Reviewed by: Gabriella
This was such an awesome experience! The sunset was beautiful being that high up and the stargazing was amazing. It was our favorite experience on the island. Our guide Gage was so great! He was so knowledgeable on the island, the history there and the stargazing. He also helped us feel comfortable and safe on the drive up and back down. We highly recommend this experience!
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour (Dinner not included) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/10/02 |
Activity Date: | 2021/09/24 |
Reviewed by: H. Shoenfield
Tour Guide was an enthusiast, patient, native who shared culture, history, science, jokes and Hawaiian myths and songs. You can't ask for more from a guide. Try to book for a moonless night for best view of stars. They use an automated 11 inch telescope. The food was surprisingly very good (vegetable lasagna), the brownie decadent and the hot chocolate and biscotti at the end a nice touch. Had an issue finding the pick up spot, but a phone call resolved this since we were close. If you miss the sign for the international market (if that's your pick up spot), look for the 76 gas station, enter there and drive to the back. Dress warmly and bring a refillable drink. Cold (but not terribly) even with the given parka and gloves. A very enjoyable 8 hour afternoon & evening l
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/09/30 |
Activity Date: | 2021/09/28 |
Reviewed by: Sergio G
Pickup by the crew was timely, and the vans comfortable, in good condition and clean. The sandwich was delicious, and the two hosts super friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. Thank-you, Stephan.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/09/26 |
Activity Date: | 2021/09/21 |
Reviewed by: Nanci Granow
Sean did a wonderful job at making this tour be a terrific experience !!! He was always making sure everyone had an enjoyable and comfortable time !!
This experience was above my expectations . I appreciate his help capturing many pictures of this experience!!
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/09/16 |
Activity Date: | 2021/09/14 |
Reviewed by: Cortney
This experience was unreal! Dominic was our guide and he was fabulous throughout. We got to go to the top of the worlds tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, to watch the sunset. When we got up there we had some time to walk around and look at the landscape/telescopes. After that, we watched the sunset and Dominic took photos of us. Once the sun set, we went down the mountain a bit for stargazing. Dominic and the other guide, Hiro, set up and telescope so we could see Saturn and then Hiro gave a great talk on all of the stars. It was absolutely breathtaking! You could see so many stars, planets and the Milky Way! It’s also freezing up there but the tour provides gloves, winter coats and ski pants. This is an absolute must do!
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/09/14 |
Activity Date: | 2021/09/11 |
Reviewed by: David H.
Great Views, both sunset and star gazing. Food was OK but we weren't going for the Food. The telescopes were OK but they could invest in some better telescopes. They could also work on the routing to save gas.
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2021/09/13 |
Activity Date: | 2021/08/18 |
Reviewed by: Spencer
This experience was unforgettable! Being on top of Mauna Kea above the clouds was the best sunset I’ve ever seen. The photos the crew took were very professional and the star gazing was great!
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/08/14 |
Activity Date: | 2021/07/24 |
Reviewed by: Jenn HM
From the time we were picked up to when we were dropped off at our resort, we had a fantastic time on our tour with a awesome tour guide Shoyo. He was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot, and not just about Mauna Kea, the Observatories and stargazing but also about the Big Island and the area we drove through. This was a bucket list item for me and it did not disappoint in any way.
We went up to the visitors center for a half hour to acclimatize, then up summit (13,800 feet) and got our first taste of elevation. It is definitely a different experience! And it was surprisingly cold but they have cozy warm jackets to keep you comfy. The sunset is amazing as you are above the cloud line, which also makes for awesome photos!
Speaking of photos, our guide took some great ones of us, both on the summit during the sunset and of the stars, as well as amazing photos of the stars themselves. We were super lucky and got perfect weather and viewing conditions, not even any moon light to deal with.
The only thing that might surprise some is the amount of time you spend in the van driving back and forth and especially up to the summit. Totally worth it of course, and there was great commentary to make the time fly.
Aloha, Jenn,
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on our tour next time again !!
