All Reviews for Big Island Stargazing Tours

We drove up to an elevation of 4,200 meters, and thanks to our guide's safe driving, we were able to enjoy the scenery from the car windows, including some gravel roads. The mountaintop, where the astronomical observation facilities are located, was a bit chilly, but the changing colors of the sky until sunset were beautiful.

標高4,200ｍにクルマで登りますが、一部ある砂利道も含めてガイドさんの安全運転で車窓からの風景を安心して楽しめました。天体観測施設が並ぶ山頂は少し寒かったですが、日没までの空色の変化がきれいでした。

During my fourth visit to the Big Island, I participated in the long-awaited "Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour."

Since I was staying in Hilo, I started by inquiring whether it was possible to meet at the Onizuka Visitor Center when making my reservation. They kindly responded to my inquiry in Japanese, and I successfully completed my booking.

On the day of the tour, I arrived at the center (elevation 2800m) two hours before the meeting time by rental car and acclimatized by exploring the surrounding area.

From the center, I switched to the tour vehicle and joined others who had come from various hotels in Kona. I was fortunate to sit in the front seat, and we set off for the summit. I was surprised by the off-road conditions, but the tour guide and driver provided explanations in both English and Japanese, and before I knew it, we reached the summit (4200m) with its observation points. There were already many tourists there, but we were able to enjoy the sunset in a spacious area, and the guide took commemorative photos for us. The wind and remaining snow made the perceived temperature around -5 degrees, but I managed to cope with my down jacket and gloves.

After the sunset, we descended to the parking lot at 3600m for stargazing. As it got darker, the number of visible stars increased dramatically, creating a series of breathtaking moments. Here too, we received detailed explanations about constellations in Japanese, and the time flew by.

Additionally, the guide shared the photos taken at the summit and during stargazing via LINE, creating memorable keepsakes.

I highly recommend this tour, which allows you to experience a height 500 meters higher than Mount Fuji and enjoy the dual excitement of sunset and stargazing!

4回目のハワイ島訪問で、念願の「マウナケア山頂 サンセット＆星空観測ツアー」に参加しました。

ヒロ宿泊でしたので、申込時に、「オニヅカビジターセンター待ち合わせ」が可能かどうかの問い合わせからスタートしましたが、日本語のメールでの問い合わせにも親切にご対応いただき、無事に、申込完了。

当日も、待ち合わせ時間の2時間前には、センター（標高2800ｍ）にレンタカーで到着し、周辺の散策などで、高度順応。

センターからは、ツアーの車に乗り換えて、コナの各ホテルから来られた方々と同行。助手席という特等席に乗せていただき、山頂へ出発。
予想以上のオフロードに驚きながらも、ツアーガイド 兼 ドライバーの方が運転しながら英語と日本語で説明をしただき、あっという間に展望台群のある山頂(4200m)に。
既に、多くの観光客がいましたが、広いスペースでサンセットを楽しむことができ、ガイドの方が記念の写真も撮っていただきました。
残雪と強風で体感気温は「-５度」くらいでしたが、持参していたダウンや手袋で何とか凌げました。

サンセット後は、3600mの駐車場まで下りてからの星空観測。
暗くなるに従い、刻々と観える星の数が倍増していき、感動の連続。
ここでも、日本語で星座などの詳しい説明をしていただき、あっという間の時間でした。

さらに、山頂と星空観測で撮っていただいた写真をその場で、LINEで共有していただき、思い出深い写真になりました。

是非、富士山より500ｍも高いところを体験でき、サンセットと星空観測の２つの感動を得られるツアーをお勧めいたします！

The summit of Mauna Kea at 4205m, the sunset from there, the Subaru Telescope, and stargazing were all amazing. The guide spoke English in the car, but the explanations for the astronomical observations were in Japanese, which deepened my understanding. I highly recommend it if you have the chance. Thank you.

4205mのマウナケア山頂、そこからのサンセット、スバル望遠鏡、星空観測、すべて最高でした。
ガイドは車中は英語ですが、天体観測は日本語で説明されていて理解が深まりました。
チャンスがあるなら是非おすすめします、ありがとう。

We really enjoyed this tour. It is a long one so be prepared. But they keep you hydrated and fed. I loved the black sand beach, and the sea turtles and the stop along the shore the most. But all of the events were really fun. They packed so much into one day. it was a great tour and we had a lot of fun. The picnic, the stop at the bakery, and the dinner, you were all excellent quality as well.

The tour was well-organized, and our guide was knowledgeable and personable.

