Our guide Joe was very knowledgeable about astronomy. It was cool to see the top of Mauna Kea and observatories. We went during a half moon and the star visibility was still very good. The mountain is above the vog, so you should be able to see the stars even if the vog is a problem.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/06/04 |
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今回は英語ガイドしかなくて、英語に参加しましたがやはり全員アメリカ人でした・・・そしてガイドも全部英語でした。当然ですが。
皆さん気を付けてください。本当に寒いです。貸出されたダウンコートがペラペラで、全然暖かくないのです。ご自分でフリースなど暖かいものを中に着ること必須です。それに夕飯はあまり期待しない方がよいと思われます笑 ガイドさんは一生懸命説明してくださいました
Good Luck !
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2014/09/01 |
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I had a great time, over the clouds and under the stars. This is a must see in Hawaii.
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2017/01/27 |
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From the top of Mauna Kea you truly see forever. However, be prepared! At these heights it is also breath taking... that is, there is less air up there!! The guides were great and prepared you for the trip in every way. The dinner was good and the star gazing after coming half way back down was amazing.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/11/05 |
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Great trip. Unfortunately the summit was closed due to high winds when we reached visitor center. Our guide, Joe was great. He took us on a hike to see the sunset which was amazing and then to an area where he set up a huge telescope for star gazing. He was very knowledgeable and made what could have been a disappointing trip into a great one. We had an amazing experience. I would highly recommend it. Good good too!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/01/06 |
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Our guide, Hank, made the tour worth every penny. Not only was he totally organized and pleasant, his knowledge sharing was priceless. Geology, geography, astronomy, Hawaiian culture, history: so interesting! Thank you for a great day!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/01/04 |
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This tour was perfect, reply promptly when I had question.
The sunset and the starry night are stunning, wanna go again.
The guide is super nice, I joined 12/22, but forget the guide's name (sorry)
He was really professional and full of knowledge with the stars and thanks him gave us a ride to hotel, we are really appreciated !! Wanna say thanks again :)
If I have the chance, I'll go again !
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2016/12/22 |
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Pros: Our guide was very knowledgeable and I learned a lot. You go from sea level to about 13,800 feet, so remember to drink water. The views at 13,803 feet were beautiful. The observatories are interesting to see (from the outside). You observe stars with an 11" telescope at the visiter center parking lot. The guide points out stars/planets that everyone gets a chance to see. They give you jackets with gloves available.
Cons: It is a bumpy ride and some of the road is dirt. The "hot" meal was more of a box lunch. Bathroom breaks are limited. You do climb to 14,000', be prepared for the climate and altitude change. I was under the impression we could see more of the observatories, you only see them from the outside and are not allowed in.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/10/25 |
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The sunset and stars were really beautiful.
You better bring an extra layer to go up to the top of Mauna Kea.
It was much colder than we expected. But still worth to go and see!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/10/14 |
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Our guide is David and he was very kind and informative. He provided a lot of island guide and knowledge of astronomy and geography. Everything in the tour were just fine. We had all things we needed. I loved the parka very much. Without the parka and the gloves, I would be freezed at the height of 4000m. When I saw the milky way in the sky, I was very very touched. It's incredible!!!!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/08/05 |
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Gordon, our Driver / Guide was very knowledgable of the Island and was a great guide of the cosmos. I will definitely be returning and have already shared some of the pictures i took, and people still dont believe how great the stars you can see with the naked eye. I couldn't believe how great it looked almost fake it was that Great of an experience. Thanks for the Dinner and Hot Drink selection at the end of our star gazing tour.
#Returning2017
Andrew.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2016/08/03 |
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Great tour, the guide was very knowlegable answering all questions put. The trip was worth every penny. The sunset seen from the summit was truly spiritual.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2016/06/17 |
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Its a must go, when visiting Big Island. Sunset view is breathtaking.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/05/28 |
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We went to the top, little lightheaded but no big deal. The stop at the lower altitude helps. Dinner was fun, just like going out camping, no frills, you get your portion and you eat it. Lasagna was actually very tasty, not overcooked, then back into the van( very comfortable), and up we go.
The summit was surreal, enveloped in the mist and clouds with large telescopes all around. We did not see the sunset because of the clouds. But it was still a great experience. We also had bad luck with star watching despite our driver's best efforts. At the end we were told that we will get a full refund minus our food ( $19). That was what convince me that the company stood behind its word. I plan to take the same trip as soon as I get back, and I will. I believe that given all the variables every trip is unique and worth taking. It was a great experience, we felt well taken care of and completely safe. Good job Veltra and our guide and driver Greg. Thank you.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/03/22 |
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My wife and I took this tour on April 7. The day was fairly cloudy with some showers so we were concerned we wouldn't enjoy the full experience. We were wrong.
Our guide Jim was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
The tour itself was great, from the information delivered during the ride there, the amazing sunset at almost 14,000 feet and some terrific stargazing through their own telescope with excellent info to help you understand what you were looking at.
The food was ok, brownie excellent.
