All Reviews for Big Island Stargazing Tours

Before participating in this tour, I was concerned about altitude sickness and the weather. To counter altitude sickness, we had dinner at the Onizuka Center, located at an elevation of about 2800m, which also helped with acclimatization. (The Hawaiian-style Japanese bento and warm miso soup were delicious!) After that, we headed towards the summit, and even after we set off, they kindly taught us how to breathe deeply, allowing us to avoid any symptoms of altitude sickness and enjoy the journey without issues.

Regarding the weather, it had been unstable recently, with stars sometimes visible and sometimes not, but fortunately, the day we participated was perfect! (In fact, the conditions were excellent!) Looking up from the base, there were clouds on the mountain, but apparently, this is a daily occurrence. When you think about it, we were climbing up to 4200m, which is quite high...

From the summit, we were able to see a beautiful sunset over the sea of clouds. After enjoying the sunset at the top, we descended a bit and did some stargazing. As it got darker, more and more stars appeared, and we even spotted 2 or 3 moving satellites during that time. The sunlight was reflecting well, and there was a breeze, making for excellent conditions. I've heard that the summer night sky is even more amazing, but I can't imagine how much more beautiful it could be than what we experienced! The guide used a pointer to explain things in a fun and engaging way, allowing us to learn more about astronomy.

While weather can be unpredictable, it turned out to be the best moment for us.

このツアー参加前に気になった事は高山病と天気について。
高山病対策は途中の標高2800m付近のオニヅカセンターにて高地順応を兼ね夕飯のお弁当を食べました。(このハワイアンチックな和風弁当＆温かい味噌汁は美味でした！)その後、山頂へ向かい出発してからも、丁寧に深呼吸の仕方を教えてもらい、道中高山病の症状も出ず問題なく過ごせました。
天気についても、ここ最近は不安定な天気で星空が見えたり見えなかったり、との事でしたが、私達が参加した日は幸いなことに問題ありませんでした。(と言うか、絶好のコンディション！)麓から上を見上げると山に雲が掛かっていますが、これは毎日のことらしい。考えてみれば、それよりも高い4200mまで登るんですよね。。
山頂からは雲海から沈む大変キレイな夕日が臨めました。山頂でサンセット堪能後、少し下に降りそこから天体観測。暗くなるにつれて星がどんどん多くなり、その最中に動く人工衛星も2〜3機確認できました。今日は太陽の反射光もよくあたり風もありで、絶好のコンディションだったようです。夏場の星空はもっとスゴいとのことですが、これ以上の星空ってどうなっちゃうの？？という程キレイな星空でした。夜空についてもポインターを使い面白おかしく説明していただき、天体について改めて学ぶ事が出来ました。
天候の運不運もあるのでしょうが、私達にとって最高のひと時となりました。

Our driver and tour guide was outstanding. We learned a great deal about volcanoes and stars.
There were so many highlights to this trip: excellent veggie lasagne, watched a beautiful sunset from above the clouds, and telescope star gazing. This was one of the highlights of our trip.

The sunset and the starry sky were truly wonderful. The guide took photos with a professional camera, and I received beautiful pictures later that I could never have captured with my amateur digital camera. It was the best service.

サンセットも星空も、本当に素晴らしかったです。
ガイドの方が本格的なカメラで写真を撮ってくださり、素人のデジカメでは撮れないようなきれいな写真を後でいただけました。最高のサービスでした。

Participants can take photos, but there is a significant difference in the number of downloadable photos between those who have many and those who have few. Since we all paid the same fee, I was disappointed when I checked later.

参加者は写真を撮っていただけるんですが　ダウンロードできる写真の枚数が多い人と少ない人で違いすぎます。同じ料金を払っているのですから　後で確認した時に　がっかりしました。

Since it was a nature tour, I participated with the understanding that it would be affected by the weather that day. I was able to enjoy the sunset, but the starry sky was obscured by clouds, and I could only observe about 20%. I was impressed by the tour company's consideration, as they mentioned that if the entire tour was unsatisfactory, they would provide a tour ticket valid for two years.

