Big Sky Stargazing

The darkness of the night sky around Aoraki Mt Cook is unbeatable - its official! Let the team at Big Sky Stargazing introduce you to the wonders above. The 4367sq km Gold Status Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is the largest in the world and for this tour you will be the centre of it all.

Our experienced guides will introduce you to our beautiful southern night sky with a full hour using the naked eye, astro-binoculars and state of the art 14" and 11" astronomy telescopes. Unleash your imagination as you discover our neighbourhood in the universe including the southern cross, seasonal ecliptic objects, planets, planets, stunning star clusters, moons, distant galaxies and even our very own galaxy, the spectacular Milky Way.

An experience is guaranteed. The tour is delivered either from an outdoor viewing platform at our Stargazing building set alone under a massive night sky, or if the weather is unfavourable then your guide leads you through a 'live' orientation of our southern night sky indoors, reclined in comfortable seats of New Zealand's first 260 digital Dome Planetarium theatre where 4k hogh definition images generated by state of the art computer software immerse you in a stunning digital view of the universe and beyond.

Every night is a unique experience with stars, planets, the Moon and satellites constantly moving as our Earth orbits in space.

 

Big Sky Stargazing

View the spectacular southern night sky from within the heart of Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.

The Big Sky Stargazing tour never cancels - if the weather is deemed to be below the required standard to operate outside, then the tour will move forward with the inclement weather alternative.  This alternative features New Zealand's first full dome digital Planetarium - high definition video images on a suspended 9m wide x 4.5m high full dome. Our guides will take you through a 'live' orientation of the night sky. Content of this tour is subject to change.

• Due to uneven surfaces around the outdoor stargazing area flat soled, enclosed walking shoes MUST be worn prior to boarding the bus. Please dress warmly, even summer nights can be chilly in the alpine environment.
• Due to high demand, we recommend that you pre-book this activity to avoid disappointment.
• Stargazing tours are not suitable for infants. The minimum age for a child is 4 although the tour is not recommended for children under 8.
• Cancellation Policy: Within 48 hours before departure - loss of 50% of the total price. Within 24 hours before departure - loss of 100% of the total price.