All Reviews for Outdoor Adventures

Jason was our guide, very knowledgeable and friendly. Amazing views from the peak, wonderful sunset and star gazing, even got to see the rings of Saturn. Dinner at deserted sheep farm was OK. Hotel pickup would have been nice.

The office was situated in an area easy to find from Kailua Kona. I was quite satisfied to visit Mauna Kea with an excellent guide. I learned a lot from his wealth of knowledge and experience. His sense of taking pictures was also appreciated.

The office was situated in an area easy to find from Kailua Kona.
I was quite satisfied to visit Mauna Kea with an excellent guide (attached is a picture of him with Mauna Loa). I learned a lot from his wealth of knowledge and experience. His sense of taking picture was also appreciated.

Chris, our guide was very knowledgeable, organized and encouraging. The hike was through a forest and green area with lots of water and waterfalls. We learned a lot about the plants, trees and animals, both native and those introduced from other places.
The swim at the end of the hike was very cold, but fun and refreshing. If you are young and healthty this will be a fun and easy hike, however, if you are long in the teeth,it will be moderate, lots of rocks and steps. If you have knee, back or hip problems don't take this hike. Otherwise, you will love it. Definitely worth the money. Ask for Chris to be your guide.

I was moved by the beautiful sunset and even more so by the stunning starry sky, along with the fluent and enjoyable conversation in Japanese from our guide, Stefan, while visiting the University of Tokyo's Astronomical Observatory.

添乗して頂いたステファンさんの日本語の流暢で楽しい話題と共に東京大学天文台を見てそれから夕陽の綺麗な事それにも増して星空の綺麗な事感動しました

During the drive to the summit of Mauna Kea, I initially thought, "Wow, this guy, Ha-san, is talking so fast and is really loud!" (What a difference from my first impression.) However, once I understood his passionate desire to share the wonders with everyone, I felt his professional spirit.

That night, the participants were great and we had a fantastic time, much more enjoyable than last year's sunrise observation tour. I absolutely recommend this tour guided by Ha-san, regardless of age.

Also, thank you, Ha-san, for taking so many photos of the participants with your personal camera worth 200,000 yen! You are amazing! The explanation of the starry sky was also moving! It was truly wonderful. Everyone should definitely participate.

I experienced a world that is on a different dimension from Japan. If I have the opportunity, I would love to join again.

マウナケア山頂までの車中、葉さんが早口で喋りまくりうるさいなあ！と最初は思っていました。(最初の印象とは大違い)
でも彼の皆に素晴らしさを伝えたい熱心な気持ちが理解できると、職業魂が伝わりました。
この夜は、参加メンバーも良く大いに盛り上がり、昨年のサンライズ観測ツアーよりもずっと楽しくお薦めです。是非、年齢を問わず、葉さんガイドのこのツアー参加を絶対的にお薦め。
又、葉さんが私物の20万円のカメラで参加者を撮りまくってくれてありがとう！
あなたは素晴らしい！
星空の説明も感激！　本当に良かった。皆さんもぜひ参加すべきです。
日本とは異次元の世界を体験できました。
機会があれば、又、参加したい。

I've never seen such a wonderful starry sky with so many shooting stars in the Milky Way. I'm sure this will be a memory I won't forget for a lifetime. The Mauna Kea summit stargazing tour is definitely recommended. This time, it was a sunset and stargazing experience, but next time, I want to try the sunrise and stargazing as well. Congratulations to the guide, Stephan, on your marriage. Wishing you happiness!

天の川に数々の流れ星、こんなに素晴らしい星空を見たことありません。きっと一生涯忘れられない思い出になると思います。マウナケア山頂星空観測ツアーは、絶対にお薦めです。今回は、サンセット&星空でしたが、次回は、サンライズ&星空も体験したいと思っています。ガイドのステファンさん、ご結婚おめでとうございます。お幸せに！

We were blessed with good weather, and we were able to see both the sunset and the starry sky beautifully. The service of being able to take photos and download them for free is truly appreciated.

I heard that only Masashi Nature School offers rental of winter clothing, including ski pants. After borrowing a hat and gloves, I wasn't cold at all.

