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 - Visitors staying in Kailua Kona will meet their guide at this location. The guide will be waiting at the benches nearest to the hotel’s parking lot entrance at the curbside. There may be additional stops for meeting locations on the way to Maunakea.
  • **Maunakea Visitor Information…
What's Included
  • Private star show with telescope
  • Hooded parkas and gloves
  • Central Meeting Locations for Pick-up & Drop off
  • Hot cocoa and cookies
  • Dinner
  • Local taxes
  • Guide
  • 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
4.9
(1589 Ratings)
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Sherrie_g
Jun 1, 2026
Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing with Hawaii Forest & Trail – A Must-Do Experience - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Emily_a
May 21, 2026
Must-do Memorable trip for the Big Island - 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
Review provided by Viator
Robin_s
May 19, 2026
Great experience! - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Jeff_s
May 19, 2026
Spectacular! - We loved every minute of this tour. The tour bus ride, dinner below the summit at the museum/gift shop, sunset and finally star gazing were all perfect. Our tour guide Jason was awesome! He provided great stories and insights into Hawaiian history as we made our way up the mountain, and his knowledge after dark during the star gazing portion of the trip was incredible. He showed a genuine love for astronomy, and Hawaii as a whole. You will NOT be disappointed with this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Kathleen_p
May 15, 2026
Breathtaking! Jeff excellent guide👍🏻 - Gorgeous stars , incredible sunset at 14k ft and over clouds. All the telescopes, countries represented. Jeff our guide was amazing! Very knowledgeable about the island- the mountains the people, the “green”environment in f Hawaii, and so knowledgeable about the the stars and galaxies. And he always was checking on us for altitude impact- had safety first. Recommend tour and recommend Jeff 👍🏻
Review provided by Viator
Debra_w
May 13, 2026
Tour was perfect and... - Tour was perfect and couldn’t ask for a better tour guide. Wilson was so informative and knowledgeable. He was an excellent guide.
Review provided by Viator
Lablover20152017
May 12, 2026
Amazing experience - Great experience. Our guide John was very knowledgeable and really great.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifer_w
May 9, 2026
Great tour! - This was a great tour to watch the sunset and do some star gazing. Great service too! We decided to go see the volcano erupting and were able to change our pickup point to the Mauna Kea Visitors Center. They knew we were in Volcanoes and called us to inform us of an accident that closed the road. They then sent a text telling us when the road reopened. That was above and beyond in my book. We had a beautiful sunset and super clear skies for star gazing. Only thing I would add is some red lights in the lot where we did the star gazing. The ground was uneven and it was really dark. Red lights would have preserved our night vision but still allowed us to see.
Review provided by Viator
Joseph_l
May 8, 2026
Hawaiian Firest & Trails Starry Night Tour - Our guide Eugene was a great driver - and amazingly knowledgeable about Hawaiian history, geology/vulcanology, astronomy. His 2 telescopes gave us super views of stars & planets. Enjoyed the SW stew, hot chocolate, delicious cookies. A great experience.
Review provided by Viator
Trvloften123
May 7, 2026
Awe Inspiring! - We took our first tour with Hawaii Forest and Trail in 2010 and have taken several tours with them since. This visit we returned to Mauna Kea to repeat the Summit and Stars Tour. Jason was our amazing guide. He was very knowledgeable and well prepared for the long day. A delicious soup dinner was provided while we stopped at the Visitor Information Station to acclimate before continuing our ascent. Coats and mittens were provided (and necessary) for the cold summit. The timing of the day is well planned to be at the summit for sunset. It’s other-worldly to be above the clouds as the sun goes down. On our trip back down, Jason set up telescopes for participants to view the night sky. We would highly recommend this tour and look forward to other tours with Hawaii Forest and Trail.
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).