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Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures

star-533 Reviews
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Hilo, United States
Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures
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Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures
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From $229.00

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Number of travelers
1 Adult2 Adults3 Adults4 Adults0 Youths1 Youth2 Youths3 Youths4 Youths
Non-refundable
You will not receive a refund if you cancel. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon6 hours  (approx.)
Pickup from select hotels
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds

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Overview

Discover Hawaii's highest point as you trek up to the 13,803-foot (4,207.3-meter) summit of Mauna Kea. Travel by road to the Onizuka Astronomy Complex, then enjoy a scenic guided hike to the summit, passing international telescopes and panoramic viewpoints. Arrive at the top of the volcano in time to watch the sunset, then return to Onizuka for a guided star-gazing experience (no telescopes provided).
  • Magnificent views as you watch the sunset from Hawaii's highest point
  • Enjoy stargazing with a laser pointer at the Onizuka Astronomy Complex
  • Hassle-free pickup and drop-off at your Hilo hotel
  • Intimate small-group experience with a maximum of nine people
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From $229.00

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All Fees and Taxes
Dinner
Telescopes
Jacket
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3:00 PM
This activity will end right where it started.Our Mauna Kea Tour begins in HILO only meets guests in Hilo or at the Onizuka Visitor Center on Mauna Kea. We DO NOT pick up guests from Kona, Waikoloa, any hotels on the west-most side of the Big Island, or any cities other than HILO on the east-most side of the Big Island.
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
  • Age minimum 16 years old
  • Not recommended to guests that have scuba dived in the last 24 hours.
  • Not recommended for travelers with respiratory conditions
  • Not recommended to consume intoxicants during or directly before this tour
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 13 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Arnott's Lodge
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
  • Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
See all safety measures taken by Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures?
A:The policies on sanitization are:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
  • Gear/equipment sanitized between use
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
See all safety measures taken by Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures?
A:The policy on staff health & safety is:

  • Regular temperature checks for staff
See all safety measures taken by Mauna Kea Arnott's Adventures.

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Reviews

5.0
star-5
33 Reviews
5 stars
29
4 stars
2
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
1

