(All Reviews) Waimea, Big Island tours & activities, fun things to do in Big Island | HawaiiActivities.com

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All Reviews for Waimea in Big Island

Overall Rating

4.90 4.90 / 5

Reviews

61 reviews

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Awesome experience

Reviewed by: Swapped

Host was really good, very polite and understanding.

The sandwiches were good, and the hot coco while stargazing, was delicious cherry on top of the whole experience.

The only issue I would complain about is the vehicle, because the space was really cramped up and it was a struggle to get in and out of the vehicle. Many from the back of the vehicle complained about the air conditioning, but I didn’t feel any discomfort, even though I was in the last row

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 4

Comfort & well-being: 4

Tips and suggestions

I would recommend adding details of the vehicle, and leg space availability.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2024/12/23
Activity Date: 2024/12/21

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Great Memories!!!

Reviewed by: An amazing time!

My husband and I had a great time in the tour. We were picked up on time and the guide made the trip to the summit entertaining and we learned many different things about Hawaii during that time.
The sunset at the summit is breathtaking and our guide was prepared to take pictures that he later shared with all of us!
It got cold after the sunset…. so be ready. The hot chocolate while stargazing was a very nice addition!

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2024/12/21
Activity Date: 2024/11/30

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Excellent Tour Guide James

Reviewed by: Eric M.

James who was the tour guide was very nice and thoughtful in providing anything we needed and gave a very informative details about Mauna Kea and the surrounding areas. He was also very helpful in pointing out specific constellations during the star gazing tour. He offered and took pictures of us with our phones. I really enjoyed the tour and highly recommend anyone who comes to The Big Island of Hawaii to take this tour and hopefully James will be assigned as your tour guide.

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2024/12/04
Activity Date: 2024/12/02

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Stunning and otherworldly views

Reviewed by: Briza Del Villar

This was such an amazing experience. I felt like I was on another planet and our guide James was such an awesome guy. I’m hoping to experience this again in the future soon

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Weather: Sunny
Posted on: 2024/11/30
Activity Date: 2024/11/27

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Excellent Guide - knowledgeable and helpful

Reviewed by: Ravinder

The best part is the guide took excellent pictures of everyone with the sunset and stars.

Very knowledgeable and answered all questions. Was very considerate and made sure all were ok during the trip.

Setup the telescope very well - we could see the rings of Saturn very clearly.

Local customer service: 5

Location & environment: 5

Schedule & duration: 5

Equipment & facilities: 5

Comfort & well-being: 5

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Weather: Cloudy
Posted on: 2024/11/14
Activity Date: 2024/11/12

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset Stargazing Tour

Reviewed by: Joan

Our guide, Koki, did a fabulous job with the Sunset photos for each of us at the summit and also a great job getting everyone's photo with the stars. He was an excellent driver and went slowly on the bumpy gravel part of the drive.

Because Koki's Japanese dialect is not something most English speaking people understand, he needs to speak more slowly and distinctly. I had a great deal of trouble understanding him - seems like I could only catch 4 out of every 10 words, and that is not something I expected on this tour. Granted, out of the 10 people, there were 2 Japanese men and Koki spent a lot of time on the way home speaking only to them in Japanese.

So, I had very mixed feelings about this tour. I come to Hawaii at least a couple times a year and I would definitely ask more questions about the guide and his speaking and understanding ability before I take my nest tour.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Posted on: 2024/11/11
Activity Date: 2024/11/09

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Unforgettable experience

Reviewed by: David D

Todd, our guide, was great. Great driving up the steep dirt road. Great info about the geology, topography, observatories, constellations and more. Engaging, informative. All the other details too - nice sandwich, hot beverage and clothing for the cold. Did I forget to mention the views? Fantastic views of the sun setting into the Pacific and a clear night sky.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/09/11
Activity Date: 2024/09/09

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Nice experience

Reviewed by: Rahul

Guide was very informative and friendly. I recommend this trip.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/09/03
Activity Date: 2024/08/09

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Wonderful experience

Reviewed by: cj

The Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour was amazing. It is a must do and the pictures are a treasure. Our guide was great, took picture that we downloaded and twas very informative.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/08/01
Activity Date: 2024/07/09

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Great tour.. highly recommend

Reviewed by: Tyler W

We Embarked on a magical family stargazing tour in Hawaii! Marvel at the breathtaking night sky, where countless stars twinkle above. We Learned about constellations and celestial wonders from knowledgeable guides. We Created unforgettable memories together as we connected with the universe and each other under the enchanting Hawaiian night. A must-experience adventure! Awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome
️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2024/07/31
Activity Date: 2024/07/29

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Absolutely amazing!

