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Big Island GOAT Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars
Hawaii Island Holidays
4.8
Similar deals
James_D
4 days ago
Great mountain-top experience! We had 6 family members and saw a spectacular sunset from the summit. At elevation 13,800 ft we could notice the cold, thin air, but we were well prepared by our tour guides. The star gazing and astronomy lesson at 9,200 ft was really good, with clear skies and a knowledgeable night sky expert providing a tour of the stars and constellations. This tour was a major time commitment, but well worth the time and effort.
Delight in the awe-inspiring sunset at the top of Mauna Kea, the highest point in the Pacific. Your guide will share historic accounts of the Big Island. Stand amidst the world’s largest collection of research telescopes. Two of the eight telescopes which took the first photos of the black hole are here. Sip a hot beverage during your private star show and view planets with a professional telescope (Weather Permitting). Your guide will take astrophotography photos of you with our camera and email them to you.
Departure Point
- Bank of Hawaii, 74-5457 Makala Blvd Suite 102, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
- Starbucks, 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Drive #1001 K-1, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738
- Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo - a DoubleTree by Hilton, 93 Banyan Dr, Hilo, HI 96720
- Bank of Hawaii, 74-5457 Makala Blvd Suite 102, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
- Starbucks, 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Drive #1001 K-1, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738
- Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo - a DoubleTree by Hilton, 93 Banyan Dr, Hilo, HI 96720
- Printed guide - German
- Printed guide - Korean
- Printed guide - Portuguese
- Printed guide - Mandarin
- Printed guide - Japanese
- Human tour guide - English
- Printed guide - English
- Printed guide - Italian
- Printed guide - French
- Printed guide - Spanish
Points of Interest
Stop At: Mauna Kea SummitKailua-Kona, HawaiiOne of the best places to see the sunset and stargazing and it's also the highest mountain on earth. Comfortable 4X4 passenger van as transportation.Jackets and gloves provided to keep you warm. Experienced tour guide to talk about our history and show you our amazing night with a laser pointer. Get close to the stars with our professional Celestron telescope and get a nice photo with our DSLR camera.Duration: 4 hoursStop At: Halepōhaku - Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Astronomer's Mid-Level Facility44-374 Mauna Kea Access Road, HI Maunakea is a celebrated and storied place in the cultural traditions of Hawai'i. While it is the dwelling place of the goddess Poli'ahu it is also associated with the Hawaiian deities Lilinoe and Waiau. The summit was considered the realm of the gods and in ancient times was kapu (forbidden) to all but the highest chiefs and priests. Occasionally Hawaiian ali'i (royalty) would make the long trek to the top, the last royal visitor being Queen Emma in 1881 who led her companions on the arduous 6 hour journey to the top to see the summit and rejuvenate herself in sacred Lake Waiau. The White Mountain Legends of the Mountain - Poli´ahu While today Maunakea is home to 13 international observatories and recieves thousands of visitors every year it remains a sacred place for the people of Hawai'i. On the the fourth Saturday of every month MKVIS hosts community speakers who speak about Mauna O Wakea from a cultural perspective.Duration: 30 minutesAdditional Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not allowed for travelers under 13 years old
- Not allowed for travelers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not allowed for pregnant travelers
- Experienced tour guide
- FREE night photo with our professional camera
- Snacks and a hot beverage
- Jackets and gloves to keep you warm
- Transportation in a comfortable 4X4 van
- Professional telescope (Weather Permitting)
- Dinner (Travelers may bring their own)
- Private Tour
Delight in the awe-inspiring sunset at the top of Mauna Kea, the highest point in the Pacific. Your guide will share historic accounts of the Big Island. Stand amidst the world’s largest collection of research telescopes. Two of the eight telescopes which took the first photos of the black hole are here. Sip a hot beverage during your private star show and view planets with a professional telescope (Weather Permitting). Your guide will take astrophotography photos of you with our camera and email them to you.
