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Maui guideHaleakalā sunrise tours

Sunrise above the clouds from 10,023 feet. How the reservation works, what to wear, and when a guided tour is the smarter move.

Our one pick, rated 4.7★ from 688 reviews. Updated October 2026.

Haleakalā sunrise tourMost bookedHotel pickup

Haleakalā sunrise tour

Pickup in the middle of the night, sunrise above the clouds, and no reservation or mountain driving for you. The permit is handled.

4.7 (688)9 hours
From$236See dates

The short version

Watching the sun come up over the clouds from the 10,023-foot summit of Haleakalā is the experience most people remember from Maui. It means a 2 to 3 am start and temperatures near freezing at the top. You can drive yourself with a sunrise reservation, or join a guided tour that handles the permit, the dark mountain road and the coffee.

The sunrise reservation, explained

WhatDetails
Who needs itEvery car entering the summit area between 3 and 7 am
Cost$1 per car on recreation.gov, plus the $30 park entrance fee (valid 3 days)
When to book60 days ahead at 7 am Hawaii time, and a second batch 2 days ahead at 7 am
What to bringThe confirmation, the photo ID of the person who booked it, and your park pass or payment
Sold out?Book a guided sunrise tour (they have their own permits), or go for sunset, which needs no reservation

Rules checked October 2026. Confirm on the park’s official page before you go.

Drive yourself or take a tour?

Drive yourself if you got a reservation, are fine driving a winding mountain road in the dark, and want to stay up top to hike afterwards. Take a tour if reservations are gone, if nobody wants to drive after a 2 am alarm, or if you want a guide to explain the crater, the silversword plants and the Hawaiian stories of the mountain. Bike tours that roll you down the slopes after sunrise are another way to make the early start worth it.

How to do it right

  • Dress for winter. It is often near or below freezing before dawn, with wind. Bring a warm jacket, long pants, a hat and gloves, even in July. Many tours lend parkas.
  • Do not scuba dive the day before. Going to 10,000 feet within 24 hours of diving is unsafe. Plan the sunrise before your dive trip, not after.
  • Ask your doctor first if you are pregnant or have heart or breathing problems. The air at the summit is thin.
  • Fill the tank in town. There is no gas, food or water for sale inside the park.
  • Plan it early in your trip. Jet lag from the mainland makes a 2 am wake-up easy on your first days.