Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour
About This Experience
At 13,796 feet above sea level, Mauna Kea stands as the highest point in the Pacific and one of the darkest, clearest stargazing locations on Earth. This 6.5 to 7.5-hour guided tour takes you all the way to the summit at sunset, where you'll stand among the world's largest concentration of research telescopes — including two of the eight instruments that captured the first-ever photograph of a black hole.
Your expert guide narrates the drive up through layers of Hawaiian history, geology, and legend. As the sun sinks below the cloud deck, you'll witness colors no sea-level vantage point can match. Once darkness falls, you'll descend slightly for the stargazing session, where the guide points out constellations, planets, and galaxies using a laser pointer and professional telescope (weather permitting).
Supplemental oxygen is available on board, and warm parkas and gloves are provided for the summit chill. Your guide photographs your stargazing experience with a DSLR camera and emails the images after the tour — a lasting reminder of a night that is genuinely difficult to describe at ground level.
Highlights
- Witness a Pacific-horizon sunset from the 13,796 ft summit of Mauna Kea
- Stand beside the world's largest collection of research telescopes
- Stargaze through a professional telescope guided by an expert astronomer
- Discover where the first black hole photograph was taken
- Receive free guided night photos emailed after the tour
What's Included
- ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off from select locations
- ✓ Warm parkas and gloves
- ✓ Snacks and hot chocolate
- ✓ Professional guide
- ✓ Free night photos emailed after the tour
- ✓ Supplemental oxygen available on board
- ✓ Gratuities
Not Included
- Access inside the observatory buildings
- Meals (beyond snacks)
What to Bring
- Comfortable closed-toe shoes
- Long pants (temperatures near the summit can drop below freezing)
- Warm layers (parkas and gloves are provided but dressing in layers helps)
Good to Know & Caveats
- Summit elevation is approximately 13,800 ft — oxygen levels are about 40% lower than sea level
- Age limit is 13 to 80 years old; children under 13 and adults over 80 cannot participate
- Not suitable for pregnant women or people with heart, lung, or altitude-related conditions
- Do not scuba dive within 24 hours before the tour
- Arrive at your pickup location at least 10 minutes before departure
- Stargazing through the telescope is weather-permitting
Not Suitable For
- Children under 13 years
- Adults over 80 years
- Pregnant women
- People with heart or lung conditions
- People with altitude sickness
- People who have dived within 24 hours
Meeting Point
Meeting point varies by pickup option — check availability details when booking.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.8/5 by 711 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
At first I thought the price was steep but what you get makes it truly memorable. Our guide Johnny was phenomenal — great stories, very informative. Going to the summit independently would require renting a 4x4 and navigating a dicey downhill drive in the dark. This is well worth it.
— Nick, July 20
We had an amazing trip to Mauna Kea. Chris was a fantastic guide — he explained so much about the observatories and constellations. The laser pointer and telescope viewing were superb. Thank you for the goodie bag on top of all the beautiful sights!
— Nancy, July 20
Watching the sunset from the peak while learning about the significance of Mauna Kea was beautiful and fascinating. The stargazing was incredible — really puts life into perspective. Chris was knowledgeable about Hawaiian culture, geology, and constellations.
— Brian, June 20
