15 Best Places to Stargaze in the World

Are you ready to go through the 15 best places to stargaze in the world? So, let’s get started:

1. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

It is one of the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. Among many national parks in the southwestern United States, Bryce Canyon is especially noteworthy. The elements that make it special are its surreal-looking hoodoo rock formations and its especially starry night skies.

The national park, which consists of more than 35,000 acres in Utah, is less visited than the nearby Grand Canyon, which is also an International Dark Sky Park. Thus, it is better for more remote stargazing and astronomy programming.

The highly skilled Astronomy Rangers of the park provide nightly tours where you can see up to 7,500 stars, observe the Milky Way from horizon to horizon, and observe the close-up scenes at Venus and Jupiter.

2. Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand

Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve of New Zealand was created in 2012 to recognize the incredible stargazing opportunities in the Mackenzie Basin on the South Island. At this one of just 20 Dark Sky Reserves in the world, visitors flock toward the planetarium of the reserve, telescope areas, and observatories.

There, you can have guided tours at both the Lake Tekapo Earth and Sky and Aoraki/Mount Cook visitor centers. On clear nights in the reserve, which comprises Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Most of the time, it is possible to see the aurora australis, the Southern Cross, and the Southern Starall, with the namesake peak of the park, where you can reach more than 12,000 feet in the backdrop.

3. NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia

The NamibRand Nature Reserve is present in the region that DarkSky calls “one of the naturally darkest (yet accessible) places on Earth”. Because the nearest human areas are at least 60 miles away, the NamibRand Nature Reserve is situated in what DarkSky refers to as “one of the naturally darkest (yet accessible) places on Earth.”

The Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) Center manages educational and environmental initiatives in the region (mostly for local kids), which protects the almost 500,000-acre area in southwest Namibia. For a sustainable overnight stay in the starry desert, guests can reserve a stay at Wolwedans camps and lodges, which offer the best stargazing experience in the NamibRand Nature Reserve.

4. La Palma and Tenerife, Canary Islands

Three “Starlight Reserves,” established by the nonprofit Starlight Foundation, have been recognized by UNESCO and are located in the Canary Islands. Though the Atlantic Ocean archipelago offers superb views of the starry sky, professional and amateur astronomers are usually drawn to La Palma and Tenerife because of the thriving astro-tourism sector.

The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, situated in Tenerife, has established three observatories on these two islands. On these islands, Garajonay Summit, San Bartolo Mountain (La Palma), El Palmar viewpoint, and Guajara Mountain (Tenerife) are some of the greatest spots for stargazing.

5. Mauna Kea, Hawai‘i

Mauna Kea is the highest mountain in Hawaii and the dormant volcano on the Big Island that provides some of the greatest views of astronomy in the state. You can participate in a stargazing session at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station.

This station is located about halfway up the roughly 14,000-foot-high Mauna Kea. From there, you can drive alone or join a guided tour to reach the peak of the volcano in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Even so, you must take a break halfway through; it allows your body to adjust to the significant elevation difference.

6. Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

It is a popular destination among the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. In addition to this, Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal is home to Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. This makes it a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Nevertheless, if you want to have an amazing time in this region, you don’t have to be prepared to hike the slopes of this formidable but not-so-gentle monster. You can also enjoy the experience of towering Mount Everest.

Just imagine the scene of Mount Everest surrounded by a wide night sky and a scattering of bright stars on a lower-altitude forested zone within the national park. There are also a number of trekking trails on slightly more reachable mountain summits.

7. Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, Ireland

If you are looking for the 15 best places to stargaze in the world, Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve has a prominent place. It occupies the southwest region of Ireland on the Iveragh Peninsula and along the Wild Atlantic Way.

At night time, this land between the Kerry Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean looks amazingly beautiful. A dark sky full of stars that is untouched by the nine rural areas within its parameters.

Ah! This whole scene will hold your breath when you come out to see it for the first time. When you come to this remote area of Ireland, you can stay at a number of cottages around the reserve that are owned locally.

8. Denali National Park Reserve, Alaska

Now, let’s move to another destination while having a tour of the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. This land is expanded over an area of six million acres in Alaska and is home to a slew of native wildlife.

Once you visit it, you will see grizzly bears and caribou, as well as the peak of Denali mountain, the highest summit in North America. All these features of this area make it special and unique among the 15 best places to stargaze in the world.

Here, you will get a chance to breathe in the pure air as this land is far away from light and noise pollution. It is not spoiled by the harmful elements on the Earth and is the most sustainable place among the 15 best places to stargaze in the world.

