All Reviews for Mauna Kea Summit Adventures

Our tour guide Krystal was amazing. She had background in Astronomy and physics with lots of stories from Big Island. We observed entire milky way galaxy with powerful telescope and it was out of the world experience. Our best part was watching all planets and moon with craters. Thank you Krystal for wonderful explanation and experience.

This experience was unreal! Dominic was our guide and he was fabulous throughout. We got to go to the top of the worlds tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, to watch the sunset. When we got up there we had some time to walk around and look at the landscape/telescopes. After that, we watched the sunset and Dominic took photos of us. Once the sun set, we went down the mountain a bit for stargazing. Dominic and the other guide, Hiro, set up and telescope so we could see Saturn and then Hiro gave a great talk on all of the stars. It was absolutely breathtaking! You could see so many stars, planets and the Milky Way! It’s also freezing up there but the tour provides gloves, winter coats and ski pants. This is an absolute must do!

Great Views, both sunset and star gazing. Food was OK but we weren't going for the Food. The telescopes were OK but they could invest in some better telescopes. They could also work on the routing to save gas.

Rich was the best guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable about everything we saw, and even when it was cloudy on Mauna Kea, he told us ancient Hawaiian stories until the clouds cleared and we could see everything we came out to see. A++++ would go again in a heartbeat. Thanks Rich!!!

Marcus our tour guide was Amazing! Really knowledgeable about the stars and facts regarding them. He was very friendly and patient with the kids! The only reason this doesn’t have a 5 star rating is because the food was blah.

This experience was unforgettable! Being on top of Mauna Kea above the clouds was the best sunset I’ve ever seen. The photos the crew took were very professional and the star gazing was great!

From the time we were picked up to when we were dropped off at our resort, we had a fantastic time on our tour with a awesome tour guide Shoyo. He was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot, and not just about Mauna Kea, the Observatories and stargazing but also about the Big Island and the area we drove through. This was a bucket list item for me and it did not disappoint in any way.
We went up to the visitors center for a half hour to acclimatize, then up summit (13,800 feet) and got our first taste of elevation. It is definitely a different experience! And it was surprisingly cold but they have cozy warm jackets to keep you comfy. The sunset is amazing as you are above the cloud line, which also makes for awesome photos!
Speaking of photos, our guide took some great ones of us, both on the summit during the sunset and of the stars, as well as amazing photos of the stars themselves. We were super lucky and got perfect weather and viewing conditions, not even any moon light to deal with.
The only thing that might surprise some is the amount of time you spend in the van driving back and forth and especially up to the summit. Totally worth it of course, and there was great commentary to make the time fly.

We had a great time viewing the sunset with our amazing guides Kekoa and Travis. There are a lot of companies that run these tours, but our guides made this one the best of them all. They were both very knowledgeable with a great sense of humor. Most of all, however, Kekoa and Travis have big smiles and even bigger hearts. They brought the spirit of Mauna Kea and o'hana into this experience. The sunset from the summit was miraculous, the lasagna and brownie absolutely delicious and the star gazing was out of this world!

An awe inspiring experience, even for my amateur astrophotographer husband. Beautiful photos worthy of placing on our walls.

The Japanese guide was friendly and kind, making for a great tour. It was a cloudy day, but they did their best to help us take photos with the best views possible. I highly recommend it!

日本人ガイドさんが気さくで親切で良いツアーでした。雲が厚い日でしたが、なるべく良い景色で写真が撮れるように頑張ってくださいました。
おすすめです！

Originally the reason for us to book a tour instead of driving ourselves to Mauna Kea was because we didn't rent a 4WD car, but now I'm sooooo glad we made such a decision.
The view of sunset and milky way was breathtaking without saying. What I really want to mention is that our tour guide/driver/photographer Shoyo was amazing. He knew EVERYTHING about Hawaii, during the tour we learned a lot about Hawaiian history, the plants and animals, good restaurants to go, etc.. He also took great photos of us.

