By Jamie Edwards, award-winning travel writer who’s visited 70+ countries on all 7 continents
I pull a serape from a basket on the porch and spread it out across the grass. It’s too dark to see the pattern, but I know it’s blue, with narrow black stripes and broad bands of red, yellow, and green. As I settle down, the coarse wool presses against me. The air is dry, but not cold. And while the blanket isn’t necessary, it anchors me to this small patch of earth in Utah where I will spend the next few hours.
My husband, daughter, and son join me. They unfurl their serapes until we’ve created a patchwork of bold, primary colors against the dark earth. We lie back, shoulder to shoulder, eyes turned upward. It’s nearly midnight. We’re ready.
What’s Astrotourism?
We didn’t come to Utah to stargaze. Our travel plans involved hiking, mountain biking, and visiting National Parks. Stargazing wasn’t even an activity I’d given much thought to before. But when I discovered that the area surrounding Arches National Park is a prime stargazing location, we were all in. I ask our kids if they’d like to join us in an activity that starts at midnight. Their excitement is palpable.
Astrotourism, familiarly known as stargazing, is a hobby that almost anyone can enjoy. You might assume telescopes, binoculars, or other fancy gear are essential. They aren’t, although they can enhance the experience. Star charts are helpful, but far from critical, especially if your goal is to simply behold the universe and chill out.
Settled onto our serapes, we sit barely 20 feet from our wooden cabin, so snacks and water aren’t a concern. For those who venture farther from civilization, sustenance and hydration will certainly be important.
My needs are pretty simple—a clear night sky and a cup of strong coffee. Mother Nature and the in-room Nespresso machine fulfill their parts respectively.
Astrotourism: The Travel Trend
Astrotourism is having a moment. As urban light pollution increases, so does the allure of remote places where the night sky still sparkles. According to the International Dark-Sky Association, more than 80% of the world’s population lives under light-polluted skies—a number that is destined to go up.
In response, travelers are seeking out destinations where they can spot the Milky Way, witness a meteor shower, or be a small part of something vast and awe-inspiring. Stargazing has become a compelling reason to travel—a growing niche within the world of experience-driven tourism.
The Best Places on Earth to Experience Astrotourism
Certain locations around the world naturally lend themselves to stargazing. Some places are so well-suited to stargazing that they have been called out as award-winning International Dark Sky Places.
The IDSP was founded in 2001 to preserve and protect dark sites globally through responsible lighting and public education. As of 2022, the IDSP has certified 195 Dark Sky Sites, which include Dark Sky communities, parks, reserves, sanctuaries, and night sky places. Forget Batman, the IDSP is quite possibly the real superhero of the night.
What makes for ideal conditions to stargaze? The ultimate stargazing trifecta is unpolluted skies, a high-altitude location, and dry air. Other factors that contribute to maximum stargazing are both cloudless and moonless nights.
Dark skies, as we all know, can be found across the globe. Allow me to narrow down seven particularly spectacular locations—one on each continent.
Africa: NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia
Namibia’s desert, known for its rich, red-hued sand dunes and snow-white salt pans, is often compared to the surface of Mars. There are only a few animals that can survive in such a barren place. However, travelers come here to explore beyond the wildlife—they come for the stars.
Named a Dark Sky Reserve in 2012, NamibRand Nature Reserve is one of the most remote—and darkest—places in Africa. Its inky skies, paired with dry, desert air and a lofty altitude, create near-perfect conditions for stargazing, with almost zero light pollution to get in the way.
Travelers can stay at lodges and campsites, such as Wolwedans, where sleeping beneath a blanket of stars becomes an integral part of the experience. Bring a pair of binoculars and get ready to be mesmerized by the brilliance of distant stars and the orbiting planets overhead.
Oceania: Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand
The Aoraki Mackenzie Reserve is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest. It’s found upon a high-country plateau called the Mackenzie Basin on New Zealand’s craggy South Island. The reserve is home to the Mount John Observatory, New Zealand’s most important astronomical research center. On any given night, visitors can see millions of awe-inspiring twinkling lights above.
The Aoraki mountain peak, at 3,724 meters, is New Zealand’s highest. Aoraki, from the indigenous Maori language, translates to ‘cloud piercer.’ It’s an apt description, as anyone who’s been fortunate to witness this majestic and mighty mountain can attest.
In 1851, a European sailor renamed it Mount Cook. Captain James Cook was the English explorer who discovered New Zealand. Regardless of what one calls it, this reserve stands proudly in one of the best locations on Earth to view dark skies and stars, such as the Southern Cross, the Southern Star, and the Aurora Australis.
