Go stargazing with Abel Maano (Tel 0822120700, [email protected]), who operates at a number of lodges in the area, for R150 a person; specify stargazing in your booking. There are many excellent spots to enjoy endless hours gazing into the starry universe above, as you learn more about stars, planets and astronomy. One of the darkest and least polluted areas in southern Africa, this magical spot is a true treat for stargazers. A stellar exploration of South Africa’s starry heavens which kicks off in the city of Cape Town and ends in the wilds of Kruger. There are no designated stargazing spots or guides in Carnarvon, so you’ll have to go it alone – find a spot during the day and take your binoculars later to see the stars. 3 key reasons to signup: Find the best photo locations; Build your unique wishlist of … The Cederberg Astronomical Observatory ([email protected]) has been operating for more than 20 years and is open every Saturday, except during full moon. Self-catering from R630 a night and camping from R240. July 2 & 3, 2021 — Maun to the Okavango Delta Our Botswana Stargazing Safari starts at Maun Airport, where we board a light aircraft and fly to our first camp: Setari, situated in a Private Reserve in the Okavango Delta.At Setari you'll meet up with your Sky & Telescope tour leader, astronomer Stephen James O'Meara (who will accompany the tour), and the rest of the group. Africa is one of the best destinations to view the magnificent carpet of constellations adorning the sky. The !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park that surrounds !Xaus Lodge is one of the world’s darkest places and offers some of the best star gazing in South Africa. One km outside Sutherland along the N 1 next to the tarred road we offer stargazing with up to six G P S telescopes. You can stargaze there, but rather join Jurg Wagener (Tel 023 571 1405) later in the evening for a more intimate experience and even darker skies that offer better sightings. So settle in and enjoy the journey.Africa awaits! Noticing me shuffle around to try and bring some warmth to my frozen extremities, a fellow stargazer smiles knowingly. __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"f3080":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1},"f2bba":{"name":"Main Light 10","parent":"f3080"},"trewq":{"name":"Main Light 30","parent":"f3080"},"poiuy":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"f83d7":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"frty6":{"name":"Main Light 45","parent":"f3080"},"flktr":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":" rgb(23, 23, 22)"},"f2bba":{"val":" rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"trewq":{"val":" rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"poiuy":{"val":" rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"f83d7":{"val":" rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"frty6":{"val":" rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"flktr":{"val":" rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, The Best Spots for Stargazing in South Africa. All-weather binoculars with 18x magnification, 2.8 mm exit pupil and 3.7º real field of view. Please be sure to check current rates before travelling. Skitterland Guesthouse has five luxury suites with all the electric blankets, down duvets and wool blankets you’ll need to take the chill off after an evening of stargazing. It was a clear night and the moon was very small which makes for an ideal night to go stargazing in Sutherland. Stargazing Near Cape Town: Here's Where You Can Discover The Cosmos. Anysberg Reserve has impeccable camping grounds under towering gum trees and five equipped self-catering cottages. Casa Vista Grande - Terlingua, Texas. Every Saturday (weather permitting) the Conservancy opens its doors to visitors who can enjoy sights of the skies and lectures if arranged in advance. 6. You can also start in Prince Albert and take a two-day stargazing bus tour to SALT in Sutherland. Where to stay in Pafuri Good maps are available at most accommodation establishments and from the CapeNature offices at Algeria. South Africa is one of the top places for stargazing in the Southern hemisphere due to its geographical location and the amount of unpopulated places. Filled with a diverse array of incredible accommodation options, this exceptional park is suited to a vast variety of visitors. Explore the baobabs in the north of the Kruger National Park from Pafuri Gate; the area is alive with elephant, nyala, rumours of leopard and exemplary bird life. Tel 082 443 3246 or 0562122535. Organise a night sky safari with Dr Philip Calcott (Tel 0835522119); he operates in the whole Waterberg area and rates vary depending on group size. This expansive park is famous for its incredible “golden aura” stemming from the area’s various shades of sandstone and the way sunlight reflects off it. Kroonstad Astronomy Club meets once a month. It’s great to have you here. You’ve got to look between the litter and talk to people, hear their stories. The bad news is that it’s a tad cold. There are typically three reasons why amateur astronomers find themselves stargazing in Africa. Living in an ever-developing world, it’s not always easy to appreciate the sheer beauty of the night sky when mixed with sky-high buildings and varying levels of pollution. Alternatively, book a few nights at Kagga Kamma and make the most of their sky deck; the guides here have an excellent grasp on celestial affairs and encourage you to trace over constellations with a powerful emerald laser so you’ll always remember where to find them. Hello, hujambo and sawubona! For anyone who would appreciate the benefit of a closer look, we recommend Etali Safari Lodge or Royal Madikwe who allow guests access to their telescope. The brightest star in the night sky, Earth’s closest neighbouring galaxy and the largest telescope in … Please log in again. Self-catering options also available. Tel 0214830190. The semi-arid desert stretches across great portions of the interiors of South Africa’s three Cape provinces. The best place however for stargazing is in Sutherland, a tiny village in the middle of the Upper Karoo in South Africa. Not only is Sutherland home to the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere but it’s also known to be one of the best spots worldwide. It’s one of South Africa’s best night-sky destinations and also one of the coldest, as my feet are reminding me. Stargazing Stargazing is a popular outdoor activity, offering a chance to see the night skies of South Africa as you’ve never experienced them before. A short lecture indoors on a 3 metre big screen is given to explain the current constellations and planets before going outside to do the proper viewing through a telescope. If you're as wild about African travel as we are, you’ve come to the right place. Our writers travel all over this captivating continent to bring back the best travel stories, advice and guides. It is June which is considered winter in South Africa so the sun sets early and by 8 pm you can watch the stars. