Big Island GOAT Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars

We had Chris and he was very knowledgeable and funny!! We had a great experience. One of our guest was showing signs of elevation illness and he genuinely cared about their wellbeing and ensured everyone was enjoying themselves. It is very cold!! Make sure you bring layers. The coats they provided were very cute and warm. Perfect for the pictures! Highly recommend!!

This is great tour if you want to not only see sunset at the summit but see some amazing stars at night and even some thru a telescope. John our tour guide was very knowledgeable and he wasn't rushing us from place to place. Highly recommend this tour group. Snacks were good too.

End to end a fun experience. Our guides and drivers were outstanding.

This was a fantastic tour- the guide was incredibly knowledgeable and shared both historical and current insights as we made our way up and then down Mauna Kea. The 14k foot altitude did make it harder to breathe but the view of the gorgeous sunset above the clouds and the fascinating observatories on the top of the volcano made it completely worth while. The parkas provided as loaners were nice and warm too so we could stay outside longer when viewing the Milky Way and stars. Overall an unforgettable experience!

Great experience - very knowledgeable and friendly. We ran into some mechanical issues with the van, but they handled it like champs, got us taken care of and we didn't miss a thing. Highly recommend - but definitely bring pants as their coats are warm but not enough to cover your legs.

The guides were excellent. Kela kept us going with commentary during the drive and took many photos. Troy was incredible running the telescope for our stargazing. The warm clothing provided did the job and kept us comfortable during the chilly evening. Highly recommend to any astronomy fans, or just anyone who wants a great memory that you don't get anywhere else.

My best friend and I did this Mauna Kea tour and it was the most breathtaking and awe inspiring tour we’ve ever done. Our guide, John, was very passionate and knowledgeable about the mountain and his expertise with astronomy was unexpectedly incredible. Every step of this tour was thoughtfully curated and the John expertly delivered an unforgettable experience. The sunset at the summit was the most beautiful sunset in all of hawaii. I forgot to dress warm (it’s Hawai’i) but thankfully this company provided warm jackets that made the cold seem nonexistent. They also provided hot water for tea and hot cocoa which was the perfect touch while learning about stars and constellations from our guide. I didn’t think anything could top seeing manta rays in Kona, but this tour went above and beyond our expectations. We will be visiting big island again next year and will be doing this tour again. Request John as your guide if you want the best experience possible!

Here are somethings I wish I had known and would have done differently: Wish I had known: 1. The ride after the observatory is bumpy with a capital B. I would have sat in the middle of the tour van to lessen the impact to my body. 2. Don’t go on a full or partially full moon. It’s a lot of light and limits star visibility. It’s still an amazing view just not what I was expecting having seen the night sky with no moon before. 3. There are restrooms and plenty of porta potties at the observatory and some porta potties at the summit, but no food or water at the visitor center. Bring your own hand wipes/sanitizer. 4. When they say it gets cold they mean it. We brought warm clothes to change in and I would recommend that. 5. The climb up is visually not as scary as I anticipated, no hugging edge of cliffs. There are some spots where the view down is impressive but for the most part it’s gentle rolling sides and gives you the impression you’ve only climbed a few hundred feet. 6. We met our tour guide at the observatory and I would still do this only because logistically the meet up location would have added hours to our return to our stay. 7. Pray your Van doesn’t breakdown. Our tour guides were awesome. Our van broke down close to the summit. It sucked to be stuck in the back of a hot van for an hour. However, our guides kept their cool and maintained good attitudes and came up with a solution to the problem. We still saw the sunset. They were knowledgeable and kind. If it had not been for them I would have given this less stars and it would have been 5 stars if the van had not broken down which was completely not in their control and with the amount of wear and tear these vehicles receive going up these roads I’m surprised the road is not littered with broken down vans.

Phenomenal experience - the tour guides were so knowledgable and the views were out of this world. Highly recommend

This adventure was incredible and well worth it. Jon and Auki were such awesome tour guides and very knowledgeable. Even Anna our transport driver was a delight. It was an unforgettable experience. Our guides answered questions, gave history, and made sure all guests were comfortable with the altitude as we were climbing to the top of the world. The sunset was unbelievable, truly a once in a lifetime experience to see it above the clouds. Then the stargazing began. Jon and Auki were very informative about constellations, astronomy, and some great Hawaiian stories. This tour is well worth it!