自然が相手のツアーなのでその日の天候で左右されると心ずもりして参加しました。夕日はしっかりと観賞できましたが、星空は雲がかかり20%程しか観察できませんでした。ツアーの全てが駄目な場合は2年間有効なツアー券を下さるとの事、ツアー会社の心配りに感心致しました。

The weather on the day was cloudy. According to the guide who picked us up, the situation was severe regarding whether we could enter the mountain. There were areas along the way where it rained heavily. After arriving at the Onizuka Visitor Center, we waited for the final decision while enjoying our lunch. The result was that the gate was closed, and we couldn't summit... In the end, we finished by watching the starry sky. It was disappointing, but I now have homework for my next trip to the Big Island.

当日の天気は曇り。ピックアップしてもらってからのガイドさんによると、入山できるか厳しい状況との事。途中、すごい雨も降るエリアがありました。オニヅカビジターセンターに到着してから、お弁当を頂きながら最終判断待ち。結果は、ゲートが締まり登頂できず・・・。最後は星空を見て終了でした。残念でしたが、次回のハワイ島での宿題ができました。

I was really glad to finally go on the Mauna Kea tour, and I was also blessed with great weather, experiencing the best sunset and a starry sky that took my breath away!

Regarding the tour content, aside from some road paving issues, the drive was smooth. The bento we had at the Onizuka Visitor Center was delicious, and the consideration for photo opportunities during the sunset and stargazing at the summit exceeded my expectations. The care provided was exceptional, and the enthusiasm of the staff member, Matsuchan, really shone through. This tour definitely ranks high among the optional tours I've experienced!

念願のマウナケア山ツアーに行けただけでも良かったですが、お天気にも恵まれ最高のサンセットと満天の星空観測を体験させていただき感謝感激でした！
ツアー内容に関しても、一部道路の舗装事情は別としてドライブもスムーズ、途中立ち寄ったオニズカビジターセンターで頂いたお弁当、山頂でのサンセットや☆観測の写真撮影や時間の配慮など、思った以上の厚いケアーとスタッフ松ちゃんさんの”熱さ”も伝わり、今まで経験したオプショナルツアーでもかなりポイントアップです！

We were blessed with great weather and were able to see the best sunset without any obstructions. The starry sky was also a breathtaking experience, truly one for a lifetime. It was especially magical to have the constellations pointed out and explained with a laser pointer. I would definitely like to participate again if the opportunity arises.

天候に恵まれて、遮るもののない最高のサンセットを見ることが出来ました。また星空も満天の世界で一生ものの体験が出来ました。特に星空の星座をレーザーポインターで指し示して解説するのはとても幻想的で良かったです。また機会があればぜひ参加したいと思いました

I was impressed by the location at the summit of Mauna Kea, where various observatories from different countries are located! The winds were so strong that I felt like I might be blown away, but I was able to see a very beautiful sunset. When we changed locations for stargazing, as night fell, the stars began to appear one after another, and the guide's fluent explanations made everything very easy to understand. This was a tour I really wanted to experience, so I felt very lucky to hear that it had not been able to take place the day before.

マウナケア山頂では各国の天文台などがあるロケーションに感激‼
飛ばされそうなほどの強風でしたが、とても綺麗なサンセットを見ることが出来ました。
場所を変えての星空観測も日が暮れるにつれて、星が続々と見えるようになり、ガイドさんの流暢な説明でとても分かりやすかったです。
是非とも体験したかったツアーでしたので、前日までは決行できなかったと聞きとてもラッキーでした。

The starry sky at Mauna Kea is truly beautiful. It's more beautiful than the word "beautiful" can express, but since I can't think of any other words right now, I'll just say it's beautiful. For those who haven't seen it, it's hard to convey, but when you see this, you can't help but think, "Are there really this many stars in the world?"

