All Reviews for Big Island Stargazing Tours

This was an absolutely amazing experience. We booked this fantastic tour short notice and I'm so grateful there were a few time slots still available that worked with out schedule for us.

Our guide, James, is truly an expert astronomer and has a fantastic personality. To see first hand some of the astronomical wonders we've heard about and seen in books or online was breathtaking.

I would absolutely recommend the Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour Experience as a must do when on the Big Island. In fact, I would do it again because what you see one night will be different on another night!

On the day of my visit, the weather unexpectedly worsened, and I couldn't go beyond the Onizuka Visitor Center. I was disappointed that I couldn't fulfill my dream of coming to the Big Island, but I was happy to see the "Silversword" (Argyroxiphium sandwicense) near the visitor center, thanks to the staff's guidance. I hope to have the opportunity to visit the summit of Mauna Kea again.

当日、まさかの天候悪化で、オニヅカビジターセンターから先に行けませんでした。
ハワイ島に来た夢が果たせずがっかりでしたが、スタッフに教えてもらって、ビジターセンターの近くにある「シルバーソード（銀剣草）」を見ることができて、それは嬉しかったです。
また機会があれば、マウナケア山頂に行きたいと思います。

We had a great time on this trip. Our tour guide, Stefan, was excellent! He was friendly and informative the entire time. Even though we took the tour on an overcast night, there was so much to see and the views were unforgettable. Five stars, would book again!!

I joined the tour with my wife, and we were a bit nervous as we worried about altitude sickness before we joined. However, we did not need to worry too much. The guide was so professional, and he made us relax in the large van of Mercedes-Benz. In addition, the distributed dinner, hot lasagna and chocolate cake helped us get adjusted in the rest area before we were elevated to the summit. In astronomical observation, I was able to see two shooting stars. I strongly recommend this amazing tour if you come to the big island.

This tour was worth every penny. We loved the ride to the summit, the star gazing, and the wealth of knowledge provided by our tour guide, Maka.

The tour guide was inviting and very knowledgeable. The food was actually quite decent. The views of the sunset from the top were sensational, and it was near seeing all the giant telescopes.

But the highlight for me by far was the stargazing after sunset. It was only 80% visibility and the moon was quite bright but I've never seen so many stars so clearly in my life. It was really a sight to behold. Maka (the tour guide) brought a telescope with him and we saw a number of cool things close up, such as a globular cluster, a star in portions
Orions belt, Venus, and the Moon.

Fernando was a great guide for our tour! We really enjoyed his commentaries and learned a lot from this trip. The sunset was amazing. The night sky was impressive, but cold. Bring winter clothes and layers if you can! They do provide a very warm parka. The dinner was yummy. Highly recommended!

We had a blast! A very unique experience, especially if you enjoy sunsets, heights, and amazing views.

This was my first tour on the Big Island of Hawaii, and the reservation process and pickup location on the day were very clear. Although I couldn't speak English, there were staff members who assisted in Japanese, and I was very satisfied with the service. Above all, I was deeply moved by the magnificent view and sunset from the summit. I didn't experience any altitude sickness, and I was able to have a wonderful time. During the stargazing, I enjoyed lying on the ground, amazed by the closeness and size of the countless stars. (laughs) I'm really glad I participated in this tour. When I come back to the Big Island, I would like to join other tours as well. Thank you very much.

初めてハワイ島で参加したツアーでしたが、予約や当日の送迎場所も分かりやすく、英語が話せなかったのですが、日本語で対応してくれるスタッフもいて、対応にはとても満足でした。そして何より山頂から見た壮大な景色とサンセットに大感動。心配していた高山病もなく、良いひとときを過ごすことが出来ました。星空観測では満天の星たちの近さと大きさに、道に寝転んで楽しみました。(笑)このツアーに参加して本当に良かったです。またハワイ島に来たときには他のツアーにも参加したいと思いました。ありがとうございました。

Amazing guide! Super knowledgable and passionate! He knew places to go to have absolute privacy. It was a bit cloudy when I went so he offered for me to come again for free, and both times were stunning. I learned a lot and the pics are unlike anything else you'll ever get in your life.