During our lunch break, we were provided with warm drinks like miso soup, cocoa, and tea for stargazing. They also prepared a step for getting in and out of the car, showing great attention to detail.

When I take my elderly parents, I plan to ask Masashi Nature School for assistance again. Thank you very much.

天候に恵まれ、サンセットも、星空も、綺麗に見ることができました。
写真を撮って頂けて、無料でダウンロードさせて頂けるサービスは、本当にありがたいです。
防寒着は、スキーパンツまで貸して頂けるのはこちらのマサシネイチャースクールさんだけとのこと。帽子も手袋もお借りしたら、全く寒くなかったです。
お弁当タイムのお味噌汁、ココア、星空観賞では紅茶など、温かい飲み物も用意して頂けました。
車の乗降時にはステップも用意して頂くなど、いろいろと細かくお気遣い頂きました。
高齢の両親を連れていく際には、また、マサシネイチャースクールさんにお願いしようと思っています。よろしくお願いいたします。

First of all, the guide was wonderful. Matsuchan, our guide, was truly entertaining, and while traveling, I was able to absorb knowledge through his explanations mixed with humor, which made me very satisfied.

Additionally, he skillfully took photos with our own cameras as we requested, but for those stunning starry sky shots that we couldn't capture due to the limitations of our cameras, there is a service where Matsuchan's company takes photos from start to finish with their camera. This means we could enjoy the tour without worrying about not being able to take good pictures with our own cameras. Also, the fact that we can download the professionally taken photos for free from their website is something that sets them apart from other companies. My husband and I are already excited to use these photos for our New Year's cards this year. I believe newlywed couples who take this tour will definitely get plenty of professional-quality photos that will become lifelong memories! Lastly, Matsuchan, it was really fun. Thank you very much. We will definitely come again.

まず、ガイドさんが素晴らしかったです。
ガイドの松ちゃんは本当に面白く、移動中の観光の説明も、お笑いを聞きながら知識を増やしていけるような感じで聞けて、本当に大満足でした。
また、写真も、自分たちのカメラで注文通りに上手に撮ってくれるのですが、どうしても自分たちのカメラの性能の関係で撮れない満点の星空写真も、松ちゃんの会社のカメラで最初から最後まで写真を取ってくれるサービスがあるので、自分たちのカメラでうまく取れない写真があっても心配することなくツアーを満喫できます。そして、そのガイドさんのプロ並みの腕前で撮影された写真も無料でＨＰからダウンロードできるっていうところが他社との比較で優れているところなのかなと思います。私たち夫婦は今年の年賀状に使おうと今からウキウキしています。新婚さんカップルもこのツアーを使えば一生の思い出になるプロ並みの腕前の写真を沢山ＧＥＴできること間違いなしだと思います！最後にまっちゃん、本当に楽しかったです。
ありがとうございました。また、行かせていただきます。

As a horseowner I am always a little leery of trail riding at unknown stables but I was pleasantly surprised to see the good condition and decent manners of these horses. They were very suitable to carry a wide variety of sizes and experience of riders. The ride itself was well escorted by friendly staff and the scenery was beautiful and enjoyed at a steady walking pace with the opportunity to take photographs of the beautiful and unique valley. The van ride down into and up out of the valley was an adventure in itself with amazing views. Shop at the art/gift store where you park as they have lots of lovely stuff at good prices.

I would rate this a "must do" on your trip to Big Island.

We started with a pick-up and then boarded the sightseeing bus.
We climbed the mountain, visited the Subaru Telescope, enjoyed the sunset, and were continuously moved by the starry sky.
It was truly wonderful!

お迎えから、観光バスののりでスタート。
山を登り、すばる望遠鏡、夕景、満天の星と感動の連続でした。
とてもとても良かったです！

The sunset sinking into the sea of clouds was incredibly beautiful and moving. The starry sky was also a first-time experience for me.

The road to the Mauna Kea Visitor Center is paved, but beyond that, some parts are unpaved, so I recommend taking a tour if you want to reach the summit. The lunches from other tours looked luxurious and delicious.