What I found to be the best part of this tour is that you can take photos with the starry sky at Mauna Kea. Capturing the night sky with a camera is really difficult, but on this tour, the guide provided a camera specifically for the stars, allowing us to take pictures with the stunning starry sky.

It was a tour that will be remembered both in records and in memory. The Orion and Sirius constellations that I usually see now shine brighter than ever. Thank you very much.

マウナケアの星空は本当にきれいです。
きれいという言葉以上にきれいなのですが、きれいと言う言葉以外、今は見当たらないのできれいと言います。
見た人以外にはなかなか伝わらないのですが、これを見ると
「星って世の中にこんなにあるの？」
と言う気持ちになります。
さらにこのツアーで1番いいと思ったのは、マウナケアの星空と一緒に写真が撮れることです。
星空をカメラに収める事は本当に難しいのですがこのツアーではガイドさんが星空専用のカメラを用意してくれて満点の星空と一緒に写真を撮ることができます。
記録と記憶に残るツアーでした。
このツアーで普段見ていたオリオン座とシリウス座が今まで以上に輝いて見えるようになりました。
本当にありがとうございます。

The sky was cloudy during the journey, so I was worried about the conditions at the summit, but by the time we arrived, it was clear and we could see the observatory clearly. The moment of sunset was also wonderful. On the way back, the sky was filled with stars, and the guide provided a detailed explanation of the night sky, which was moving. It was truly a unique experience that is hard to come by. Thank you very much.

道中曇り空だった為、頂上の状態が心配でしたが、到着した時間には快晴となり天文台ははっきり見え、日没の瞬間も素晴らしかったです。
帰路途中も満天の星で、ガイドさんが星空を詳しく説明して下さり感動しました。なかなか体験の出来ない非日常の一日で、本当に有難うございました。

First off The Two outstanding parts to this tour was Jeff; The Tour Guide and The Stars. Tour Guide Jeff, detailed intellect to the stars was fun and educational without being obnoxious. Felt very fortunate to have him as our guide. Even though the clouds didn’t corporate fully that evening the Sunset was astounding even at nine thousand foot elevation.
The Rudeness of One Local Park Ranger that evening was disappointing to witness by all in the group. He made a big deal to our Tour Guide to move the company van by honking his horn repeatedly when all he had to do was ask politely Not Nice. The other disappointment was The Gift Shop closing very early and while they were closing the gift shop personnel Didn’t allow access to the Restroom for the many guess that were present at the time. Gift shop took about 15 minutes to close up shop and during that time could’ve allowed access to Restrooms. Thank You Jeff !!! for saving our visit

First off, big thanks to Jeff for being an entertaining and super knowledgeable guide. Great customer service as well. They called us early on in the morning to let us know, to our dismay, that we wouldn’t be able to get up to the summit for our particular trip (due to many weather related circumstances that were out of their control). It was a huge bummer, but like I said, still 100% worth it to attend the abbreviated version of this excursion. I’m more of a street smarts kinda guy if you know what I mean, Jeff made everything so easy to understand and so interesting to everyone attending the trip. He was able to answer every single question we had. I swear the guys a living encyclopedia. Long story short there should be no hesitation on your part to take this once in a lifetime trip. Set aside the funds you need to experience this NO. MATTER. WHAT.

The primary purpose of this trip to Hawaii was to go to the summit of Mauna Kea and take sunset photos. However, despite the clear weather, the temperature was low, causing the roads to freeze. Ultimately, the road closure was not lifted, and we couldn't reach the summit. When I inquired, I learned that there had only been two occasions this February when people were able to go to the summit. The tour regulations state that access to the summit may be restricted due to weather conditions, but I felt that promoting sunset viewing at the summit when the chances of going there are less than 10% is, in a sense, misleading. I do not recommend the sunset viewing at the summit of Mauna Kea during winter.

