Embark on New Zealand's premier mountaintop stargazing experience. Dark Sky Project is proud to offer exclusive stargazing tours from the summit of Mount John, home to the world renowned astronomical research centre.
At 1,029m high, Mt John offers unrivalled 360-degree views across the largest accredited International Dark Sky Reserve in the world.
Our expert astronomy guides bring the night sky to life, sharing the science and the stories of our Southern skies. Stargaze using the naked eye guided by lasers and then proceed to explore deeper through up to 16" optical telescopes, including in our private observatory dome. Take in the incredible Milky Way, far off planets, star clusters, solar systems, and even distant galaxies; every night sky beholds something different.
Our exclusive Summit Experience runs for 2 hours, includes transport to and from Mt John, use of our ECW (extreme cold weather jackets) to keep you warm at the summit, and the full use of our telescopes.
The nature of the terrain on Mount John requires a certain level of fitness, you need to be confident walking 100 meters on a gravel incline and be able to climb a couple of steps in the dark. Guests looking for a more accessible tour should check out our Crater Experience at Cowan’s Private Observatory, which is an ideal accessible alternative.
Our Summit Experience is a weather-dependent activity. If it is not possible to observe due to weather, your booking will be cancelled and fully refunded.