雲海に沈む夕陽は、とても美しく感動的でした。満天の星も、初めての体験でした。
オニヅカビジターセンターまでは舗装がされてますが、そこから先は、一部未舗装なので、山頂まで行くならツアーがお勧めです。
他のツアーの方がお弁当が豪華で美味しそうに見えました。

All four of us in the family were beginners, but it felt great to ride on a gentle horse. We moved slowly through the grasslands, so it wasn't scary at all. I definitely want to ride again next time.

家族４人みんな初心者でしたが、大人しい馬に乗ってとても気持ちよかったです。草原の中をゆっくりすすんでいくので怖くもなかったです。次回も是非乗りたいと思います。

I participated for the first time two years ago, recommended by the hotel concierge. We had no horseback riding experience and our English was not great, but it turned out to be an incredibly fun activity, so this is our second time joining. Just like last time, everyone else in the group was from Europe or America, but that was not a problem at all. The instructions are in English, but I think you can get the general idea. Additionally, there are explanations in Japanese posted on the stable walls, so you can understand how to ride the horse from that.

The group consists of about 12 people, with one guide at the front and one at the back, and we ride through the canyon for about 1.5 hours. The horse I rode this time was a 10-year-old stallion named "Rocky," who seemed to be the leader of the group, always walking right behind the front guide. Because of that, even though I couldn't understand the guide's English, I was able to listen to the explanations well.

This activity offers a wonderful experience of exploring the natural beauty of Waipi'o Valley, sometimes splashing through the river with the water up to the horses' bellies, making it so enjoyable that I want to go back for a second or third time. Also, when getting out of the car at the end, I noticed that the Europeans were giving tips to the guides, so don't forget that. We also gave a $30 tip for the two of us.

初回の参加は2年前で、ホテルのコンシェルジェに薦められて参加しました。乗馬経験も無く英語もダメな私たちですが、参加してみたら最高に楽しいアクティビティだったので、今回で2回目の参加です。前回と同様、私たち2人以外はすべて欧米人でしたが、全く問題ありません。説明は英語ですが、なんとなく雰囲気はわかると思います。それと厩舎の壁に日本語の説明書きが貼ってあるので、馬の乗り方はそれでわかると思います。1回あたり12人位のグループの先頭と最後尾にガイドさんが１人づつ付いて渓谷を約1.5時間の乗馬散策です。今回乗った馬は「ロッキー」という10歳の牡馬で、グループのリーダー格のようで、常に先頭のガイドさんの次を歩いていました。そのため、ガイドさんの英語がわからないながらも、説明をよく聞くことが出来ました。ワイピオ渓谷の自然の中で、時には川の中をジャブジャブと馬のお腹まで水に浸かりながら散策できるという、すばらしい体験ができるアクティビティなので2回、3回と行きたくなるくらいお薦めです。それと、最後に車を降りるときに、欧米人たちはガイドさんにチップを渡していたのでお忘れなく。私たちも2人で30ドルのチップを渡しました。

The scenery on the way to the summit was also wonderful, but the view from the top and the starry sky were truly moving! It became a great memory that I will never forget. The Milky Way was so clear! I could even see satellites moving.

At first, we considered going by rental car, but it was definitely the right choice to join the tour. The road from a certain point to the summit was quite bumpy, so it would have been scary if we had a breakdown with a rental car... With the tour, they drive you to the summit, allowing you to enjoy the scenery around you, and on the way back, you can sleep in the car (laughs). I think it’s great in many ways.

The tour guide was also a really funny person! They took photos of us with the starry sky as the backdrop, and we could get them for free later. It’s hard to take such photos ourselves, so it was a nice surprise.

I wanted to photograph the starry sky with a DSLR, so I brought a small and lightweight tripod. I was unsure if it would be a hassle, but bringing the tripod was definitely the right decision!

By chance, we went on a new moon day, and I heard that more stars are visible during a new moon. If you can plan your schedule, I recommend going on a new moon day.

Also, it gets quite cold at the summit, so it's best to bring warm clothing. Gloves and a neck warmer will be very useful!

I would love to join again when I visit the Big Island! Thank you very much.

