Everything to sort out before you go up the mountain: the reservation, the hour, a tour or your own car, the cold, the stars and the crater trails.
Haleakala Sunrise Reservation 2026: How to Get the $1 PermitThe $1 permit, when it drops, and how to skip it.Read the guide →
Haleakala Sunrise vs Sunset 2026: Which One to PickClouds at dawn, stars at dusk, or the crater by day.Read the guide →
Haleakala Tour vs Driving Yourself 2026: Cost and HassleReal costs, real drive times, and who should book.Read the guide →
What to Wear for Haleakala Sunrise 2026: Layers That WorkReal summit temperatures and the layers that beat them.Read the guide →
Haleakala Stargazing 2026: Tour or On Your OwnA telescope tour or your own blanket under the Milky Way.Read the guide →
Haleakala Crater Hike 2026: Trails, Altitude and ToursSliding Sands, Halemau'u and the guided crater day.Read the guide →Tours
The three tours most people choose between. Every tour has its own page with the start time, the park fee and what guests say.
Small group
★ 4.88 hoursFree cancellationValley Isle Excursions collects you from South or West side hotels around 2 a.m. for sunrise at the summit. Smaller van, oxygen on board, breakfast after the park stops.
Most booked
★ 4.710 hoursFree cancellationSunrise from the Visitor Center at 9,740 feet with Polynesian Adventure Tours, then breakfast on the way down. No $1 reservation or 3 a.m. drive for you: the guide handles both.
Sunset + stars
★ 5.05.5 hoursFree cancellationSunset from the summit with Amazing Maui Stars, then the night sky through a telescope with warm jackets and hot drinks. No 2 a.m. alarm, and no reservation needed for sunset.