Overall we would highly recommend this tour.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/04/07 |
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Well worth the long ride from Hawaii to the mountain. The guide was excellent and gave every one a look through the telescope multiple times. A once in a life time experience!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/03/09 |
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Great tour and great guide in Brett....very knowledgeable and entertaining...one comment is tour could be shorter by eliminating the dinner
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2016/03/24 |
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An extremely informative tour, friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. The tour bus is slightly crammed. A lifetime experience.
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2016/01/25 |
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Visiting Mauna Kea was the main reason for my trip to Hawai'i and it was worth it! Our guide was informative (I wish I could of recorded everything he said) and I learnt alot, not just about the mountain and the island but about astronomy and rock formations etc.
A long day but worth having a tour as it takes the stress out of driving at high-altitude and you learn more by having a guide who visits the area daily.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2016/01/05 |
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This was a fabulous excursion! Definitely a bucket-list must! Chris was so knowledgable and a wonderful guide. The entire experience was incredible. I was traveling solo and felt completely included the entire time. I recommend this excursion above all others. At the end we had our own private astronomy lesson and were able to use the tour's private telescopes. It just could not have been better!
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2015/12/27 |
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I must state that the tour we booked to visit Mauna Kea was the highlight of all our activities on the Big Island. Greg was outstanding in his knowledge of the area and the solar system. My wife and I learned many new things when it came to star systems and planets. Viewing the International Space Station when it came by was unbelievable. The evening was moon free and perfectly clear. The Sunset at the Summit was breathtaking and the effects of 40% less oxygen was quite noticeable. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting or planning to visit Hawaii. Keep up the great work and a big Aloha to Greg and Blake!!!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2015/12/01 |
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What a fabulous tour led by Greg. Full credit to Greg, who was so engaging and informative, he really enriched the experience.
The tour was out of this world literally. The telescopes, scenery, sunset!! I loved that we didn't race off , after the sunset, but stayed as the colours deepened. We were the last tour to leave the sunset location.
The food was good! Lasagne and a very yummy brownie and later hot chocolate and biscotti whilst we star gazed through massive telescopes.
I was totally impressed with this tour. In fact raved about it so much when I got back to the hotel that my friend went the next day and also loved it!!
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2015/12/08 |
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Enjoyable tour hosted by knowledgable guides. Great chance to see above the clouds and beyond. Only downside was the meal -a vegetable lasagne with a dried out top from being heated to long.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2015/09/21 |
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This was truly one of the more amazing ventures we have done. The guides were knowledgeable and professional. We learned about the various international observatories, saw a phenomenal sunset above the clouds at nearly 14,000 feet and then were treated to astrological viewing that was incredible. Just a spectacular evening.
The only negative comment I have is the seating in the vans, particular if you are 6' or taller is very tight. That said, it is still a very worthwhile adventure.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2015/09/07 |
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Both me and my friend are big fans of stargazing. Being from Europe, we're used to completely different night sky and it war really refreshing to see the other-side-of-the-world's sky as well. Also, because Mauna Kea Summit has one of the clearest sky in the world, it took the stargazing to whole another level. It was really amazing experience and worth every penny. Also the guides knew like.. everything about the stars, so it was pretty educational too. Oh and by the way - the sunset seen from above the clouds at the summit? Magnificent!
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2015/07/21 |
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Nate our tour guide was great! And extremely knowledgeable! Would recommend to all to experience not only the beautiful sunset but also the amazing stargazing!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2015/06/16 |
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As a solo traveller from the UK it was a bit of a lucky dip as there are other providers of similar tours to this one.....worth every penny!our tour guide was Blake,he was very knowledgeable and friendly the sunset was truly amazing and the star gazing was fun and I learned alot about some of the stars..the telescopes was very good pieces of kit and we even saw the moon rising from the cloud horizon which was amazing too....we were very lucky with the weather conditions it wasn't windy at all,still a bit chilly on the summit tho..the parka jackets were good quality and clean....I could carry on,but gonna leave it here as amazing well worth it....one small note,the gloves supplied keep your hands warm but don't make it easy to take pictures on small cameras and mobile phones.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2015/05/05 |
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Hawaii Forest and Trail stands for competence, professionalism, passion and respect for the environment they allow to see and for travelers. They really think and manage everything with great knowledge and kindness. I felt cared for in every way, even the chocolate cake! The lesson on the stars was fantastic and we all got to use the telescope. Every wish was realized. The only thing we had to do was to be overwhelmed by the mystical magic Mauna Kea!
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2015/03/25 |
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This tour was great including the tour guide Greg
The only part that was not good was the food. The food was terrible. There must be a place closer that make much better food.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2015/03/17 |
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Definitely do this during your holiday! The sunset and scenery at Mauna Kea is out-of-this-world and impressive. The stargazing afterwards is fun, as well as amazing to see so many stars so brightly.
The tour was excellent too, with well-informed guides and an un-rushed feel. Dinner was decent too.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2015/01/24 |
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