travelbug2007

Is there a cheaper way to get to the Mauna Kea Summit on the Big Island? The tour operators want more to go up there than the helicopter ride over the volcano.

They make it a 8 hour or longer trip including dinner, etc. Can anyone recommend a tour operator that does just a simple trip up there that is cheaper?

I thought I read somewhere that there is a free tour offered from the Visitors center to the summit. Can anyone confirm this? If so, how difficult is it to get to the visitor's center on our own?

Thanks

SMM

The Summit was one of our Hawaii trip highlights. Even better than the volcano. Saturday is a free looksee from the observatory. I would definitely jump on that opportunity. We didn't have a Saturday stay, so we used one of the tour groups. Mauna Kea is extremely cold at the top and the tour operator supplied the down jackets. The meal, company, tour guide's knowledge was worth the cost.

crys

To go up yourself, you need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to make the climb.

davidinhawaii1

Well, whichever way you go... plan it out well.

Just this week, there was a 67 year old man who decided to go up there by himself, signed in on the way up... and hasn't been seen for 7 days now. I believe last night on the news they said they were abandoning the search for him. Really sad.

Mauna Kea has snow on the top of it during winter, and the winds can get bad up there... especially during a storm. Don't take it lightly. Plan out your trip, and enjoy it the right way.

David
www.HowToDoHawaii.com

travelbug2007

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to add an update to my post. My husband and I went up to the summit with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures. It was well worth the money. There was about 3 feet of snow at the time. The view of the sunset up there was amazing. The observatories are neat to see. (the outside of them, you don't get to go inside. We also did the helicopter tour over the volcano. At this point the lava activity is not that exciting, so the summit was actually a better experience than the volcano.

Cheers

SusanC

Arnottslodge has a cheaper ($110) tour from Hilo. Other trip from west side is $197. Arnott does not include dinner - and I need to find out if they provide parkas!

Times vary w/ season but now it leaves at 2 and returns at 9:30. Leaves M-W-F. We've booked although I'm still trying to decide if it's what I want to do.

The free tour to top from visitors center is a caravan for those who come with their own 4WD.

luvtravl

We saw lots of folks at the visitor's center that did not have 4WD. You need it to go to the summit though. The view of the stars from the visitor's center were amazing. We'll go again on our next visit.

DebitNM

FWIW, I believe that going up there in a rental car [even an SUV] is not allowed per the terms of rental agreement and voids the contract for most of the regular car rental places like Avis, Hertz etc.

Deb