Maunakea Stellar Explorer HILO: A Multifaceted Space Exploration Tour in Hawaii

Embark on a thrilling space exploration tour in Hawaii with Maunakea Stellar Explorer HILO. Experience nighttime astronomical observing and safe daytime solar viewing with expert guides.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Rainbow Falls - Start your adventure in quaint Hilo town where you’ll drive along the historic waterfront before arriving at Rainbow Falls. This iconic waterfall right off a postcard features an 80 foot tall twin waterfall system. Look for the rainbow effect that gives the waterfall its name!
What's Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Professional guide
  • Bottled water
  • Dinner
  • Beverages
  • Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

For an exceptional celestial journey, try Maunakea Stellar Explorer powered by KapohoKine Adventures. This exhilarating experience is the sole Big Island celestial tour offering nocturnal star observation AND daytime solar inspection that’s open to everyone! Our expert astronomy guides are unrivaled in Hawaii, with one even establishing the Mauna Kea…

Location
93 Banyan Dr
Banyan Drive
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(84 Ratings)
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1 star
Lhasacompton
Sep 19, 2024
Sights and stars - Great way to catch several sights and get out among the stars. Our group was a hoot! More fun sharing the experience with other travelers who share your interests.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rebecca_h
Aug 17, 2024
Family tour hilo - The tour guide Eric was awesome. So knowledgeable. Looking at the sun through the telescope was amazing.
Review provided by Viator
Lisaad6397pj
May 8, 2024
Take this tour - the stargazing is unmatched! - You’ll never see as many stars as you will on this excursion! We were staying in Waikoloa so we drove Hawaiian belt road to do some sight seeing and then had late lunch at Hawaiian Style Cafe (amazing) in Hilo before meeting our tour guide Henry. Henry was very knowledgeable with each part of the tour. We drove through the gardens and learned of Hawaiian history on our way to Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots. They were cool and then we went to the top to see the island’s oldest Banyan tree. Next We drove to the lava cabes and went in about 1/2 mile. It was not tough to walk but tou wNt to wear closed shoes like sneakers. Henry explained about how the heat of lava created different formations. Then we drove anout 45 minutes up Mauna Kea for view of sunset above the clouds and dinner of sandwiches and salads. We did not go to the peak because of lower oxygen levels and cool temps. Henry gives great overview of star formations and uses laser to point out constellations. The Dobsonian telescope proves you with beautiful star sighting and is also used to show you deep space. This tour was mime and my son’s favorite thing we did on the big island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kim_d
Feb 2, 2024
Our tour guide was so... - Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and really made the experience wonderful. We really enjoyed making some stops before we went star gazing.
Review provided by Viator
Terri_g
Jan 29, 2024
A tour that offers more than you expect! - Everything about this tour was done in a professional manner---communications, tour bus, picnic meal selections, parkas, telescope equipment. But the experience was made even better by Nate, the tour guide. He is so knowledgeable about the Hawaiian culture and history and the sites we visited. His passion was contagious!
Review provided by Viator
Janet_f
Jan 13, 2024
Best tour we've ever taken!! - Henry was the best!!!! And very knowledgeable. Loved the history lessons of Hawaii and the plant life. A little disappointed about kaumauna cave, but the nature walk was good sub. Thank you doesn't really say it all.
Review provided by Viator
Trudy_h
Jan 9, 2024
Amazing!!!! Totally worth every penny. - This was an amazing experience. Rich, our tour guide, was so knowledgeable and fun he really brought everything to life. We have 19 year old twins who loved it, and Rich was able to engage with the adults and younger kids too.
Review provided by Viator
Karen_z
Dec 29, 2023
Good experience - Pretty good and well organized route and tour. The night sky is less impressive than what I saw on social media, but still pretty good. Our dinner order got mixed up - I spent some time collecting our group’s order and communicating with admin, but we ended up with all ham sandwiches.
Review provided by Viator
Heather_k
Mar 28, 2024
Don't book with this company but ask for a referral to Rich. - Our guide Rich recovered the tour. Less than 24 hours before the tour the company called to cancel, because only my daughter and I had booked. I had to book a third booking myself to even get the tour. When we arrived we realized the tour doesn't actually go to the observatory. It stops at a rest stop along the "Saddle" road and you observe thru a telescope. Our guide was extremely well educated and knew the situation the company put us in with misleading ads and forcing us to overpay at the last minute. He went out of his way to help us appreciate Hilo anyway. I can't recommend this company, but if you can find Rich he's is one of the best guides I've ever used.
Review provided by Viator
Pufferfishdeal
Jan 5, 2024
Beware and book this only if you want to do charity! - The worst experience I would say. They don’t tell you properly that they don’t go to the summit. They say “they avoid taking you to the native land.” In fact, they don’t even take you to the visitor center. They take you off of highway and set up a telescope and show you 5-6 stars and talk for 1 hour or so. We were just 6k feet high. They give you a morsel of rice and exactly 4 zucchini pieces for dinner, which could cost you $2. They say that they provide hot chocolate and coffee, but we didn’t get anything. It was such a waste of time and money. There were 3 buses from the same company at the same time…everyone of them were pissed or surprised that the way they scammed us. I’m not sure who rated 5 stars to this tour? May be their own people? I want to rate them zero so that others can save their money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $241
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).