Reviews by Viator travelers

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Showing 1-10 of 33 reviews
star-5
Fabulous experience
Jiafu_O
, Jun 2022
He is very professional knowledgeable and caring tour guide, especially with stargazing. He Tells great stories and history.!
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icon Response from Host , Jun 2022
Thank you for taking this tour with us! We are so glad you had a great experience.
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star-5
Fantastic Mauna Kea Tour!
Jana_G
, Mar 2022
The visit to Mauna Kea for sunset, was spectacular! Also, the stargazing after. Our guide David was so knowledgeable about The volcano, The Stars, Hilo and Hawaii in general. It was a pleasure to spend time with him. We also stopped at Rainbow Falls on our way up. I frequent Hawaii for work, and have already given the information to several co-workers! Loved it! I will use this company again for other tours.
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icon Response from Host , Jun 2022
Thank you so much for reviewing us! We try our best to give exceptional tours, no matter which tour you take :) We are so glad you enjoyed your time with David.
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star-5
Beautiful
Luis_E
, Jan 2022
Beautiful. Guide was very friendly. Made the time very enjoyable. Would definitely do it again in the future.
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icon Response from Host , Jan 2022
Thank you for your review! We appreciate you and your adventure with us.
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star-1
Poor
Zijie_S
, Jan 2022
The tour was cancelled due to the mountain closed, the operator only agreed to refund 50% that was around 100 USD for each person, it is a very expensive ride. I tried to argue for a 75% refund as that was a more reasonable amount and I understood the guide has spent his time on, we are okay to bear some of the risk of cancellation. However, this is where I start to rate them 1 star, they not only do not respond the message at all, they made up stories to Viator that they "have sent us there twice and completed 50% of the trips, the front desk had clearly communicated with us if we chose to reschedule our tour, there would be only 50% refund". Disputes do happen, we are both nice people, but at this kind of attitude, I would avoid the tour operators at all costs in the future.
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icon Response from Host , Jan 2022
Aloha! We have a very different view on what occurred with your reservation and had the evidence to back it up, but we are sorry that you felt like you did not have a good experience. Our cancellation policy is clear and we followed it to the letter in your case. Mahalo!
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star-4
Mauna Kea summit tour
Todd_W
, Dec 2021
Donna was a really good guide and made it a good experience. She is very knowledgeable and personable. The summit is beautiful nd a cool experience. We didn’t get to see the sunset because of the clouds but that isn’t anybody’s fault. The thing that could have made my rating 5 stars is if we would have known we could meet the group at the access road to Mauna Kea. We drove from the Kona side so meeting at the access road would have saved us 90 minutes of driving (45 each way).
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icon Response from Host , Jan 2022
Thank you for your review and feedback! We are so glad you had a great time on the adventure and will do our best make our meeting options more clear to guests whenever possible.
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star-5
A++ for Andrus and Arnotts Mauna Kea Tour!
Eric_P
, Dec 2021
Andrus was a terrific guide! Very passionate about his job and was very informative! He checked on everyone regularly to make sure they were feeling well. Safety was his main concern! Beautiful views…. Sunset and full Moon viewing! So pretty!! Thank you for an adventurous trip! Ps- dress warm!
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icon Response from Host , Jan 2022
Thank you for your review! We love seeing our guests have a great time on our adventures with our fantastic guides.
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star-5
Wonderful experience ! We...
Jaclyn_R
, Nov 2021
Wonderful experience ! We loved our guide! He was very informative enjoyed every second of the trip.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
AMAZING!
Ryan_Y
, Aug 2021
This is a MUST-GO experience on the Big Island but make sure you dress warm! Our guide was amazing & knowledgeable she made the tour fun & answered all the questions.
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2 travelers found this review helpful
star-5
Must see!
Jennifer_L
, Aug 2021
Must see!! What an amazing experience! Way more than I expected with an incredible guide! Andreas was very personable and knowledgeable
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Great adventure
Bhagyesh_P
, Aug 2021
It was an amazing time going up the mountain as well as down. The trip was smooth and simple. The views that we got were amazing and we heard amazing stories along the way. We were able to take a lot of photos and our driver took photos for us which was really nice. Overall an amazing time I'm just sad I forgot to tip. Don't forget your jackets it will be very cold
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-4
Pray for clear skies!
Jeffrey_C
, Aug 2021
Everything was arranged well; they also replied to several of my questions in a timely manner regarding the summit trip. The only reason I give this adventure less than 5* is NOT the fault of the operator, Arnott's; it's because there is no guarantee of clear skies and it's a very expensive--more than two hundred dollars-- SUV ride around moonlike landscape if you don't get clear skies. We had clear enough skies for a nice sunset, but zero stars to see. That said, you can return to Onizuka visitor center in a normal car and see stars on another clear night if you want. Everything was well organized and they were responsive to questions, and the guide and driver were super friendly; so, I appreciated them. I did see some other tour companies with some better perks-- nicer vans, some snacks offered, and free use of a parka/jacket; Arnotts had an older (but in good condition) van, no snacks, and a $25 fee to use their parkas. Still, I do recommend them.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
There is no price you could put on how amazing this experience was
Marisa_Z
, Jul 2021
Absolutely 100% breathtaking (no pun intended). This experience was unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. Donna, our tour guide was INCREDIBLE. So knowledgeable, fun, exciting, and overall contributed so much to making this adventure that much better. She helped us feel safe, taught us about the gorgeous rich history of the volcanos, Hawaii’s people and environment, astrology, just enhanced the already outstanding experience of these sacred Hawaiian lands. And, what made all of that even better, was supporting a smaller local business while we got to do it all. 100% recommend this adventure- there is truly no price you could put on this experience.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Memorable Adventure!
David_C
, Jul 2021
We truly enjoyed and will always remember this tour favorably. Our tour guide Andras was knowledgeable and explained all in detail. This was a small group so we got personal attention. The views of the sunset on Mauna Kea and the stargazing were highlights. We highly recommend this tour!!
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star-5
Best activity on the island
Sara_C
, Jul 2021
The trip was amazing, David was amazing. Serious nerd paradise with the telescopes on Mauna Kea, and of course the sunset was beyond belief. It was cloudy so the star gazing wasn’t perfect, but I still saw more stars than I ever see at home.
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star-5
INCREDIBLE
Sally_F
, Jun 2021
I can’t express how much we enjoyed our sunset tour with David from Arnotts Adventures. His love of the island was evident and his knowledge of constellations and stargazing was incredible. I am so glad we splurged and booked this sunset and stargazing tour. It was one of the highlights of our time on the big island. I would suggest starting from Hilo so you get plenty of time to hear more history and facts about the island.
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star-5
Extreme Star gazing with Donna
ravi_a
, Jun 2021
Donna kept us engaged throughout with tid bits about Hawaiian culture and her knowledge of Astronomy
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Unique experience with a great guide.
Patrik_N
, May 2021
A great experience - Donna was a super nice guide and had lots of stories to tell on the way up and down the mountain. The sunset at the summit was breathtaking and the stargazing was also nice, Donna pointed out the constellations and told stories. Tip - Make sure to bring really warm clothes, it was freezing (~ 28 F) on the top even though it was 75-80 F when we left from Hilo in May.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-3
Great experience...not great lodge staff
Luisa_L
, May 2021
The experience was great, and the driver/guide was fantastic, however the staff at the hotel were unprofessional and I suspect were not transparent with the people in the tour. They had planned for 2 buses and were not able to secure 2 drivers and instead of being straightforward with us, decided to single out the people who had used Viator to book and a told a group of 4 people they couldn’t go because Viator had messed up. We later discovered this wasn’t true when we got to the visitor center and the person up there was asking about the other bus
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2 travelers found this review helpful
star-5
Otherworldly Experience
Kevin_N
, May 2021
Watching a sunset from above the clouds at 14,000 feet was simply amazing. We were staying in Kona, however all the tours were sold out, so we made the 1.5 hr car ride to Hilo for this tour and it was well worth it. Our guide was very accommodating, very knowledgeable and very friendly.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
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