My husband and I, our 4 adult children, and their significant others had a wonderful time on the Mauna Kea Stargazing and Summit Tour. Everyone even liked the dinner.
Maka was a great guide. He picked us up promptly and was very friendly on the ride to Mauna Kea. We learned a lot about the surrounding area and volcanoes.
The best part was the sunset. It was like being on another planet and the colors were vivid and amazing.
Unfortunately, the amazing sunset was due to the clouds and it made for poor stargazing.
We were able to see the craters of the moon through the telescope and hear about the local names for some of the stars, in spite of the clouds. And I was glad we did not have to drive that windy road ourselves.
I would suggest checking on the cycle of the moon before booking and do not go during a full moon.
We still had a wonderful time and will never forget the Sunset on the summit.

Steph and Gin picked us up and they were even a little early!! They were great host and very friendly. Beyond that it was a little disappointing. We were suppose to get "dinner", we got a BLT, no chips, no cookie, only water and later a "hot beverage". The pictures our hosts took were great and they sent to us at no charge. We have taken this trip before with another company and we had a very nice sit down dinner, no fancy, but you felt like you had something to eat when you were done. After going to the summit, they set up a telescope and we look at many, many stars and it was explained to us all about that star. The guide was very knowledgeable and we spent close to an hour doing just that, it was fantastic. With this tour we only saw one star and I right now could not tell you what it was. The other tour showed us the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, etc. But this trip was so not that. I am sorry to say if we do this again it won't be with this tour. We really enjoyed our hosts, but that was not the purpose of the trip

This was by far one of the best things I’ve ever done. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I was given the chance.

This was the perfect ending to our Hawaii trip. It was awesome and the trip exceeded all our expectations. New even got to see Saturn and the entire thing was on time and perfect.

Stephen and Jin did a great job in explaining things, showing places and clicking pictures.

And the sandwich was amazing

Our tour guide West is a really knowledgable fellow. He is very considerate and thoughtful. I highly recommend this tour to everyone.

The van was in great condition and the guide was amazing! defiantly would recommend this to anyone who wants to go up the Mauna Kea summit.

This tour was UNBELIEVABLE! Totally worth it. The sunset and star-gazing was out-of-this-world!

Gabe, our tour guide, was funny, patient and very knowledgeable! It’s a long drive there picking up all attendees and up the mountain. He did a great job sharing interesting facts and keeping us engaged throughout the tour! Plus he was a very safe driver given the rough terrain (4-wheel drive required to get to the top). At the very top Mauna Kea looks like Mars since no life can survive and was a surreal experience for this reason. Plus viewing the sunset over the clouds at the very top was breathtaking! Note we did not stargaze at the very top, since the altitude is too high and actually prohibits ideal stargazing because of prolonged altitude sickness and the fact it’s insanely cold after sundown (FYI it’s windy and cold up there, so wear layers - you’ll thank me!!). Instead we stargazed near the welcome center enjoying hot coco or hot coffee! We learned about the different constellations, etc. Overall it was a great tour and we’re glad to we did it!

This was such an awe-inspiring tour! My kids ages 10,12, 15, and 17 were super excited after seeing this and after our entire Hawaii trip thought this was the best event we did. The guide, James, was so knowledgeable and clearly has a passion for astronomy and photography that makes this very enjoyable. Great photos and great experience. It was also the 2nd star gazing tour we booked when the first tour told us our younger kids could not go to the top of Mauna Kea summit because of altitude sickness. But this tour was very accommodating and it takes place at a lower altitude (more kid friendly) but don't worry the star gazing from this location is top notch! I didn't feel like anything was missing. We had so much fun!

I highly recommend this tour! They picked us up right by our hotel. The tour guide was very informative on the drive up the mountain. He also took a lot of really cool photos for us and airdropped them before the end of the night. The sunset view and stargazing can not be beat. We really wanted to go to the summit and Hawaiian Eyes made the whole experience very easy and fun. Would definitely do it again.

The Mauna Kea summit tour was a definite highlight of our trip to Hawaii. The ride up the mountain in the van was beautiful and rugged. Our guide was very thorough and attentive to the needs of the group. He was exceptionally knowledgeable of the history and cultural significance of this mountain. The view from the summit was amazing. The telescopes look like something out of Star wars. It is a most unique and unusual place. The star gazing was just phenomenal. We had a beautiful clear night with an awesome view of the moon from the telescope, as well as many other unique stars and constellations and night sky features. We were able to see the Southern Cross which I am told is very rare. On a negative note I was very unimpressed with the lasagna meal. Mine was not very hot, and the noodles were slightly dry and crusty on the bottom. However the hot chocolate and snack during the stargazing was a very nice touch. All in all the entire experience will stay with us forever. It is one of those things you will talk about for years to come.

