Mauna Kea Summit

Mauna Kea Summit

Mauna Kea Summit
4.5
About
At 13,796 feet, this peak offers an incredible view of lava, desert, the valley and Mauna Loa.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Top ways to experience Mauna Kea Summit and nearby attractions

Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
See what travellers are saying
  • Esther P
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Views for Days
    Reaching the summit of Mauna Kea was a highlight of our time in Hawaii. Being at 13,000+ feet in elevation was an experience. We took the trip up in a 4x4 van and it was definitely something we will remember forever. The views from the summit were amazing. We totally want to come back and do a sunset and stargazing tour.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 February 2024
  • ラボタモチ
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We rented a car and drove to the top of the mountain.
    It's almost impossible to reach the summit on your own! (Or so I had heard). I decided to go there first and decide, so my wife (who was negative from the start) and I went out together. We rented a 4WD at Hilo airport and drove to the Onizuka Visitor Center to check it out. I asked the local ranger in my barely speakable English and somehow got the feeling that it would be possible, so two days later, after stargazing at the visitor center (which also helped me get used to the atmospheric pressure), we set off for the summit. It was true that the road to the summit was rough and difficult, but the ranger showed us how to use the 4WD's low gear, and we climbed slowly and were able to reach the summit. The sunrise view from the summit was more beautiful than I had imagined and I was moved. Although I was a little short of breath from the altitude sickness that I was worried about, my wife and I were in good spirits. It was a 3-night, 4-day trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, and we were blessed with good weather, making it a wonderful trip that will remain in my memory for the rest of my life.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 11 April 2024
  • Manarola3
    Austin, Texas105 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Be sure to follow the rules!
    Beautiful! I’m so glad the locals prevailed and kept the Summit the way it is; prevented the building of a huge observatory. There are already a number of them, but thankfully these will be all. The quiet summit above the clouds is a unique place and sacred to Hawaiians. Be aware that the 4WD requirement is strictly enforced. Also be sure you have at least 1/2 tank of gas. Our Truro person rented us a Jeep with only 1/4 tank of gas. We didn’t notice it. The kind agent at the Ranger Station pointed it out, and we returned to Hilo for more gas. We would not have made it up the mountain and back if he hadn’t told us!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 20 April 2024
  • murphy3120
    107 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth the Effort
    We arrived at the visitors centervaround 615, as we heard parking could be a challenge. At that time there were plenty of spots left. Nice small Center with bathrooms. We walked across the road to join lots of others at the top of a hill for sunset viewing. Lots of people but it felt festive, not crowded. A lot of folks left after that but we (4 of us) laid on a beach blanket to 830 to see the stars. It was cold but worth it - breathtaking. Road is steep but we'll marked and maintained.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 June 2024
  • CA
    Dallas, Texas786 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go for the sunset!
    We drove up to Mauna Kea for the sunset. There is a large parking lot next to the visitors center. The visitors center has public restrooms. Although we were in a 4WD vehicle, we opted not to go to the summit. It was really close to sunset when we arrived. We parked, walked across the road and followed other groups up to the top of a large hill. The viewing was spectacular. We went the first week in March. Even though we were having beach days, Mauna Kea was having winter storm warnings that week! You need warm clothes up there! As we drove up the sun was shining. We saw a rainbow end to end! When we parked and stepped out of the jeep it was cold! Think pants, jackets, layers, gloves! We walked through a cold mist. It almost seemed like snow flurries hiking up the hill. You need good shoes with traction. It’s a short but steep climb up the hill on dirt and rocks. The view is rewarding. We don’t regret not going to the actual summit. Coming down after the sunset it was even colder. We were hiking through clouds. It was nice to experience.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 24 June 2024
  • Sara F
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing science at work: wish I went to stargaze!