This tour was one of my families favorite adventure while vacationing in Hawaii. James, our guide, was great. Very knowledgeable, had a sense of humor, and did a great job with the photos. He shared some of his other work with our group and his photos are outstanding.
I would do this trip again! But I would pack some additional clothes; it was cold at that elevation.

We had the best time
Tour guide was so knowledgeable and friendly
We learned so much about Hawaii and the big Island and astronomy
On the way we learned so much

Tour guide was exceptional
- always told us what was coming
- very organised
- everything was like clockwork

Everything was high quality and expert in every way

I can think of nothing to improve

The trip was fantastic and Ray was super informative. It was a beautiful night and we got to see a lot of stars and planets and the moon rising as well. It was spectacular and a must try for everyone! We thoroughly enjoyed it and I highly recommend it!! Also loved the hot chocolate touch at the end because it was quite cold on the slopes. The pickup and drop off was on time. The one thing that could have been better in my opinion was the food options and I also wished we had stopped somewhere to see the spectacular sunset. Apart from that, we really enjoyed it

The weather on December 2 suddenly turned bad in the afternoon. I was looking forward to it, but my spirits dropped thinking I wouldn't be able to see the sunset or the starry sky. However, the clouds moved, and sunlight broke through the gaps, which was lucky. The sea of clouds was also wonderful. And the starry sky was perfect. Even though I'm not good at English, there were many Japanese travelers on the same bus, so I felt comfortable participating with the foreign guide.

12月2日の天気は午後から急に悪天候。
楽しみにしてたが、夕陽も星空も見れないかとテンションはだだ下がり。
でも、雲が流れ隙間から夕陽が差し、ラッキー。雲海もすばらしい。
そして、星空もバッチリ。英語が苦手な私も同じバスの日本人旅行者の方も大勢いらして外人ガイドでも安心して参加できた。

At the foot of the mountain, I was worried because it was raining in some areas, but at the visitor center halfway up, the weather improved, and it was clear from the midpoint onward. I recommend bringing a warm drink. Above the visitor center, the road became unpaved, and it felt like the car was struggling to climb the mountain, but after a while, we reached the summit.

At the summit, various observatories from different countries were lined up, and it felt like we were one step closer to space. With some time before sunset, I enjoyed the magnificent view from the top. It was definitely worth adjusting my schedule to participate. After a while, the grand show of sunset began, and the colors of the ground and sky near the summit gradually changed, creating an emotional experience as if watching a scene from a movie. The sea of clouds was also visible, making for the perfect situation. The scenery was even more breathtaking than the photos in the brochure. As it got darker, stars began to appear one by one, and their numbers quickly increased, transforming the scene into a completely different world from before sunset. The summit was colder than I expected, and I wore a down jacket suitable for winter, but it was still chilly. I recommend being well-prepared for the cold. The air pressure was low, and the air was thin, so I think those with respiratory issues or who are not in good health should reconsider participating. I truly felt the thinness of the air.

After sunset, I did some stargazing a little below the summit. The sky was filled with stars, creating a wonderful celestial show. I learned how to identify constellations and participated in observations with a telescope. It was moving to see the rings of Saturn through the telescope.

Although it was a bit of a long day starting in the early afternoon, I believe it was definitely worth participating. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

　山麓では一部雨も降っていて心配しましたが、食事休憩した中腹のビジターセンターでは天気も良くなり、中腹以降は快晴でした。暖かい飲み物を持参するのを推奨します。ビジターセンターより上は未舗装になり、車が懸命に山を登っている感じになり、しばらくすると山頂に到着しました。
　山頂には各国の天文台が並んでいて、宇宙に一歩近づいた感じでした。日の入りまで少し時間があり、山頂からの壮大な景色を堪能しました。スケジュール調整をして参加した価値が充分にありました。しばらくすると、日没の壮大なショーが始まり、山頂近くの地面や空の色が徐々に変わり、映画のワンシーンを観ている状態で、感動的でした。雲海も見えて最高のシチュエーションでした。景色はパンフレットの写真以上で、圧巻でした。暗くなると星がポツポツ見え出して、その数があっと言う間に増えて、日没前とは全くの別世界になりました。山頂は思っていたよりも寒く、真冬の格好でダウンジャケットも着ましたがそれでも寒かったです。寒さ対策は十分にしておくことをおすすめします。気圧も低く、空気も薄いので呼吸器系統の弱い人や体調が万全でない人の参加は見合わせた方がいいと思います。空気の薄さを実感しました。
　日没後に山頂から少し下った場所で星空観察をしました。満天の星で素晴らしい天体ショーでした。星座の見方を教えてもらい、望遠鏡での観察にも参加しました。その中で土星の輪が見えたのは感動的でした。
　午後早めの時間帯からの少し長丁場でしたが、参加する価値は十分にあると思います。感動をありがとうございました。

I was a bit worried about going to an elevation higher than Mount Fuji without any prior experience in mountain climbing, but thanks to the wonderful support of our articulate guide, we were able to reach the summit safely. We drove almost all the way to the top and enjoyed the sunset. The stargazing afterward was easy to understand, and having hot cocoa under the starry sky was the best.

