Big Island Goat Experience: Mauna Kea Summit, Sunset & Stars

This was such an amazing experience. The sunset was beautiful. The stars were amazing. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and funny!

It was great! The guides were amazing and very knowledgeable especially regarding the astronomy part. The trip was exactly as described and well worth it!

Carlos and Cade did an excellent job. We had a great time and saw everything - sunset, stars, Milky Way! It was a fabulous experience. The guys were friendly, professional, and knowledgeable.

Very fun despite the full moon. We had z very informative and enjoyable guide.

This was the highlight of my 8 days in Hawaii. Standing on top of mountain above the clouds watching the sunset… it brought tears to my eyes! After that we had the opportunity to stargaze and learn a little about astrology. We had three guides (Zack and Kat who were in our van) and the other who was native to Hawaii (don’t know his name, he was in other van) they were all very pleasant, informative and helpful. We were able to view through a telescope and see things that were thousands of light years away… just amazing!! FYI… part of your is very bumpy ride (15 minutes each way) if your inclined to motion sickness, I’d bring your remedy to that.

This was so worth it. Kade was a fun and knowledgeable tour guide, and the sunset on Mauna Kea and then stargazing afterward were amazing experiences.

Had a great time. Both tour guides were great and knowledgeable. Sadly, clouds got in the way of the star gazing, but the sunset alone was worth it.

Excellent experience with Kade and Carlos. They made it really fun and we learned a lot. Would go again.

My husband and I had a great experience with this tour! First off, kudos to our Tour Guide Kade (sorry if spelling is wrong)! Kade was funny, knowledgeable, and friendly and I felt safe the entire time during the ride and tour. He definitely embodies the Spirit of Aloha! We were 1 of 2 couples that got picked up from the first pick up spot in Kona and the ride to our second pick up was filled with laughs and great stories/fun facts of Hawaii. I agree with other reviewers to sit closer up front for more airflow; luckily as someone who always runs hot, I already had my handy portable fan on me so I was ok. Kade told more legends and stories of the island as we headed towards Mauna Kea to keep us entertained. I was honestly stressed the week leading up to this day due to the weather but our group lucked out with great weather for both the sunset and stargazing. Yes it is very cold, especially during the stargazing portion so I was glad we vacuumed sealed our winter wear and brought up with us. They do provide parkas/gloves if you didn't bring any cold weather gear. Kade was awesome with "Rock Talk" and "Star Talk" and of course everyone's favorite part of getting amazing professional photos during stargazing! Thank you to Kade and the other 2 partnered Tour Guides for providing us with an amazing experience that will be remembered forever, mahalo nui loa!

It was good, the sunset was amazing. but the rest of tour could be better. We have been on many Viator tours, experiencing great satiafaction. However. This tour should consider the following - The tour needs a driver and a tour guide. For safety and logistics. It was too much for one person. We had a passenger experience some altitude sickness so the entire tour group had to leave and relocate to near the visitors center. Why? In doing so the star gazing was very poor. The telescope did not work (he said this was the second night in a row it happened. Also, the tour guide talked alot about how they dont like visitors and how the government stole the Hawaiians land. Not the typical historical and cultural discussions on a Viator tour.

Cade was an amazing guide as we drove up Hauna Kea. He offerred a lot of history as well as why we should respect and honor the land. The experience felt very rare, almost like we were on top of the world. Be mindful to sit near the front of the tour bus for best airflow. Also be mindful that it may be mostly cloudy (like it was for us) and your guides will do their best to find celestial bodies for you! Overall, I enjoyed this trip, felt elated by the experience, closer to Hawaiian culture and felt reverence for the mountains/volcanoes on the Big Island.

Good trip. Informative. Nice views. Fog and light rain rolled in after we started star gazing, causing us cut that portion short.

Very interesting tour. A lot of travel time but worth it once you arrive. Sunset was amazing and star gazing was spectacular. Kade was very well versed in the constellations.

What a view at the summit to watch the sun set. Also with no light pollution I couldn't even imagine all the stars you can see. I would recommend this for sure.

The excursion itself is great, we actually did it a few years ago with a different company. This experience was just okay due to a few things. It's obviously very cold at the top, and all companies provide some sort of hot norishment. While this company provided cup o noodles, hot chocolate, and oatmeal.... THEY ONLY BROUGHT 4 FORKS AND ZERO SPOONS. (This was for the 20+ people on the tour). I find it very unprofessional to hear "the office didn't pack it". You are the guide, do a once over to endure you have what you need. Similar thing with running out of snacks, and no trash bag for wrappers/containers. There were dirty/used bags in w clean food which was a bit gross. This isn't a bargain basement price, so I don't think having adequate supplies is asking too much. I would highly recommend the experience, but check with other tour operators for it. Our previous experience far exceeded this one.

