We took the Mauna Kea stargazing tour and the Volcano tour with Hawaii Forest and Trail, and I would highly recommend both to anyone. The driver/guides were very friendly and knowledgeable and made for an entertaining experience. The stars at Mauna Kea were amazing -- unlike anything you could imagine. It was VERY cold (20 deg. F). They provided very... more

We did the Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour with Hawaii Forest and Trails in July 2008. It started at about 3pm. We met them at their headquarters near Kona and we made a couple of stops along the way to pick up other guests (there was a total of 12 people on the tour). Overall the drive was okay - VERY... more

We spent an incredible day in Feb 208 with Travis Ota learning about Kilauea. My husband and our 9 year old son also had a blast, and our son said this day was the absolute highlight of the entire week in Hawaii. Travis is so knowledgeable about every aspect of the island and the volcanoes, and we really felt like... more

Took the guided tour up Mauna Kea as part of our honeymoon. The guide (Greg) was very knowledgeable and friendly. Knew lots about the island, the mountain, and the stars. Picked us up in the 4WD van in the Kohala resort area and proceeded to 5000 ft where we had dinner (at 4pm) and a rest. The travelled up the... more

We took a tour up to the summit of Mauna Kea to watch the sun go down and see the nighttime stars. The tour was 7ish hours long, due primarily to the driving conditions on the way to the mountain and the need to adjust to the altitude. Our guide was quite knowledgeable and entertaining. The four wheel drive van... more

The trip cost $310 for 2 of us. This includes snacks, drinks and lunch. I found it very professional and interesting. You begin at Hawaii Forest and Trail Headquarters, 4 miles south of the airport, but they do pick ups at some of the more northern resorts (not sure where you are staying). Early.....need coffee, Kona Coffee!! During the drive,... more

What an incredible tour and what a way to see the heavens! It's a long way up to 14,000 ft yet it was accomplished professionally with informative talks all along the way. Having a delicious picnic dinner under Monterey Cypress trees offered a time to relax before reaching the summit where it the wind chill was -25 degrees with winds... more

We recently went on the Mauna Kea star gazing tour and it was a great trip. Meagan, our guide was very personable and knowlegable about the local geography, history, and plant and animal life. And of course astronomy as well. I'm glad we took the tour instead of trying to drive up to the top of Mauna Kea ourselves. While... more

We took the Valley Waterfalls Hike. Very expensive, not worth it. Very short hike, not that interesting either, until you get to the waterfall. Waterfall is nice. Then you turn around and hike back through the same area (again, pretty dull). Tour guide was fine, but hiked at a very slow pace for the group. All in all, took way... more