    Beautiful views! Free entry! I went during midday, though, and wish I went to stargaze. We weren't originally planning on going to the summit and enjoyed the Visitor's Center. The ride from Kona didn't feel too long. We didn't feel the elevation, though it did feel chilly at that point. My windbreaker was enough, though my mom wore her jacket. As we were leaving, we talked with the ranger who checked our car and then we decided to go the rest of the way up since we were already here! The ride was dirt for the first chunk and quite bumpy! We gained elevation quickly and my mom got some altitude sickness. Once at the top, we walked around and took pictures of the observatories. We saw Haleakla on Maui from our vantage point. It was CHILLY and I wish I had my sweatpants. With just a windbreaker and shorts, though, I was able to run around and get some pictures of the scenery. The observatories are NOT open for walk in visitors. The ride down was the same up (but reverse). The ranger at the Visitor Center checked the temp of our breaks and told us to pull over to let them cool for 15 minutes. There are clean bathrooms and water filling station at the Visitor Center. If I could, next time I would love to train to do the hike from the visitor center to the summit. It's about 4-5miles long, big elevation gain, and takes around 8 hours. Because of the temperatures when it gets dark, they discourage hikers who start after noon. Those who I talked to really enjoyed it, but did say it was pretty challenging.
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 5 October 2024
  • FilipinoMom
    Orange County, California93 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So Worth it!
    We went with a Tour company to take us up to the Summit (sunset). Amazing experience & breathtaking views. The tour company even brought a telescope - powerful enough to see the intricate details of the moon! It was worth having a tour company, because you can learn all the history behind the Summit.
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 October 2024
  • Samantha H
    36 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Absolutely incredible- You don't even need to go to the summit!
    We had such an incredible experience going to the Mauna Kea at sunset. We almost decided to skip this, but we met a couple that said it was one of the best experiences they had. They convinced us to go, and we are so glad they did!! The drive from our hotel to the entrance wasn't too bad. We definitely could feel the elevation difference, so we just made sure to go slow. Once we hit the entrance, it was a steep way up, but fully paved. We pulled off at one point to take a beautiful picture of the sunset. Just continue going up slowly. Feel free to let other cars pass you, too. Once we were at the visitor center, we realized there just wasn't enough time to acclimate ourselves for about a half hour before the trek up to the summit. The visitor center doesn't have many lights, but it still didn't make it fully dark. We noticed some people using their phone flashlights to go up a hill right across from the visitor center, so we decided to do that, too, and we are SO glad we did! It wasn't too bad of a hike up the hill, just go slowly because of the oxygen levels in the air. Once at the top, we turned off our flashlight and were absolutely AMAZED by the view. You could see the Milky Way galaxy, a planet (I can't remember which one now), and so many incredible stars. If you are nervous about the summit/elevation change/4WD, I think you can literally see just as well from here. Don't skip out on this. It is absolutely incredible. I even saw a shooting star on our walk back down! Just make sure to bring a jacket, gloves, pants, and sneakers.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 October 2024
  • Samuel T
    19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Outstanding views
    Well worth the drive to the top if you hava an AND or 4x4. Views are stunning. Take warm clothes. You will not be disappointed. It was my 2nd favorite thing on the big island besides a helicopter tour with landing that cost a boatload.......and this is free. We even saw the A3 comet on the way down.
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 23 October 2024
  • nicole_chelli
    New Haven, Connecticut889 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The highlight of our trip
    We were hoping to catch the sunset and stars from the summit during our trip. We had several rainy days that were forecasted but still attempted to go and were so glad we did. It rained the majority of the drive to the volcano but once we started climbing higher we were above the clouds and the sun was shining. Once you arrive at the visitors center all cars are required to stop and check in here. If you are planning to go to the summit to watch the sunrise, you will need an all-wheel drive vehicle and an informational talk with the park ranger prior to your ascent. While we did have an all-wheel drive vehicle that could drive to the summit we chose to stay at the visitor’s center. The workers at the visitor’s center suggested this small “hike” up this hill to get the best view of the sunset, we did it and it was amazing. Afterwards we waited in our car and hung out at the visitor’s center waiting for the sun to completely set so we can stargaze. The temperature drops quickly so be sure to bring warm layers, it was about 40 degrees at the visitors center once the sun was completely gone. Another reason why we forwent going to the summit was 30 minutes after the sunsets is when you have to depart down the mountain to the visitors center. If you want to stargaze, parking is at the visitor’s center and started to fill up and eventually get full when everyone at the summit was coming down. Seeing the starts was beautiful. You can see the milky way with the naked eye. The visitor’s center also had a scheduled little informational talk in where they talked about the ancient Hawaiians using the stars for navigation and pointed those out along with visible constellations. They used a laser pointer that pointed directly what they wanted you to look at. Totally worth a visit and this visit we did was free.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 October 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles4,640 reviews
Excellent
3,732
Very good
666
Average
171
Poor
31
Terrible
42

