"Thanks to our guides who showed us everything, including astronomy and beautiful views of outer space."
CHECK THE SKY
Cloud decides the night
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Cloud over tonight’s dark hours
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Moon tonight
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Full darkness tonight
Forecast cloud for Maunakea Visitor Information Station · month-by-month sky · checked · data from MET Norway
Sky brightness
21.29–21.91 mag/arcsec²
Measured at the 2,800 m level of Mauna Kea, September 1985 to August 1996. Source, checked October 2026.
Bortle class (est.)
Not estimated
Bortle class not estimated: the published figures are yearly V-band averages of 21.29 to 21.91 mag/arcsec² measured at the 2,800 m level of Mauna Kea, September 1985 to August 1996 (K. Krisciunas, yearly V-band averages over a full sunspot cycle (PASP, 1997)); the spread is the solar cycle's airglow, not light pollution. A Bortle class from a range that wide would be a guess.
Dark-sky designation
None
Checked October 2026.
Elevation
2,800 m (9,200 ft)
UH Hilo: the VIS at ~9200 ft / 2800 m; summit road 4x4 only. Source, checked October 2026.
Best months for the Milky Way
May, Jun, Jul
Most core hours above 20° in full darkness, weighted by night cloud (core season March to September). Computed with JPL DE421 and NASA POWER, checked October 2026.
Island of Hawaii · Mauna Kea · Kona and Hilo
Big Island Stargazing: Mauna Kea, the Volcano Night, or a Private Hike
The Big Island's stargazing tours drive up Mauna Kea for the sunset above the clouds, then stop lower down the mountain, around the Visitor Information Station, for the stars. One tour adds the volcano; one is a private hike with a Native Hawaiian guide.
From
US$289
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 759+ Reviews
- 10 Dark-Sky Places Compared on This Site
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Mauna Kea Summit and Stars Tour Includes
Five to seven and a half hours with pickup from set locations. Ages 13 to 80 only, and not for anyone pregnant, with heart or lung conditions, or who has dived in the last 24 hours.
Highlights
- Sunset from Mauna Kea
- A hot drink and snacks while the stars come out
- A telescope session, weather permitting
- Parkas and gloves lent for the night
- Free night photos, sent by email
What's Included
- Pickup and drop-off (select locations)
- Snacks and hot chocolate
- Free night photos (sent via email)
- Guide
- Parkas
- Gloves
How a Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour Works
From the pickup to the sunset at the top and the stars lower down.
Check the Health Rules
The summit is about 4,200 metres high. The summit tours take no one under 13, and none for the pregnant or anyone with heart or lung problems. Do not dive in the 24 hours before.
Drive Up and Acclimatise
The van climbs to the Visitor Information Station, at about 2,800 metres, for a stop before the summit road, which is 4x4 only.
Sunset Above the Clouds
At the summit you watch the sunset over the cloud sea, in a borrowed parka and gloves.
Stars Lower Down
After dark the tour comes back down the mountain for hot drinks, the constellations and a telescope, then drives you back to your hotel.
Photo Gallery
Mauna Kea After Dark
The summit at sunset, the cloud sea and the telescopes.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
What the Tour Brings, and What You Bring
hawaii island holidays includes
- Pickup and drop-off (select locations)
- Snacks and hot chocolate
- Free night photos (sent via email)
- Parkas
- Gloves
From the tour's GetYourGuide listing, checked October 2026.
Bring
- Warm layers, a hat and gloves: the night is colder than the day, in every month
- A red light, or a phone set to a red screen: white light ruins your night vision
- Binoculars rather than your own telescope: they need no setup and show far more than your eyes
- Closed shoes for uneven ground in the dark
Altitude: 2,800 m (9,200 ft) at Maunakea Visitor Information Station
The air is thin at this height and the night is cold. hawaii island holidays says the tour is not suitable for: children under 13 years, pregnant women, people with back problems, people with mobility impairments, people with heart problems, people with respiratory issues, people diving up to 24 hours prior, people with altitude sickness, people over 80 years. UH Hilo: the VIS at ~9200 ft / 2800 m; summit road 4x4 only.
Month by month
When the Sky Is Darkest at Mauna Kea
Night cloud, Milky Way core hours and the next new moon in each month, at the observing site.