Reviewed by: Phil

Francis was a really fun guide and took care of us really well, making sure we were all doing okay with the high elevation. Sunset was gorgeous, seeing the moon through an 80x telescope was really cool, watching the stars come out was great. If you have a choice, go during a new moon, we had about 70% moon and it created a lot of light pollution in the sky. The other guide (Tom?) was really good at pointing out all the main constellations, even naming some of them in various different languages since we had a mixed ethnic group. Very knowledgeable. Phenomenal, phenomenal tour.

  • Sunset above the clouds at 13,800 feet elevation

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2024/06/18
Activity Date: 2024/06/16

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Amazing experience! Great tour guide!

Reviewed by: Harish

We had an amazing experience and time on this trip. Our tour guide, Stefan, was deeply knowledgeable, fun and friendly. The tour started on time and went out perfect. They provided mitts and coats which kept us warm along with hot chocolate. It was a great evening with no clouds. The views were unforgettable. Five stars, would book again!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2023/11/24
Activity Date: 2023/10/11

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Once in a lifetime!

Reviewed by: L in Az

This was on my bucket list. My guide was very informative. He took pictures, individual and group pictures of us during sunset and during the stargazing event. Be prepared to bounce around on the dirt road to the summit. Totally enjoyed the hot cocoa and BLT sandwich that was provided.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Posted on: 2023/11/22
Activity Date: 2023/11/18

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Amazing Experience

Reviewed by: Mikey

The entire experience start to finish was amazing. Wes was our guide and driver and took the time to explain what to expect and educate all of us on the island and the history of Hawai’i! I would recommend this tour to anybody who would like to enjoy the beautiful Mauna Kea! Wes also took the time to take photos of us at sunset and stargazing!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2023/11/04
Activity Date: 2023/11/02

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Totally worth it!!

Reviewed by: Lisa

We had a great time on this trip. Our tour guide, Stefan, was excellent! He was friendly and informative the entire time. Even though we took the tour on an overcast night, there was so much to see and the views were unforgettable. Five stars, would book again!!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2023/05/06
Activity Date: 2023/04/27

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

We had a blast!

Reviewed by: AngelaPK

We had a blast! A very unique experience, especially if you enjoy sunsets, heights, and amazing views.

  • Beautiful sunset!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2023/04/23
Activity Date: 2023/03/30

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Unforgettable Experience

Reviewed by: Jason

Bundle up and enjoy one of the most unique experiences in Hawaii. The tour ran in a very timely fashion starting with the pickup time and getting to all the sites on site. Our guide was very informative but didn't overwhelm us with information either. The view of the sunset and stargazing just speak for themselves. Nothing short of spectacular and definitely a worthwhile experience.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2023/01/07
Activity Date: 2023/01/04

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Nice trip but operational mistakes

Reviewed by: TravelCouple

It was nice and cold at the summit, but the provided clothes helped a lot. Guide was informative although not nice. The bus to the top is very old and has a poor seating arrangement of mostly rows of three, so couples will be separated. Additionally, if you are separated on the way up, the guide will specifically force you to be separated on the way down in order to preserve your initial seats.

I have an egg allergy and specifically requested egg free food, yet the sandwich I was provided had mayonnaise and I was left with no other options.

The summit was a nice tour but I would recommend a different company. The other buses we saw were much nicer.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/11/24
Activity Date: 2022/11/21

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Worth it!

Reviewed by: Kara

Gorgeous stars holy goodness!!!! It is cold but they have some bundling clothes

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Friends
Posted on: 2022/11/22
Activity Date: 2022/11/10

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Thanfkul for this experience

Reviewed by: Kara

Awesome evening all guided, pick up and drop off back near the hotel, very awesome tour

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/11/21
Activity Date: 2022/11/12

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Stefan Was Amazing

Reviewed by: Kara

Stefan waited after others had left, and got us the most amazing photos and memories. Thank you to Stefan for caring for the guests.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/11/10
Activity Date: 2022/10/31

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Highly recommended!