Our family had a ton of fun gazing at the stars. Our guide Krystal was amazing. Her background in astronomy provided a unique experience. She provided so much information about Hawaii, the importance of the stars for Hawaiian navagation, and any other science questions our family had.

Awesome experience. Our tour guide Justin was the best!!

It was a unique experience. Rich, our tour guide was very informative. We learned a lot about the history of the island of Hawaii as he drove us to different must see locations like the cave, water falls, historic sites. We also learned about plants, volcanoes, fissures, and stars in a day! We saw nebula, galaxies, a couple of satellites, shooting stars and learned about so many other stars in our constellation! It was very educational! Really appreciated it a lot!

I participated in a sunset and stargazing tour. I had always wanted to see the stars at Mauna Kea, and I was moved by the sky, which was even more beautiful than I had imagined. The service was also wonderful, as they stopped along the way for photo opportunities and took pictures with the guide's camera. I would love to join this tour again when I visit the Big Island.

サンセットと星空のツアーに参加しました。
ずっとマウナケアの星空を見たいと思っていましたが、想像以上の星空に感動しました。
途中でも写真撮影のために止まってくださったり、ガイドさんのカメラで写真を撮ってくださったり、サービスも素晴らしかったです。
また、ハワイ島に訪れる際は、ここのツアーに参加したいです。

It was a tour affected by the weather, so I was worried until the day of the event, but I was able to enjoy the wonderful sunset at Mauna Kea, which I couldn't have reached on foot, as well as the starry sky and the Milky Way. With the guide's explanations, I was able to clearly identify the constellations, and I found the stories very interesting.

We participated as a family of four, and my daughters were so moved that they almost cried. The temperature at the summit was low, so I couldn't take photos with my own camera or smartphone after a certain point, but the guide assisted with photography, and I was able to download the photos taken by the guide later (they responded quickly to my request), leaving me with many wonderful memories. Thank you very much.

天候に左右されるツアーなので当日まで心配でしたが、自分では歩いて登頂できないマウナケア山の素晴らしいサンセット、そして満天の星空、ミルキーウェイも堪能。ガイドさんの解説でしっかりと星座も確認でき　お話も興味深く拝聴しました。
家族4人で参加しましたが、娘たちは感動で涙がでそうだったとのこと。
山頂は　温度が低く自分のカメラやスマホでは途中から撮影できなかったですが、ガイドさんの撮影補助と後日のガイドさんの撮影写真のダウンロード（リクエストにもすぐに対応され）もさせていただき　たくさんの思い出が手元に残りました。ありがとうございました。

I participated in the tour on February 26 after learning that the summit of Mauna Kea had reopened. The weather was perfect, and it was an incredible experience watching the sunset from the summit and observing the starry sky. The lunch and miso we had at the Onizuka Center were delicious, and I can't thank our guide enough for taking so many photos against the backdrop of the stunning nature! Their lively talk was also very enjoyable. Thanks to this, I have the best memories of my time on the Big Island of Hawaii. Thank you, I am very satisfied!

マウナケア山頂まで再開したことを知り2/26のツアーに参加しました。天候にも恵まれそれはそれは素晴らしい山頂からのサンセット鑑賞、そして満天の星空観測など感動の連続でした。途中オニヅカセンターで頂いたお弁当やお味噌も美味しかったですし、あといろんな大自然をバックに写真をたくさん撮って頂いたガイドさんには感謝しかありません！軽快なトークもとても楽しかったです。おかげさまでハワイ島での最高な思い出になりました。ありがとうございました大満足です！

Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, and clearly had the same passion for astronomy we did. He took fantastic romantic photos with the galaxy in the background, while explaining what it is we were looking at. It felt like being on another planet up on Mauna Kea! Would definitely recommend, it’s an unforgettable experience.