The climatology grid cell sits at 636 m, below the observing site, so the cloud bars run pessimistic: high sites often sit above the cloud.
| Month | Night cloud | Full darkness | Milky Way core | Next new moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 52% | 10.4 h | 0 h | 7 Jan 2027 |
| February | 57% | 10 h | 0.6 h | 6 Feb 2027 |
| March | 62% | 9.5 h | 2.2 h | 7 Mar 2027 |
| April | 61% | 8.8 h | 3.8 h | 6 Apr 2027 |
| May best | 55% | 8.3 h | 5.4 h | 6 May 2027 |
| June best | 51% | 7.9 h | 6.8 h | 4 Jun 2027 |
| July best | 49% | 8.1 h | 5.5 h | 3 Jul 2027 |
| August | 49% | 8.7 h | 3.8 h | 2 Aug 2027 |
| September | 51% | 9.3 h | 2.3 h | 29 Sep 2027 |
| October | 56% | 9.9 h | 0.7 h | 29 Oct 2027 |
| November | 58% | 10.3 h | 0 h | 8 Nov 2026 |
| December | 56% | 10.4 h | 0 h | 8 Dec 2026 |
Night cloud: NASA POWER climatology (CLOUD_AMT_NIGHT), January 2001 to December 2025, at the observing site's grid cell (636 m). Darkness and Milky Way hours: computed for 2027 with JPL DE421 via Skyfield (sun more than 18° below the horizon; galactic centre at least 20° up). No night temperatures shown: the climatology grid cell sits at 636 m, more than 500 m from the 2800 m site. Checked October 2026.
What you will see
The Sky Over Mauna Kea, Month by Month
Computed star charts for the observing site on new-moon nights, at the hour the tours are out. The Milky Way is drawn schematically.
Night calendar
Dark Nights Coming Up at Mauna Kea
The nights around a new moon are the darkest of the month. Dates are local to the observing site.
Next new moons
- 8 November 2026
- 8 December 2026
- 7 January 2027
- 6 February 2027
- 7 March 2027
- 6 April 2027
Meteor showers
- Leonids, peak night 17 November 2026 some moonlight
- Geminids, peak night 14 December 2026 some moonlight
- Ursids, peak night 22 December 2026 bright moon
- Quadrantids, peak night 3 January 2027 dark moon
- Lyrids, peak night 22 April 2027 bright moon
- Eta Aquariids, peak night 6 May 2027 dark moon
Milky Way season
Core season March to September. Best months: May, June and July.
Lunar eclipses
- 16 August 2027, 21:14 local: penumbral (a faint shading, easy to miss)
New moons, darkness and eclipse visibility: JPL DE421 via Skyfield. Meteor-shower peaks from the IAU Meteor Data Center's established-shower solar longitudes (Jopek & Kaňuchová); the peak night can shift by a day. Lunar eclipses: Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC. Moon labels: under 25% lit = dark moon, under 60% = some moonlight. Checked October 2026.
Tour or on your own?
Mauna Kea on Your Own, or With a Tour?
- Do you have a 4x4 and a rental contract that allows the summit road? Many rental contracts do not.
- Will you give yourself an hour or two at the Visitor Information Station to adjust to the height?
- Will your eyes do? There are no public telescopes at the Visitor Information Station.
Yes to all three
Go on your own
Drive to the Maunakea Visitor Information Station, at about 2,800 metres, and look up. The University of Hawaii says there are no formal night programmes there, but staff give a laser-pointer sky talk after twilight.
No to any of them
Book the tour
A 4x4 to the summit for the sunset, parkas and gloves, a hot drink, a guide and a telescope, and the drive back down in the dark done for you.
Check dates →Mauna Kea Summit vs. Volcano Day vs. Private Hike
Three Big Island stargazing tours side by side. Prices as of October 2026.
| Feature | SUMMIT SUNSET hawaii island holidays, Summit, Sunset and Stars | Wasabi Tours, Volcano and Stargazing | Private Mauna Kea Hike and Stargazing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From US$289/per person | From US$309 | From US$150 |
| Rating | 4.8/5 (759 reviews) | 4.8/5 (199 reviews) | 4.9/5 (41 reviews) |
| Length | 5 to 7.5 hours | 12 hours | 4 hours |
| Summit | Yes, for the sunset | No; stars near Mauna Kea | No; hike to about 2,900 m |
| Included | Parkas, gloves, hot chocolate, snacks, night photos | Coffee farm, Volcanoes National Park, dinner | Hawaiian history and star navigation, a portrait |
| Getting There | Pickup from set locations | Pickup from set hotels | Make your own way |
| Age Limit | 13 to 80 | 5 and up | 9 and up |
| Free Cancellation | Up to 24 hours ahead | Up to 24 hours ahead | Up to 24 hours ahead |
| Best For | The classic summit night | Families and the volcano | Hawaiian sky knowledge |
| Check Availability | View Wasabi Tours | View the hike |
Other Big Island Stargazing Tours
A day from Kona with the volcano and the stars, a private hike on Mauna Kea, and a summit tour with a picnic dinner.
