Mauna Kea Tour: Mauna Kea Summit & Stars Adventure

General Information

Schedule: Afternoon trips depart daily from Hawaii Forest and Trail Headquarters, Waikoloa Kings’ Shops, and the Junction of Highways 190 and 200. 7 - 8 hours round trip.
Rated: Easy to Moderate; ages 16 and over.
Included in the Tour: Picnic style dinner, assorted teas, hot chocolate, and dessert.  Dinner selections are either Barbecue Chicken (served hot) with Homemade Cornbread and Coleslaw; or a Vegetarian Spinach Wrap (served cold) with Glazed Carrots and Tabouleh.
Gear Provided: Hooded parkas and warm gloves.
Prices: Adult: $192.00, plus tax.
Group Size: Tour limited to a maximum of 14 guests.
Restrictions: Guests should be able to hike on uneven or rocky terrain. We sometimes encounter cool, wet or muddy conditions. Because of high altitude this tour is not advised for those with respiratory, circulatory or heart conditions, pregnancy or poor health. Scuba divers should be aware of altitude dangers. No children under 16. Other tour restrictions may apply.
What to Bring & Wear: Closed toe shoes, long pants and a sweatshirt or sweater.

Full Description

The drive to the summit of Mauna Kea is one you’ll never forget. It’s hard to believe you’re in Hawaii as you climb to 13,796 feet above sea level. Once at the summit we are afforded spectacular views of the horizon, Haleakala on Maui, Mauna Loa and Hualalai, and Mauna Kea’s world-class array of telescopes.  Mauna Kea is the world’s tallest mountain, rising over 32,000 feet from the ocean floor to its summit, which is considered by many Hawaiians to be the most sacred place in all the islands.  In your hooded parka you’ll stand in awe at both nature’s sublime creation and man’s astonishing technological achievements.

Starting out from our headquarters in Kona, we travel up the coast over desolate lava flows for about a half hour before proceeding up the rolling pasturelands on the flanks of Mauna Kea. Turning onto the Saddle Road that traverses the island between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, you’ll see a dramatic and diverse landscape of ranchland, sub-alpine dryforest and rainforest (with striking features such as cinder cones, lava flows, lava tubes and kipuka).  We arrive at our private dinner location at Humuula approximately 2 hours before sunset for a hot, picnic dinner served family style.  After dinner and with a winter-style parka in hand, we’ll make the 45 minute drive to the summit.  As your make your way up, you’ll be fascinated by your Interpretive Guide’s interpretation of Hawaii’s remarkable natural, cultural, and geologic history.

After sunset we descend to the Visitor’s Information Station at 9,000 foot elevation. Here we set up our own telescope and have a star gazing party. Wrapped warm in Arctic parkas, enjoying hot beverages and cookies, you will marvel at the brilliance of the Hawaiian night sky.  Your Interpretive Guide will share with you stories of the observable universe, and offer you a personal and educational look at the heavens.

FAQs

  1. Are guests allowed to go into the observatories? Some observatories are open to the public daily until 4 PM. As our tour arrives after this time, the observatories are closed to visitors.
  2. How cold is it at the summit of Mauna Kea? Average mean temperature is freezing.
  3. Is the vehicle ride bumpy and windy? The access road to the summit of Mauna Kea is four-wheel drive only, so it can be bumpy. Our custom off-road motor coaches will get you to the top and back in safety and comfort.
  4. What kind of telescope is used for star gazing? We utilize an 11” Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
  5. What is the guide to guest ratio? Our maximum guide to guest ratio is 1:14.
  6. How many guests do take up per night? Our permit allows for a maximum of 2 vehicles per night and our vans carry a maximum of 14 passengers.
  7. Do we go up to Mauna Kea summit every night? We go every night, weather permitting.
  8. Are children allowed on this tour? Children under 16 are not permitted on this tour due to altitude.
  9. Is there much walking / hiking on this tour? There is minimal walking on this tour, the maximum being about 150 yards.
  10. I would like to see a specific astronomical event from the summit. How can I arrange this? Check out www.space.com/nightsky for upcoming astronomical events, and whether they will be observable in the Hawaiian sky.
  11. Will there be snow on our trip? Snow is seasonal at Mauna Kea, with the heaviest snowfall occurring during the winter months.
  12. What if it’s cloudy on Mauna Kea? The summit of Mauna Kea is normally above the clouds. If the weather (clouds, snow, ice or high winds) cause us to cancel the tour, there is no charge, of course.