今回のハワイ旅行の第一の目的はマウナケア山頂に行き夕陽撮影を行う事。ところが、天気が快晴にもかかわらず気温が低かったため道路が凍結。最終的に道路の通行止めが解除にならず、山頂には行けなかった。聞いてみると今年の2月は、2回ほど山頂に行っただけとの事。ツアー規約には、天候により山頂には行けない旨の記載があるが、山頂に行ける確率が１０％にもないのに、山頂夕陽鑑賞を募集するのは、ある意味詐欺と感じた。冬季のマウナケア山頂夕陽鑑賞は、おすすめはしない。

This time, we couldn't reach the summit or observe the starry sky due to bad weather. It's really disappointing since it's not an easily accessible place. Given the cost, we should have considered the timing (especially in winter) more carefully. As for the guide, I would have preferred more information about the attractions and charm of the Big Island rather than personal stories.

今回は悪天候のため山頂と星空観測が出来ませんでした。
簡単に行ける所ではないので、本当に残念でなりません。
金額もそれなりにするので、時期（特に冬場）もしっかり考慮すべきでした。
ガイドに関しては、個人的な話よりも、もっとハワイ島の事、魅力を話してもらいたかった。

Since it's nature, we can't predict the weather until the reservation date. I climbed up to 2,800 meters, but it started to rain along the way. We take some time for altitude acclimatization, but due to the rain, we eat cold boxed lunches in the car. Beyond that point, the road was closed due to snow and ice. We changed our plans and headed to the west coast to watch the sunset. I was looking forward to seeing the sunset and stargazing from the summit, but... here too, the clouds obscured everything. I've seen the sunset every day for five days, so maybe it's okay.

自然相手なので予約日の天候までわかりません。
2,800mまで登ったけど途中から雨。
高地順応とかで時間を置きますが、雨のため車内で冷たい給食弁当を食べます。
それ以上先は雪と凍結で通行止めとなりました。
予定を変えてサンセットを観るため西海岸まで行きます。
山頂から見るサンセットと星空観測なのに、、。
ここも雲で何も見えず。
5日間毎日サンセットは観てるからもういいか。

The summit of Mauna Kea was cold at minus 2 degrees with strong winds, and I didn't have the luxury to take photos. I experienced mild altitude sickness and felt a bit unsteady, followed by a headache later, but I was able to enjoy the experience until the end. (There were three portable toilets at the summit, but no tissues.)

By the way, the stars were amazing!! I will never forget this experience and will definitely participate again.

Lastly, the miso soup in the bento was incredibly delicious. I bought stickers and playing cards as souvenirs at the Onizuka Visitor Center. Thank you for your hospitality. Thank you very much.

マウナケア山頂はマイナス2度の強風で寒くて写真を撮りたくてもそんな余裕がありませんでした。軽い高山病か足元ふらふらで後から頭痛がしてきましたが無事に最後までたのしく終わる事が出来ました。(山頂には簡易トイレが3つありました。ティッシュ無し。)
ちなみに星が凄い!!一生忘れる事はないでしょうまた必ず参加します。

最後にお弁当のお味噌汁が凄い美味しかったです。自分のお土産にオニヅカビジターセンターでスッテカーとトランプを買いました。
お世話になりました。ありがとうございました。

The most moving experience among my past tour experiences.
1. Visiting the observation deck with the Subaru telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea.
2. Experiencing the freezing cold of minus 10 degrees Celsius at an altitude of 4000 meters in Hawaii.
3. Being moved by the sunset at the highest point over the Pacific Ocean.
4. Being overwhelmed by the starry sky at an altitude of 3000 meters.

I was truly impressed by Shin's talk and constellation explanations as a tour professional. Thank you very much.

過去のツアー体験の中で一番の感動体験。
　①マウナケア山頂のスバル望遠鏡が設置された展望台を訪れた事・
　②標高4000ｍの氷点下10度の寒さをハワイで体験できた事。
　③太平洋上での最高地点でのサンセットに感動。
　④標高3000ｍ地点での満天の星空に圧倒された。
　
　ツアー案内のShinさんのトークと星座説明は、さすがツアープロ
　としての姿に感銘を受けました。本当にありがとうございました。

Unfortunately, we couldn't reach the summit due to an unexpected wildfire...