Bus was late to arrive and no indicators on the bus for verification. Sunset was amazing. Stargazing was pretty cool but was not well rehearsed. The coats were a great bonus. A well organized and clear night would be a great experience.

It was cool and all until one of the guides got hurt and we had to end the tour early. Dress warm, it’s cold up there.

This was a great tour experience to visit Mauna Kea, we were able to learn a lot of history while also seeing stunning views of sunset and more stars than I thought possible. Getting the telescopic photo with the milky way in the background was a huge win! Our guides Chris and Cade did a great job!

This entire experience was absolutely mind blowing we caught a beautiful sunset and then the stars or the stargazing portion of the tour seemed unreal the staff was super friendly and helpful everything went really well from beginning to end and I went up the volcano with my girlfriend and came down with a fiance. Very nice place to propose and definitely dress warm

A really great experience with knowledgeable guides, prioritizing safety, comfort and respect to the land and mountain.

Excellent tour! Friendly guide

This experience was worth it. It was really fun to see the sunset and the star gazing was incredible. Kela, Chris, and Kade were phenomenal guides and were super knowledgeable. The photos with the star gazing were also unbelievable. We highly recommend this for anyone wanting a trip up the Mauna Kea summit.

The experience at the summit itself was great! We loved our guide Tay, who was super friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the mountain and the stars. We booked on a great night where there was a good amount of time between sunset and moonrise, so we got a really clear view of the Milky Way. However, we did have some difficulty with the pickup. We were not told what vehicle to meet up with, so it was unclear what we were supposed to do. We ended up standing around in a parking lot on a hot day because we didn't know where to go. That part of the experience could have been made much better with just a little bit of effort by the tour company. But ultimately it was worth it as the summit experience more than made up for the inconvenience.

Amazing experience. i was a bit hesitant but it’s definitely worth it. Very knowledgeable staff which obviously makes things better.

If we could give 10 stars we would, as our guides, led by John, were so knowledgeable and professional. The drive to the top of Mauna Kea to view the sunset was an amazing experience on its own but the star gazing was the main event. For those who are older like us ( mid 60s) the altitude does tire you a little more than the youngsters but we just sat in the bus for the last 10 minutes and could still hear the commentary. Don’t let age on its own put you off.

We are seniors in our seventies. When we read the itinerary we knew it was a long day, but the activities were very attractive and it was something we felt we could do. What we didn’t realize was the amount of time needled to acclimate to the altitude, the extent of the warnings regarding altitude sickness and the height of the vehicle from the ground to the first step. Our tour guide did a good job of explaining the need for establishing good practices in order to avoid altitude issues. She was very conscientious about ensuring everyone on the truck was safe and well educated. We didn’t anticipate the difficulties that we would encounter entering and leaving the truck. That was compounded by the number of stops and experiences that required getting on and off. While everything we experienced was wonderful and as described, it was also exhausting and personally difficult. We have nothing but good things to say regarding our guide and drivers. They were professional and caring and dedicated to making this experience positive for everyone. A stronger warning and difficulty rating might have convinced us to reconsider this tour at our age.

Ok was fun and informative. Was hoping to see the milkyway

The tour was the highlight of our trip. Scenery was spectacular. John was our guide. He was excellent, knowledgeable, interesting, and personable. He even had a cool playlist for background music. There were nice touches including snacks, warm drinks, coats, gloves. Looking through the telescope was fantastic. Everything was perfect and so interesting. We had high expectations for this tour and those were far exceeded. Highly recommend.

Our guides were very diligent in giving us the full experience. Some rainy weather moved in, and they worked real hard at giving us the stargazing experience we were looking for. They could have given up with conditions changing like they did. Both guides we’re extremely knowledgeable, and well-versed at their job 🤙🏻👊🏻

This experience was incredible!!! John was a great and knowledgeable guide, I cannot recommend him enough.

I had an excellent time on this adventure. We had fog for the sunset unfortunately. I guides hung out as long as they could waiting for the clouds to clear for star gazing. Fortunately they did and the star gazing was amazing. It was a once in a life time opportunity to see the the milksyway galaxy in all its glory.

A bit cloudy at the summit but perfect at the stargazing site. The guides were awesome and I would highly recommend the trip!

Guides excellent, especially Chris! Transports great and snacks thoughtful. Experience of a lifetime.

John was the most incredible and knowledgeable guide. He truly made this experience unforgettable. I learned a ton and saw the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. Highly recommend!

We spent longer time than expected to see the sunset and the stars. My tour guide John was very nice, kind, and knowledgable. He had warm clothes and a lot of snacks prepared for everyone. He also helped us take some photos. Overall I got a really great tour and I would really recommend you to book it.