山登りなど国内でも経験がないまま富士山より高い標高に行くというのは少し心配していましたが、お話上手なガイドさんの素晴らしいサポートのおかげで、無事に山頂まで辿り着けました。徒歩はほぼなく車で山頂まで登り、サンセット。そのあとの星空観測もわかりやすく、星空の下でのホットココアが最高でした。

We had an amazing experience and time on this trip. Our tour guide, Stefan, was deeply knowledgeable, fun and friendly. The tour started on time and went out perfect. They provided mitts and coats which kept us warm along with hot chocolate. It was a great evening with no clouds. The views were unforgettable. Five stars, would book again!

This was on my bucket list. My guide was very informative. He took pictures, individual and group pictures of us during sunset and during the stargazing event. Be prepared to bounce around on the dirt road to the summit. Totally enjoyed the hot cocoa and BLT sandwich that was provided.

The sunset sinking into the sea of clouds from 4200m is exceptional. You can truly feel the Earth. Observing Jupiter's Galilean moons for the first time was also moving. The guide's explanations and support were wonderful, making it a highly satisfying tour.

4200mからの雲海に沈むサンセットは格別です。地球を感じます。木星のガリレオ衛星の観測も初めて、感動しました。ガイドさんも説明や対応も素晴らしく、満足度の高いツアーです。

I searched for a tour to experience the great nature of the Big Island for the first time and participated in the Mauna Kea Summit Sunset and Stargazing Tour. At first, I didn't have high expectations for climbing the mountain to see the sunset and the stars. I also read reviews mentioning that the explanations were only in English, making it difficult for those without strong English skills to understand. Additionally, although I don't have high blood pressure, I was concerned about climbing over 4,000 meters at the age of 67.

In conclusion, it was an amazing experience. While I did feel a bit breathless at the summit, it wasn't an issue if I walked slowly. The detailed explanations of the summit's viewpoint, the breathtaking sunset as it gradually darkened, and even I, with barely passing vision for my driver's license renewal, could see the Milky Way with the naked eye. The detailed explanations of the constellations were also impressive. I hadn't seen the Milky Way in about 50 years, and it was truly moving.

This experience was made even more special thanks to the attentive service from the staff at Masashi Nature. Our guide was a Japanese person named SHOYO. His extensive knowledge, excellent explanations, and thoughtful attention created a very comfortable environment.

There were about 12 people on the tour, and my wife and I were the only Japanese participants. The explanations on the bus were in English, but they were not difficult to understand. Additionally, when we got off the bus, they provided a summary of the key points in Japanese. Outside the bus, the explanations were given in a mix of English and Japanese, making them very clear and detailed.

The photos of the sunset and the one with my wife under the Milky Way are wonderful treasures of memories. If I plan another tour in Hawaii, I will choose a Masashi Nature tour where I won't struggle with the language.

Lastly, thank you, SHOYO. I appreciate it.

初めてのハワイ島で大自然を感じることができるツアーを探し、マウナケア山頂サンセットと星空観測ツアーに参加しました。
最初は、山に登って夕焼けを見る、星空を見ることにそれほどの期待を持っていませんでした。また、口コミには英語だけでの説明で英語力がないとよくわからないとの感想もありました。さらに、私は高血圧ではないのですが、67歳の高齢で4000m以上の山登りはいかがかとも思っていました。
結論は、とても素晴らしい経験をすることができました。確かに山頂では少し息苦しい感覚はありましたが、ゆっくり歩けば気になることはありません。さらに、山頂の世界の展望台の詳細な説明、徐々に暮れてくる感動的な夕焼け。そして、運転免許更新に必要な視力ギリギリの私でも肉眼で見える天の川。また、星座の詳細な説明。天の川を見たのは50年前くらいで、感動的でした。
この感動もマサシネイチャーのスタッフの丁寧な対応があったからです。私らの担当は、日本人のSHOYOさんでした。彼の博学な知識と説明のうまさ、細かな気配りがとても居心地のいい環境を作ってくれました。
12人ほどのツアーでした。日本人は私と妻の2名だけでした。バス内の説明は英語でしたが、それほどわかりにくい英語ではありませんでした。また、バスから降りた際にバス内の説明のポイントだけを日本語で説明してくれました。また、バスの外では、英語と日本語と交えて説明をしていただき、とても分かりやすくかつ詳細なものでした。
夕焼けの写真、天の川の下の妻との写真も思い出としてとても素晴らしい宝物をいただけました。
次回、ハワイでツアーを計画するのであれば、日本語に苦労しないマサシネイチャーのツアーを選択すると思います。
最後にSHOYOさん、ありがとう。感謝しています。

I participated thinking it would be my last chance since the age limit for the tour is 70. The guide was very kind and explained everything in detail, and the photos they took were fantastic. I'm 70, and I want to participate again next year!

