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Mauna Ke'a Review
Read our Big Island sights reviews. Or post your own.
Mauna Ke'a 
Viewpoints, Mountains, Hamakua Coast
Fodor's Review:
Mauna Ke'a is the antithesis of the typical island experience. Freezing temperatures and arctic conditions are common at the summit, and snowstorms can occur year-round. It's also home to Lake Waiau, one of the highest lakes in the world. The summit -- at 13,796 feet -- is reputedly the clearest place in the world for viewing the night sky; it's also an outstanding place to see the sun rise and set. To get there, you'll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Make sure to stop at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station (808/961-2180. www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis. Daily 9 AM-10 PM), at a 9,300-foot elevation. On weekends the Onizuka Center offers escorted summit tours, heading up the mountain in a caravan. Reservations are not required for the free tours, which depart at 1 PM. The center is the best amateur observation site on the planet, with three telescopes and a knowledgeable staff. It hosts nightly stargazing sessions from 6 to 10. To get here from Hilo, which is about 34 mi away, take Highway 200 (Saddle Road), and turn right at mile marker 28 onto the John A. Burns Way, which is the access road to the summit.
If you haven't rented a four-wheel-drive vehicle, don't want to deal with driving to the summit, or don't want to leave until you see the stars (the Onizuka Center tour gets everyone off the summit no later than a half hour after sunset), consider booking a tour. All of the ones listed here provide parkas, as well as telescopes, and meals; excursion fees range from about $90 to $165. Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures (808/969-7097. www.arnottslodge.com) leaves from Hilo and is a bit cheaper than the others. Hawai'i Forest & Trail (808/331-8505 or 800/464-1993. www.hawaii-forest.com) stops for dinner along the way at a historic ranch. Mauna Kea Summit Adventures (808/322-2366. www.maunakea.com) specializes in tours to the mountain. It was the first company to do so, so it has a bit more cred than the rest of the pack.
Whether you're hiking or driving to the summit, take the change in altitude seriously -- don't overexert yourself, especially at the top. Note that scuba divers must wait at least 24 hours before attempting a trip to the summit to avoid getting the bends.
User Reviews & Ratings:
Incredible, Don't Miss This! Take a Tour!
Posted by Golnarsarge from Orange County, CA on 5/8/07
Seeing the sun set in the clouds at almost 14,000 feet elevation while national observatories open and rotate with the earth is one of the truly magnificent experiences of all time. TIP: TAKE A TOUR--it's safer, they'll take you on their bus so you don't have to make the trecherous trip up there, and feed you at the visitor center (9000 feet elevation) which cuts your chance of getting pulmonary edema by 40% since you are acclimated before you go to the summit. Also, they have oxygen tanks in case anyone gets sick and monitor your time at the summit for your safety. Taking a tour is also more worth it for the stargazing because they are led by astronomers. We took Paradise Safaris and their advanced telescope enabled us to see incredible things i.e., Saturn and it's 3 moons! among other things. On our tour, we had people from the Southern Hemisphere i.e., Australia who had never seen the North Star, and who only see certain constellations such as the big dipper for a couple of months--and when they do, it's inverted! So the stargazing was especially moving for them. They also provided us with parkas (you don't want to take up luggage space when you pack with a parka, which is another reason a tour is important). MAKE SURE YOU OBSERVE THEIR ACTIVITY AND DIETARY RULES for 24 hours prior to the trip--no scuba diving, no carbonated drinks or gas inducing foods, alcohol or caffeine.
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