Dallas Traveler
161 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
We rented a 4WD Jeep and drove to the summit. The park ranger makes sure you have at least 1/2 tank of gas and that you know how to put the Jeep in the correct gear, etc. We had no problems at all and the road is paved for at least half the distance from the visitors center to the summit. If you are not a confident, capable driver I would not recommend driving yourself. There were several tour buses at the top but a lot of people in their own 4WD vehicles too. You must stop at the visitor center for at least
30 minutes before going up. They have a nice gift shop and the rangers are informative. We left our lodging in Volcano about 4 pm and had plenty of time to get there, visit the visitor center, drive up and explore before watching the amazing sunset. It is really cold up there so take a jacket. We bought a blanket at the visitor center and we were glad we had it. There are portable restroom facilities at the summit too but my kids said they were pretty nasty.
Written 6 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

drashish83
Boston, MA37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Family
This is a must visit for everyone who enjoys star gazing at night. Mauna Kea visitor center started their telescopes the day we visited after a gap of 4 years. The guides from visitor center are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about educating kids and people visiting. It’s completely free and you can actually see active volcano at Kilauea from back side of visiting center.
Few tips while driving. Take it slow as oxygen levels are low on the top. Adjust your body to low oxygen levels. Take 4 wheel drive with near full fuel tank and use low gears when driving slopes.
Written 13 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul S
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Booked our tour with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures. Had a wonderful experience and the food was pretty good, too! Our guide (Travis) did an excellent job of providing local history and making the whole trip fun, entertaining, and educational. We learned a lot, witnessed a pretty amazing sunset, and had plenty of time to view multiple celestial objects through one of the large and pricey telescopes provided and set up by MKSA near the visitor center. (One telescope for each of the two vans in the tour.) Well executed and highly recommended.
Written 1 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Samantha S
106 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2022 • Family
After doing quite a bit of research, we decided to go as a family of 20 to check out the Mauna Kea Summit to watch the sunset & stargazing. It really is such a unique experience and a wonderful evening activity. Even if you are unsure or hesitant about the weather, layer layer layer and dress warm because it is freezing! The drive up was so cool because it truly felt like we were riding above the fog and clouds. You definitely need a 4 wheel drive vehicle as they do check your vehicle before allowing you to head up to the summit. Make sure you arrive at least an hour before the scheduled sunset time as they require you to wait 30 minutes at the visitor center before driving up so you can get acclimated to the altitude. The drive from the visitor center to the summit is about another 30 minutes. You can drive to the visitor center in any type of car but the sunset views are pretty non existent unless you hike up the hill across the street. The visitor center doesn’t have much except a handful of souvenirs so you pretty much have to sit in the car or bring your own folding chairs should you decide to sit outside. The night sky gets truly dark about an hour after the sun sets and then the stars light up and you can see the most stunning view of the Milky Way. I wish the cars in the parking area would turn their headlights off to avoid disrupting the views - that was the only bummer. It was definitely worth while, just come prepared! Oh and definitely make sure you have a full tank of gas before heading towards Mauna Kea as there are zero gas stations nearby.
Written 28 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Love to go places
Hildebran, NC106 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021
This was such an awesome experience! Driving up, it was drizzling and so foggy I was worried we wouldn't get to see anything. I was praying God would let us see just one good view of the susset. Walking up it was all still foggy and cloudy, we started to leave, but dragged around a little bit then the fog started to lift and we started to see the mountains peaking... next thing we knew the sunset starting turning all colors of red. What a beautiful sunset! So glad we did it and didn't turn back.

On a side note, a kid ran up and fell to his face. His siblings were giggling so we laughed too until we realized he wasn't playing. His mother said he ran all the way up, with the altitude change, just nearly fainted. We were only at the visitor center but it still is no joke. Please take pre-caution.
Written 26 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RG_WorldTravel
Los Angeles, CA550 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021 • Family
We did the drive up to the peak of Mauna Kea twice. The first time we arrived a little late and missed what is described as the best sunset on the island.

The peak of Mauna Kea is home to over a dozen telescopes and at least 6-7 huge structures housing these very sophisticated telescopes which belong to various countries along with national institutions and with NASA.

