Head to the Mauna Kea Observatory, nestled high in the mountains of the Big Island, and experience an intriguing and provocative journey through space and time. Discover Hawaii from the top of the island's tallest peak, Mauna Kea, also known as 'White Mountain,' located 13,796 feet (4,200 meters) above sea level. This small-group star-watching tour ensures a personalized and unique experience at the enchanting Mauna Kea summit.
Posted By : HomerAKD
My daughter and I did the Maunakea Sunset & Stargazing Adventure— it was amazing. Our guide, Jeff, was personable and knew sooo much about the island, the environment, geology, culture, and astronomy. He made everyone feel welcomed and created an ohana for the evening. He was excellent at managing food, telescopes, gear, and all of the logistical things that make a tour run seamless. My daughter loooooved the tour and commented how nice Jeff was. And we got a few pictures of what we saw in the night sky for our memories. Thank you Hawaii Forest and Trail!
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Posted On : 2023-12-28 16:00:44 
Posted By : LBMLongIsland
We had this booked for end of December and unfortunately they had to cancel the morning of the excursion due to weather. I am writing this review even though we didn’t get to go so others know this is a possibility that I did not consider. I got the impression this is not unusual but I did not see any mention of this in the reviews. The company was very good though. They notified us first thing in the morning, they offered us a place on waitlist for another day and when we couldn’t do that, gave us a full refund within the hour. I would definitely still book this but be prepared for weather cancellation in the winter months.
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Posted On : 2023-12-23 13:19:57
Posted By : Christopher_E
This experience was amazing. Our guide Jeff was very knowledgeable, friendly, and always helpful. He made us feel right at home and had such a passion for his job. I would defitnely reccomend this tour. It was incredible.
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Posted On : 2023-12-21 16:46:04 
Posted By : Mobile573865
Jason was an energetic and knowledgable guide and passionate in his talks. The summit trip was enjoyable and informative. We appreciated learning about Hawaiian history, language and land use challenges. The stargazing experience was outstanding. We chose not to do this excursion on our own for 2 reasons: (1) the drive back down the volcano in the dark is quite precarious, and (2) this isn't a drive you want to do when you're light-headed after spending time at this high elevation. Dinner was a little salty, but tasty. While the bus ride was long, we spent a reasonable amount of time walking around the summit from sundown to stargazing. That said, the current Canada-US exchange rate, inflating the cost by almost 1.5x, made this tour an expensive treat.
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Posted On : 2023-12-21 11:23:08
Posted By : Wes_P
This was an amazing experience! Our guide, Jason, was absolutely the best. Not only was he knowledgeable about everything we encountered on this excursion, but more importantly, he was passionate about it. He was so much fun, and his love for the stars and this wonderful mountain was infectious. I am so glad we signed up for this journey, and so thankful we had Jason to lead it!
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Posted On : 2023-12-20 21:23:29
Posted By : richardhS9402XN
Amazing experience - stunning sunset and then fascinating to do the star gazing. Jason was an excellent guide - informative and entertaining - and even arranged for quite a display of shooting stars.
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Posted On : 2023-12-16 19:36:14
Posted By : newco1st
The trip was everything we were hoping for. Our guide was fun knowledgeable and very attentive. The views are incredible and seeing a clear night sky is breathtaking from the observatories. Prepare for some cold weather on top of the summit and some excellent times
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Posted On : 2023-12-14 14:42:08
Posted By : OceanSeaCoaster
I can’t say enough about this tour. We had a blast, learned even more than expected, and got to eat some delicious food. Our guide Jeff was such a gem. His communication skills are more than impressive and his knowledge was so vast that it seemed as though we received a full year astronomy course in just 8 hours. Patient, too. He was able to field all kinds of questions in a thoughtful and diplomatic way. The night sky on Mauna Kea is truly something to behold. One piece of advice: dress warmer than you think you need to.
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Posted On : 2023-12-06 02:49:58
Posted By : C7720VBevanr
Jeff with a J was an amazing tour guide his driving was phenomenal his information and knowledge was pure his three reasons for the trip were so great... safety, more safety and making memories that last a lifetime!!! He was so patient as a driver there was some rude disrespectful drivers going 35 miles an hour on 45 mph roads the whole time, he was very patient and his knowledge and skill of answering questions will be unforgettable this man deserves a raise thank you so much (from bald headed guy that asked a bunch of questions!!!)
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Posted On : 2023-12-06 00:29:06
Posted By : dwira2015
The whole experience was excellent. Our guide, Adam, was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and made the experience very enjoyable. The food was great, too! The stars were breathtaking and the telescope viewing was interesting.
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Posted On : 2023-12-05 14:34:06