Asia: Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Another destination for intrepid astrotourists can be found in far-flung Mongolia—the Gobi Desert. The Gobi Desert is a destination for those who want to take adventures in stargazing to the next level. The most daring explorers can even choose to stay in a yurt to brave the desert’s unpredictable weather.
In southern Mongolia, the Gobi Desert is the largest desert in Asia. It’s dramatically referred to as a Cold Winter Desert. This fact alone makes it one of the few stargazing places to avoid in winter, which is typically the best season to stargaze.
An endless carpet of golden sand enhances the ethereal landscape. Here, travelers can gaze up at the skies as the Mongolian nomads once did. Look for dinosaur fossils by day as you await the blanket of the night to reveal billions of stars—Gobi’s main event.
Europe: La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
La Palma, one of Spain’s eight Canary Islands, is also one of Europe’s premier stargazing destinations. As you might have guessed by now, it’s the dry climate and high elevation that are to thank.
The Canary Islands are situated roughly 100 kilometers off the coast of Morocco, making them geographically closer to Africa than to mainland Europe. La Palma itself is a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and boasts 16 official stargazing viewpoints—more than enough to keep astrotourists gazing skyward for years to come.
One of La Palma’s most notable viewpoints is the Roque de Muchachos observatory. It sits at 8,000 feet above sea level and provides visitors access to 13 different telescopes. Spain also regulates airplane flight paths, further protecting its dark skies. With such strict regulations in place, it’s easy to see why La Palma is one of Europe’s ideal places to stargaze.
South America: Atacama Desert, Chile
Any search for ‘top stargazing spots’ will almost always include the Atacama Desert—and rightfully so. Located in northern Chile, the Atacama Desert has impressive statistics. It’s the driest non-polar desert on Earth with an average of 330 clear nights a year. I’m no mathematician, but even I can see the odds are stacked in your favor for spotting Centaurus in this remote, otherworldly place.
Stretching roughly 600 miles, the Atacama Desert is cool, arid, and home to the Elqui Valley, which was designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2015. With its cracked salt flats and lunar-like terrain, it’s no surprise the region has become a magnet for astrotourism.
Another highlight of a trip to the Chilean desert? The chance to tour observatories and watch astronomers in action. For those who like to plan, both Observatorio Interamericano Cerro Tololo and La Silla accept reservations.
North America: Arches National Park, USA
Considered one of the most ideal places to see stars in the United States, Arches National Park is located in Moab, Utah. It’s known for having over 2,000 natural sandstone arches within its boundaries. Sculpted rocks, boulders, and arch formations, along with a 5,000 foot elevation, create a wonderful platform for astrotourism year-round.
Designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2019, Arches’ most celebrated formations include Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, and Balanced Rock. Consider applying for a camping pass at Devils Garden Campground to enjoy the stars and the Milky Way all night long. For those who prefer to learn while stargazing, Arches offers ranger-led sky programs as well. Bring on the night.
Antarctica: Dome Argus
Dome Argus, also known as Dome A, may just be the coldest place on the planet (and justifiably the most remote) to stargaze. Antarctica has prolonged periods of darkness, high altitude, and a stable atmosphere.
Dome A is a Chinese research station located in Eastern Antarctica. It sits upon an ice shelf about 900 kilometers from the South Pole and at nearly 4,000 meters above sea level. Temperatures have been recorded as low as -80 degrees Celsius. Brrrr, I’m getting cold just thinking about it.
The telescope at Dome A is called the Kunlun Differential Image Motion Monitor. A wordy name for a small apparatus that sits atop the 8-meter-high tower at Dome A. Extreme conditions and plummeting temperatures may scare away the average astrotourist, but for those who are looking for the next great adventure in stargazing, set sail for Antarctica.
Why Stargaze?
Who hasn’t looked up at the stars in their backyard and marveled at the vastness of the world? Stargazing is a way to put life into acute perspective. It has the power to rejuvenate our spirit and ease our busy minds. Stargazing is a simple way to find calm and peace. Despite the list above, stargazing need not be done in one of the best stargazing locations on the planet to be relished.
In a world with endless gear and technology, perhaps the purest way to view the stars, constellations, and Milky Way is with the naked eye. The way early explorers and settlers have viewed them for centuries.
Perhaps the next time you’d like to disconnect from our uber-connected world, you’ll head to your backyard with a blanket on a cloudless and moonless night. The stars will be waiting.
Jamie Edwards is an avid traveler, travel writer, and photographer. After 25 years of living and traveling around the globe, she launched I am Lost and Found, her adventure/luxury travel website. Jamie’s goal is simple: to inspire travel.
CIRE Travel is a full-service travel agency headquartered in New York, NY. Our expert corporate travel planners, honeymoon travel agents, and luxury travel planners support clients across the country and around the world.
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