 

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Comments

We appreciate your comments! If you've taken a tour and would like to share your feedback, please leave a comment. If you have questions regarding tour specifics, like times, reservations or other details prior to your tour, please use the contact form.

By Zhen on 2013/05/18

Hi there, next month we will be living in Hilton Waikoloa village,just wonder if you will pick us up at around 3:00 pm?
Thank you!
[Hawaii Forest & Trail:]  This tour does pick up from the lower lobby of the Hilton around 3:30 pm.  When you make a reservation, our reservation agents will provide you detailed pickup instructions.  We look forward to having you join us on tour soon!

By ALAIN on 2013/05/01

I want to schedule my trip to Big Islang: What is the usual time for departure and come back to Kona?
Cheers
Alain

[Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Departure times vary seasonally with the sunset.  Earliest departure times are in the winter months around 1:30 pm, returning approximately 10:00 pm.  Summer departures are as late as 3:00 pm, returning approximately 11:30 pm.

By Noel Kerr on 2013/04/30

Will be traveling to the Big Island with a group of college students in May 2014.  Is there any way that you could accommodate a group size of 22?  We will have 20 college students + 2 faculty, and would like to book this as our last excursion for the travel course that we are teaching.
[Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Yes, our nightly capacity is 28 guests.  If you’re interested in a private charter for just your group, please contact our group sales department at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  Mahalo and we look forward to seeing you next year!

By Ray Doody on 2013/04/29

Hi there,

I’ll be in Hawaii in June/July 2013 and I would like to do a sunrise tour, do you offer this?

Cheers,

Ray

[Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Hi Ray, we don’t but our Mauna Kea sunset tour has the added benefit of amazing stargazing after the sun goes down!

By Amie on 2013/04/28

One of my favourite parts of my trip to Hawaii was this tour. Watching the sun set from high above the clouds was an amazing experience. My whole family loved it.

Our guide gave us a fascinating lesson on the stars - which were an incredible sight to see from that height.

By Miranda and Emily from Seattle on 2013/04/15

We travel to the Big Island every spring and took our second trip with H F&T up Mauna Kea last week.  Robert was a fantastic guide and kept us enthralled with his knowledge of Hawaii’s history, flora, and fauna as we made our way up the mountain.  The sunset was spectacular and it was such a thrill to be so close to some of the greatest telescopes ever built.  After sunset we enjoyed some of the finest stargazing either one of us had ever experienced.  We recommend H F&T to anyone visiting the Big Island!  Mahalo Robert!!

By Elizabeth on 2013/04/01

When you mentioned “we will set up a telescope” does that mean one per guide or are guest also permitted to use the telescopes? If so, how many are shared between guests? [Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Great question!  Each guide and van of up to 14 guests has it’s own 11” telescope.  The guide will align the telescope to various objects in the sky throughout the starshow and everyone has an opportunity to look.  We typically point out 6 - 10 different objects, and depending on the time of year, these can be planets, stars or even nebulae!

By Mary Hurley on 2013/03/31

We’re planning a trip to Hawaii (Big Island) in July. Do we have to make reservation far in advance for the Mauna Kea trip? If not, how late can you make reservations for the trip? [Hawaii Forest & Trail:] We can take reservations same day for this tour, on a space available basis.  We highly recommend you make your reservation as early as possible.  The Mauna Kea tour is our most popular adventure, and typically sells out 7 - 14 days in advance during peak season.

By zhili on 2013/02/28

My girlfriend and I will drive by ourselves to the visitor center and stay there overnight for some milky way photo shooting so we cannot use the full tour package. And our rental car is prohibited to drive to the summit. Is it possible that you can provide a round trip transportation from visitor center to summit with a reasonable price? Thank you so much! [Hawaii Forest & Trail:] That sounds like an exciting adventure!  Unfortunately, our operating permit forbids us having our tour guests park at the Visitors Information Station.  Check out Harper’s Hawaii as they rent 4WD vehicles that they allow to the summit.  Drive carefully!

By Beth on 2013/01/26

Is it better to go when the moon is full or on a very dark no moon night? [Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Our stargazing program usually begins about 1 - 1.5 hours after sunset and usually goes for about an hour.  As moonrise times vary throughout the year it is possible for us to have completely dark skies on the night of the full moon during the stargazing.  That being said, viewing the craters and surface features of the moon through our high powered telescopes is pretty amazing!