山頂にあがるまでの景色も素晴らしかったですが、山頂の景色＆星空に超感動！
一生忘れられない良い思い出になりました＾＾
天の川もこんなにくっきりと！人工衛星が動いているのも見れました。

初めは自分たちでレンタカーで行こうかとも考えましたが、ツアーに参加して正解。
途中から山頂まで道がかなりガタガタだったのでレンタカーだと故障したときに怖いですよね。。。
ツアーだと山頂まで運転もしてくれるので周りの景色をみる余裕もあるし、
帰り道は車内で寝れるし（笑）いろんな面で良いと思います。

ツアーのガイドさんもかなり面白い人でした！
星空バックに写真も撮ってくれてあとで無料で貰うことができます。
なかなか自分たちでは撮ることが出来ないので嬉しいですよね。

私は星空を一眼レフで撮影したかったので小さくて軽い三脚を持っていきました。
荷物になるしどうしようかと迷いましたが、三脚持っていって大正解でした♪

たまたま私たちがいったのは新月の日だったのですが
新月だと星がよりたくさん見えるそうです。もし日程狙えるなら新月の日がおすすめ。

あと山頂はかなり寒いので、防寒具しっかり持っていったほうがいいです。
手袋、ネックウォーマー等は持っていくと重宝すると思います＾＾

ハワイ島へいった時にはまた参加したいと思います！！有り難うございました。

I participated with my family in mid-August.

Since the explanations are in English, it might be confusing for those who don't understand, but I think you can still enjoy it if you understand even a little.

Driving through private land that you usually can't access in a 6WD is interesting, but the bumpy ride made me hit my head on the ceiling.

After sweating from trekking in the grasslands overlooking Maui, swimming in the waterfall pool with other participants at the end was refreshing and fantastic.

The lunch sandwiches were quite good as well.

If I have the opportunity, I would like to study English and participate in this tour again.

8月中旬に家族で参加しました。

英語の解説なので分からない人にはチンプンカンプンですが
それでも一部でも分かるなら楽しめると思います。

普段は入れない私有地？を6WDで走るのは面白いけど
激しい揺れで頭を天井にうちます^^

マウイ島を望む草原のトレッキングで汗をかいたら
滝めぐりの最後で参加者との滝壺スイミングは
気持よくて最高でした。

ランチのサンドイッチもなかなかのもの。

機会があれば英語を勉強してまた参加したいツアーでした。

Compared to Dahana Ranch and Waipi'o Valley, the weather is often relatively good on the western slope, allowing for views of not only the vast grasslands but also the Pacific Ocean. The sun was strong, and I ended up with sunburned arms after a two-hour ride. All the horses were quite greedy, munching on grass all around. Aside from the fact that I fell off when my foot slipped out of the stirrup during a trot, leaving a bruise on my thigh, it was a satisfying tour.

ダハナランチやワイピオバレーに比べると西側斜面にあるため、比較的天候が良いことが多く、大草原だけでなく太平洋も見ることができる。陽射しが強かったこともあり、2時間のライドで腕だけ日焼けした。馬はみな食いしん坊で途中でそこら中の草を食べまくっていた。トロットで鐙から足が外れて落馬し大腿部に大字が残ったことを除けば満足のツアーである。

I participated in a stargazing tour guided by You-kun. I was so happy to see the wonderful sunset and even the shadow of the Earth.

During the stargazing, the guide, who was knowledgeable about constellations, explained various constellations, and You-kun, who was familiar with cameras, taught us how to use each camera. He also took many photos with my own camera. Thank you!

I was able to capture the Milky Way with my own camera. I was so moved!!

Despite the cold, the thoughtful preparation of warm drinks was excellent. (About the bento...)(laughs)

You-kun was high-energy throughout, but sometimes he spoke a bit too quickly for me to catch everything, which was charming in its own way.

Thank you very much. I definitely want to participate in another Masashi Tour next time.

ヨウ君のガイドで星空ツアーに参加しました。
それこそ、途中のお弁当は。。。。。と、して、サンセットの素晴らしさと地球の影まで見ることができて幸せでした。

星空観測では星座に詳しいガイドさんがいろいろと星座を説明してくれたり、ヨウ君はカメラに詳しく、それぞれのカメラの使い方まで全部教えてくれました。
自前のカメラでもたくさん写真を撮ってくれました。ありがと～。

自分のカメラでもなんとかミルキーウェイを撮影することができました。感激！！

寒い中、温かい飲み物など用意して気配りも最高でした。（お弁当は。。。）（笑＾＾）

始終ハイテンションのヨウ君でしたが、ちょっと早すぎて聞き取れないこともあったけど、それもご愛嬌ですね。

ありがとうございました。次もぜひマサシツアーで参加したいです。

We visited the Big Island for our honeymoon, which was two years in the making.