Departure Point
- Bank of Hawaii, 74-5457 Makala Blvd Suite 102, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
- Starbucks, 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Drive #1001 K-1, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738
- Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo - a DoubleTree by Hilton, 93 Banyan Dr, Hilo, HI 96720
- Bank of Hawaii, 74-5457 Makala Blvd Suite 102, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
- Starbucks, 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Drive #1001 K-1, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738
- Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo - a DoubleTree by Hilton, 93 Banyan Dr, Hilo, HI 96720
- Printed guide - German
- Printed guide - Korean
- Printed guide - Portuguese
- Printed guide - Mandarin
- Printed guide - Japanese
- Human tour guide - English
- Printed guide - English
- Printed guide - Italian
- Printed guide - French
- Printed guide - Spanish
Points of Interest
Stop At: Mauna Kea SummitKailua-Kona, HawaiiOne of the best places to see the sunset and stargazing and it's also the highest mountain on earth. Comfortable 4X4 passenger van as transportation.Jackets and gloves provided to keep you warm. Experienced tour guide to talk about our history and show you our amazing night with a laser pointer. Get close to the stars with our professional Celestron telescope and get a nice photo with our DSLR camera.Duration: 4 hoursStop At: Halepōhaku - Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Astronomer's Mid-Level Facility44-374 Mauna Kea Access Road, HI Maunakea is a celebrated and storied place in the cultural traditions of Hawai'i. While it is the dwelling place of the goddess Poli'ahu it is also associated with the Hawaiian deities Lilinoe and Waiau. The summit was considered the realm of the gods and in ancient times was kapu (forbidden) to all but the highest chiefs and priests. Occasionally Hawaiian ali'i (royalty) would make the long trek to the top, the last royal visitor being Queen Emma in 1881 who led her companions on the arduous 6 hour journey to the top to see the summit and rejuvenate herself in sacred Lake Waiau. The White Mountain Legends of the Mountain - Poli´ahu While today Maunakea is home to 13 international observatories and recieves thousands of visitors every year it remains a sacred place for the people of Hawai'i. On the the fourth Saturday of every month MKVIS hosts community speakers who speak about Mauna O Wakea from a cultural perspective.Duration: 30 minutesAdditional Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not allowed for travelers under 13 years old
- Not allowed for travelers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not allowed for pregnant travelers
- Experienced tour guide
- FREE night photo with our professional camera
- Snacks and a hot beverage
- Jackets and gloves to keep you warm
- Transportation in a comfortable 4X4 van
- Professional telescope (Weather Permitting)
- Dinner (Travelers may bring their own)
- Private Tour
Need To Know Info
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
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4.8
based on Groupon 1,675 reviews
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James_D
Great mountain-top experience! We had 6 family members and saw a spectacular sunset from the summit. At elevation 13,800 ft we could notice the cold, thin air, but we were well prepared by our tour guides. The star gazing and astronomy lesson at 9,200 ft was really good, with clear skies and a knowledgeable night sky expert providing a tour of the stars and constellations. This tour was a major time commitment, but well worth the time and effort.
Companion10120854968
Our tour guide Tay is great. He knows a lot about astronomy, mythology, geology and history. He explained all the fascinating Hawaiian myths related to Mauna Kea. Tay is friendly and humorous, and never feels bored during the trip. So far, the scenery is the best part of my trip to Hawaii. It's definitely worth a try. They have professional cameras, which can take good photos with you and the stars.
Thomas_C
It can be very cold up there, bring a stocking cap and gloves. Very interesting experience. It was great to learn about which star formations were out that night and their history. Looking through the telescope at the new star formations and the Andromeda galaxy was the highlight for me.
nicolepH5771IP
We had a great time. Everything was clean and professional. Stargazing was the highlight of the experience.
Subashree_R
The stargazing experience was absolutely worth it, but be prepared—it was extremely chilly no matter how many layers you wear. The guides were excellent and went above and beyond to ensure we returned safely to Hilo, even after Saddle Road was closed due to an accident. Our guide drove an additional two hours to make sure we arrived safely. The Mercedes van was somewhat uncomfortable and offered limited space for passengers in the rear. We had paid extra expecting a smaller group, but there were approximately 30 people across the two vans. As a result, even though the vans had permits to park at a higher altitude than the visitor center, the area was still noisy, which made the experience less pleasant. I would recommend reducing the number of passengers and splitting them into even smaller groups if possible.