ツアー参加可能の年齢が70歳までということで、最後のチャンスと思い参加しました。ガイドさんもとても親切で丁寧に説明してくれて、撮影してくれた写真も最高でした。70歳、来年も参加したい！

The guide was great and shared loads of interesting facts and stories about history, nature, culture, language, habits and astronomy. His knowledge and captivating way of presenting things were amazing. I also highly appreciate his deep respect towards the Hawaiian culture.
The trip was organized very professionally. The warm parkas were also highly appreciated.

I highly recommend this service.

At first, I was worried about the weather because the mountain in front was hidden by clouds, but Mauna Kea was clear above the clouds, and it was a beautiful day! I enjoyed the best sunset and a lovely starry sky!

Our guide was an American named Tat, who occasionally spoke Japanese. It seemed he was working with another guide from the same tour company, who was also American but spoke Japanese fluently.

They prepared two telescopes for us, allowing us to observe Jupiter and Saturn. Then, they took a picture of the Milky Way and shared the photos with us via AirDrop. It was a wonderful experience with a great team!

初めは手前の山が雲に隠れていたので天気を心配していましたが、マウナケアは雲の上で晴れていました、快晴でした！最高のサンセットと、素敵な星空を堪能できました！
タットさんというアメリカの方がガイドさんでしたが、日本語も時折り話してくれます。同じツアー会社の方と一緒にツアーをされているようで、そちらのガイドさんはアメリカの方ですが日本語バリバリでした。
２人で望遠鏡を２つ用意してくれて、木星と土星をそれぞれ観賞できました。それから天の川の写真を撮ってくれてエアドロップで写真をいただきました。とても良いコンビで素敵なツアーを体験しました！

I participated alone as the only Japanese person, and there were no other Japanese participants that day. It was a tour with two vans, and my guide in my van only spoke English. However, the guide in the other van was fluent in Japanese, so they kindly took the time to explain the stars to me one-on-one, paying attention to the details, which was very thoughtful. The guide's talk in the van was in English, but they clearly explained the efforts of the local Hawaiians to preserve Hawaiian culture and the importance of conveying such information to tourists. I was grateful to hear valuable stories from a local person. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

日本人一人での参加で、他の参加者にも日本人はいない日でしたが、バン二台でのツアーで、私の車のガイドさんは英語しか話せなかったのですが、もう一つの車のガイドさんが日本語ペラペラだからと、わざわざそちらの方がマンツーマンで星の説明をしてくださり、細かいことも気にかけてくださり、とても親切でした。車内でのガイドさんの話も、英語でしたが、地元のハワイアンの人々がハワイアン文化を守るためにしていることや、そういった内容も観光客に伝える必要性もわかりやすく話してくれて、貴重な現地の方のお話が聞けてありがたかったです。素晴らしい体験をありがとうございました。

The perfect experience for first time visiting Kona! Loved the Coffee farm, black sand beach, and stargazing the most on this full-day excursion!

On the day I participated, a Japanese guide was in charge. While driving, he provided explanations in both English and Japanese. There were eight participants, half of whom were Japanese. At the summit, we were able to see a beautiful sunset. It was almost windless, so it wasn't too cold, but according to the guide, it had been very cold the day before due to strong winds, so it seems to vary by day. The stargazing was limited because it was close to a full moon, resulting in fewer stars. However, everyone, including the guide, was surprised by a fireball that suddenly appeared. It was an experience that happens once in a lifetime. It was a great tour.

私の参加した日は、日本人のガイドさんが担当してくれた。運転しながら、英語、日本語、交互の説明、参加者８名、内、半分が日本人だった。山頂では美しい日の入りを見ることができた。ほぼ無風だったのでそれほど寒くはなかったがガイドさん曰く前日は風が強く大変寒かったそうで、日によってまちまちのようだ。星空観測は満月に近いこともあって、星の数は少なかった。しかし突然現れた火球にガイドさん含めて皆ビックリ。一生に一度あるか否かの経験をした。良いツアーだった。

The entire experience start to finish was amazing. Wes was our guide and driver and took the time to explain what to expect and educate all of us on the island and the history of Hawai’i! I would recommend this tour to anybody who would like to enjoy the beautiful Mauna Kea! Wes also took the time to take photos of us at sunset and stargazing!

