Winter Special

Winter Special Tour

MKSA RESERVATIONS TEAM   808-322-2366

Aloha, you have been referred here by the MKSA Reservations team. We created this page to give you more information about our offer of a ” Winter Special tour”. Please peruse this page and after making a decision call us back with either a  YES, we want to do this or No thanks.  We need to know your answer within an hour so that we can order the food, fill the seats or refund any cancellations. We appreciate your flexibility and consideration. Mahalo, MKSA Reservations

The Winter Special Tour has been created as an alternative activity when our classic Mauna Kea Sunset and Stargazing Adventure cannot be run because of road closure. These events only occur in the winter months of November- April.  Road closures are triggered by high upper-level winds, any snow on roads or rime icing conditions in the summit region. The summit road can remain closed for several days after one of these events. In the past the restrictions were few and closures brief but nowadays we are experiencing many more closures and they are longer in duration. That is why we have worked hard to create the Winter Special Tour as an excellent alternative to our classic.

The same conditions that close the road are often very good for stargazing down below the upper level winds. The stargazing portion of our regular tour is the most attractive element of our classic tour to many people. The Winter Special skips the summit part but brings the night sky into even greater focus. We hope you’ll consider

Facts:

  • Cost- We will have a special fare of $140(tax inclusive) . This fare is not subject to any discounts however you can request a meal delete(-$9).
  • Participation in this alternative is purely at the customers will. If you wish to cancel altogether you are welcome to do so, at no charge. Please respond by 10 AM with your decision.
  • Duration- typically 6 1/2 -7 1/2 hours (1.5 hrs. less than regular)
  • Pick up times- will be exactly one hour later than the regular schedule tour. Please reconfirm with reservations if you have a special group pick-up
  • Return-will be approximately 30 minutes earlier than regular schedule.
  • Special features- We will have time for more photos stops and more Eco-tour content We will be producing a special stargazing program utilizing the extremely clear dry skies typical the season.
  • Stargazing- will typically last 20 minutes longer than the regular tour, except on extremely chilly nights. The observing pace may be a bit more relaxed and expect some very cool seldom seen objects.
  • We will be providing auxiliary heat in the bus to warm you up on these chilly nights.
  • The stargazing portion of the trip may be done wherever the guide finds the best skies and comfortable conditions. We will typically have a variety of excellent sites available from 5,000Ft. – 9,500FT.
  • Weather Guarantee: We will only run this tour when we are quite confident the mid-level skies will remain clear enough for stargazing. Should we find ourselves clouded out, we will return and refund the fare minus a small service charge to cover food and the Mauna Kea user fee.
  • Cancellations: If you sign up for the Winter Special tour it will  not be refundable as it will be inside our 24 hour cancellation period.

 

Winter Special Tour F.A.Q’s

  1. When will I know if MKSA intends to offer the “Winter Special” Tour?
  2. Our Reservations team will attempt to reach all of our booked customers by phone between 8-9 AM on the day of the tour. We will not offer the Special tour until the morning of the originally scheduled tour in case the road has opened overnight. If we cannot reach someone we will sell their seat, if possible, starting at 10 AM. If you choose not to respond or cannot respond your seats might still be available but we may not be able to offer food service. If you are staying in a remote place with poor communications you should find a real telephone and call us at 808-322-2366. We will not be responsible if you cannot be reached at the contacts listed. If you are boon docking, you’ll have to call us.

 

  1. We had our hearts set on the summit and now we have to decide about this alternative tour. How long do we have to decide?
  2. We will make an attempt to call/message you between 8-9AM firstly in your hotel and secondly on your cell. You will have until 10 AM to decide and call us back with your choice Go/NoGo.  Your seats may or may not be available after that as we will offer them to our standby list and the public. If you respond late, we might be able to accommodate you but without the hot meal.

 

  1. What happens if the road open while the tour is underway?
  2. The authorities never hint at what they will do. If the road opens during the tour we will go all the way to the summit (with a slightly reordered itinerary) and operate the regular Sunset and Stargazing tour.

 

  1. If the road opens and the tour goes to the summit will I have to pay full price?
  2. Yes

 

  1. It looks to me like I could just drive myself up there and save some money.
  2. Yes, you could but you’d be missing out on the excellent interpretation by our professional guides. One person won’t be able to sightsee as they drive.  You’d also miss out on our famous, private, stargazing program. We observe and interpret the night sky in a darker and quieter site with large telescopes that are in first class condition. Of course, we also provide arctic parkas, a hot meal and hot chocolate.

 

  1. How often does MKSA run the Special Winter tour?
  2. On a typical winter perhaps 3-10 evenings however road closures are becoming more common and lasting longer every year.

 

  1. What will the weather be like at Mid-mountain?
  2. Naturally I can’t predict the weather on this page but what follows is a typical scenario. Due to the very low air mass on Mauna Kea the mid-mountain is surprisingly cool on clear nights. These tours will typically be run on the clearest and thus coolest nights of the year. You should expect temperatures at or just below freezing, low humidity and visibility around 2.5 million light years. We will keep you as warm as possible with arctic parkas, ski gloves and Ghirardelli’s Hot Chocolate. You can always take shelter in the Van for a while if needed.

 

  1. I am an avid stargazer and your Winter Special tour sounds better for me, and more affordable than the Sunset and Stargazing trip. Can I just sign up for the Special Winter tour?
  2. Sorry, At this time the Special Winter tour is only offered on the same day as the originally scheduled tour. You can, however, call us each day to see if we might run one and if we might have an open seat. When we are on Special Winter schedule anyone can call and buy any seat available after 10 AM.

 

Winter special “Full Price”:  $140.00 after tax

Winter special “Meal Delete”:  $131.00 after tax

Call Now Button