Basically, we relaxed at the hotel and drove around the island, but we did sign up for this one optional tour.

The sunset and starry sky were incredibly beautiful! We brought our own camera, but the tour company provided a high-spec camera and took many photos for us, which we could download for free—such a nice touch. I definitely think it's worth signing up for this tour if you have the time. It became the best memory of our honeymoon.

By the way, on the day of the tour (late August), it was said to be warmer than usual, but it was still surprisingly cold near the summit compared to what we expected from the hotel! However, the tour company provided miso soup and hot drinks, and they lent us jackets, so we didn't have to worry too much!

２年越しの新婚旅行でハワイ島を訪れました。
基本的にはホテルでのんびりしたり、ドライブで島を巡ったりとしていたのですが、
唯一、こちらのオプショナルツアーだけは申し込みました。

！！！サンセットも、星空も大満足の美しさです！！！
自分たちでカメラも持っていきましたが、ツアー会社の方がハイスペックなカメラでたくさん撮ってくれる上に、無料でダウンロードできるのでそれもまあ素敵です。
ぜひ時間に余裕があれば、このツアーだけでも申し込む価値があると思います。
新婚旅行の最高の思い出になりました。

ちなみに、当日（８月下旬）は、いつもより温かいということでしたが、それでも山頂付近はホテル付近からは予想できないほど寒かったです！それでも、ツアー会社の方が味噌汁や温かい飲み物を提供してくれたり、上着を貸してくれるのでそれほど心配もいりません！

It's difficult to visit Waipi'o Valley without a tour. It's a very beautiful place. While horseback riding, you will splash through streams. However, horses are living creatures. They are well-trained, but they might graze, drink water, or stand still. If you can enjoy that aspect as well, it will be a very fun tour. The tour guides were really cool!

ツアー以外で行くのは難しいワイピオ渓谷。とても美しい場所です。乗馬では小川もじゃぶじゃぶと渡っていきます。ただし、馬は生き物。よくしつけられてはいますが、草をはんだり、水を飲んだり、じっとしていてはくれません。そこも含めて楽しめればとても楽しいツアーになります。ツアーガイドのお姉さんたち、とってもかっこよかったです。

At the Onizuka Center, it was drizzling, but from around the 3000m mark, the weather cleared up beautifully. While looking down at the sea of clouds, we waited for the sunset. The orange sun painted the surroundings, and we could see pink clouds after sunset, which already made for an unprecedented experience that excited us. After that, we descended a bit for stargazing. We saw shooting stars and satellites, making it the best night ever. If you visit the Big Island, I highly recommend participating in this experience. The guides were wonderful, managing our health and explaining the night sky. If you decide to join, I suggest preparing for winter weather. Depending on the weather, it was quite cold at the summit. If I have the chance to visit the Big Island again, I would definitely want to do this once more.

鬼塚センターでは小雨でしたが3000ｍを超えたあたりから快晴。雲海を下にみながら、日没をまちます。オレンジ色の太陽があたりを染め、日没後のピンク色の雲も見られこの段階ですでに今までにない体験に興奮。その後少し下山して星空観測。流れ星も人口衛星も見られ、最高の夜でした。ぜひハワイ島にお越しなら、参加をお薦めします。案内の人も、体調管理から星空の説明等、素晴らしかったです。もし参加するのでしたら、冬支度をお薦めします。天気にもよると思いますが、山頂は寒かったです。
またハワイ島を訪れることがあったら、ぜひもう一度みたいと思います

The sea of clouds was truly wonderful. It was a very memorable tour. If I have the opportunity again, I would love to participate next time.

雲海がとてもすばらしかったです。大変思い出に残るツアーとなりました。また機会があったら次回も参加させていただきます。

I took a 4-night, 6-day trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, and this time I booked the Mauna Kea summit sunset tour with two different companies. The weather was different, and naturally, the guides were different as well, allowing us to enjoy each of their unique personalities. Both sunset and stargazing experiences were satisfying tours from both companies.