Reviewed by: Laura Simmons

It was a fantastic tour! From the ease of meeting the guide at a local pick up point, the his knowledge of the islands, the geography, and of course the telescopes and sky, to the use of parkas, pants and gloves... it was a wonderful experience! We went on an almost full moon night so only the brightest of stars were visible, but we were still able to see Saturn and Jupiter through their telescopes. Dress warm... and have a great time!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/11/08
Activity Date: 2022/11/06

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Great experience, highly recommend.

Reviewed by: Jocelyn

Stefan was a great guide and we loved how he made a concerted effort to make sure that we got some amazing photos with the sunset and stars.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/11/07
Activity Date: 2022/10/31

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

beautiful clear night for magnificent sunset and breathtaking star gazing

Reviewed by: Sharon

Had a wonderful experience at the top of Mauna Kea watching the sunset, followed by star gazing at a private location.

Very accommodating, lots of pics taken for us and very informative about the dormant volcano as well as Hawaii and the observatories. Coats and mitts were available when the temp dropped with the sunset.

The choice was ours to make as to pics we wanted taken, where and when to have our dinner snack and what we wanted to see in the night sky.

A few improvements would be to have a more comfortable van. This van was not comfortable to ride in for the trip to the top and back. Additionally, the photography equipment and additional telescope equipment should be added and improved.

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/10/25
Activity Date: 2022/10/14

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

A stunning moment - a must have lifetime experience

Reviewed by: Faye

The guide is friendly and informative. He can speak fluent English and Japanese. He provided the needed equipment for the trip and took nice photos for us. We’ve had unique and amazing lifetime experience by standing on the top of the world (count elevation from the seabed) and watching the stunning sunset and moonrise. Unfortunately, the full moon was so bright and we couldn’t clearly see the Milky Way. Overall a must have one and I will recommend do it with a guide as first time as some unexpected situations could happen if you are not fully prepared.

Warning: some people might feel faint and uncomfortable or fall asleep due to elevation

  • Sunset

  • The shadow of the earth

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/10/01
Activity Date: 2022/09/09

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Would recommend this tour!

Reviewed by: Dan Ohio

Awesome tour! Stephan was amazing. Very knowledgeable about the island, Mauna Kea and the stars. We would definitely recommend. Everything was as advertised and even more!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/09/22
Activity Date: 2022/09/20

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Amazing

Reviewed by: Ashley

Absolutely amazing, a once in a lifetime experience made easy through this tour group. Easy to accommodate our special pickup needs, kind and knowledgeable guide. It was a guided tour, but plenty of time to wander and explore on our own. The stars and cocoa were amazing and the photos were first class that we received!! Highly recommend!!!! This was my sister's favorite activity during our week long Hawaii stay!!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/31
Activity Date: 2022/08/26

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Amazing. : very well organized, Nice spot, Nice pictures, stars gazzing was incredible. Thé guide was so awesome!

Reviewed by: Catherine

Super condition. Great guide very helpful to get thé good pictures spot and take also excellent pictures with vis dedicated caméra.
Tour well organized with amazing star gazzing.
Flexibility for thé pick up localisation

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/22
Activity Date: 2022/08/17

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Incredible tour

Reviewed by: Rainer

We have been extremely lucky with the weather and our guide Stephan. He made a fantastic job and created a memorable event for us. THANK YOU!!!!
The stargazing was unbelievable. We have never seen so many stars in the sky and Stephan explained all of them - ok, most of them .

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Families
Posted on: 2022/08/13
Activity Date: 2022/07/21

Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Meal, Transportation & Guide

Enchanting Evening!!

Reviewed by: Neena Samant

What an evening!
The whole experience from booking to drop off at was seamless. The guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic to share his knowledge. He also gave an idea of the Big Island’s topography.
The main attraction is worth the money and the time you will spend. We went in a clear day and the sunset was spectacular. The guide gave a fantastic guided tour of the telescopes, the sky, the stars and the constellations.
He patiently took pictures of all the tourists and I’m immediately airdropped them.
In all a must do trip. Big shout out to the guide.

  • Lovely Sundays!

Helpful
Rating:
Packages: Standard Package
Attended as: Couples
Posted on: 2022/08/13
Activity Date: 2022/07/19
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