Updated: 12 August 2026
On Wednesday 12 August 2026, Britain looked up.
Across the UK and Ireland, the Moon swept across the Sun during the best solar eclipse visible here so far this century. Around 90–96% of the Sun was obscured depending on location, while travellers elsewhere headed into the path of totality across Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain and a small corner of Portugal.
And just hours later, the sky is putting on another show.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks overnight on 12–13 August 2026. This year the timing is particularly special because 12 August is also a New Moon. NASA describes the resulting skies as ideally dark for viewing the Perseids, provided you can escape cloud and artificial light.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich described Wednesday’s eclipse as the UK’s most impressive since 1999, while its 2026 meteor calendar confirms that the Perseids peak tonight into 13 August.
For many of us, the events of 12 August are a reminder that sometimes the greatest reason to travel isn’t directly in front of us.
It’s above us.
And if the eclipse and Perseid meteor shower have made you wonder where the best places in the world to stargaze and see shooting stars actually are, there are destinations where the night sky looks almost unrecognisable compared with the view from a town or city.
Places where the Milky Way stretches visibly across the sky. Where world-leading observatories have been built because the atmosphere is so clear. Where you can spend the afternoon on safari and the evening learning the constellations, or pair astronomy with vineyards, mountains, deserts and extraordinary hotels.
Want to travel for the night sky?
Nomadical Tracks creates bespoke experiential journeys around the world. We can build a journey around a meteor shower, eclipse or dark-sky destination and combine it with the experiences you actually want from your trip.
What are the best places in the world to stargaze?
The Atacama Desert in Chile is arguably the world’s standout destination for serious stargazing, thanks to its high altitude, dry atmosphere, extraordinarily low light pollution and around 300 clear nights per year.
But the best stargazing destination depends on the journey you want around it.
- Atacama Desert, Chile – best overall for astronomy and reliably clear skies
- NamibRand, Namibia – best for luxury desert wilderness
- Aoraki Mackenzie, New Zealand – best for mountains and Southern Hemisphere skies
- La Palma, Canary Islands – best European island for astrotourism
- Lapalala Wilderness, South Africa – best for safari and stars
- Bryce Canyon, Utah – best for an American dark-sky road trip
- Jasper National Park, Canada – best for the Canadian Rockies under the stars
- Warrumbungle National Park, Australia – best for Australian astronomy
- Dark Sky Alqueva, Portugal – best for stargazing, wine and gastronomy
- Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, Ireland – best short-haul option from the UK
There is another important distinction.
Stargazing and travelling specifically to see shooting stars are not quite the same thing. If meteors are the priority, the timing of your journey becomes just as important as the destination. You need to consider the meteor shower, Moon phase, local weather, darkness and geography together.
1. Atacama Desert, Chile
Best place in the world for serious stargazing
If someone asked us to design the ultimate stargazing holiday, northern Chile would be one of the first places we’d investigate.
There is a reason some of the world’s most sophisticated astronomical facilities have been built here.
According to the European Southern Observatory, the skies above the Atacama Desert are clear for approximately 300 nights every year. The combination of altitude, an exceptionally dry atmosphere, darkness and remoteness creates some of the finest conditions on Earth for observing the Universe.
At ESO’s observatory sites, the dry air and lack of cloud allow astronomers to work through much of the year. Under sufficiently dark conditions, the band of the Milky Way becomes spectacularly prominent overhead.
For travellers, though, the Atacama isn’t just about telescopes.
What could an Atacama stargazing journey include?
- Private stargazing with an expert astronomy guide
- Telescope sessions beneath desert skies
- Astrophotography
- Remote desert dining
- High-altitude lagoons
- Salt flats
- Geysers and geothermal landscapes
- Volcanic scenery
- Exceptional desert lodges
- Extensions into Chile’s wine regions
The area around San Pedro de Atacama works particularly well because you can spend the daylight hours crossing landscapes that already feel otherworldly before returning to the desert after sunset.