This time, we had two vehicles for the summit and stargazing; one vehicle had a telescope while the other handled meals. At the Onizuka Center, we were even allowed to have seconds on the miso soup, and it was great that they provided over-pants and other rentals, reducing the amount of luggage we had to bring.

Participants from both vehicles gathered at the parking lot near the summit to gaze at the stars, listen to explanations about constellations, and we were shown Saturn's rings through the telescope. Every time we looked, we joked about whether it was a sticker! We also took commemorative photos against the starry backdrop, and while waiting for our turn at the telescope, we enjoyed cookies and warm drinks, making the time fly by without any boredom.

As expected from a renowned guide, it was a fun tour that kept us engaged throughout.

As a side note, bringing a small light with red cellophane can help reduce worries about footing during boarding, parking lot steps, etc. Also, the summit's basic restroom is quite dark after sunset!

4泊6日ハワイ島のみ旅行、マウナケア山頂サンセットツアーを今回は他社さんと2回入れました。天候が違いガイドさんも当然違いそれぞれの個性を楽しませて頂きました。サンセットと満天の星々星空観察の結果は両社満足できる良いツアーでした。今回も2台で山頂と星空観察、一台が望遠鏡もう一台が食事他の担当のようでオニズカセンターではお味噌汁のお代わりもOK、オーバーパンツ他貸し出しで持参する荷物が減るのはありがたかったです。2台参加者一緒に山頂付近の駐車場で星空を眺め星座などの説明を聞き望遠鏡で土星の輪っかを見せて頂き何度見てもシール？かと笑ながら、お話を聞かせて頂きました。そして星空をバックに記念撮影、望遠鏡他順番待ち中にクッキーや温かい飲み物を頂き退屈することなくあっという間に時間が過ぎてしまいました。さすが名物ガイドさんの案内、飽きること無い楽しいツアーでした。
蛇足ですが赤色セロファン張ったスモールライト等持って行くと乗降や駐車場の段差等足下心配減って良いですよ。と、山頂簡易トイレ日没後は暗いです〜。

We participated in the tour as a couple. We were moved by the starry sky and the sunset! There was a zone where we couldn't sleep due to altitude sickness prevention, but the guide engaged us with interesting stories and played songs related to the stars (we arrived at our destination while listening to familiar tunes). They were considerate at every turn. At the summit, I didn't feel cold thanks to the gear we were provided. Thank you very much!

夫婦でツアーに参加させていただきました。星空とサンセットには感動しました！高山病対策で途中から寝てはいけないゾーンがあったのですが、おもしろいお話で話しかけてくださったり、星に関する曲をかけてくださったり（なじみの曲で聴いている間に目的場所に着きました）、都度都度配慮してくださいました。頂上は、貸していただいたウェアで寒さは感じなかったです。本当にありがとうございました！

Amazing sunset from the summit and a very informative evening all round. The meal en route was pretty average but the pause in the journey for the meal made the transition
to 14000 feet more manageable. The views are out of this world and it was a relief not to have to drive ourselves to and from the summit, even though on our trip the minibus broke down and it took an hour to get the replacement bus up to us. It was handled well though and overall was a very worthwhile trip.

On August 2nd, my spouse and I participated in the tour.

We rode in the Matsuzaki vehicle, one of the two cars operated by Masashi Nature School. During the journey, they announced points where we could see wild black goats, making the trip enjoyable as we looked around without getting bored.

The lunch at the Onizuka Center was quite substantial, and the miso soup was served in a bowl! While acclimatizing to the altitude at the Onizuka Center, we were able to see the rare alpine plant, the silver sword, which can only be found in three places in the world. The one-hour break flew by.

The warm clothing provided included not just jackets but also ski pants, gloves, and knit hats. Even though I had forgotten my warm clothes in Japan and had to manage with a thin long-sleeve T-shirt and a hoodie, I was able to enjoy the starry sky without feeling cold until the end.

I was worried about whether we would be able to see the stars due to the bad weather the day before, but both the sunset and the starry sky were beautifully visible! I didn't have a professional camera to take photos of the stars myself, but Matsuzaki took some great pictures, and they were uploaded the next morning.