We rented a car so it was great to have a tour where you just show up for the stargazing time, instead of spending hours driving around picking up other tourists.

I was able to learn a lot about lava from the very detailed explanation. Although we couldn't see the starry sky, we can't go against nature.

非常に丁寧な説明で、溶岩について、多くを学ぶことができました。
星空が見えなかったですが、自然には逆らえないですね。

James was awesome! Our family had a summit tour booked with another company that canceled stated that road was closed, not sure that was true, as I’m scrambling to find an alternative other company said they were still going. Anyway, God‘s got a plan and I came upon epic tours. Even though this wasn’t a “summit” tour my son has a AAS in astronomy and was focused on star gazing and James delivered! James provided chairs to jackets if needed. And gave us a tour of the night sky! And we have a great picture to remember it!

Awesome day on the Big Island. A full day with a coffee farm, tour of the Volcanoes National Park, then stargazing on a clear night. Our Tour guide Aaron was the best. His knowledge of Hawaiian culture, the volcano, and then the night sky was awesome. He was so helpful and kind. This was a once in a lifetime experience. The volcano stopped erupting a few days after our tour. So, we felt so lucky to get to see an active volcano. Be sure to take a sweatshirt or jacket. It got cold in the evening. It is a full day, but so worth it.

We really enjoyed our experience on this tour. Our tour guide, Aaron was very informative! I mean who better to have for a tour guide than a history teacher!! The only part that could use some improvement are the meals. We expected a meal with more substance.

Our guide, Stephan, was wonderful. Out of the 10 tour participants, 8 were Americans, but he provided a lot of explanations and support in Japanese. Stephan is also a photographer, and he took beautiful photos that looked like wedding pictures under a perfect starry sky! Thank you very much!

ガイドのステファンさんが素晴らしかったです。ツアー客10人中、8人はアメリカ人の方でしたが、日本語でたくさん説明&フォローしていただけました。ステファンさんは、さらに写真家で、
満点の星空のもとウェディングフォトのような素敵な写真を撮っていただきました！
ありがとうございました！

This was one the best experiences ever! The guide was fantastic! (Gauge/Gage? My apologies if misspelling your name - he was super knowledgeable about the island and easy to talk to, he was also well organized and thought of everything. The entire journey was super easy to follow and we all got to see some amazing things. Hot chocolate and biscotti? Snow? Wild turkeys and sheep? Binary star system anyone? Gage will make it happen. We also had a great GREAT experience just chatting with you about the Big Island. Thank you Thank you!

The van that arrived at the meeting place was labeled Hawaiian Eyes Tour, with no mention of the operating company, Masashi Nature School, which was confusing. There was no such information provided by VELTRA, but upon checking the Masashi Nature School's website, it clearly stated that the operating company is Hawaiian Eyes Tour. (I wish this had been communicated through VELTRA as well.)

On the day of the tour, there were ten guests, six of whom were Japanese. According to the guide, the number of Japanese customers has decreased due to the pandemic, so there are no longer Japanese language tours. The guide could speak some Japanese, but not enough to provide a full tour in that language, so the entire ride was in English.

That said, the sunset from the mountain top and stargazing were great experiences, and the guide made an effort to explain things in Japanese, which I personally appreciated. Additionally, I was grateful to receive the photos the guide took via AirDrop.

We were staying at a hotel in Waikoloa, so it was helpful that we were dropped off there on the way back. However, there were two Japanese guests from a hotel outside the Kona area who mistakenly thought they would be dropped off at their hotel and ended up getting off at the pickup location, Queens Marketplace. Considering that it's difficult to catch a taxi in that area and the return time was before 10 PM, I think it would be beneficial to offer a paid option for hotel drop-off.