Best for: serious stargazers, photographers, couples, adventure travellers and once-in-a-lifetime journeys.
Nomadical Tracks idea: Don’t make astronomy the only reason to fly to Chile. Combine the Atacama with wine, gastronomy and another region of the country, creating a journey that changes completely once the Sun goes down.
Ask us to build a bespoke Chile journey →
2. NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia
Best for luxury desert stargazing
There are dark places.
And then there is Namibia.
DarkSky International describes NamibRand Nature Reserve as lying in one of the naturally darkest yet accessible places on Earth.
That statement alone earns it a place near the top of this list.
But the real attraction is the setting.
NamibRand occupies a vast part of the south-west Namib Desert, where dunes, gravel plains, mountains and enormous open landscapes create the kind of emptiness that is increasingly difficult to find.
Imagine spending the day crossing the desert, watching wildlife or taking a scenic flight before returning to a remote lodge as the light disappears.
Then look up.
No city skyline. Almost no artificial glow. Just desert and an immense Southern Hemisphere sky.
Why Namibia works so well for astrotourism
Stargazing doesn’t need to become a separate excursion. It can run through the entire journey:
desert lodge → wildlife → sunset drive → private dinner → astronomy → dunes → scenic flight → wilderness
That makes Namibia particularly compelling for travellers who want meaningful remoteness without necessarily giving up comfort.
Best for: luxury adventure, honeymoons, couples, photographers and wilderness travellers.
Travel deeper into Namibia. We can build the dark skies into a wider bespoke journey through Namibia’s deserts, wildlife areas and remote lodges rather than treating stargazing as a one-night add-on.
3. Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand
Best for mountains, lakes and Southern Hemisphere stars
New Zealand’s South Island hardly needs the night sky to make it spectacular.
But after sunset, another landscape appears.
The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve incorporates Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin.
Outdoor-lighting controls were introduced in the region as far back as the early 1980s, helping protect the environment around Mount John Observatory and preserve the area’s natural darkness.
Today the combination is extraordinary.
Lake Tekapo. Lake Pukaki. The Southern Alps. Aoraki/Mount Cook.
And then the Southern Hemisphere sky above them.
For British travellers in particular, heading south of the equator also changes the celestial experience itself. Different constellations dominate the sky and objects such as the Magellanic Clouds become accessible under suitably dark conditions.
How we’d experience it
We wouldn’t rush through Lake Tekapo, take a photograph and leave.
Spend time here.
Hike during the day. Explore Aoraki/Mount Cook. Take a scenic flight if conditions allow. Stay for sunset. Then head out with an astronomy guide once darkness falls.
Afterwards, continue through the South Island with wilderness, wine, food and adventure.
Best for: first-time astrotourists, photographers, couples and travellers looking for a larger New Zealand adventure.
Already dreaming about New Zealand? We can weave the Dark Sky Reserve into a personalised South Island journey rather than adding it as another sightseeing stop.
4. La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
Best stargazing destination close to Europe
You don’t necessarily have to cross the world to find extraordinary skies.
La Palma has become one of Europe’s leading astrotourism destinations, supported by both exceptional natural conditions and decades of astronomical research.
The island’s Roque de los Muchachos Observatory sits at roughly 2,400 metres above sea level, where a clean and stable atmosphere helps create outstanding conditions for astronomy.
La Palma has also developed astronomical viewpoints and specialist experiences around its night sky.
But again, astronomy isn’t the only reason we’d send someone here.
You have:
- Volcanic landscapes
- Mountain hiking
- Atlantic viewpoints
- Local wines
- Canarian gastronomy
- Small towns and villages
- Astrophotography
- Guided astronomy experiences
The ability to combine all of that within a relatively compact island makes La Palma an excellent choice for a shorter stargazing escape from the UK.
Best for: long weekends, couples, European breaks, walkers and first-time stargazers.
5. Lapalala Wilderness Nature Reserve, South Africa
Best place to combine safari and stargazing
Safari by day.
