We were picked up curb-side by Derek in a shuttle van by the Bank of Hawaii in Kona. Then there is a shuttle change to a sprinter van driven by our tour guide - Gabe. We arrived at the visitor center and spent 30 mins to acclimatize to the altitude. Then, the climb to the top of Mauna Kea is one of the most beautiful I have ever experienced. Gabe did a good job explaining to us the views and the different Pu'us (hills) as well as the history of the mountain. It was very chilly at the top of the mountain and couple that with the thin atmosphere, it can take a while for the body to acclimatize so feeling light-headed is quite common. After watching the sunset at 7pm, we drove back down to the visitor center to star-gaze for the next hour or so. I have never seen so may stars in the sky. Definitely the best place to star-gaze possibly in the world. We left the visitor center at 9pm and arrived back in Kona at 11pm. Overall, it was a very beautiful experience, and Gabe and Derek definitely made the experience more comfortable and stress-free.