Reaching the peak requires a 4x4 vehicle and isn’t for the feint hearted. The road is steep, several miles of which is sand, and the altitude is high (13,700 feet or 4,200 meters) above sea level. So the air is thing and you need to spend time acclimating on the way up. They recommend stopping at the 9,200’ station (and the last bathroom stop) and doing so for 30 mins.

Once you get to the top, the experience is worth the effort. Views for 50+ miles, sitting above the clouds, and a sunset second to none. The terrain also feels somewhat Martian. Amazing!
Written 11 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

joe1212
San Francisco, CA258 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023
FYI to others wondering about driving up. We were there July 2023 in a rental AWD and were NOT allowed up. Rangers had a literal checkpoint at the visitor center to inspect cars and required 4x4 or AWD…and also first and second manual gears. Logic is you need the car in those lower gears so “transmission/engine braking” slows the car and you do not have to ride the brakes on the way down. Our AWD only had a “low” mode which was not enough to satisfy the rangers. Also, they literally will stick their head in your car to view your transmission option. Be warned!

FYI photo attached is a rising moon, milky way, stars taken just with an iPhone 14 ProMax at the visitor center.Also, I did drive up to the summit in a normal 2WD car like 10 years ago. Absolutely beautiful and get up there if you can!
Written 17 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Trey R
Santa Rosa, CA10 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
This was something my husband had always wanted to do, and I had talked him out of it on previous visits as I didn't want him taking a rental car up the mountain. For his birthday this year I booked a tour and with tip it was $500 for the two of us. Considering most of the "tour" is a bus ride I would have to say that the tour is overpriced by a lot! Especially since we didn't get the Professional Celestron telescope viewing or FREE night photo with professional camera. We got to wear parka's and gloves though... Aidan our guide for the main 4 X 4 bus ride to the summit was the best part (aside from the sunset at the top of Mauna Kea). Aidan recited the history, and the science of the mountain (and the island) with a lot of expertise and passion. It was very clear he had a strong interest and was happy to be sharing what he knew. It wasn't a good night for star gazing, and the trip was cut short so we were left feeling cheated, and certainly gouged on the price of this tour.
Written 29 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GrandpaJoeGrandmaDee
Alberta, Canada163 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022 • Family
Truly a Life Experience

Volcano Park and the Mauna Kea summit were fascinating. Our family party of seven with a mobility challenged senior had no difficulty in exploring the various attractions (except the lava tubes which had stairs). Even the 2 mile walk to the summit to view the active volcano was no problem - even with the last 200 yards of gravelled walkway,

The park is very well laid out with plenty of signage and interpretive postings. Everything was well maintained and very clean.

The 30 dollar entry fee for our entire group was very reasonable for the experience.
Written 28 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

maitaimike2015
Laguna Hills, CA279 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2021
I have been to the summit on two previous occasions with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, (excellent outfit). Their tours are kind of pricey, but worth it if the weather is cooperating. The sunsets, and view of the night sky is amazing. This visit, we all decided to take a trip up early, on a clear view gorgeous day. On the drive up from Kona, we could see that both Mauna Kea & Mauna Loa, had a good bit of snow well below the summits. Our original plan was to stop at the Onizuka visitor center. Finding that it was closed, we checked with the rangers, and having an AWD vehicle, headed for the summit. (your rental car contract may have certain prohibitions, so go at your own risk).

The dirt road was bone dry, with little wind, so all went well. (if you have driven off road, and follow their safety protocols, you should have no issues). Of course we were a little under dressed, but sending photos to friends and family of us in the snow, in Hawaiian shirts and shorts was hilarious. We saw others building snowmen, making snow angels, & sledding on boogie boards. I would recommend layering for freezing temps. You are often going from sea level to 13,796 ft., so altitude sickness can be an issue.

Also, make sure you have plenty of gas in the tank. If you are bringing food, there are picnic tables at the visitor center, yet only porta-potties, as it is still closed at the time of my review. Knowing the weather forecast is crucial before you go. The various telescopes at the summit are not open to the public, just so you know. It was totally worth it on this visit, while on our way to Hilo.

Mahalo.
Written 13 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 3,779
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Mauna Kea Summit (2025) - All You MUST Know Before You Go (with Reviews)

All Kailua-Kona HotelsKailua-Kona Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Kailua-Kona
All things to do in Kailua-Kona
Day Trips in Kailua-Kona
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars