Mauna Kea Summit Sunset Stargazing Tour 2 Hours

Two hours of guided stargazing sets this tour apart from every other on the mountain.

The original Mauna Kea sunset and stargazing tour since 1983, this Big Island experience takes you from the coast to nearly 14,000 feet in a custom 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter, includes a hot dinner at mid-mountain, sunset from the summit above the observatories, and about two hours of guided stargazing with 11-inch Celestron telescopes and green-laser sky tours. Pickup and drop-off available from Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa Beach, Waikoloa Village, or Maunakea Visitor Station. The tour returns late at night and depends on natural conditions for stargazing success.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mauna Kea sunset and stargazing tour

• Travel scenic highway to Mauna Kea
• Enjoy hot dinner at 9,200 feet
• Climb to summit near 14,000 feet
• Watch sunset and observatories open
• Descend to mid-mountain for stargazing
• Stargaze with telescopes and lasers
• Enjoy hot drinks and sweet treat

The experience

The ride up Saddle Road crosses lava flows and high-country landscape in a Mercedes Sprinter with coach seating in rows of two and three: nobody gets squeezed four across. Your guide covers the culture, geography, geology and natural history of the island on the way. At 9,200 feet, you stop for a real hot dinner: 3-cheese vegetable lasagna and a homemade brownie. This is where you adjust to the altitude and learn why the world's largest telescopes are on Mauna Kea and what life is like for the astronomers who work here. Parkas and gloves are issued before the four-wheel drive climb to the summit.

You arrive at nearly 14,000 feet before sunset and watch the observatories (Keck, Subaru, and Gemini among them) open their domes and rotate into position. The sunset often spreads across a sea of clouds below you. After the light fades, you descend to mid-mountain where the air is more comfortable and the skies stay clear. This is where the stargazing begins: about two hours under the stars, more time than any other tour on the mountain offers. Your guide traces the night sky with a green laser, from Polaris to the Southern Cross, and brings the best targets into the 11-inch Celestron telescopes. Midway through, gourmet hot cocoa, coffee or tea and a sweet treat ward off the chill. The guides here measure their time on Mauna Kea in years, not seasons.

Stargazing depends on natural conditions and is not guaranteed, though more than 90% of trips get excellent skies. The mountain road is long and bumpy. Summit temperatures average around 30°F with frequent wind. Groups stay under 14 guests per van. Minimum age is 13. Health restrictions apply, including no history of heart problems, COPD, lung conditions, or pregnancy. Pants and closed-toe shoes are required. Pickup times vary by location and season and are confirmed after booking.

What’s included

• About two hours of guided stargazing with 11-inch Celestron telescopes and green-laser sky tours.
• Arctic-style hooded parkas and gloves.
• hot dinner at 9,200 feet (3-cheese vegetable lasagna and homemade brownie).
• gourmet hot cocoa, coffee or tea with a sweet treat during stargazing.
• custom 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter with coach seating in rows of two and three.
• professional guide fully narrated in English.
• pickup and drop-off from Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa Beach, Waikoloa Village, or Maunakea Visitor Station.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupUp to 14 · max 4 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessiblePets welcome

Operated by Mauna Kea Summit Adventures

Is this one for you?This is a shared tour with a maximum of 14 guests per van, so you travel with other stargazers rather than alone or as a private group. The two-hour stargazing window suits anyone who came to spend real time with the telescopes and the night sky rather than a quick stop at the summit. If you want the observatories and sunset as the main event, other tours on the mountain spend less time under the stars.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the difference between the summit and the stargazing location on this tour?

You watch the sunset from the summit at nearly 14,000 feet where the observatories are, then descend to mid-mountain for the two-hour stargazing session, where the air is more comfortable and the skies stay clearer for telescope viewing.

What can I see through the telescopes on Mauna Kea?

The 11-inch Celestron telescopes bring the night's best targets into view: your guide uses a green laser to trace the sky from Polaris to the Southern Cross and selects the clearest objects for each night's conditions.

How does the dinner work at 9,200 feet?

You stop for a real hot dinner of 3-cheese vegetable lasagna and a homemade brownie at the mid-mountain rest point, where you also adjust to the altitude before continuing to the summit. Guests with dietary restrictions may bring their own food.

What happens if the weather doesn't cooperate for stargazing?

Stargazing depends on natural conditions and is not guaranteed, though more than 90% of tours get excellent skies. Tours may be canceled due to weather or road closures, and you would be notified after booking.

Do I need to arrange my own pickup, or does the tour include it?

Pickup and drop-off are included from Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa Beach, Waikoloa Village, or Maunakea Visitor Station. You choose your location at checkout, and pickup times vary by season and are confirmed after booking.

What should I wear, and what does the tour provide?

Wear pants and closed-toe shoes. The tour provides Arctic-style hooded parkas and gloves, and gourmet hot cocoa, coffee or tea with a sweet treat during stargazing to keep you warm at altitude.