The guides and experience were both amazing! I everyone was kind and knowledgeable about the area, history and stars. Had an amazing time!

Sunset on Mauna Kea was breathtaking. Stargazing great with dark skies. Guide Tay was very knowledgeable and got us up and down the mountain safely. Temp was warmer than expected due to little wind. Be prepared for walking on some uneven ground in the dark. The safety guidance given by Tay was excellent.

It was all amazing. We figured we would miss out on a sunset and stars as it was raining on the way in. But above the clouds we had an amazing sunset and the stars showed up. John and Aki were fabulous and knowledgable guides. It’s a not miss experience.

Amazing experience from the beginning to the end. Our guides were very helpful and informative. This was a bucket list type of experience.

Stunning! Our driver John was amazing and the cost is worth every cent. Beautiful and spectacular can only begin to describe this experience. This is a MUST if you are visiting the BIG ISLAND.

Very dark and uneven underfoot so not great if you are unsteady on your feet. A must for space enthusiasts

This was a wonderful tour and so professional. They explained everything well and made sure you were comfortable with the temperatures. They gave us gray jackets to wear which were lifesavers. Don’t miss this Tour. It will be your favorite forever.

John was an amazing guide. Being able to see the sunset on top of Mauna Kea and then viewing the the galaxy through a telescope ontop of the mountain was amazing.

I had been planning to do this tour, but plans were squashed due to hurricane Lala. I was impressed with the communication and handling of the cancellation, and definitely plan to try again next time I’m on the island.

One of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had, seeing the Milky Way with the naked eye was beautiful. Chris was an amazing tour guide and storyteller. Chris, if you’re seeing this, give us your Venmo to tip you since it didn’t go through!

This is an experience that cannot be missed! Seeing the sunset atop Mauna Kea, considered the tallest mountain in the world, literally above the clouds, is truly one of a kind. The landscape itself is otherworldly. When people say it looks like another planet, they aren’t lying. It’s how I imagine Mars would look! After sunset, we gathered under the clear night sky and gazed at the thousands of stars dotting the vast darkness. Coming from a big city, I have never seen a night sky with that many stars—and shooting stars too! It was absolutely surreal! Our guides, John and Chris, were awesome and made the experience even more memorable. They showed us the constellations and had a telescope that allowed us to see celestial objects I had only ever seen in pictures. Holy smokes! What I saw through that telescope was spectacular! Seeing nebulae and distant stars with my own eyes gave me an entirely different appreciation for the sheer scale of the universe. And somehow, one of my favorite little details was enjoying hot cocoa while stargazing. There was something wonderfully cozy about holding a warm cup of cocoa while peering into the vastness of a cosmos so far beyond our ability to fully comprehend. You feel incredibly small looking out into that immensity, yet at the same time, the warmth of the cocoa makes you feel grounded and present in that exact moment. More than anything, though, this was a deeply spiritual experience for me. Mauna Kea is sacred in Native Hawaiian culture, and standing there, I could appreciate why this mountain has held such profound significance for generations. You feel so close to the celestial heavens when you’re there. The experience also gave me an even greater appreciation for the extraordinary astronomical and navigational knowledge of Native Hawaiians and other Polynesian voyagers. Just wow. Between the sunset above the clouds, the otherworldly landscape, the incredible night sky, the telescope, the shooting stars, the hot cocoa, and our fantastic guides, this was an unforgettable experience from beginning to end. I feel incredibly grateful and fortunate to have experienced Mauna Kea in this way.

This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one of the most unforgettable nights of our trip! Watching the sunset from the summit of Mauna Kea was absolutely breathtaking. The views were unlike anything we had ever seen. Kella was an AMAZING guide! She was so knowledgeable throughout the entire tour and took the most incredible photos for us, giving us beautiful memories to take home from such a special experience. As if the sunset wasn’t amazing enough, we were lucky enough to see a volcano erupting in the distance and even spotted shooting stars across the night sky. Standing on top of Mauna Kea surrounded by such incredible scenery felt completely surreal. From the breathtaking sunset to the volcano, shooting stars, and amazing photos, this was a night we will cherish forever. An absolute must-do on the Big Island!

Despite the extremely rare cloud activity, our tour guides went out of their way to find us a clear night sky for stargazing. They made sure we got our money’s worth.

Despite not having ideal conditions for stargazing (extremely rare I’m told) the team pivoted with good enough conditions to stargaze at the bottom. Tay was extremely nice during the tour and very knowledgeable while explaining simply to everyone. The telescope images were incredible. Our personal night photos were satisfactory. The minibus should have AC when needing to dress warm for the top of the mountain but catching the bus in warm conditions at sea level. The timing of the tour with visitor center, acclimitisation, sunset views was great. The snacks were plentiful and well suited considering the tour being at a meal time.