With a total solar eclipse and the Perseid meteor shower, it's been an incredible year so far for astrotourism – the practice of travelling to remote destinations to observe the night sky. And with the northern lights season about to begin, there is no better time to start planning a stargazing trip.
Light pollution impacts the vast majority of the world, said Alicia Miller in the London Evening Standard, making it a rarity to find a place where the sky is "blanketed in stars".
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Skylark Cabin, New Zealand
The Mackenzie region on New Zealand's South Island is beautiful by day, said Miller, but by night the southern hemisphere's largest dark skies reserve "shimmers in a frothy sea of pin-prick stars". In the midst of this vast protected landscape lies Skylark Cabin, a "luxe, contemporary hideaway in dark glass and wood". Guests can marvel at the stars from the outdoor hot tub and "observe the twinkling" from the king-size bed set "strategically" beneath a skylight.
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namibia
This seriously luxurious lodge is located over 80 miles from the nearest town in the Namib Desert and has "minimal-to-zero" light pollution, making it one of Africa's many great stargazing spots, said Miller. The hotel has resident astronomers, its own observatory, and sprawling suites with skylights revealing the inky night sky.
Alto Atacama, Chile
The "heady mix of parched desert air, nominal light pollution and high altitude" make the clear skies above the Atacama Desert among the planet's very best for stargazing, said The Telegraph. Guests have access to a nearby hilltop observatory and can book guided sessions to learn about the constellations.
Trout Point Lodge, Canada
Situated in Nova Scotia's Tobeatic Wilderness Area, this remote wilderness lodge is "haute rustic in style and equally impressive on food", said The Telegraph. The hotel has a stargazing platform in a nearby riverside meadow – a peaceful setting to take advantage of the area's low light pollution levels.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Finland
Situated deep in Finnish Lapland, the "picturesque glass igloos" at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort offer entirely "unobstructed views" of the northern lights, said Stefanie Weldek in Travel + Leisure. When guests can bring themselves to leave their cosy domes, the hotel also runs "northern lights-chasing excursions" hosted by expert guides.
Caban y Nen, Wales
"Why go to the observatory when it can come to you?" said Katie Gatens in The Times. These solar-powered shepherd's huts in west Wales have "more than a touch of James Bond about them". Guests can open the roof to "reveal the night sky" and stargaze from the comfort of their beds.
-
San Francisco tackles affordability problems with free child careThe Explainer The free child care will be offered to thousands of families in the city
-
How realistic is the Democratic plan to retake the Senate this year?TODAY’S BIG QUESTION Schumer is growing bullish on his party’s odds in November — is it typical partisan optimism, or something more?
-
Taxes: It’s California vs. the billionairesFeature Larry Page and Peter Thiel may take their wealth elsewhere
-
The 8 best spy movies of all timethe week recommends Excellence in espionage didn’t begin — or end — with the Cold War
-
Scoundrels, spies and squires in January TVthe week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘The Pitt,’ ‘Industry,’ ‘Ponies’ and ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’
-
One great cookbook: Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson’s ‘Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes’the week recommends The beauty and wonder of great ingredients and smart cooking
-
A modern ‘Lord of the Flies,’ a zombie sequel and Jodie Foster’s first French-speaking lead role in January moviesthe week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘The Plague,’ ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ and ‘A Private Life’
-
How to rekindle a reading habitThe Week Recommends Fall in love with reading again, or start a brand new relationship with it
-
11 hotels opening in 2026 that will move you to reconnect with natureThe Week Recommends Find peace on the beaches of Mexico and on a remote Estonian island
-
January’s books feature a revisioned classic, a homeschooler’s memoir and a provocative thriller dramedyThe Week Recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Call Me Ishmaelle’ by Xiaolu Guo, ‘Homeschooled: A Memoir’ by Stefan Merrill Block, ‘Anatomy of an Alibi’ by Ashley Elston and ‘Half His Age’ by Jennette McCurdy
-
8 incredible destinations to visit in 2026The Week Recommends Now is the time to explore Botswana, Mongolia and Sardinia