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Big Bend National Park in Texas sits further away from more … Sutherland is known for a big five of a different nature – the Celestial Big Five! The star gazing session is max 2 hours long where you will be able to watch through 1 of 6 telescopes. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. In fact, it will make winter in Sutherland – South Africa’s notoriously cold stargazing mecca – seem like a warm tropical island. The best place however for stargazing is in Sutherland, a tiny village in the middle of the Upper Karoo in South Africa. Owner of the Lord Carnarvon Guest House, Pieter Hoffman, says, ‘It’s not your typical polished tourist town. Naming just a few of our favourites, South Africa is full of secluded spots that are ideal to see star-studded skies. Take a butterfly book with you – the property is home to 300 species – and do a guided bird tour. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact True South Travel on Tripadvisor. Sterland Stargazing Star gazing sessions are presented almost every night throughout the year. These three stargazing experiences in Southern Africa set the tone for magic throughout your getaway to each of these luxury camps and lodges in the wilderness. Kambrokind Skrywershuisie is a cosy cottage with thoughtful touches such as a hot-water bottle, electric blanket and heater. Photo by Melanie van Zyl Carnarvon teems with specialised scientists working on the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a multinational cooperative effort that will see a network of radio telescopes stretch across Africa and Australia. Port Elizabeth People’s Observatory Society meets every two months. It’s far from the city, has no cellphone reception and Pafuri River Camp uses only gas and solar power, so light pollution isn’t a problem. The Karoo in general is ideal for stargazing. Stargazing conditions couldn’t be better. Camping under the stars, at the coldest place in South Africa, making you wish that you can see forever. Discovering Saturn’s rings for the first time blew my socks off (perhaps I should have worn two pairs like the other lady); I guarantee it’ll do the same for you when you leave the city lights behind. Try Lord Carnarvon Guest House (Tel 053 382 3268) which has been beautifully restored with 14 air-conditioned rooms, as well as satellite TV, and a lounge with fireplace. Stop at the Black Mamba before leaving Vaalwater en route to Ant’s Nest – the shop offers more than your average curios – and pop into the quirky Bush Stop Café (Tel 0737010543) for a prego roll. At the parks !Xaus Lodge, the closest source of artificial light is around 50 kilometres away. An avid coffee lover, equestrian enthusiast and self-proclaimed cat lady, Emma hopes to travel and experience as many cultures, countries and food types as possible. South African wilderness fundi and photojournalist Scott Ramsay recommends these parks for their night skies. The fascinating South African Astronomical Observatory (Tel 023 571 1205) is worth an afternoon’s visit, if only to learn how quickly astronomy overwhelms the brain. It’s the site of the South African Large Telescope (SALT) – and this is the place of all places to go stargazing in South Africa. Stargazing in Pafuri Photo by Melanie van Zyl Pafuri is where South Africa meets Mozambique and Zimbabwe in the northernmost part of Kruger National Park. Is It Safe to Travel to South Africa Right Now? It’s far from the city, has no cellphone reception and Pafuri River Camp uses only gas and solar power, so light pollution isn’t a problem. Saddle up at Ant’s Nest and horse ride in the bush for a close wildlife encounter or go on a bush walk to find rhino. Stargazing through a pandemic. The competition is open to everyone aged 18 years or over except employees of Go South Africa and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition. For a budget option near the observatory, try the well-equipped, riverside self-catering cottages at Sanddrif Holiday Resort (Tel 0274822825). 15x50 IS AW. Build your South African trip itinerary using the most inspiring photos as your starting point. One of the main attractions of Sutherland, South Africa’s stargazing capital, is its remote location, but its history and people also have an inimitable story to tell. Tel 0147553584. Words & Photographs: Michelle Hardie. Photo by Melanie van Zyl The dark, quiet bush makes a captivating astral stage. Tackle the Planet Trek to Tapfontein in your 4×4 or on horse and overnight in one of the more rustic units. With such divine darkness and lack of pollution, this is a rare and special spot to visit. With 32 guest houses, you’re spoilt for choice. For the ultimate experience, hike up Ribokkop – the highest point in the park – and spend the night in the wilderness. Night really falls there, nearly totally free from pollution, including light pollution, natural atmospheric pollution and man-made pollution. Try your hand at stargazing at an astronomy club near you. Sutherland in the Northern Cape is probably the most celebrated of all star-viewing locations in South Africa. South Africa has its fair share of superstars – the Big Five, Robben Island and Charlize Theron – but its real fame is found twinkling above the most remote landscapes. 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