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Stargazing Tours

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If you enjoy looking at the stars, a visit to the Big Island is not complete without stargazing at Mauna Kea through a powerful telescope. Stargazing is one of the top things to do on the Big Island and it should be on everyone’s Hawaii bucket list. Big Island is home to some of the best stargazing conditions in the world. The elevation and isolated location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean allow you to see the starry night sky more clearly than you have ever seen.

From the slopes of Mauna Kea to the summit, there are incredible sites for viewing the night sky that is sure to leave you in awe. Hawaii Activities has a selection of Hawaii’s most popular stargazing tours on Big Island. Find great deals and discounts on the best Hawaii stargazing experiences departing from Kona, Waikoloa, and Hilo. Book early as they sell out quickly!


Frequently Asked Questions


Where can you stargaze in Hawaii?

Mauna Kea is a premier location to view the stars. The high altitude, the geographic location, and the lack of light pollution create perfect conditions for astronomical observation. There are several different types of stargazing tours in Hawaii, and all the options provide excellent opportunities to observe the Milky Way, planets, galaxies, nebula, and the moon.

The most popular tours are operated by Hawaii Forest & Trail and Mauna Kea Summit Adventures. They are the only tours licensed to take guests to watch the sunset at the summit of Mauna Kea and do stargazing at the Mauna Kea Visitor Center. We recommend making reservations at least 2-3 weeks in advance since they sell out quickly.


What are the advantages of doing a stargazing tour on the slopes of Mauna Kea compared to at the Mauna Kea Visitor Center?

Here are some advantages of stargazing from the slopes of Mauna Kea compared to the visitor center near the summit:

• Family Friendly - Due to lower altitude, kids younger than 16 years old can join the tour.

• More Affordable & Easier to Find Last Minute Availability.

• Premier Location - Secluded spots on the slopes of Mauna Kea.

• Small Group Tours - Skip the crowds of Mauna Kea Visitor Center.


Wasabi Tours, Kapohokine Adventures, and Epic Tours have the best tours to stargazing on the Big Island:

Kapohokine Mauna Kea Stellar Explorer combines both daytime solar viewing and nighttime astronomical observing. It is also the most family friendly stargazing tour in regards to age restrictions.

Epic Tours Mauna Kea - A Mars and Stars Photo Experience and Wasabi Tours Sunset & Astro Photo Tour specializes in night photography and the guides are also astro-photographer experts. You can learn how to take memorable pictures of the Milky Way.


Do you have any tours that combine a Volcano Sightseeing and Stargazing on the same day?

Kailani Tours Deluxe Volcano Tour & Stargazing and Wasabi Tours Twilight Volcano & Stargazing Tour are two great options that will take you to explore Volcanoes National Park top attractions and the recent 2018 eruptions sights. At the end of the tour, they stop along Saddle Road for a 20 - 30 minute stargazing experience with telescopes.


When is the best time to go on a stargazing tour?

Stargazing is great year-round in Hawaii, although weather can be unpredictable. For the most superb conditions, try and book your tour for a New Moon night (moonless night). Try using a lunar calendar to select your tour date and book as early in advance as possible to get the best tour.


Can we go into the observatories at the Mauna Kea summit?

The Mauna Kea observatories are used exclusively for Astro scientific research, especially at night, and are rarely open to the general public. However, if you choose to go on one of the summit sunset or sunrise tours, you’ll have some free time to walk around and see the massive observatories from the outside. Just after the sunset you can also watch the domes of the observatories open and rotate as the astronomers inside are setting the telescopes for their research.

Top-Rated Activities for Big Island

Latest reviews of Stargazing Tours

Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour & Summit Sunset Adventure

ABSOLUTE RECOMMENDATION!

2023/09/17 Couples Annet & Jeroen; NL

Excellent tour with SUPER tour guide, Kailikea! Full service , including tasty meal, excellent transportation, LOTS of very interesting information on Hawaii, the stars at night, Hawaiian Culture and History. Absolute re... more

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Twilight Volcano Tour with Stargazing, Black Sand Beach & Coffee Farm

Great experience!

2023/09/04 Couples Justin

Good tour! Aaron was our guide and he did a perfect job! I only wish the volcano was erupting so we could see more activity. The meals were good, the views were good and we learned a lot.

Twilight Volcano Tour with Stargazing, Black Sand Beach & Coffee Farm

A lovely day around the southern part of the Big Island

2023/08/27 Couples Sandrine

My partner and I went on this tour with Aaron. He was a fantastic tour guide, with lots of interesting tidbits about the history of the island and plenty of jokes. He also offered to take plenty of photos of us at all th... more

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Twilight Volcano Tour with Stargazing, Black Sand Beach & Coffee Farm

Aaron was outstanding!

2023/08/26 Families with Young Children Diana P.

This was a long tour, about 13 hours, and it was so informative and fun! Our guide Aaron was very safe, smart, and informative during our tour. We had a great time at the coffee plantation, black sands beach, a famous ba... more

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Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour & Summit Sunset Adventure

Must do experience on Big Island!!!

2023/08/16 Families Dave T.

Our tour guide Addison was awesome. Excellent in setting tour expectations and safety guidelines from the start. His knowledge of Hawaiian history, culture, volcanology, and astronomy was impressive. VIP treatment. Don’t... more

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Mauna Kea Evening Stargazing & Daytime Solar Viewing Tour with Dinner

One of the best event I had in my life!!!

2023/08/14 Families with Young Children GopiK

This whole event and trip was astonishing. I never had an opportunity to see the sky like this ever before. The trip was well organized and our guide Nate was so brilliant and he explained each and every part of the sk... more

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Stargazing Tours | Book Big Island Tours, Activities & Things to Do with HawaiiActivities.com
If you enjoy looking at the stars, a visit to the Big Island is not complete without stargazing at Mauna Kea through a powerful telescope. Stargazing is one of the top things to do on the Big Island and it should be on everyone’s Hawaii bucket list. Big Island is home to some of the best stargazing conditions in the world. The elevation and isolated location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean allow you to see the starry night sky more clearly than you have ever seen.