It was a thoroughly satisfying tour where we could fully enjoy the magnificent scenery of Hawaii!

8月2日に夫婦で参加させていただきました。

マサシネイチャースクールとして2台の車で実施されているうちのマツザキさん号に乗りました。
参加者の皆さんをピックアップする道中でも野生の黒ヤギさんがいるポイントでアナウンスしてくださったりと、退屈することなく外をきょろきょろ見て楽しめました。

オニズカセンターでのお弁当もしっかりボリュームで、お味噌汁はなんとお椀で出てきました！
オニズカセンターで高所に身体を慣らしているときも、世界でも3箇所でしかお目にかかれない高山植物の銀剣草を見ることができたりと、1時間ほどの休憩時間もあっという間。
貸していただける防寒着もジャケットだけでなくスキーパンツ、手袋、ニット帽となっており、暖かい洋服を日本に忘れて現地で生地が薄めのロンTとパーカーを何とか調達した私でも、寒さに音を上げることなく最後まで星空を堪能することができました。

前日の悪天候で星空が見れるか心配していましたが、サンセットも星空もバッチリきれいに見れました！
本格的なカメラを持っていなかったので、自分では星空写真を撮れませんでしたが、マツザキさんがいいお写真を撮ってくださり、翌朝にはもう写真がアップロードされていました。

ハワイの雄大な景色を存分に味わうことができた大満足のツアーでした！！

I participated on the morning of July 29, 2014. It took less than an hour to drive from Waikoloa Beach Resort to Kahua Ranch by rental car. Along the way, as we ascended towards the ranch, we enjoyed a wonderful drive with views overlooking the coastline.

When we arrived at 9:30, the ranch was truly vast. We were the only participants, so we quickly chose helmets and boots (both optional) and got ready. Our bags and cameras could be placed in bags provided by the ranch that hang on the horses' backs. They also lent us parkas, which were just right for horseback riding in the cool ranch with wind at high altitude.

The guide was a young girl who didn't speak Japanese, but she seemed accustomed to Japanese people. The horse prepared for me was matched to my weight and height, which I had communicated in advance. After a brief explanation of how to handle the horse, we mounted and set off. I was anxious as a beginner, but the experienced girl said, "They are well-trained to be able to be handled with one hand." As we started walking, I quickly felt that was true and was able to relax. My horse was named Stormy, and being young, it always wanted to stay right behind the guide, sometimes trotting to overtake other horses, but other than that, it was very well-behaved.

At certain spots on the ranch, we were able to gallop, and the experienced girl enjoyed it. When I asked the guide to stop for photos, she kindly accommodated my request and took pictures for us.

Overall, we spent an hour and a half riding around the vast ranch, with the grass swaying in the wind, and along the way, we encountered sheep, cows, and free-range horses, which was very relaxing. (For my backside and back, I think the hour and a half course was just right! (laughs))

I truly felt liberated and had a wonderful time. Thank you very much.

２０１４年７月２９日午前中に参加しました。
ワイコロアビーチリゾートからレンタカーでカフア牧場へ１時間弱。途中、牧場に向けてどんどん高度があがっていくと、海岸線を見下ろす素晴らしい眺望のドライブができます。
９時半に現地に着くと、そこは本当に広大な牧場でした。参加者は私達だけで、さっそくヘルメットやブーツ（両方とも任意）を選び準備支度。荷物やカメラは、牧場側で用意している馬の背中にかけるタイプのカバンに入れて持って行けます。パーカーも貸してくれ、高所で風も吹く涼しい牧場で、ちょうど良く乗馬ができました。
ガイドさんは若い女の子で、日本語はできませんが、日本人に慣れている様子でした。
あらかじめ連絡しておいた体重、身長にあわせた馬が準備されていて、まず簡単に馬の操り方の説明があり、すぐに馬に乗って出発です。私は初心者で不安でしたが、経験者の娘は「片手で操れるようになっているのでよく調教されている」と言っていました。歩きはじめて、すぐにその通りだと感じリラックスできました。私の馬はストーミーという名前で、若いのか、いつもガイドさんのすぐ後ろに付きたがり、他の馬を追い越すためにトロット（速足）になったりしましたが、それ以外はとっても良い子でしたよ。
牧場の一定の場所ではギャロップ（駆け足）も可能で、経験者の娘は楽しんでいましたし、写真を撮るために止まってほしいとガイドさんに頼むと、写真を撮ってくれたりと、希望に沿った対応をしてくれました。
とにかく、牧草が風にたなびく広大な牧場一周を、１時間半かけて馬とともに回れ、途中、羊や牛、放し飼いの馬に出会いながら、のんびり癒されました。（お尻や背筋にとっては、１時間半コースでよかったと思います（笑））
本当に気持ちが解放されて、楽しい時間を過ごすことができました。ありがとうございました。