The Milky Way by night.
This is where astrotourism becomes particularly interesting.
In September 2025, Lapalala Wilderness Nature Reserve became South Africa’s first International Dark Sky Park.
The reserve covers more than 48,000 hectares within the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve in Limpopo and supports an extraordinary range of wildlife, including the Big Five as well as African wild dog, cheetah and pangolin.
That’s what makes Lapalala different from a conventional astronomy destination.
You don’t have to choose between wildlife and the sky.
Spend the afternoon tracking animals. Return as the light fades. Eat dinner in the wilderness. Then step outside after dark and discover another side of the reserve altogether.
The surrounding lodges also make this particularly interesting for higher-end experiential travel.
Best for: safari travellers, couples, luxury wilderness journeys and travellers wanting to combine several major experiences in one trip.
Safari is only half the story. Nomadical Tracks can combine a South African dark-sky safari with Cape Town, the Winelands, gastronomy, golf or another wilderness region.
Build a bespoke South Africa journey →
6. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
Best for an American dark-sky road trip
Some skies become even more memorable because of the landscape beneath them.
Bryce Canyon is one of those places.
The US National Park Service highlights Bryce Canyon’s high elevation, clean air and remote setting as reasons for its exceptional night skies.
The park gained International Dark Sky status in 2019, and on a clear night around New Moon thousands of stars can be visible alongside the band of the Milky Way.
Then there are the hoodoos.
Bryce’s extraordinary red and orange rock formations create a dramatic foreground for sunset, stars and astrophotography.
Make it part of something bigger
We wouldn’t recommend flying across the Atlantic simply to spend one night looking upwards at Bryce.
Build it into an American Southwest road trip.
Hiking. National parks. Remote landscapes. Great hotels. Desert roads. Photography.
Then choose the dates around a major meteor shower.
Suddenly it isn’t simply:
“We’re doing an American road trip.”
It’s:
“We’re crossing the American West to watch the Perseids beneath one of its darkest skies.”
That’s a journey with a story.
Best for: road trips, photographers, families, hikers and meteor-shower travel.
7. Jasper National Park, Canada
Best for the Canadian Rockies under the stars
By daylight, Jasper gives you mountains, forests, wildlife, lakes and some of Canada’s great wilderness scenery.
After dark, those same mountains become silhouettes underneath a protected night sky.
Parks Canada promotes Jasper’s dark skies as a year-round experience, and the park is recognised as the second-largest Dark-Sky Preserve in the world.
That’s a huge area in which to escape artificial light.
What makes Jasper commercially interesting for a bespoke journey is everything that surrounds the astronomy.
You might spend the day hiking, spotting wildlife or exploring the Rockies before switching pace completely after dinner.
At appropriate times of year and under the right geomagnetic conditions, northern Canada can also bring the possibility of auroral activity.
That’s never something we would guarantee. Nature doesn’t work to an itinerary.
But mountains, darkness, stars and the possibility of the Northern Lights make Canada compelling for travellers who want the night sky to become part of a wilderness journey.
Best for: active travellers, families, wildlife lovers and Canadian road trips.
Want the Rockies without an off-the-shelf itinerary? We can design the route around wildlife, landscapes, experiences and the best opportunities for dark-sky viewing.
8. Warrumbungle National Park, Australia
Best stargazing destination in Australia
Australia deserves a place on any serious list of the world’s best stargazing destinations.
Warrumbungle National Park in New South Wales was Australia’s first International Dark Sky Park and the first designated Dark Sky Park in the Southern Hemisphere.
NSW National Parks points to its low humidity, elevation, clear night skies and proximity to the astronomical research facilities at Siding Spring Observatory as key reasons the region is so good for stargazing.
The landscape underneath is equally interesting.
Rugged volcanic formations rise from the surrounding plains, providing an extraordinary foreground for the Milky Way and astrophotography.
Why travel here?
Because this isn’t solely an astronomy destination.