This landscape is present within Denali National Park and is not reserved for sightseeing the land. There, you are also encouraged to turn your heads toward the sky, where you can see everything like stars, planets, and even the aurora borealis (northern lights).

All these elements are visible in the dark night sky throughout most of the year. If you are looking for the 15 best places to stargaze in the world, it is an optimum stargazing opportunity for you.

You should visit the national park during fall, winter, or spring because, at these times, this area will have longer periods of darkness, and you can enjoy long hours of world-class stargazing.

9. Atacama Desert and Elqui Valley, Chile

From the 15 best places to stargaze in the world, it is the area that receives the lowest rainfall. It has a high altitude and less light pollution in the greater Atacama–Elqui region of Chile, which makes it the “North Star” of Astro-tourism, at least here on Earth.

In 2015, Elqui Valley, which is a wide land occupying an area of 90,000 acres, was a popular area in the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. It is well-known due to the production of wine.

This land was designated as the inaugural International Dark Sky Sanctuary. (It is called the Gabriela Mistral Dark Sky Sanctuary in honor of the poet Gabriela Mistral, who was born and raised in the Chilean region and won the Nobel Prize in poetry in the 20th century.)

The popular town of San Pedro de Atacama, located five hours north of the Elqui Valley, has a variety of lodging options, from luxurious Atacama Lodge to inexpensive hostels.

10. Uluru, Australia

If you are looking for a place where you can hear the Sounds of Silence, then you obviously must prefer Uluru from the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. If you are an adult, a four-hour tour can cost you $250–$300.

This tour also includes dinner and drinks at Ayers Rock Resort and begins at the time of sunset when the formation of the iconic rock of Uluru and Kata Tjuta glows fiery red. When you have a short walk through the dunes to an expansive viewpoint, you can settle at your tables to dine outdoors on Aussie fare.

When the night sets deep, one of the on-staff star talkers of the resort points out locations in the southern sky to diners. Moreover, he describes the significance of the stars in the Aboriginal Anangu people’s culture, Uluru’s traditional proprietors.

The resort also provides a family-friendly one-hour stargazing tour called the Outback Sky Tour ($60 per adult).

11. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado

It is a national park and is also one of the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. You can find the golden-hued slopes that are sculpted by the winds of time at this lesser-known national park in southern Colorado, which are among the tallest dunes of sand in North America.

This land is the most peaceful of the 15 best places to stargaze in the world and is the quiet corner of the state that sees little light pollution and mostly the nights free of clouds. This makes it easy for you to spot the Milky Way from any part of the park.

If you come in the summer, check out what Free Ranger Programs are being offered; many of the events celebrate and educate on the stars above.

12. Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

Death Valley National Park has prominent status among the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. Any location that partners with NASA to host a yearly black sky celebration must be extraterrestrial.

This location, which is the lowest point on Earth at 282 feet below sea level, offers an amazing opportunity for nighttime exploration due to its expansive desert terrain.

13. Great Basin National Park, Nevada

The Wasatch Mountains in Utah and the Sierra Nevada in California are two enormous mountain ranges that enclose Great Basin National Park. This location protects it from the light pollution that comes from most cities.

You may face difficulty visiting this area compared to the others of the 15 best places to stargaze in the world. The reason is it’s the most isolated national park in the Lower 48.

On the other hand, the Nevada Northern Railway company in Ely, Nevada, hosts a weekly Star Train every summer. On this train, visitors can board with park rangers and journey into the reserve to gain knowledge about the heavens.

14. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota

This is a vast wilderness area that covers more than a million acres in northern Minnesota. It was probably the most well-known of the 15 best places to stargaze in the world during the day.

The reason for its popularity is the activities like hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing, in glacial lakes and streams. That is, until 2020 when it was designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary.

You can stargaze without a telescope, view the Milky Way, numerous constellations, the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, and, during the winter, the northern lights.

So, this is a must-visit area in the 15 best places to stargaze in the world.

15. Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, Texas and Mexico

This land has the largest area of the other 15 best places to Stargaze in the world. Currently, it occupies a major portion of Earth, and approximately 9 million acres are preserved for dark skies. These areas are protected from nighttime darkness, straddling the border between southwestern Texas and northern Mexico.

The name of this reserve only refers to Big Bend National Park; it also includes Big Bend Ranch State Park and Black Gap Wildlife Management Area in Texas, as well as three protected areas in Mexico, Maderas del Carmen, Ocampo, and Cañón de Santa Elena. It is the first bi-national International Dark Sky Reserve in the world.

15 Best Places to Stargaze in the World