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/08/08 |
Activity Date: | 2021/08/06 |
Reviewed by: Heather
We had a great time viewing the sunset with our amazing guides Kekoa and Travis. There are a lot of companies that run these tours, but our guides made this one the best of them all. They were both very knowledgeable with a great sense of humor. Most of all, however, Kekoa and Travis have big smiles and even bigger hearts. They brought the spirit of Mauna Kea and o'hana into this experience. The sunset from the summit was miraculous, the lasagna and brownie absolutely delicious and the star gazing was out of this world!
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/08/06 |
Activity Date: | 2021/08/04 |
Reviewed by: uuu
Originally the reason for us to book a tour instead of driving ourselves to Mauna Kea was because we didn't rent a 4WD car, but now I'm sooooo glad we made such a decision.
The view of sunset and milky way was breathtaking without saying. What I really want to mention is that our tour guide/driver/photographer Shoyo was amazing. He knew EVERYTHING about Hawaii, during the tour we learned a lot about Hawaiian history, the plants and animals, good restaurants to go, etc.. He also took great photos of us.
Aloha, uuu
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on our tour next time again !!
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2021/07/14 |
Activity Date: | 2021/07/09 |
Reviewed by: ElizD318
My husband and I, our 4 adult children, and their significant others had a wonderful time on the Mauna Kea Stargazing and Summit Tour. Everyone even liked the dinner.
Maka was a great guide. He picked us up promptly and was very friendly on the ride to Mauna Kea. We learned a lot about the surrounding area and volcanoes.
The best part was the sunset. It was like being on another planet and the colors were vivid and amazing.
Unfortunately, the amazing sunset was due to the clouds and it made for poor stargazing.
We were able to see the craters of the moon through the telescope and hear about the local names for some of the stars, in spite of the clouds. And I was glad we did not have to drive that windy road ourselves.
I would suggest checking on the cycle of the moon before booking and do not go during a full moon.
We still had a wonderful time and will never forget the Sunset on the summit.
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2021/07/13 |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/21 |
Reviewed by: Paula
Steph and Gin picked us up and they were even a little early!! They were great host and very friendly. Beyond that it was a little disappointing. We were suppose to get "dinner", we got a BLT, no chips, no cookie, only water and later a "hot beverage". The pictures our hosts took were great and they sent to us at no charge. We have taken this trip before with another company and we had a very nice sit down dinner, no fancy, but you felt like you had something to eat when you were done. After going to the summit, they set up a telescope and we look at many, many stars and it was explained to us all about that star. The guide was very knowledgeable and we spent close to an hour doing just that, it was fantastic. With this tour we only saw one star and I right now could not tell you what it was. The other tour showed us the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, etc. But this trip was so not that. I am sorry to say if we do this again it won't be with this tour. We really enjoyed our hosts, but that was not the purpose of the trip
Aloha, Paula
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am sorry I did not meet your expectations.
Mahalo
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/07/13 |
Activity Date: | 2021/07/07 |
Reviewed by: Shalini Banerjee
This was the perfect ending to our Hawaii trip. It was awesome and the trip exceeded all our expectations. New even got to see Saturn and the entire thing was on time and perfect.
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2021/07/08 |
Activity Date: | 2021/07/04 |
Reviewed by: Vipin
Stephen and Jin did a great job in explaining things, showing places and clicking pictures.
And the sandwich was amazing
Aloha, Vipin
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on our tour next time again !! Stefan and Jin are waiting for you !
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/07/02 |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/30 |
Reviewed by: Anh
Our tour guide West is a really knowledgable fellow. He is very considerate and thoughtful. I highly recommend this tour to everyone.
Aloha, Anh
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on Sunrise tour next time. Shotaro is doing Sunrise tour now !
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/07/01 |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/27 |
Reviewed by: Michelle
The van was in great condition and the guide was amazing! defiantly would recommend this to anyone who wants to go up the Mauna Kea summit.
Aloha, Michelle
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on our tour next time again !!
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2021/06/30 |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/16 |
Reviewed by: Shalini
This tour was UNBELIEVABLE! Totally worth it. The sunset and star-gazing was out-of-this-world!
