot and had a great time. Once in a lifetime experience, don't miss this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Led558
Jun 1, 2026
What a beautiful experience. - This was the best choice for us. An astronomer from U of Hawaii lead it. We had our photo taken with the brilliant Milky Way in the background: amazing. They made sure we were going to see the stars by adjusting the start time for us. Their telescope was for taking photographs of deep space.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Led558
May 29, 2026
This is the star tour to choose. Let me tell you why. - This is a great experience. The tour guide was an actual astronomer from the University of Hawaii in Hilo. Chairs and parka coats were provided. They also took a photograph of you with with the Milky Way in the background. It turned out wonderful. The tour was shorter and more focused, which was good. They waited until the clouds moved by and focused your time on the lecture and looking at galaxies and nebulas in deep space. They used a telescope that was perfect; it took actual photos of galaxies. This is better than looking through a telescope eyepiece. And you can purchase these photos! They kept me informed all the way to make sure we were going to actually have a good night to view the stars.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicole_z
May 27, 2026
Excellent - Our guides included an astrophysicist who made the entire evening fascinating, engaging, and easy to follow. You could immediately tell how knowledgeable and passionate he was, but what really stood out was his ability to explain complex concepts in a way that felt exciting and approachable for everyone in our group from the youngest to the oldest. James made sure we received updates on weather, ensuring maximum views adjusting our time and location to make sure we had thoughtful and meaningful experiences and photographs we will treasure. There were chairs of varying sizes, heights and recline levels, parkas as needed and refreshments: things we wouldn’t have thought of that show just how professional this operation is. The tour was not only educational, but genuinely memorable. Between the stunning night sky, the thoughtful explanations, and the guide’s enthusiasm, it turned into one of the highlights of our trip. Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Hawaii — whether you already love astronomy or are just curious about the stars.
Review provided by Viator
Jill_s
Apr 23, 2026
Under a canopy of stars - Dress warm. It’s pretty chilly. The parkas they give you are great but the stars! It was so beautiful!
Review provided by Viator
W14ggjenniferb
Jun 21, 2026
Beautiful but not what we expected - The tour can be Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa- tour guides decides day before. We were assigned Mauna Loa. The guide was very well versed and the photographer was generous with photo opportunities. The tour started an hour late, which for some traveler's (us) made starting at 10 pm very difficult to stay awake and we had a 2 hour drive home. The telescope transfers photos to the guides phone for viewing. Was hoping for some planets- but galaxy- nebula and deep space was the theme. We are educated but not astronomers— felt it was a little beyond our needs. I prefer Mauna Kea- and old fashion star gazing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrewlk5568kb
Jun 27, 2026
Not Worth It - Would not recommend this tour. Save yourself the money and drive up to Mauna Kea on your own. To be fair, the staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and did a good job getting everyone safely to the viewing location. We also lucked out with excellent weather. Unfortunately, those were the highlights. The experience itself was surprisingly chaotic. While the lead astronomer, Dylan, was trying to give his presentation, the photographer was constantly lining groups up for Milky Way photos just a few feet away. Between the photography, people talking, and others getting up for pictures, it was difficult to hear or stay engaged. If you're expecting a peaceful evening learning about the night sky, this isn't it. Dylan was clearly knowledgeable, but his presentation felt more like a stand-up comedy routine with astronomy mixed in than an actual guided stargazing experience. Instead of focusing on the stars and constellations we were actually looking at, much of the discussion revolved around black holes, nebulas, and other astronomy topics that had little connection to what was visible in the sky that night. It was entertaining at times, but not what we signed up for. The telescope felt especially misleading. The website advertises that one is provided, but guests never actually get to use it. Instead, we were shown images on an iPhone that were presented as if they had just been captured, only to later discover they had been taken weeks earlier. That left a bad taste and felt unnecessarily deceptive. By the end of the night, we genuinely couldn't figure out what our nearly $300 per person had paid for. The viewing location was on public land just minutes off the highway with no special access, we never looked through the telescope, and the astronomy portion rarely focused on the sky above us. In the end, it felt like we paid hundreds of dollars for hot chocolate, a folding chair, and two professionally taken Milky Way photos. Mauna Kea is breathtaking and absolutely worth experiencing. This tour, however, added very little value and actually detracted from what should have been a memorable, peaceful night under the stars.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Check Availability
From $299
From $299
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).