I was worried about altitude sickness and the cold during the tour because I have a 12-year-old daughter, but the guide from Masashi Nature was incredibly attentive and kind. While other tours were competing with each other, he calmly guided us to the best spots. Even for stargazing, while most other tours observed near the Onizuka Center, Nature took us to a special private spot where we had the night sky all to ourselves. His knowledge about constellations and celestial bodies was outstanding. Thank you so much, Konno, for being such a young and hardworking guide!

12歳の娘がいるので、ツアー中は、ずっと高山病や寒さを心配していましたが、マサシネイチャーさんのガイドさんは、とーっても気配りしてくれて、優しい方でした。他のツアーが争うように行動する中で、冷静に絶好ポイントを案内してくれました。星空観測でも、他のツアーほとんどがオニヅカセンター付近で観測するのに対して、ネイチャーさんは、とっておきのプライベートポイントで夜空を独り占め。星座や天体に関する知識も抜群で、若くて努力家の今野さん、本当にありがとう！

Our guide, Mr. Yo, provided detailed and enjoyable explanations, which were fantastic. I was very satisfied with the service of being able to download photos of the starry sky with my family. It's not something amateurs can capture. The kids were also very pleased with Mr. Yo's humorous explanations of the constellations. Thanks to him, the father's reputation for choosing this tour has greatly improved.

ガイドの葉（ヨウ）さん説明が詳しくてかつ楽しくて最高でした。　このツアーのサービスで家族と星空の写真のダウンロードできて大満足。素人では星の写真はとれませんので。　子供達も葉（ヨウ）さんのジョーク交えた星座の解説に大満足。おかげでツアー選んだ父親の株が大きく上がりました。　　

Aside from the dinner with the makunouchi bento and miso soup service, the starry sky, the Milky Way, and the photos taken by our guide, Stefan, were amazing. Other tours seemed like an anorak, but this tour had perfect attire with a down jacket, hat, and gloves, making it easy to handle the zero-degree temperatures at the mountaintop at night. I enjoyed the breathtaking constellations while watching others shiver. I definitely want to participate in the tour inside the Subaru Telescope next time. Don't expect too much from the 60x telescope on this tour, but still, this tour course was very satisfying. Photos can be downloaded from this site. Excellent service!!

夕食の幕の内＋味噌汁サービスは別として、満天の星、天の川、そしてガイドのステファンさんが採ってくれる写真は最高です。他のツアーはアノラックのようでしたが、このツアーは上下綿入れ(ダウン?)＋帽子＋手袋と完璧な服装で、気温零度になる夜の山頂もへっちゃらです。震えている人を横目に満天の星座を堪能しました。是非次回はスバル天文台内部のツアーに参加したいと思います。このツアーの60倍望遠鏡は期待しないでください。それでも、このツアーコースは大満足でした。写真はこのサイトからダウンロードできます。最高のサービスです！！

The talk by our guide, Matsuzaki, was as lively as the Jungle Cruise guy at a certain amusement park, making our time in the car enjoyable. The sunset was beautiful, and I was very impressed! Unfortunately, the starry sky was hidden by clouds, so I couldn't see much, but I look forward to enjoying it the next time I visit the Big Island of Hawaii.

ガイドのマツザキさんのトークは某遊園地のジャングルクルーズのお兄さん並の軽快なトークで、移動の車中も楽しく過ごせました。
夕日はとても綺麗で、大感激でした‼星空は残念ながら雲に隠れてしまいあまり見ることが出来ませんでしたが、またハワイ島にきた時の楽しみにしたいと思います☆