The Original Mauna Kea Summit Sunset & Stargazing Tour-Since 1983

Travel the scenic highway between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, crossing lava flows and high-country landscapes on the way to the mountain, in a custom 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter with coach seating in rows of two and three (nobody rides four across). Your guide covers the culture, geography, geology, and natural history of the island on the way up.

At 9,200 feet we stop for a real hot dinner, 3-cheese vegetable lasagna and a homemade brownie, and a chance to adjust to the altitude before heading higher. Learn why the world's largest telescopes are on Mauna Kea and what life is like for the astronomers who work here. Parkas and gloves are issued before we engage four-wheel drive for the climb to the summit.

Arrive at nearly 14,000 feet before sunset and watch the observatories, including Keck, Subaru, and Gemini, open their domes and rotate into position. Plenty of time for photos as the sunset transforms the landscape, often above a sea of clouds. We stay until the best color has faded, then descend to mid-mountain, where the air is more comfortable and the skies stay clear.

After Sunset we spend about two hours under the stars, more time stargazing than any other tour on the mountain. Your guide traces the sky with a green laser, from Polaris to the Southern Cross, and brings the night's best targets into our 11-inch Celestron telescopes. Midway through, gourmet hot cocoa, coffee, or tea and a sweet treat to ward off the chill. Stargazing depends on natural conditions; more than 90% of our trips get excellent skies.