My husband and I had an amazing time with Fernando! He was an incredibly knowledgeable guide and made the trip very fun. If you have the opportunity to do the evening stargazing and sunset do so and request Fernando!

Our guide Gabe (I think that was his name - sorry if I’m mistaken!) was superb.

He picked us up near our condo and the van was very nice and spacious. We had 5 adults and were very comfortable.

The drive up he pointed out things of interest, answered any questions and was just overall very upbeat, fun and informative.

He was great up to this point but he crossed over to superb when my mom got altitude sickness. He was constantly checking on her, giving her sickness bags, anti-nausea meds and overall just very attentive.

He very professionally handled both her and the rest of the guests.

Will definitely book with this company and guide again.

This was definitely the highlight of our Hawaii trip. Will definitely try it again!!! 10/10 will recommend their service.

We had a group of 4 and had an excellent afternoon. Our guide was very knowledgeable and warm and friendly. The van was comfy and had big windows for viewing scenery along the drive. The starts were amazing as was the sunset.

This stargazing experience was absolutely fantastic! James did an amazing job with explaining what we were seeing and keeping the group engaged. He was informative yet entertaining…and the pictures almost look unreal. As our family returned to the hotel, our kids raved about how much fun they had. Definitely an experience not to miss!

The meeting at the supermarket parking lot, the sunset at the summit of Onitsuka Center, and the stargazing upon returning to the foothills all went smoothly. Warm clothing was provided, so the cold was not an issue. Thank you for the explanations about the mountains and history in the car. The only concern I had was that the guide looked very sleepy during the drive back. Please make sure to rest well during the day to avoid any accidents. Thank you very much.

スーパーマーケットの駐車場の待ち合わせから山麓のOnitsuka center　頂上での夕焼け、山麓に帰っての天体観測、帰還と全てスムースに進みました。防寒服も用意され寒さも問題ありませんでした。車の中での山や歴史の説明もありがとうございました。帰りの運転でガイドさんがとても眠そうだったのが唯一気になった点です。事故なきよう昼間十分に休まれるようにしてください。ありがとうございました。

The day of the tour was just one day before the full moon, and with 98% moonlight, it was too bright to see a perfect starry sky (I should have checked the lunar calendar in advance...). However, the sea of clouds below was breathtaking, and the sunset from the summit at an elevation of 4,207 meters was truly beautiful and very moving.

Our tour guide, Stephan, was very friendly and, despite being a tall foreigner, he grew up in Japan and speaks fluent Japanese. He was very kind, took many photos for us, and even sent us some amazing starry sky pictures he had taken in the past via AirDrop. The vegetarian sandwich was also very delicious, and the cocoa he made for us at the summit was incredibly tasty and warming. Thank you for a wonderful experience and memories.

ツアー当日は満月の一日前で、月明かり98%ということで満点の星空を見るには明るすぎたのですが、(事前にちゃんと月齢カレンダーを確認すべきでした、、)雲を下に見る雲海は絶景で、標高4207mの山頂からのサンセットは本当に綺麗で、とても感動しました。
ツアーガイドのステファンさんはとても気さくで見た目は背の高い外人さんですが、バリバリの日本育ちとのことで、日本語ペラペラで、とても親切で写真もたくさん撮ってくれて、過去に撮影した素晴らしい星空の写真もAirDropで送ってくださいました。
ベジタリアンサンドイッチもとても美味しく、山頂で入れてくれたココアはとっても美味しくてあたたまりました。素敵な体験と思い出をありがとうございました。

Japanese tourists have returned to Hawaii. However, due to the pandemic, there are hardly any Japanese guides left, making the tours quite boring for those who struggle with English. On tours that showcase the rich nature, Pocketalk usually doesn't work, and we find ourselves tuning out the rapid-fire English explanations. Please rehire Japanese guides soon! We are only reluctantly signing up for English guides!

ハワイにも、日本人が戻ってきましたね。でも、日系のガイドさんはコロナ禍でほとんど居なくなってしまい、英語が苦手な日本人にはつまらないツアーばかりになりました。
豊かな自然が売りのツアーでは、たいていポケトークは機能せず、マシンガンの様な英語のガイドをしらけながら聞き流しています。
早く日系ガイドを再雇用してあげてください！
英語のガイドは、仕方なく申し込んでいるだけですよ！