Warrumbungle works naturally with hiking, camping, photography and a much wider Australian road trip.
For someone who has only ever stargazed from Europe or North America, the Southern Hemisphere sky adds another dimension entirely.
Best for: astronomy enthusiasts, Australian road trips, hiking and astrophotography.
9. Dark Sky Alqueva, Portugal
Best for stargazing, wine and gastronomy
This may be one of the most commercially interesting destinations on the list for UK travellers.
Why?
Because you can combine genuinely impressive astronomy with things you may already want to travel to Portugal for.
Wine.
Food.
Historic villages.
Open landscapes.
Slow travel.
The Official Dark Sky Alqueva Observatory in Cumeada uses specialist telescopes for astronomical observation, with guided sessions exploring planets, lunar features, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies depending on the season and conditions.
The wider Alentejo landscape gives us plenty to work with during the day.
A journey might flow like this:
vineyard → long lunch → historic town → countryside hotel → sunset → dinner → private stargazing
For us, that’s exactly how astrotourism should work.
The stars aren’t competing with the rest of the holiday.
They’re completing it.
Best for: couples, food and wine lovers, private groups and short-haul experiential travel.
Portugal after dark looks very different. We can create a bespoke Alentejo journey combining vineyards, gastronomy, characterful hotels and one of Europe’s great dark-sky experiences.
Ask us to design the journey →
10. Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, Ireland
Best stargazing escape close to the UK
You don’t need a desert to experience genuinely dark skies.
Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve occupies approximately 700 square kilometres of Ireland’s Iveragh Peninsula along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Its position between the Kerry Mountains and Atlantic Ocean provides some natural protection from artificial light.
And the surrounding landscape is already reason enough to travel.
Rugged coastline. Mountains. Atlantic weather. Small communities. Historic sites. Great road-trip country.
There is, however, one obvious variable.
The weather.
Ireland cannot compete with the Atacama Desert for predictably clear skies.
So we wouldn’t build a trip around a single fixed two-hour stargazing session and simply hope for the best.
A better itinerary creates several opportunities to see the stars while ensuring the journey remains worthwhile even if the clouds refuse to cooperate.
That’s an important principle for any astronomy-focused trip.
Best for: UK travellers, couples, road trips and anyone looking to try astrotourism without flying long haul.
Where is the best place in the world to see shooting stars?
The best place to see shooting stars is a genuinely dark location during the peak of a major meteor shower, ideally close to New Moon.
That means there isn’t one destination that wins every year.
A spectacular dark-sky location can still provide disappointing meteor viewing if you travel on the wrong dates, while a less famous destination can become exceptional when the Moon phase, weather and meteor activity align.
If seeing shooting stars is the main objective, we would consider:
- The meteor shower and its expected peak
- The Moon phase
- Light pollution
- Typical cloud cover
- The position of the shower’s radiant
- How much darkness the location receives
- How flexible the itinerary can be if weather changes
That is also why 12–13 August 2026 is such an interesting night for the Perseids.
The shower peaks immediately after the solar eclipse, at New Moon, leaving no bright Moon dominating the night sky.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseids are one of the most famous annual meteor showers.
They occur when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As tiny particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, they produce the bright streaks of light we commonly call shooting stars.
NASA describes the Perseids as one of the year’s best meteor showers, typically producing around 50–100 meteors per hour under favourable conditions near the peak.
In 2026, the Perseids peak overnight on 12–13 August.
The timing could hardly be better.
The solar eclipse earlier on 12 August can only happen around New Moon, and that same lunar phase means the Moon contributes virtually no glare during the night’s meteor viewing.
NASA specifically says that the skies should be ideally dark for the 2026 peak.
Can you see the Perseids from the UK?
Yes.
The Perseids are a particularly good meteor shower for Northern Hemisphere observers.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich confirms that the 2026 shower peaks overnight on 12–13 August.
