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Hawaii Eco Tour - Mauna Kea Summit Adventure
See the stars from beautiful chilly Mauna Kea!
Stand atop the clouds and witness the breathtaking Hawaiian sunset from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Tour Operator: *click to see other tours by them

Mauna Kea Summit Adventures

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Enjoy a full evening of the most amazing stargazing imaginable at a "Star party" with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, Hawaii's original Mauna Kea tour company.


As you travel up the mountain, you'll learn about island geology and natural history from our experts. While acclimatizing at the Onizuka Visitor's Center (9,000 feet), find out why the world's largest telescopes are located here and a bit about the lives of astronomers. You will then enjoy a delicious and hearty dinner of either Beef Short Ribs, Teriyaki Chicken or a Tofu-Spinach Wrap.


Before leaving the visitor's center, you'll be suited with parkas and gloves and shift into four-wheel drive for the steep half hour drive to the top. On the summit, your guide will point out the observatories as they begin to open and rotate into position. Here, you will watch as the sunset transforms the area into a beautiful and quite unearthly spectacle. When the best of the color has past, you'll descend to mid-mountain, where the sky is equally clear but the climate is much more comfortable for stargazing.


Enjoy hot drinks during the "Star Party" as Mauna Kea Summit Adventure guides, who are famous for their ability to locate the treasures of the night sky and interpret them in a way that everyone can understand, make this an unforgettable evening. Whenever possible they explore the sky using a large portable telescope, taking time to diagram the constellations and teach some basic astronomy.


The tour will return approximately 1 hour 45 minutes later to the center to set up telescopes for stargazing

Telescopes:

Mauna Kea Summit Adventures use Celestron Nexstar 9.25" GPS telescopes and at 9.25" they gather 45% more light than the models used by other companies on the mountain. They are equipped with I new Starbright XLT coating which further enhance the light throughput by another 10%+. Using GPS and a computer these scopes can find 40,000 objects automatically. The computer allows you to see more exotic objects that are usually too time consuming to view normally, and they look much brighter and clearer because of the bigger optics.

Activity Location: Mauna Kea, North Hawaii

Pick-up Locations:

  • "Buns in the Sun" at the Lanihau Shopping Center Pick-up,Kailua-Kona, West Hawaii
  • Starbucks Coffee Shop at the Queens Marketplace, Waikoloa, Northwest Hawaii
  • Junction off Hwy 190 and 200 (Saddle Road Junction) Pick-up, Central Hawaii (for those staying on the East side)

Time & Duration: *The times are approximate and are subject to change

P/U Duration Return
2:30pm 7 – 8 hours 10:00pm

Transportation: Round-trip from Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa, Saddle Road Junction, Hawaii

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Packages

Standard

See the stars from beautiful chilly Mauna Kea

See the stars from beautiful chilly Mauna Kea

Prepare to drive to the summit of chilly Mauna Kea that is often beautifully laced with snow after heavy rains. Your night will be filled with star gazing, story telling and amazing views.
Inclusion(s): Soft Drinks / English Speaking Guide / Snacks / Dinner / Sweater/Warm Clothes
Time & Duration: 8 hours (Starting at 5:00pm)
Day(s) of Operation: 7 days a week
Additional Information: for all packages
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Additional Information (for all packages)

Restriction(s)

  • Participants may not scuba dive within 24 hours prior to this activity.
  • Pregnant women are not permitted to participate in this activity.
  • Persons whom are obese (Body mass index of 40 or over) should not make this trip.
  • Wheel Chair Accessibility: Tour vehicle is not equipped with a lift. Must be able to get into the van with assistance, storage available for collapsible wheelchairs. Please indicate during booking for most convenient arrangements.

Required Booking Info

  • The participants are required to disclose their medical conditions.
  • The names and ages of all the participants are required.

Requirement(s)

  • Please call the activity provider the day before to reconfirm your reservation.

Required Items to Bring & Attire

    Bottled Water / Wear closed toed shoes and long pants.

Note(s)

  • Drinks are available for purchase.
  • The tour/activity schedule is subject to change.
  • The tour/activity is subject to cancellation due to weather.
  • The menu is subject to change.

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Payments

Payment Type:

  • Visa
  • Master Card
  • American Express
  • Discover

Cancellation Policy: set by the activity provider

  • Any cancellations made within 24 hours of the activity start time will be subject to a(n) 100% charge. ( For a group of 3 or less)
  • Any cancellations made within 48 hours of the activity start time will be subject to a(n) 100% charge. ( For a group of 4 or more)

Cancellation Service Fee:

No (0%) Cancellation Service Fee is applied for cancellations made outside of the above cancellation policy set by the activity provider.

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Price List

*The prices are not inclusive of tax & fees: GE Tax (4.166%) will be added to the price below.
Package(s) / Condition(s)  Age/ Unit *Price
  
Standard / Transportation incl. Adult/Child (13 & over) $192.00 Book Now

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