‘Astrotourism’ refers to traveling to destinations which boast the most bewitching night skies in the world. These spots, often located in Dark Sky Reserves, are removed from civilisation and the accompanying light pollution, allowing for awe-inducing activities like stargazing, aurora viewing and eclipse chasing. In addition to becoming one with the heavens, astrotourism allows travellers to discover the most beautiful, far-flung spots on the planet.
There's no better time for astrotourism. Last year saw an uptick in Northern Lights sightings and there's even more in store in 2025 via astronomical alignments known as 'planetary parades.' According to Skyscanner, this year has seen a 53 per cent increase in travellers seeking to see the Northern Lights, with 28 per cent planning to visit Dark Sky Reserves.
A cohort of hotels, resorts and lodges have answered the call, all optimally positioned to reveal meteor showers including the Lyrids, Eta Aquariids, Perseids, Orionids and Geminids throughout the year; Saturn’s rings this spring; and the supermoon trifecta this autumn.
Want to take it all in? These seven astrotourism destinations will leave you starry-eyed.
Portugal: São Lourenço do Barrocal
Nestled among meadows, olive groves and vineyards, this Portuguese estate has been in the same family for 200 years. Eighth-generation owner, José Antonio, spent 14 years refurbishing the property; it is now sleek and elegant while retaining its old-world soul. The hotel sits within Portugal’s 3,000 square-kilometre Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve; here, you can visit the official observatory and view nebulae, galaxies, Saturn and the Moon, or take a private astronomy lesson in the hotel garden.
USA: Primland, Auberge Resorts Collection
There are few places in the world where you can get closer to nature than Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, the home of the Primland Resort, which sits on a private 12,000-acre mountain estate. The lodge and its cottages is surrounded by winding trails and trout-filled streams, as well as an unusually clear sky which can be viewed in its splendour from the property’s very own observatory. As darkness cloaks Primland Resort, guests marvel at stars, planets, nebulae and other celestial phenomena year-round.
Chile: Our Habitas Atacama
Deserts are some of the most sparsely-populated places on the planet, and the best places to stargaze. Our Habitas Atacama is situated in Chile’s Atacama Desert, which not only boasts a low population density, but the convergence of a number of other factors that makes it optimal: high altitude, dry climate, stable air and clear skies almost year-round. The hotel has just introduced a five-night stargazing package, ‘Explorer’s Delight’, designed to coincide with 2025’s celestial events, which includes discovering constellations, planets and the Milky Way with an in-house astronomer.
Wales: Celestia
At Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales the mountains seem to climb to meet the stars, and the Milky Way can clearly be seen crossing the skies on moonless nights. The park became a Dark Sky Reserve in 2012, and local accommodation provides plenty of ‘stay-and-gaze’ options such as the wonderfully isolated Celestia. This converted farmhouse and barn is situated in a private clearing reached via waterfall-filled valleys and tangled woodland.
Saudi Arabia: Banyan Tree AlUla
There are few things more surreal than gazing at the cosmos from the already-Martian landscape of the Ashar Valley in Saudi Arabia. Banyan Tree AlUla is located far from the city lights within a vast open desert, which is conducive to some of the world’s most enviable dark skies. Here, tented villas blend seamlessly with the sweeping sands, sandstone cliffs and rugged rock formations, and a hotel astronomer guides guests through the constellations aided by state-of-the-art telescopes.
Australia: Longitude 131°
The remote nature of the Australian outback makes for spectacular stargazing, but luxury camp Longitude 131° is particularly privileged, with its low humidity and minimal artificial light. At its alfresco dining venue, Table 131°, guides share Aboriginal stories of the constellations under the glittering canopy, and the lodge’s resident astronomer decodes the southern night sky. This truly is Australia’s heartland, with 16 tented pavilions dotted among rust-red dunes with views to Uluru rock.
Namibia: &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
The NamibRand Dark Skies Reserve, 140km from the nearest town, enjoys Gold Tier status, meaning that it is one of the darkest places in the world. &Beyond Sossusvlei, which neighbours the reserve, is home to its own observatory and resident astronomers who, every evening, invite guests to use the Celestron telescope to unlock the wonders of the universe. The lodge is situated on its own 12,715-hectare reserve—an ocean of dunes, rocky outcrops and gravel plains under a perfectly clear sky.
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