For the best chance of seeing them:
- Get as far away from streetlights and urban glow as practical
- Find an open area with a wide view of the sky
- Allow your eyes around 20 minutes to adapt to the darkness
- Avoid repeatedly looking at a bright phone screen
- Give yourself plenty of time rather than expecting instant activity
Do you need a telescope to see shooting stars?
No.
In fact, a telescope can make meteor watching harder because it drastically reduces your field of view.
Meteors can flash across large areas of the sky, so your eyes are usually the best equipment.
Get comfortable, look upwards and be patient.
What are the best meteor showers to travel for?
If the 2026 Perseids have caught your attention, there are several annual meteor showers that can provide a reason to travel.
Perseids – August
One of the world’s best-known meteor showers, particularly well suited to the Northern Hemisphere and warmer summer nights.
Geminids – December
The Geminids are another of the year’s major meteor showers. The Royal Observatory’s 2026 Geminid guide places this year’s peak on 14 December.
A winter meteor shower also opens up completely different travel possibilities: snow-covered landscapes, remote cabins and colder northern destinations.
Lyrids – April
A spring option that gives travellers another opportunity outside the main summer stargazing season.
Eta Aquariids – May
Particularly interesting for Southern Hemisphere journeys and associated with material from Halley’s Comet.
Orionids – October
Another shower associated with Halley’s Comet and a useful autumn option for astronomy-focused travel.
The crucial point isn’t simply to pick a famous meteor shower.
Pick the right year, Moon phase and destination together.
Want to travel specifically for a meteor shower? Tell us which part of the world interests you and we’ll look at the astronomical timing alongside hotels, experiences, route and everything else that turns it into a real journey.
Plan a meteor shower journey →
When is the best time to go stargazing?
There isn’t one universal best month for stargazing.
The best time depends on where you are, what you want to see and what the Moon is doing.
If your priority is faint stars, the Milky Way or meteors, nights around New Moon are particularly valuable because there is less moonlight washing out the darker sky.
When planning a serious dark-sky journey, consider:
- Moon phase – darker lunar conditions reveal fainter objects
- Cloud cover – even the world’s darkest location is useless beneath thick cloud
- Light pollution – distance from artificial light matters enormously
- Altitude – higher locations can offer clearer atmospheric conditions
- Season – different parts of the Milky Way and different constellations appear through the year
- Meteor activity – if shooting stars are the objective, dates matter
- Astronomical darkness – far-northern summer destinations may never become fully dark
A carefully timed trip can therefore produce a completely different experience from exactly the same itinerary a few weeks later.
What is a Dark Sky Park or Dark Sky Reserve?
Dark-sky certification isn’t simply a tourism slogan.
DarkSky International recognises places that protect exceptional night environments through measures such as responsible lighting, conservation, education and long-term management.
Different categories include International Dark Sky Parks, Reserves, Sanctuaries, Communities and Urban Night Sky Places.
Certification isn’t essential for good stargazing — the Atacama’s astronomical reputation comes primarily from its extraordinary physical conditions — but dark-sky recognition is a useful indicator that the night environment is being actively protected.
Is astrotourism worth travelling for?
We think the answer is yes.
But we rarely think you should cross the world for one two-hour astronomy excursion.
The opportunity is much bigger than that.
Stargazing + safari
South Africa or Namibia.
Stargazing + wine
Chile or Portugal.
Stargazing + mountains
New Zealand, Canada or La Palma.
Stargazing + road trip
Utah, Australia or Ireland.
Stargazing + photography
The Atacama, Namibia, Bryce Canyon or Warrumbungle.
Stargazing + gastronomy
Portugal, Spain or Chile.
That’s when astronomy becomes more than an excursion.
It becomes the thread that ties a journey together.
Missed the August 2026 eclipse? Travel for the next one
Wednesday’s eclipse is also a reminder of something important about celestial events:
they happen whether you’re there or not.
Unlike a landmark, restaurant or hotel, you can’t decide to see the same eclipse next month.