　集合場所に来たバンが、催行社のマサシネイチャースクールとはどこにも書いてなくHawaiian Eyes Tourとなっていて戸惑った。
　VELTRAではそのような案内は全くなかったが、マサシネイチャースクールのHPを確認すると、しっかり催行会社がHawaiian Eyes Tourであると記載されていた。（VELTA経由でもしっかりそこは案内して欲しかった。）
　当日は、１０人の客で、うち日本人は６人いたが、ガイドさんによると、コロナ禍で日本人客が減ったから日本語ツアーは無くなったとのこと。
　ガイドさんも日本語はできるが案内するほどの語学力がない、ということで、行き帰りの車中はずっと英語だった。
　とはいえ、山頂の夕陽や星空観測等、ガイドさんが、日本語でも頑張って案内してくれて、個人的には非常に良かった。
　また、ガイドさんが撮ってくれた写真もAirDropでもらえたのもありがたかった。
　私たちは、ワイコロアのホテルに泊まっていたので帰りはホテルまで送ってもらって助かった。
　ただ、コナ地区外のホテルから参加していた日本人の親子２人組が、帰りホテルまで送ってもらえると勘違いしていて、結局ピックアップ場所のクイーンズマーケットプレイスで降りることになった。
　タクシーもなかなか捕まらない土地柄で、帰着時間が22時前になるということを考えると、有償でのホテルまでの送ってくれるオプションがあると良いのではないかと思った。

The guide was very friendly and shared many interesting stories! Everyone participating was American, and we all had a great time together. We were able to see a starry sky that you can't experience in Japan. The guide also explained about the stars, which was very enjoyable.

ガイドさんが非常に気さくな方で色々な面白い話をしてくれました！参加していたのはアメリカ人だけでしたがみんなでワイワイしてました。日本ではみるようなことができない満点の星空を見ることができました。ガイドさんが星の解説もしてくださり非常に楽しかったです

I know, I know, everyone likes to use the words “best” “amazing” “trip of a lifetime” THIS excursion IS absolutely THE best trip you will book! It may seem a little pricey, but the time, care, and knowledge that our tour guide Travis invested in our group was top of the line!

First of all, do not underestimate the “cold” warnings. It was frigid, cold to the bone so, dress appropriately! If you have a beanie, bring it for this trip.

Secondly, be prepared for the potential that the actual road up to the summit may be closed. Our group (along with 15 others) was told the road was closed and we would not be able to drive to the summit. Travis was able to talk with another tour operator (friends are good) and together they got the rangers to open the road for us last minute!! Yay!

Okay, so let’s talk dinner for a second. They served a vegetarian lasagna that was to die for most of my family are hard core meat eaters, so i was surprised at how quickly they snarfed it all down and EVERYONE commented on how “great” it was Make sure to bring your own water bottle (there is fresh water at the first stop) or whatever you want to drink.

Once we hit the road to climb the summit, the road was definitely an “off road” experience. Lots of major bumps but totally fun . The drive up was spectacular, so have your camera ready. The view from the top will blow your mind. Take a lot of pics and enjoy!

Then on to stargazing. Totally over the top and way exceeded my expectations! Travis had his own telescope that was a high end piece of equipment to say the least! He has so much knowledge that he was eager to share. We even got to see the once in a lifetime “green” comet he spent at least an extra hour with us up there when all the other tour operators were leaving. It was truly the most memorable experiences of my life! Mahalo to the entire team that i know has to work hard behind the scenes for this…my entire family is so grateful for the experience

We really enjoyed our full day tour filled with waterfalls, visiting volcanoes national park and capping it off with a stargazing tour at the end. Our guide was good but would have liked him to relate more of his stories to our grandaughter. When we did the stargazing, he was great. You could tell this was his passion.

It was the best experience of my life.
The stunning sunset and the starry sky!
There was only one other group of Japanese participants with us, but they followed up in Japanese, which made me so happy I could cry.
I also got to take a lot of wonderful photos.
If I have the chance again, I would definitely like to participate.
Thank you very much.

人生で最高の体験でした。
圧巻のサンセットと満点の天空！
日本人参加者は私たちともう一組だけでしたが、キチンと日本語でフォローしてくれて涙が出るほど嬉しかったです。
また素敵な写真を沢山撮ってもらいました。
また機会があったら是非参加したいです。
本当にありがとうございました。

My family included two children and two seniors; thus reserved this trip as it was less strenuous (lower altitude, shorter time). Thought we'd see some stars and hear some stories, and was worried whether my family members would find it interesting.
Actual experience threw my expectations out the window. We usually see stars in pictures, in a way that makes them feel abstract and unreal. The way James showed us the stars made them feel so real and close. And it was totally awesome not just for me, but for everyone! We did quite a few activities on the island, and this was easily the most memorable.
One piece of advice; it is very very cold up there. I wore my pajamas under my pants and the thick down jacket James gave me, but was still shivering after about an hour. Dress very warmly, cuz this is worth it!