By Jerry Hauck on 2012/12/05

I made m second tour to the summit.  John was an amazing guide.  Sorry to see him go.

My granddaughter fainted watching the stars at the 9,000 foot level.

John was so prepared and professional in handling the situation.  We were taken care of properly, and he still managed to complete his presentation to the other members of the tour.

Sunset was awesome!

John has a real passion for his job. 

By Don and Jan on 2012/11/28

The observatory tour with John Pipen was fantastic. Very detailed, entertaining the whole 8 hours. We happened to get a cloudy day and could not see the sunset, but still worth going and John was skillfull at finding “wholes” in the clouds for the star show.  John shared geology, volcanoes, astronomy, and Hawaiian culture that made this tour the highlight of our entire 10 day stay on the Big Island. We learned more from this tour than any of the others we took.

By Julie & Graham Mack on 2012/10/31

We did this tour last month with John as our guide. He made it so much fun and really interesting, he had a real passion for the island and the stars. The whole experience was amazing, the views were breathtaking and I would recommend these guys to everyone. The highlight of our trip to Hawaii. Thank you John!

By Lakshmi on 2012/10/29

We are staying north of Hilo.  Where we be the best location to connect with your tour?  Is there parking at that location?

How many people experience altitude sickness?  Is it common? What do we do if we experience altitude sickness?

[Hawaii Forest & Trail:]  The closest pickup location is going to be at the junction of Highway 200 (Saddle Road) and the Mauna Kea Access Road at the Puuhuluhulu Hunter Check In station, approximately 45 minutes west of Hilo.  There is public parking there but you will want to remove all valuables from your rental car as it is a remote area.  Mild physiological effects (slight dizziness, mild headache, sluggishness) are common, while more serious symptoms of AMS such as severe headache and nausea are rare.  Our Intepretive Guides carry and are trained to administer oxygen which typically takes care of most issues.  If symptoms persist, we descend immediately to a lower altitude which addresses all but the most severe cases.  If you are in an at risk group, such as reduced cardiovascular capacity, severe overweight or pregnant, you should consult your physician before booking this tour.

By Teresa Marty on 2012/10/24

We will be staying in Waimea.  Is it possible to be picked up there insteat of Kona?  Alternately, we do have a car and can meet you somewhere.  [Hawaii Forest & Trail:] The closest pickup location to Waimea is at the junction of Highway 190 and Highway 200, about 6 miles south of town.

By Julie Mack on 2012/07/16

Hi there, We want to book on the awesome Mauna Kea Summit tour in October and thought I may as well stay at one of the hotels you pick up from…is that still the Hilton, Marriott & Four Seasons? Thanks. Julie [Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Hi Julie, yes those are the hotels we pick up from.  You can also meet the tour at our headquarters in Kona, or at the Kings’ Shops in Waikoloa.  Look forward to seeing you in October!

By Mian on 2012/07/16

Do you guys arrange any airport pick up?

I am thinking of going alone, first flying into Kona Airport.  it will be great if there is an airport pick up.  Or please let me know if there’s any means of public transportation to get to your pick-up spots.

thank you!

[Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Unfortunately, we don’t, but we’re a very short drive south of the airport.  You can take a taxi or use SpeediShuttle.

By Lisa on 2012/07/12

Are there any altitude issues at the 9,000 elevation visitor center? I read on another website that the oxygen at the summit was 40% less than at sea level. How much less is the oxygen level at the 9,000 elevation? [Hawaii Forest & Trail:]  Most visitors do not experience issues at the 9,000 foot elevation.  Available oxygen at this elevation is approximately 16% less.

By Deb & Bill on 2012/06/24

My concern is the age requirement. There are a couple of inquiries listed & 2 different answers are given. One being you responded “no one under the age of 16” then a comment 6 months later is your answer of now one under the age of 13 yrs old. Which is it, can you clarify because we have booked a tour thru Paniolo Greens they said they checked and the age was 13. Mahalo, will be there in 2 weeks. [Hawaii Forest & Trail:] Children under 16 are not recommended due to the altitude, and 13 is the absolute minimum to go to the summit.  We apologize for the confusion and hope that clears things up.

By Jim Villamagna on 2012/05/15

Which resorts do you pick up from? We would like to do the Mauna Kea summit this coming January   -  [Hawaii Forest & Trail] Aloha Jim, we pickup from Four Seasons, Hilton Waikoloa, and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott.  Look forward to seeing you in January!

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