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10 Amazing Places to Star Gaze

Originally published 14 June 2010

A night spent under canvas or open to the night sky with the stars for company is the stuff of dreams.
Here we choose our top 10 experiences from across the Audley programmes.

1 Elqui Valley, Chile

Famed for having the clearest skies in the southern hemisphere, this blissfully tranquil area houses a large number of observatories. To make the most of your visit, stay at the Elqui Domos, which consists of six two story domes, each having an ample terrace and telescope. The focus here is on the appreciation of the area's fabulous skies and activities include specialised astronomic tours, night time horse rides and telescope handling.

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2 The Erg Chebbi, Morocco

The Erg Chebbi are the most accessible dunes of the Sahara, in Morocco, and located at its edge is the 'desert experience'. This is a night spent camping in a traditional black, Bedouin, goat-hair tent. The sky is nearly always clear, with thousands-and-thousands of stars on display; indeed on a moonless night the starlight is sometimes bright enough to read by.

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3 Flinders Ranges, Australia

Nestled at the foot of the majestic Flinders Range is Rawnsley Park Station, which includes a collection of luxury eco-villas where you can get away from it all. Designed to complement the natural surroundings, the villas are totally self contained and each unit features a spectacular retractable ceiling offering night-sky viewing from the comfort of your bed.

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4 Okavango Delta, Botswana

Set amongst the shady trees and waterways of the Okavango Delta, the small and intimate Baines' Camp has just five luxurious suites set on elevated platforms. The main area features a spacious deck for outdoor dining and views over the permanent lagoon, as well as a swimming pool. The four-poster beds are fully mobile, giving you the choice of sleeping directly under the stars.

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5 Wahiba Sands, Oman

The Wahiba Sands is a large desert area just four hours drive from Muscat. Here, you can stay at the Desert Night Camp, a luxury tented camp set between two 30m dunes. Each tent is air-conditioned and is equipped with all the facilities of a luxury hotel. In the evening dinner is provided in the main restaurant with a chance to relax afterwards under the stars and listen to local musicians.

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6 Selous, Tanzania

Sand Rivers Fly Camps are small, simple and delightful. They are not for everyone as they are set deep in the park and often frequented by wild animals. Simple gauze tents are set up in dry river beds, along the shores of lakes or deep into the bush. There is a fully stocked bar, a kitchen and a camp fire where sumptuous meals are cooked. Eating is outdoors on tables lit with lanterns under the night sky.

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7 Gobi Region, Mongolia

Three Camel Lodge represents the finest accommodation available in the Gobi region, and has one of the best reputations of any establishment in Mongolia. Set at the base of a striking rock outcropping, the camp looks out over a vast plain that recedes as far as the eye can see. The main lodge, with veranda overlooking the desert steppe, is the perfect place to sit and watch the stars over the desert.

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8 Sossusvlei, Namibia

A unique private entrance to Namib Naukluft Park makes Kulala Desert Lodge the closest to Sossusvlei. The 15 en suite rooms are individual ‘kulalas’ - structures made of clay, thatch and canvas set on decks to capture the breeze. On each kulala a ladder climbs to the roof, where you can have your bed made up to sleep under the stars.

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9 Tembok, Bali

An innovative spa treatment, the starlight gazing session takes form under a sea of stars. At Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali, when clear blue skies darken, they reveal a plethora of stars that appear almost close enough to touch. Guests lie weightless on a floating platform in the middle of the pool taking in the enormity of the universe above listening to a specially selected soundtrack.

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10 Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

Perhaps one of the finest options in Fiordland, the overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound takes you to some of the national park’s most untouched and inspiring scenery. Although you cannot sleep out on deck you can certainly star gaze from it when it gets dark. The experience is enhanced by the feeling of utter tranquillity and remoteness.

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