Aloha, Shalimi
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on our tour next time again !!
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2021/06/18 |
Activity Date: | 2021/06/09 |
Reviewed by: Nicole W
Gabe, our tour guide, was funny, patient and very knowledgeable! It’s a long drive there picking up all attendees and up the mountain. He did a great job sharing interesting facts and keeping us engaged throughout the tour! Plus he was a very safe driver given the rough terrain (4-wheel drive required to get to the top). At the very top Mauna Kea looks like Mars since no life can survive and was a surreal experience for this reason. Plus viewing the sunset over the clouds at the very top was breathtaking! Note we did not stargaze at the very top, since the altitude is too high and actually prohibits ideal stargazing because of prolonged altitude sickness and the fact it’s insanely cold after sundown (FYI it’s windy and cold up there, so wear layers - you’ll thank me!!). Instead we stargazed near the welcome center enjoying hot coco or hot coffee! We learned about the different constellations, etc. Overall it was a great tour and we’re glad to we did it!
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/06/13 |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/19 |
Reviewed by: Dani
I highly recommend this tour! They picked us up right by our hotel. The tour guide was very informative on the drive up the mountain. He also took a lot of really cool photos for us and airdropped them before the end of the night. The sunset view and stargazing can not be beat. We really wanted to go to the summit and Hawaiian Eyes made the whole experience very easy and fun. Would definitely do it again.
Aloha, Dani.
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on our tour next time again !!
A hui hou !!
Hawaiian Eyes Tours
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Packages: | Standard Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/06/04 |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/29 |
Reviewed by: Debbie
The Mauna Kea summit tour was a definite highlight of our trip to Hawaii. The ride up the mountain in the van was beautiful and rugged. Our guide was very thorough and attentive to the needs of the group. He was exceptionally knowledgeable of the history and cultural significance of this mountain. The view from the summit was amazing. The telescopes look like something out of Star wars. It is a most unique and unusual place. The star gazing was just phenomenal. We had a beautiful clear night with an awesome view of the moon from the telescope, as well as many other unique stars and constellations and night sky features. We were able to see the Southern Cross which I am told is very rare. On a negative note I was very unimpressed with the lasagna meal. Mine was not very hot, and the noodles were slightly dry and crusty on the bottom. However the hot chocolate and snack during the stargazing was a very nice touch. All in all the entire experience will stay with us forever. It is one of those things you will talk about for years to come.
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/05/24 |
Activity Date: | 2021/05/17 |
Reviewed by: JC1
Awesome experience. Our tour guide Justin was the best!!
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Packages: | Summit Sunset & Stargazing Adventure |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2021/03/13 |
Activity Date: | 2021/02/19 |
Reviewed by: MsTravelGal
I wouldn't give this tour five stars...I give it as many stars as there are in the Mauna Kea sky! This tour was easily the highlight of our trip on the Big Island! We enjoyed every minute of it. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous, and to see it from such a high elevation was quite remarkable. I was glad that we had plenty of time before and after the sunset to walk around, take in the view, and get some good pictures.
The dinner was very good but if you don't like lasagna there's a microwave at VIS if you want to bring your own food.
The road to the summit is a bit bumpy, but that's to be expected since it's a volcano. So take motion sickness meds if you're prone to carsickness. And if you get cold easily, definitely bring layers! They provide parkas and gloves but you might also want to bring a hat or scarf and thick socks.
Throughout the tour, the guide provided a very entertaining and educational narrative. It's obvious that he's passionate about Mauna Kea and Hawaii. He's basically a walking encyclopedia of Hawaii and provided all kinds of interesting information about Mauna Kea's geology and history, and also talked about Hawaiian culture and why Mauna Kea is a sacred place. He also did an excellent job of guiding the stargazing and pointing out constellations, star clusters, and planets, most of which we got to see through a telescope. I think my favorite part of the stargazing was getting to see the Andromeda galaxy through the telescope.
If you're going to the Big Island, this tour is a must!