The Big Island Stargazing Guide
Which Big Island Stargazing Tour to Book
Six tours compared on the summit, the health rules, dinner and price.
The most-reviewed Big Island stargazing tour is hawaii island holidays’ Mauna Kea summit, sunset and stars experience: sunset at the summit, parkas and gloves, hot chocolate, a telescope and free night photos, from US$289 a person as of October 2026, rated 4.8 from 759 reviews. If you would rather see the volcano too, Wasabi Tours’ twelve-hour day from Kona adds Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a coffee farm and dinner before the stars, from US$309.
Sunset at the top, stars lower down
Mauna Kea’s summit stands at about 4,200 metres, among the world’s best-known observatory sites. The tours go up for the sunset, then do their stargazing lower down, around the Maunakea Visitor Information Station at about 2,800 metres (9,200 feet), the University of Hawaii says, where the air is easier to breathe. The summit road above the station is 4x4 only. maunakeastargazingtours.com compares the Mauna Kea summit tours in depth; this page sets them beside the Big Island’s other night options.
The Big Island tours compared
| Tour (operator) | From | Rating (reviews) | Length | Summit | Age limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mauna Kea summit, sunset and stars (hawaii island holidays) | US$289 | 4.8 (759) | 5 to 7.5 hours | Yes | 13 to 80 |
| Volcano and stargazing with dinner (Wasabi Tours Hawaii) | US$309 | 4.8 (199) | 12 hours | No; stars near Mauna Kea | 5 and up |
| Private Mauna Kea hike and stargazing (Kalaninuimehameha) | US$150 | 4.9 (41) | 4 hours | No; hike to about 2,900 m | 9 and up |
| Mauna Kea summit, stargazing and dinner (Hawaii Forest & Trail) | US$345 | 4.8 (19) | 8 hours | Yes | 13 and up |
| Mauna Kea stargazing with photos (Epic Tours Hawaii) | US$299 | 4.0 (34) | 2 hours | Not stated | Not stated |
| Deluxe volcano and stargazing (Show You Hawaii Tours) | US$309 | 5.0 (4) | 10 hours | No | Not stated |
Prices, ratings and review counts as of October 2026; operators change prices, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.
Who each one suits
Pick by how much of the island you want in one day:
Summit sunset and stars
hawaii island holidays
Sunset at the summit, parkas and gloves, hot chocolate, a telescope and night photos. Ages 13 to 80.
Check dates →The volcano too
Wasabi Tours Hawaii
A Kona coffee farm, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, dinner, then the stars near Mauna Kea. Ages 5 and up.
See this tour →Private, on foot
Hike with a Native Hawaiian guide
A guided hike on the Humuʻula trail, Hawaiian history and star navigation, and a portrait under the stars. Bring your own transport.
See this tour →The summit tours are the classic choice, and the strictest. hawaii island holidays takes ages 13 to 80 only and calls it “not a regular sightseeing tour”: no one pregnant, with heart or lung conditions, or who has scuba-dived in the last 24 hours. Hawaii Forest & Trail runs the same arc with a picnic dinner at the Visitor Information Station, needs four guests to run, and lends parkas in men’s sizes.
The volcano days suit families: Wasabi Tours takes children from 5 and spends the afternoon at the volcano before stargazing lower down near Mauna Kea; it runs rain or shine.
The private hike climbs on foot to about 2,900 metres with acclimatisation stops, and is the one for anyone who wants Hawaiian star knowledge more than telescopes. You make your own way to the start.
Epic Tours Hawaii has the weakest rating, 4.0, and charges extra for its higher-resolution photos.
Cold, altitude and the moon
Cold. Night at this height is cold even when the coast is warm. The summit tours lend parkas and gloves; bring long trousers and closed shoes.
Altitude. The University of Hawaii asks visitors to arrive at the Visitor Information Station 1.5 to 2 hours before sunset to acclimatise before going higher. The altitude box on this page repeats each tour’s own health limits.
The moon. A bright moon hides the faint Milky Way but not the planets. The night calendar lists the next new moons for Mauna Kea.
For the darkest measured skies on this site, see the darkest stargazing destinations; for the southern sky from much further south, the Atacama Desert.
Guest Reviews
What Recent Guests Say
4.8/5
from 759 verified reviews
"It was an amazing experience, exactly as I expected! Kella was genuinely warm and knowledgeable about food, and other two guides were also kind and professional. I also liked how the guides worked together to lead the two teams."
