Mauna Kea Stargazing
Mauna Kea Sunset
A Couple at Mauna Kea Summit
Mauna Kea Sunset

The most epic experience on Hawaii’s Big Island

The breathtaking view you'll never forget

Watch an amazing Sunrise/Sunset from the summit of Mauna Kea, nearly 14,000 ft. above the Pacific Ocean. Located in the center of Hawai’i Island, Mauna Kea has an unobstructed view of the horizon and offers a breathtaking vista that is hard to match. This view, coupled with its famous clear skies and dry crisp air, creates the perfect condition for absolutely stunning scenery.

My God, it's full of stars!

Mauna Kea is also known as one of the best stargazing spots in the world for its air clarity and total darkness. Our tours include ample time to explore the amazing star-filled night sky from where ancient Hawaiians believed the earth meets the universe.

Tour Details

TourMauna Kea Sunset & Stars TourMauna Kea Sunrise & Stars Tour
Price$265 (plus tax & fees)$265 (plus tax & fees)
Age Restriction13-84*13-84*
AvailabilityDaily (weather permitting)Non-scheduled
Minimum Participants3**3**
Maximum Occupancy Per Vehicle1212
Departure TimeEarly afternoon
(time varies with season)
After midnight
(time varies with season)
Returning TimeLate night
(time varies with season)
Early morning
(time varies with season)
Tour Duration7-8 hours7-8 hours
Time Spent at the SummitApprox. 1hr during sunsetApprox. 1hr during sunrise
StargazingApprox. 1hr guided with computerized telescopeApprox. 30min unguided (no telescope)
Gear ProvidedHeavy-duty hooded parkaHeavy-duty hooded parka
Food ProvidedLight snacks and hot chocolateLight snacks and hot chocolate
Vehicle4×4 passenger van4×4 passenger van

Please note;

  • Our tours do not include meals. We provide light snacks and you are welcome to bring your own.
  • Please bring warm clothes to wear under the provided parka. Read the FAQ to learn more about our Mauna Kea Tours.
  • We strongly encourage you to bring water. Staying hydrated can help you reduce the risk of altitude sickness.
  • You will be standing outside for roughly an hour while stargazing. If you have difficulty standing, please let us know in advance.
  • Gratuity is not included in the tour price but tips are greatly appreciated.

*Children 12 or younger are not allowed on our tours due to the high altitude. Seniors 85 or older may only participate in our Private Charter Tours for our guides to be more attentive to their health during the tour.
**If the number of participants does not reach 3 by 24 hours before the tour departs, the tour will be canceled. Customers who have already applied will have the option to pay the difference to avoid cancellation.

FAQ

3 convenient locations to catch your tour van

We provide 3 convenient pickup points in Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa Beach Resort, and Onizuka Visitor Center. Select an ideal location according to where you are staying or your activity of the day.

Don’t have a car? Or just don’t feel like driving? No worries! We can pick you up at major hotels and condos on the west side of the island. (Subject to an additional fee)

Learn More

E Ola Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea is one of the most sacred sites for native Hawaiians and the Hawaiian culture. We are dedicated to promoting a deep appreciation of and respect for the natural beauty, culture, people, and history of Mauna Kea and Hawaiʻi Island. E Ola Mauna Kea – Let Mauna Kea Live!

We continue to receive and pass on the traditional teachings of Kumu Kaela Ching, our exclusive advisor to the Hawaiian culture.

