taquitos.net > travel guide > Hawaii's Big Island > Tours > Mauna Kea Summit & Stars Adventure

Mauna Kea Summit & Stars Adventure (Hawaii's Big Island)

More Hawaii's Big Island Tours

Location: Leaves from Waikoloa-area resorts

Our thoughts: Pretty much the last thing we expected to need in Hawaii was a ski parka, but need it we did when we took Hawaii Forest & Trail's Mauna Kea Summit & Stars Adventure. We had no idea this existed and only heard about it at the activities desk at our hotel. Long story short, the 8-hour adventure picks you up at your hotel, brings you about 6,000 feet up Mauna Kea to an abandoned dude ranch for dinner, then brings you to the Ellison Onizuka Visitor Center at around 10,000 feet to adjust to the altitude.

From there you head up to 13,000 feet to hang with several gigantic telescopes while the sun sets in the west. From there, you head back down to the Visitor Center, where your guide brings out cocoa, cookies and a telescope to show you the absolutely incredible night sky. When you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye, that's pretty much all you need to know.

The stops along the way are also necessary, as you really need to acclimatize to the higher altitudes. At the top of the summit, you may feel dizzy and have to sit down for a while (and drink lots of water).

Some may be wary of the $150 price tag, but it's more than worth it. If you can hang through a timeshare pitch, chances are you'll get it for 1/2 price. It was the most amazing outing of our trip and produced some incredible pictures.

Tip: Although there are bathrooms at two stops, make sure you're good to go before you board the van.

Visit Taquitos.net's other travel guides:

Boston • Florida Spring Training • Las Vegas • Los Angeles • New York City • Orlando