There were about 20 participants on the day of the tour, but we were the only two Japanese people. Naturally, the guide spoke in English, but the guide, Syoyo, took the time to explain various things to us in Japanese, allowing us to have a very enjoyable time. We were also told about a popular hamburger place, and we went there right away to try it. It was as delicious as they said! Thank you so much for a wonderful time.

ツアー当日の参加者は20名ほどでしたが、日本人は私たち２人だけでした。
当然ガイドは英語になるのですが、それでもガイドのsyoyoさんは私たちだけに日本語で個別に色々説明してくれて、とても楽しい時間を過ごす事が出来ました。
評判のハンバーガー屋さんも教えてもらい、早速行って食べてみました。
評判通り、とても美味しかった！
素敵な時間を本当にありがとうございました。

This trip was such a convenient way to see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I think it can be a bit daunting when planning trips to the different islands for the first time especially considering location of places, terrain, the type of vehicle you may need, parking, and the length of the trip. So I would say this is a great way to get a taste for a bunch of different activities to do on the big island.

It will take about 13 hours to complete the whole trip and the temp will be warm during the day and cold at night so be prepared. Luckily the company does provide windbreakers and fleece jackets for the cooler temperatures. Our tour guide Aaron was great! He was very friendly and helpful. He is very knowledgeable about the history, environment, landscape, and so much more! Thanks so much for touring us around, Aaron. We appreciate it so much.

We were blessed with wonderful sunsets and starry skies thanks to the weather and moon phase. The tour was primarily in English, but our guide Shoyo kindly explained everything in Japanese as well. Taking commemorative photos under the starry sky can be challenging for amateurs, but the guide took amazing pictures with his mirrorless camera. The sandwiches and warm drinks provided along the way were also very delicious.

We received information about nighttime Kilauea sightseeing, and we were able to enjoy the tour without any issues. We made the best memories on the Big Island of Hawaii. Thank you very much!

天候と月齢に恵まれて素晴らしいサンセットと星空を見ることができました。ツアーは英語主体でしたが、ガイドのShoyoさんが日本語でも丁寧に説明してくださいました。星空での記念撮影は素人には難しいですが、ガイドさんご自身のミラーレス一眼で素晴らしい写真を撮っていただきました。途中に提供していただける軽食のサンドイッチや温かい飲み物もとてもおいしかったです。

夜のキラウエア観光の情報も教えていただき、無事に観光することができました。ハワイ島で最高の思い出ができました。本当にありがとうございました。

Todd was great, he went out of his way to make it a great experience for us. He set up his own telescope for the group to get a good look at the stars and moon. He was very knowledgeable and extremely patient. We were also lucky enough to catch the eruption making the trip really great

Bundle up and enjoy one of the most unique experiences in Hawaii. The tour ran in a very timely fashion starting with the pickup time and getting to all the sites on site. Our guide was very informative but didn't overwhelm us with information either. The view of the sunset and stargazing just speak for themselves. Nothing short of spectacular and definitely a worthwhile experience.

Stefan was very kind and guided us thoroughly, taking many photos as well. I will definitely repeat this next time I come to the Big Island.

丁寧にステファンさんがガイドして頂き、写真も沢山撮影して頂きました。
次回ハワイ島へ来たらリピートします。

Travis was phenomenal. Knew so much about the island as well as space facts. Definitely worth the price and time.

We had hoped the weather would clear, but, unfortunately, despite our tour guide’s best efforts to find some clearing, we were beaten by the weather. Our guide, Hunter, was extremely knowledgeable and tried really hard to wait for some sign of being able to observe anything, but had to cancel with no luck. I can imagine it would have been spectacular to see and hear the wealth of information he would have been able to provide if we could have seen it.