Kumu Keala Ching
Kumu Keala Ching

Joc
Joc
June 26, 2023.
A great time at Moana Kea with Shin Had a wonderful trip to the summit of Moana Kea with our guide Shin. The sunset and stargazing time was worth it and Shin was exceptionally accommodating, friendly and helpful.
Stephanie
Stephanie
June 22, 2023.
Amazing experience and a Hawai'i must-do John was a phenomenal tour guide; very knowledgeable, competent, and clearly passionate about the culture, history, and conservation of the land.The experience of watching the sun set and then looking at the stars far away from artificial light was one of a kind and a Hawai'i must-do.
Kathryn O
Kathryn O
June 12, 2023.
Don’t think twice. Do it! Talk about a once in a life time experience!! John was an incredible tour guide filled with so much knowledge. He took his time with explaining everything and showing us all around the area. The sunset was breath taking above the clouds and the stargazing was out of this world. The jackets kept us very warm, the local snacks were delicious and the hot chocolate was the perfect ending!
John W
John W
June 11, 2023.
One of the coolest things you'll ever do or see. I'd give this 10 stars if I could. John our guide was very pleasant and his knowledge of the volcanos and constellations is impressive. You spend quality time stargazing. John is very accommodating. Enjoyed our time with him!
Vanessa I
Vanessa I
June 11, 2023.
I felt alive ! Let me just say, the views cannot be expressed with words. DO THIS TOUR! We learned so much, laughed and truly took it all in while seeing the most stars I’ll probably ever witness in my life. I got to see VENUS and MARS! Our guide found stars LIGHTYEARS away and we were amazed at what they looked like through his telescope! It’s truly am amazing experience over all! Bring warm clothes ! You can change at the visitors center if you do this tour during the warmer months. Our guide was John and he was freaking cool. He was funny and very educated and not to mention passionate about his culture and stars. I would do it again.
Jamie Shear R
Jamie Shear R
June 10, 2023.
Amazing views and tour guide If I could rate this tour a 10 I would! John was amazing and really looked out for me. My husband opted not to go due to the potential for altitude sickness. John made sure I was okay, took pictures of me so I could look back at the memories. Most special, he did a prayer for ALOHA at the beginning that was so perfect in every way. He had his telescope available for star gazing and was very knowledgeable. I had truly the best time!
E Johnson
E Johnson
June 6, 2023.
We had a Great Time, highly recommend All positives for this experience. It seems to be a very good and reputable company, and is well represented by John, who was our tour guide. He was among the best guides we've ever had. He's friendly, calm, knowledgeable, hard-working, very much interested in making sure people on his tour have a good experience. He was a very safe driver, as well, which was appreciated on mountaintop switchbacks.We enjoyed the relatively small group, and had great conversations with other tour-goers.A nice bag of snacks is provided, as well as warm parkas. But the cold on the summit is the real deal so wear multiple layers including thick socks as well as gloves and hats. Bring more warm gear than you'll think you need.My family loved the sunset at the peak, and my favorite was the interactive stargazing afterwards which takes place farther back down on the mountain. John set up an impressive telescope and guided us through a tour of the night sky. He knows his stuff! And again, I especially appreciated his hard work to give everyone a wonderful experience.
Javier M
Javier M
May 30, 2023.
Unforgettable stargazing and sunset experience This experience is one that I HIGHLY recommend to anyone coming to the Big Island! Our tour guide John was absolutely amazing in every sense of the word. He was very friendly, funny, kind, and just took care of our entire group so well. He is a phenomenal driver and an even more phenomenal person. The tour itself is stunning! You go to the top of the tallest dormant volcano of all the islands, and have an experience like no other. You get to see all of 12 different observatories at the top of the summit, the most incredible sunset and even more incredible stars at night. Again, our tour guide, John, was so knowledgeable about the stars and all the constellations. He pointed out everything that we saw in the sky and taught us about the constellations, their distances from the earth, and so much more. I highly recommended downloading a stargazing app on your phone also before going because that was cool to use! HUGE BONUS: the tour company provides you a super nice bag filled with goodies! We received bottles of water, chips, cookies, macadamia nuts, and even hot chocolate to drink when we were watching the stars! HIGHLY recommend bringing lots of warm clothes because it was extremely cold at the top! But the company also provides giant warm parkas to everyone, so that helped keep us warm as well! This experience is one my wife and I will never forget. Overall, give this experience a 10 out of 10. This is a MUST DO on Big island, and you MUST do it with this company!
Tracy N
Tracy N
May 7, 2023.
Amazing tour! Definitely a must-do in Big Island. Our tour guide, Shin, was very professional and super friendly. He took us to the best spots to see the sunset and stars (with a telescope!), explained each place and star in details, and even helped us take incredible pictures as well. The whole tour took about 5 hours but it didn’t feel long at all as we were provided with some snacks and hot chocolate along the way. I highly recommended Taikobo Hawaii for the sunset and stargazing tour.
camille r
camille r
May 4, 2023.
Amazing This trip is worth every penny. A truly memorable, emotional and beautiful trip to the summit (without the hassle of driving!) Our tour guide, John, was informative, kept us safe and gave us a detailed description of the night sky. Transport van was roomy, clean and comfortable. Would go again in a heartbeat.

Tours operated by Taikobo Hawaii, Inc.

Taikobo Hawaii, Inc. has been providing guided tours to the summit of Mauna Kea since 1983 as well as other famous tourist destinations on the Big Island of Hawaii. We are one of the few companies that are officially authorized by Center for Maunakea Stewardship (part of the University of Hawaii at Hilo) to conduct commercial tours in this Hawaiian sanctuary.

We are dedicated to promoting a deep appreciation and respect for the natural beauty, culture, and history of the Big Island of Hawaii and the Hawaiian People by providing a variety of safe, enjoyable, and educational tours to visitors from all over the world, and by focusing company resources on the development of hospitable and knowledgeable guides and safe and comfortable tour vehicles.

https://taikobo.com
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