- New Zealand now has a Dark Sky Sanctuary. This is a special designation given to natural areas that have ideal conditions for stargazing.
- Dark Sky Sanctuaries are an effort in conservation to preserve areas with minimal light pollution.
- New Zealand now has five Dark Sky Sanctuarys.
It is already known for its breathtaking landscapes, spirit of adventure and dramatic landscapes. New Zealand has added another world-class destination to its map: the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary. Spanning nearly 50,000 acres of pristine mountain wilderness on the South Island, this stargazing sanctuary is the country’s fifth International Dark Sky Sanctuary—and one of only 23 worldwide.
The Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary, the country’s first inland mountain sanctuary, is a notable addition to New Zealand’s growing portfolio of astrotourism sites. The South Island’s “adventure capitol of the world”, Queenstown is just one hour away. It offers easy access to some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the country.
Here, the tiny alpine settlements of Glenorchy & Kinloch are gateways to Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Wilderness. This area is listed by UNESCO. This 10,000-square-mile wilderness is home of legendary trails such as the Routeburn, Greenstone-Caples and Rees-Dart.
Why Dark Sky Sanctuaries Are Important
With more than 80 percent of the world’s population—and nearly all Americans and Europeans—living under skies impacted by artificial light, truly dark sites have become incredibly rare. Dark Sky InternationalSince more than 30 year, has been working to preserve these diminishing celestial sanctuaries. The Dark Sky Places Program certifies and preserves special locations where Milky Way is still visible through an ocean or brilliant stars.
I have visited Glenorchy two times in the last 20 years and trekked into the Southern Alps on the Routeburn Track. This region is truly beautiful. The landscapes are pristine and untouched, with wide-open vistas during the day, and the clear skies at night.
Perhaps most thrilling for eclipse chasers, Tāhuna Glenorchy will be one of the rare places on the planet to see the Total Solar Eclipse in 2028And the You can only get it by clicking here In its path, the International Dark Sky Sanctuary was designated. It’s hard to imagine a more spectacular backdrop for a total eclipse of the sun during the day followed by a nighttime view of stars.
Steve Daggar/Getty Images
To qualify Glenorchy for a Dark Sky Sanctuary took more than just awestruck tourist reviews like mine. It took a grassroots effort of five years by the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Group.
Our team of twelve, spanning three generations of astronomers, has upskilled themselves in many ways. They have learned about lighting, bats and moths, stayed up late to measure darkness, held community events, the annual Matariki Dinner, attended star courses and partnered with the QLDC. [Queenstown Lakes District Council] Libraries and Tūhuru Otago Museum for talks and educational programs for the whole community,” Leslie Van Gelder, chair of Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies Group, said in a release obtained by Travel + Leisure.
The result? The result?
