Mauna Kea & Stargazing Tours

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 best stargazing tours on the 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!

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, Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, and Nature SchoolMauna Kea Tour by Hawaiian eyes tour. 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.

There are other fantastic stargazing tour options that take place on the slopes of Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa mountains, or at remote areas along Saddle Rd. They all provide excellent conditions for observing stars, planets, and galaxies.

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 Stargazing Experience + Free Photos 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 Volcano Sightseeing and Stargazing on the same day?

Kilauea Volcano Private Tour, Black Sand Beach, Petroglyphs & Stargazing by Big Island Backroads Adventure 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 the 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.