That creates an increasingly compelling reason to plan travel around astronomy well in advance.
The next total solar eclipse takes place on 2 August 2027, with totality crossing parts of southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
For experiential travel, that creates some extraordinary possibilities.
Andalusia + gastronomy + eclipse
Build a southern Spain journey through food, landscapes and characterful hotels before positioning yourself appropriately for totality.
Egypt + ancient history + eclipse
Combine one of humanity’s great ancient civilisations with one of nature’s most extraordinary phenomena.
North Africa + desert + eclipse
Create a wider journey through culture and desert landscapes with totality as its defining moment.
The exact location matters enormously with eclipse travel. You must be inside the path of totality to experience a total solar eclipse, and accommodation and logistics in desirable locations can tighten significantly as the date approaches.
Thinking about travelling for a future eclipse? Don’t just book somewhere near it. Let us build the entire journey around the event, with the right location, accommodation and experiences on either side.
Talk to us about an eclipse journey →
Frequently asked questions about stargazing holidays
Where is the best place in the world for stargazing?
The Atacama Desert in Chile is one of the strongest candidates for the world’s best stargazing destination. Its high altitude, extremely dry atmosphere, low levels of artificial light and roughly 300 clear nights each year have made northern Chile one of the world’s most important regions for professional astronomy.
Where is the best place to see shooting stars?
The best location depends on the meteor shower. For the greatest chance of seeing meteors, choose a genuinely dark location during the shower’s peak and ideally travel when there is little or no bright moonlight.
What is the best meteor shower to see?
The Perseids in August and Geminids in December are two of the best-known annual meteor showers. The experience varies each year depending particularly on Moon conditions, weather and light pollution.
Can you see the Milky Way with the naked eye?
Yes. From sufficiently dark locations under clear conditions, the Milky Way is visible without a telescope. It appears as a broad, pale band containing huge concentrations of stars across the night sky.
Do you need a telescope to see shooting stars?
No. Meteor showers are generally better observed with the naked eye because meteors can cross large areas of sky and a telescope restricts your field of view.
When is the best time to see the Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseids peak in mid-August each year. In 2026, the peak falls overnight on 12–13 August, coinciding with New Moon and giving particularly favourable dark-sky conditions.
What is the difference between a shooting star and a meteor?
A “shooting star” is the everyday name for the streak of light caused when a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere at high speed. It isn’t actually a star.
What makes somewhere good for stargazing?
The strongest stargazing destinations combine low light pollution, clear weather, low atmospheric moisture, open horizons and, in many cases, altitude. Moon phase also has a major effect on how dark the sky appears.
Can Nomadical Tracks organise stargazing holidays?
Yes. Nomadical Tracks creates bespoke experiential journeys rather than fixed, off-the-shelf packages. Astronomy can be the central reason for your journey or one element within a wider trip incorporating wildlife, gastronomy, wine, hiking, golf, culture, wellness or adventure.
Don’t just look up. Travel for it.
On 12 August 2026, a solar eclipse swept across the Northern Hemisphere.
Hours later, Earth moved through the debris of Comet Swift-Tuttle and the Perseids returned.
Both are reminders of what makes astronomical travel different.
You can’t move the event.
You can’t postpone the sky.
You have to be in the right place at the right time.
For us, that’s one of the purest reasons to travel.
Nomadical Tracks creates bespoke experiential journeys around the world, designed around what you actually want to experience rather than a pre-built itinerary.
That might mean:
- A private astronomer beneath the Atacama sky
- A remote desert lodge in Namibia
- Safari beneath the stars in South Africa
- A meteor shower over Utah
- Wine and astronomy in Portugal
- Mountains and constellations in New Zealand
- Or positioning yourself in exactly the right place for the next total solar eclipse
Private guides. Remote landscapes. Gastronomy. Wildlife. Adventure. Extraordinary hotels.
And above all of it, a sky worth travelling for.
Tell us what you’d love to see, and we’ll start building the journey around you →