However, our guide Ishikawa-san worked hard to find a spot where we could see the stars, and I was really grateful for that!

If I have the chance, I definitely want to go to the summit next time!

まさかの山火事で山頂にあがれませんでした…

でもガイドのイシカワさんが一生懸命に星の見えるところとか探してくれてありがたかったです！

もし機会があったら次こそは山頂に行きたいです！

We enjoyed it a lot. We wish we had gone earlier in our trip so we would’ve had the opportunity to build other activities around what we saw on this trip. James runs this business on his own and he does a lot of research and individualizes each trip to the current conditions of the atmosphere and weather. The photos he took of us were amazing. I could see couples booking this for engagement, honeymoon or anniversary photos. The star gazing was the highlight. We see stars from our house very well but it doesn’t even compare to the clarity of the sky at that altitude. I would definitely recommend this excursion.

I was initially anxious about going to a mountain higher than Mount Fuji, but gradually acclimating my body and the fun guidance from Shin made it possible for me to reach the summit safely. At the top, I experienced the sun sinking into the clouds, the gradient after sunset, and a series of first-time experiences. After the sunset, we went stargazing at a location chosen based on the outside temperature and the night sky conditions. The moment I got out of the van, countless stars welcomed me. It was completely different from any night sky I had seen before. It was extremely cold, but the experience was so incredible that I forgot about the chill. Additionally, the photos taken by the guides are available for free download, which is great for capturing those challenging night sky shots. The miso soup in the bento was absolutely delicious!

富士山よりも高い山に行くことがまず不安でしたが、徐々に身体を慣らしていく行程、ガイドのＳｈｉｎさんの楽しいガイドもあって無事に山頂まで行くことができました。山頂では雲に沈む太陽、太陽が沈んだ後のグラデーションと初体験の連続。サンセットの後は外気温とその日の夜空の状況を考慮した星空観測場所での星空観測。バンから降りた瞬間、無数の星たちがお出迎え。今まで見てきた夜空とは全くの別物でした。とーっても寒かったけど、そんな寒さも忘れられるくらいの体験ができました。また、ガイドのみなさんが撮影してくれた写真も無料でダウンロードできるので難しい星空写真も手に入るのもいいですね。お弁当のお味噌汁は最高におしかったです！

I was worried about various things like whether it would be hard to breathe, if it was too cold, and if I would feel sick from altitude sickness. I also wondered about the restroom situation, but everything was totally fine. The driver skillfully explained the precautions, and there was a restroom at the summit. It seems that the Milky Way is hard to see in winter, so I couldn't see it as much as I had hoped, but the starry sky was absolutely stunning. I was moved to see artificial satellites.

息苦しくないか？寒すぎるのではないか？高山病で気分が悪くならないか？
トイレはどうする？など色々心配しながら参加しましたが、全然大丈夫でした。ドライバーが上手に注意事項を教えてくれますし、山頂にトイレもありました。冬は天の川が見えにくいらしくて、期待していたほど天の川は観れませんでしたが、満天の星空でした。人工衛星が観れたのは感動でした。

Let me start off by saying I had a pretty low expectation for the meals when I saw they were included. The food was really great—chef made lunch and delicious beef ribs at dinner. I’m still dreaming about them. That alone provides so much value for the price.

Now, onto the tour—Keith was an amazing tour guide! He started off by learning and continually speaking to each of us individually by name. He had the greatest stories at AND between each tour stop. We really enjoyed the tour from start to finish and almost forgot how long of a day it was! And for the stargazing, we lucked out with a beautiful clear sky and Keith was knowledgeable about not only the stars we were seeing, but so much beyond that!

I was able to go to Mauna Kea at the best timing right after the new moon. I felt nature with my whole body, absorbed its power, and it became a wonderful start to 2019. The talk by our guide Matsuzaki, which added a special touch to the memories, was also fantastic. The tour was very well organized, with miso soup included with the bento and a jacket provided... I highly recommend it.

