Small-Coach Sunrise Breakfast

Maui: Majestic Haleakala Sunrise Tour with Pick-up runs through Valley Isle Excursions. Rated 4.8 across 705 reviews. Runs 8 hours. From $264.

Overview

This Valley Isle Excursions tour puts you at the top of Haleakala before dawn, riding up in a coach limited to 22 travellers, then feeding you a full plated breakfast on the way back down. Hotel pickup and drop-off from South and West Side properties is built in, along with bottled water on the bus. Park admission is covered by the ticket included in the tour. The whole run lasts about 8 hours, and reviewers say the timing is well run, from pickup through breakfast to drop-off.

The shape of the morning is simple. You are collected in the small hours, driven up Crater Road to the summit area, and given roughly two hours inside Haleakala National Park, with about two hours at the crater itself, to watch the sky lighten over the volcanic landscape. After the cold at the top, the coach heads back down for a sit-down breakfast with three menu options: coconut yogurt with fresh fruit, a plantation plate of eggs, bacon, Portuguese sausage and potato hash, or macadamia nut pancakes with bacon and Portuguese sausage.

It suits travellers who want the sunrise and the crater without organising the drive themselves, and who do not mind a very early start. Guides give history commentary on the drive, which reviewers regularly praised as informative. Anyone with breathing issues should talk to a doctor first because of the elevation gain, though the coach carries an oxygen generator.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickupPickup and drop-off are included from South and West Side hotels. The start is in the small hours to reach the summit before sunrise.
2. Drive up Haleakala HighwayThe coach travels Haleakala Highway and passes along Crater Road toward the summit, with guide commentary on Maui's history along the way.
3. Haleakala National ParkTwo hours inside the park, admission ticket included. You are at the viewpoint in time for sunrise.
4. Haleakala CraterTwo hours at the crater, admission ticket included. Crater Road is passed by on the route.
5. Plated breakfastA sit-down breakfast after the descent, with three menu options plus bottled water.
6. Hotel drop-offReturn to South and West Side hotels. The full tour runs about 8 hours.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again in reviews of this exact tour, mostly about cold, food and timing.

• Dress for cold. Many reviews mention how cold and windy the summit is, even for Maui. Bring more layers than seems reasonable, and one reviewer wished they had gloves. The operator provides ponchos and warm fleece blankets, which reviewers said helped a lot, but they are a supplement, not a substitute.
• Very early start. Pickups happen in the middle of the night to reach the summit before the sun does.
• Breakfast after, not before. Multiple reviewers called the breakfast delicious, and there are three menu options to choose from.
• Weather can hide the sun. The sunrise depends entirely on conditions at the summit, and clouds or fog can block the view. Nothing can be done about that at this elevation, so check the forecast, and go in knowing the summit and the drive are part of the experience even on a grey morning.
• Small coach, group feel. The tour caps at 22 travellers, which keeps the vehicle and summit stop manageable. Reviewers described the guides as informative and funny, with history commentary given along the drive.
• Elevation caution. The summit sits at high elevation. The listing advises anyone with breathing issues to consult a doctor beforehand; the coach does carry an oxygen generator. Most travellers can participate, and the vehicle and surfaces are wheelchair accessible.

Common issues. It is a group tour with up to 22 travellers, not private, and private arrangements are excluded from the package. Cancellation requires at least 24 hours' notice for a refund.

Before You Book A Seat