"It was absolutely amazing. It’s absolutely a must do on the big island. The guide was very knowledgeable and he was driving so confident with challenging road conditions. The observatories are like monuments and the sunset is spectacular above the clouds. The stars are majestic up so high without light pollution"
"Everything was great! I highly recommend this exciting tour!"
"Our guide, John, was excellent. He was a good driver and took care of us in all ways on the tour. He was an excellent speaker and gave us a lot of usable, interesting information."
"Absolutely amazing trip. Tay and Aki were incredible guides who were extremely informative and knowledgable, and did their best for us to see the stars during unexpected foggy conditions. This was an incredible trip that I would 100% recommend. Thank you Tay and Aki for an unforgettable night watching under the stars!"
"Thanks, John, for giving us an amazing experience on the Mauna Kea tour! 🌋✨ The views were absolutely breathtaking, especially watching the sunset above the clouds. The stargazing was incredible too! 🌌 John was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip enjoyable and comfortable. Everything was well organised, and I really enjoyed learning more about Mauna Kea and the night sky. Highly recommended if you’re visiting the Big Island!"
"Very good activity. The parkas provided are very warm and essential. The snacks are great. The wait to look at the stars through the telescope is a little long, and I expected to see a little more of the planets than the nebulae, but the observation is very good."
Read all 759 verified reviews
See All ReviewsPick a Night, See the Price
Many stargazing tours on this site move you to another night if cloud cancels the session. Check the terms of the tour you pick before you pay. Starting from US$289 per person.
Check AvailabilityFAQ: Stargazing on the Big Island
Mauna Kea, the health rules, going on your own and the moon, with prices as of October 2026.
On Mauna Kea, around the Visitor Information Station at about 2,800 metres. The summit tours watch the sunset from the top and come back down there for the stars. The volcano day tours stargaze lower on the mountain. Compare them on this page.
Looking up is: you can drive to the Visitor Information Station. The University of Hawaii says it has no formal night programmes and no public telescopes, but staff give a laser-pointer sky talk after twilight, weather permitting. The tours add the summit sunset, parkas and a telescope; see the tour or on your own questions.
About 2,800 metres, or 9,200 feet, according to the University of Hawaii. The summit is about 4,200 metres. The university asks visitors to arrive 1.5 to 2 hours before sunset to acclimatise before driving higher. See the altitude box.
Not on the summit tours under 13. hawaii island holidays takes ages 13 to 80, Hawaii Forest & Trail 13 and up; Wasabi Tours' volcano and stargazing day takes children from 5, and the private hike from 9. The cards above link to each.
Above the Visitor Information Station, yes: the summit road is 4x4 only. Many rental contracts do not allow it, so check yours. The summit tours drive you up; the calendar shows the open dates.
Yes, even when the coast is warm. The summit tours lend parkas and gloves; bring long trousers, closed shoes and a warm layer. Read what to wear stargazing.
The Visitor Information Station is open from 9 am to 9 pm every day, the University of Hawaii says. Road and weather conditions change, so the summit tours confirm on the day. Check the tonight strip for the cloud forecast.
Yes, for the summit sunset and a telescope without driving the mountain in the dark. The tours cost about US$289 to US$345 for the summit as of October 2026. See whether a stargazing tour is worth it.
No single class. Bortle class not estimated: the published figures are yearly V-band averages of 21.29 to 21.91 mag/arcsec² measured at the 2,800 m level of Mauna Kea, September 1985 to August 1996 (K. Krisciunas, yearly V-band averages over a full sunspot cycle (PASP, 1997)); the spread is the solar cycle's airglow, not light pollution. A Bortle class from a range that wide would be a guess. Checked October 2026.
May, June, July. Those months combine the most Milky Way core hours with the least night cloud at the observing site: the core stands at least 20° up for an hour or more of full darkness from March to September. Core hours computed with JPL DE421 via Skyfield; night cloud from NASA POWER (2001-2025), checked October 2026.
8 November 2026, 8 December 2026, 7 January 2027. The nights either side of a new moon are the darkest of the month. Dates are local, computed with JPL DE421 via Skyfield, checked October 2026.
About 55% night cloud cover on average across the year. The clearest month is August (49%), the cloudiest March (62%). NASA POWER climatology, 2001-2025, checked October 2026. The climatology grid cell sits at 636 m, below the observing site, so these figures run pessimistic: high sites often sit above the cloud.
Still have questions? Email us at info@beststargazing.com
Night-cloud and night-low climatology: NASA POWER Project, January 2001 to December 2025 · Tonight's cloud: data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Moon, darkness and Milky Way geometry: JPL DE421 via Skyfield · Lunar eclipses: Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC · Meteor showers: IAU Meteor Data Center list of established showers · Sky data checked October 2026.