新月すぐ後のベストなタイミングで、マウナケアに行くことができました。自然を全身で感じ、パワーを吸収でき、素晴らしい2019年の幕開けになりました。
思い出に一花を添えるガイド松崎さんのトークも最高でした。お弁当に添えられたお味噌汁に、ジャケットに…と、至れり尽くせりのツアー、オススメです。

James was a very knowledgeable and chill guide. He also takes amazing pictures! This is a really unique tour that you can't find elsewhere. Definitely recommend for those who visit the big island.

The guide was very knowledgeable in many areas, making it a fun activity. From the care provided by the guide on the way to the summit to the commemorative photos taken at the top, they paid close attention to detail. They also prepared props, allowing us to take many fun and beautiful pictures. The stargazing coincided with a total lunar eclipse, and with an easy-to-understand guide under a wonderful starry sky, it was very enjoyable.

ガイドの方がとても多方面に詳しく、楽しいアクティビティになりました。
山頂までのガイドさんのケアから、山頂での記念撮影に至るまで、細やかに気を配っていただきました。
小道具なども準備してくださっていて、とっても楽しい写真や綺麗な写真がたくさん撮れました。
天体観測もたまたま皆既月食に当たったこともあり、素晴らしい星空の下、分かりやすいガイドがつき、とても楽しかったです。

It was a great day with favorable conditions, not just in terms of the weather, but also the sunset and moonrise times. We participated as two men who came for work, but I believe it would be perfect for couples or partners. As for concerns about altitude sickness, since we drove to the summit and took our time to acclimatize, I felt a bit uncomfortable when we descended, but moving slowly was not a problem. Next time, I would like to participate with my family. I think it would be even better if it were a little cheaper (laughs).

天候だけでなく、日の入りの時間、月の出る時間など、条件に恵まれたいい日でした。我々は仕事で来た男二人での参加でしたが、夫婦・恋人での参加は間違いなしと思います☆　高山病の心配については、車での登頂かつ酸素順応の時間もゆっくり取っていただいたためか、降りた時に違和感はありましたが、ゆっくり動けば問題なしでした。今度は家族で参加したいと思います。もう少し安ければなお良いと思います(笑)

I participated with some anxiety, wondering if it would be okay since I had never climbed Mount Fuji, which is even taller, but it was really great.

富士山も登ったことがないのにそれ以上の高さなので大丈夫かなと不安を持ちつつ参加させて貰いましたがとっても良かったです

The sunset at the summit of Mauna Kea was truly wonderful with the changing colors of the setting sun. Additionally, during the stargazing, I was moved to see the Milky Way, numerous stars, and even artificial satellites flying by. This year, I was also able to take a photo of the lava from Kilauea volcano reflecting red in the clouds, which was fantastic. If you visit the Big Island, I definitely recommend stargazing.

マウナケア山頂でのサンセットは太陽の沈む色の変化がとても素晴らしかった。また、星空観測ではミルキーウェイ、数々の星、人工衛星が飛んでいるのも見れて感動しました。今年はキラウエア火山の溶岩が雲に反射して赤くなっている写真も撮っていただきとても良かったです。ハワイ島を訪れたら星空観測はぜったいおすすめします。

Due to road freezing, we were unable to reach the summit. Before the tour started, I inquired about the possibility of not being able to climb, and I was informed that there would be no cancellation fee if we canceled before the tour began, and if we couldn't climb even after starting, we would receive a coupon for the same tour. I decided to take the chance and go on the tour, but we had to turn back at the visitor center. I was satisfied with the stargazing and photography, which were conducted by experts.

道路凍結のため、山頂には、行けませんでした。ツアー開始前に登れない可能性を伺い、ツアー開始前ならキャンセル料無料である旨と開始しても登れなかった場合、同一ツアーのクーポンを貰えるとの話を頂きました。可能性にかけてツアーに行ったのですが、ビジターセンターで引き返す事となりました。星空観察と写真撮影は、専門家にしていただいたので満足しました。