Queenstown Stargazing Experiences

Skyline Stargazing

You don’t have to go out into the wilds to enjoy the night sky. Queenstown’s skies are so clear, when you get away from the streetlights you can see the stars.

Head up the Gondola after dark and join a Skyline stargazing tour. Your guide will take you to a specially-constructed area above the Gondola, away from light pollution. There, you’ll have  a clear view of the night sky, and can use telescopes to see planets, the Southern Cross, the Milky Way, and other stellar sights.

Milford Sound Overnight Cruise

One of the most remote fiords in the world is bound to be a paradise for stargazers, and a cruise into the heart of the sound, far away from urban lights, is a luxurious way to enjoy this treasure box of southern constellations, including Orion, the Southern Cross, Taurus, the Pleiades or Seven Sisters, and Scorpius.

Spend a night in the Sound on a boat with a RealNZ Milford Sound Overnight Cruise. Sail out into the fiord to admire the waterfalls falling down the sheer cliffs clad in rainforest, explore coves with a wildlife guide, then enjoy dinner before stargazing on deck.

The Onsen Hot Pools

These hot pools overlooking the Shotover River are a Queenstown icon, but the best kept secret is how magnificent they are after dark. Evening sessions start at 6:00pm, 8:00pm, and 10:00pm. Book one of the private cedar-lined hot tubs and gaze out at a sky full of stars. The original Onsen’s have a retractable roof for a fully immersive night sky experience, while the outdoor Onsens and oval hot tubs have panoramic views of the sky over the Shotover.

AuthenticAs Starry Nights

The AuthenticAs tour combines a luxury 4WD tour in a Land Rover, with stargazing, treats (hot chocolate and homemade cookies anyone?), and a photoshoot with a difference where you pose against the spangled backdrop of the southern night sky.

Your guide Simon combines his deep knowledge of astronomy as an astrophysicist with Māori creation mythology, and insights into how tangata whenua – the indigenous people of Aotearoa – used the stars. A stargazing experience for keen astrophotographers, lovers of astronomy, and anyone wanting an extraordinary, storied adventure.

AuthenticAs Stargazing

Dine by Starlight

Gibbston Valley Lodge Restaurant

This vineyard restaurant in the heart of the Gibbston Dark Sky Park serves up dishes packed with local ingredients, many grown in the kitchen gardens on the property. In summer you can sit in the outdoor courtyard under the Milky Way. In winter wrap up warm and stroll among the vines spotting constellations, before dining by the roaring fire in the cosy lodge.

Canyon Brewing

This brew bar by the Shotover River in Arthur’s Point serves local craft beer, including a fun line up of experimental wildcards, sharing dishes, and woodfired sourdough pizza. Their vast outdoor terrace with a fireplace overlooking the river comes into its own for stargazers after dark. Cosy up with a big, juicy hazy and a hunk of cheesy dough and gaze at the sky.

Stratosfare Restaurant

The spot to dine after a Skyline Stargazing tour, Stratosfare is also a stargazing spot in its own right. 450 metres above Queenstown, floor-to-ceiling windows give panoramic views out over the lake and the surrounding ranges. When the sun goes down, admire the night sky from the comfort of your table, as you choose from the delicious buffet.

Stratosfare Restaurant, Skyline

Stay, Spa & Relax Under the Stars

Great Glenorchy Alpine Base Camp

Great Glenorchy Alpine Base Camp is built for adventurers. Stay in cosy wooden huts, before setting out for adventures in the World Heritage Area. Relax in the sauna after a day on the trails, then share a woodfired feast from the Base Camp Kitchen around a long table with new friends or old, before stargazing in this soon to be Dark Sky Reserve. Between March and September, you may be lucky enough to see the Southern Lights.

Kinross Cottages

These snug cottages in a vineyard in the heart of Gibbston’s Dark Sky Park are the ideal getaway for lovers of celestial wonders. Start your evening with a wine tasting at the cellar door that pours six boutique local wineries, before picking up a takeaway hamper of local meats, cheese, and other treats from the bistro and heading to soak up the stunning night sky views from the outdoor hot tub or a blanket among the vines.

Kinross Cottage Aurora. Credit Mitch Serbu