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Packages: | Test Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2020/02/11 |
Reviewed by: Michael
This Mauana Kea summit and stargazing tour was phenomenal. The first stop is at the visitor center around 9k feet elevation. Here you can look through a couple telescopes, walk through the museum, and you will be served your hot dinner (we had veggie lasagna and it was good). While you are here it is good to eat and drink alot of water so your body can acclimate to the higher altitudes ahead. Next stop is the summit up to almost 14k feet! The Vans they take up are heavy duty and they need to be because of the rocky road leading up the mountain. I would not reccomend taking a rental/personal vehicle up this mountain. The road is rocky, thin, and windy. The guides for this tour have been doing it for years and know the road well. On the way up the guides will give you some commentary about the mountain which is a cool little history lesson. At the top it is cold and the oxygen is thin, so be ready! They provide you with a winter coat and gloves but I recommend bringing your own hat. The views from the summit are outstanding. Watching the sun set from up there is really remarkable, and you can walk around to the 12 massive telescopes up there to take pictures. After the summit you will descend a couple thousand feet to the star gazing location. With no light pollution and at the high altitude it provides for the star gazing experience of a lifetime. I have never seen the sky lit up so brightly with constellations. The guides will break out a couple of heavy duty telescopes from the vans so you can get an even closer look. They will educate you about the constellations and give alot of really good information. Overall this is an impeccable tour and a must do if you are going to the Big Island!
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Packages: | Test Package |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2020/02/11 |
Reviewed by: Hoomaikaiana
This was truly a ‘bucket list’ experience.
Our guide Travis shared his encyclopedic knowledge of the mountain and the importance to the Hawai’ian people. The history of the observatories and their research potential was enlightening. Our other guide, Jim knew more about constellations and the night sky than many astronomers. His ability to discuss the constellations from both a euro-centric and Polynesian perspective was novel!
A truly magnificent (although really really cold) adventure.
The hooded jackets and gloves are great - but bring two layers for your both your lower body and upper body as well as warm socks/shoes.
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2020/01/01 |
Activity Date: | 2019/12/29 |
Reviewed by: Andy P.
Although the road to the summit was blocked by protesters Jeff made the trip most of the way up awesome! Very informative and personable! I’ve never seen so many stars in my life! I’ll remember this trip for the rest of my life.
Andy P.
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Packages: | Summit Sunset & Stargazing Adventure |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2019/11/09 |
Activity Date: | 2019/10/16 |
Reviewed by: Vadim
The tour to Mauna Kea summit was majestic, and we have to thank our tour guide/driver for that. Besides holding an astronomy degree and being very knowledgeable in answering our questions, he kept us amused about the stars we were watching through a telescope. Great company, very comfortable vehicles, knowledgeable and entertaining tour guides, five star trip!
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2019/06/07 |
Activity Date: | 2019/05/22 |
Reviewed by: H Harrington
We saw the north star in the same sky with the southern cross. Had never seen the southern cross before. That was worth the trip. The great professional authoritative guides, wonderful telescopes and celestial education were all icing on the cake.
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2019/06/05 |
Activity Date: | 2019/06/01 |
Reviewed by: dolls
Guide was informative and friendly. On time performance and tour went well beyond what I thought was included in the days activities. Great to look at the stars through the telescope and have explanation of the skies (for a novice like me). Ride up and back to the summit of Mauna Kea was bumpy at times and a little daunting but not nearly as difficult as some made it out to be. Elevation did not bother me.
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour (Dinner not included) |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2019/05/24 |
Activity Date: | 2019/05/20 |
Reviewed by: Gordon
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.
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Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2019/03/30 |
Activity Date: | 2019/03/19 |
Reviewed by: George
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
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Packages: | Summit Sunset & Stargazing Adventure |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2019/03/03 |
Activity Date: | 2019/02/28 |
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Aloha, Spencer
Thank you for participating in our tour. I am very happy that the weather was nice and everybody enjoyed the spectacular view from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Please join us on our tour next time again !!
Mahalo,
Hawaiian Eyes Tours