Dark Sky Reserves: The Best Places to See the Stars in New Zealand

Gazing at the galaxy is a sublime experience under New Zealand’s jet-black night skies.

In Lake Tekapo (Takapō), a pretty speck of a place on New Zealand’s South Island, it pays to look up. The sky here is rightfully famous for its nightly transformation into a vast patchwork of diamonds. There’s Proxima (Alpha) Centauri, one of the closest stars to the sun (and a hefty 4.36 light years away). There’s the red dot of Mars, 225 million kilometres in the distance. The Milky Way preens before us, unencumbered by light pollution.

New Zealand is hoping to become the first country in the world to be certified as a Dark Sky Nation by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a not-for-profit organisation based in the United States that aims to protect the world’s skies. “It’s never been done before but we are unique,” says astronomer Nalayini Davies, a member of IDA and president of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand. “You can see the Milky Way from 96 per cent of the land area. If you’re prepared to drive half an hour from anywhere in New Zealand, you’ll find very dark skies.”

Five areas of the country have already achieved designation as parks, reserves or sanctuaries (depending on their level of darkness), including the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, which is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The reserve encompasses Lake Tekapo and the University of Canterbury’s Mount John Observatory, home to the biggest optical telescope in New Zealand. “In a place like Tekapo, tourism has grown at a rate of 15 per cent per annum. It’s been an absolute boom.”

Astrotourism is trending for good reason, says Davies. “When you look at the stars, you’re looking into the universe and you get a sense of our place in the world. It’s a magical experience and should be on everyone’s bucket list.”

The best places to see the stars in New Zealand

Aoraki Mackenzie

This 4367-square kilometre dark sky reserve includes Aoraki (Mount Cook) National Park and the Mackenzie Basin. One of its highlights is The Summit Experience at Mount John, which offers visitors the opportunity to tour the observatory with astronomy guides and revel in the constellations. Want a more languid experience? Sink into Lake Tekapo’s hot pools and indulge in stargazing of the floating variety.

Great Barrier Island (Aotea)

One of only 17 dark sky sanctuaries in the world and offering blackas-ink skies, Great Barrier Island is a 4.5-hour ferry ride from Auckland. The off-grid isle is powered by solar, which means there is no light pollution and the stargazing is, well, stellar. Good Heavens will give you a moon chair on a sand dune (along with a blanket and hot chocolate) and talk you through the mysteries above.

Stewart Island (Rakiura)

You can’t get much further south than Stewart Island, which is 30 clicks below the South Island and accessible by ferry (via Bluff). About 85 per cent of the island is national park and it has 280 kilometres of walking trails. This is NZ’s only other dark sky sanctuary so the stars are epic and may include the Southern Lights (aurora australis) between March and September.