Seeing the sunrise from the top of Mount Haleakalā on Maui is the most popular activity to do on the island. Because of the extreme interest, the National Park implemented a program that restricts the number of people who can travel to see the famous sunrise each day. These restrictions were put into place for two reasons:
- Protect Haleakalā's delicate environment from damage. There are a lot of plants and animals in Haleakalā National Park, especially in the summit district, that are endangered and cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
- Less crowds. When the park is less crowded for the sunrise, guests will enjoy it more and will have a better view of the sunrise. Guests will be able to find parking more easily as well, if they choose to drive themselves.
There are two ways to see the sunrise on Haleakalā. The first is to purchase a parking pass from the National Park and drive yourself to the summit. The second option is to book a sunrise tour with us!
Driving yourself to Haleakala Crater at Sunrise
Because seeing the sunrise on Haleakala is such a popular thing to do on Maui, tours and park passes frequently sell out well in advance year-round. If you are looking to drive yourself to see the sunrise at the summit of Haleakalā, it is important to purchase your vehicle pass as early as possible. It is also important to note that you can only use your sunrise pass on the day that you purchase it for. There are 150 parking passes available every day for watching the sunrise. If you would like to choose this option, you can purchase online reservations from the National Park up to 60 days in advance of your planned visit.
The reservation fee is not part of the park entrance fee. So, after you purchase your sunrise parking pass, you will have to show the pass to the entrance attendant and pay per person to get into the National Park on the morning that you are going to see the sunrise.
What if Haleakala parking passes are sold out?
Another option for seeing the famous sunrise in Haleakalā National Park is booking a sunrise tour with Skyline Hawaii. This option for seeing the sunrise is very convenient because it includes pickup and drop-off at your hotel or accommodation. It also takes away all of the stress of dealing with traffic and figuring out what time to leave in the morning so you get to the summit in time. We let you know what time we will be picking you up from your hotel and we guarantee that you will have plenty of time to settle in before the sun starts to rise. In addition to the awesome tour options we offer guests, there is also the huge benefit of not having to drive yourself. Everyone in your group gets to look around during the drive and enjoy the trip to the top of Haleakalā.
Skyline Hawaii offers two different sunrise tour experiences:
The Classic Haleakala Sunrise Tour
This tour includes guest pickup, drop-off, and breakfast after the sunrise in Upcountry Maui. During this tour, you will start your day bright and early with us as we drive you and your group to the top of Haleakalā where you will find the beautiful sunrise and breathtaking views. The full breakfast after the sunrise is enjoyed at the historic Kula Lodge.
Haleakala Sunrise & Zipline Tour
If you are looking to add a little more adventure to your sunrise tour experience, you can opt for our Sunrise and Zipline Tour of Haleakalā. During this tour, you will get to enjoy two of Maui’s most popular activities in one morning. After watching the famous sunrise with us on Haleakalā, we will take you to our zipline course on the slopes of the Maui volcano where you will soar across massive canyons and cross an Indiana Jones-style swinging bridge.
How soon should I book a Haleakala Sunrise tour or buy a pass?
As mentioned before, if you would like to drive yourself to the sunrise in the National Park, you should buy your pass as close to 60 days in advance as possible to make sure you get a vehicle pass on your desired day. But, if you choose a guided tour with us, we offer a lot more flexibility with our tour options so you can choose your desired tour and day closer to when you will be on Maui. This is especially nice when you don’t have your vacation agenda planned out very far in advance.
