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Hawaiian Islands


Review by Darra for Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner - Hawaii Forest & Trail
Hawaii, Big Island
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Very few places could match this experience

Very few places could match this experience. The location; the slow climb up the giant sloping mountain. We went through rain, sun, even through a cloud; through the lava landscape, ranch lands and very bumpy rocky last stretch of road to reach the top! And wow it was a view from the top.
Be warned; it is very very cold; not what you expect from your Hawaiian break! You get nice warm coats from the tour group though (and later a little hot cocoa and brownie to keep you going!)
As the sun sets; you can see the mountains shadow on the other side; a glimpse of Maui and the glint of the sun off the telescopes preparing for their nights work. You can see the odd bit of movement as they open up. As soon as the suns down; its all go though. We have to leave the area quickly as the lights from the cars interfere with the telescopes (so no, there is no looking around inside them; if that is what you're hoping for in this trip!).
We move down slope a little to a good spot to see the huge expanse of clear, cloudless sky and the abundance of stars.
It is slightly interrupted with the brightness of the moon (so depending how long your stay is in Hawaii, plan for a darker night, unless you love the moon!); but not enough to stop us seeing nebula, planets and stars - its a really interesting spot to see both the northern and southern skies.
We did also spot a bit of the glow from the erupting volcano

Rating: star
Packages: Sunset & Stargazing Adventure
Attended as:Couples
Posted on: 2018/07/29
Activity Date: 2018/06/20
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