Many people never experience the night sky in its full glory. Living in cities awash with light pollution makes it difficult to see the planet Venus, let alone the wispy whiteness of the Milky Way.
However, when you get out into the wilderness, all that changes. You suddenly see the universe in all its glory.
It’s a bit like the difference between looking at your phone screen in the bright, midday sunshine and looking at it late at night in your bedroom. When there’s a lot of ambient light, it washes out all the fine details. By contrast, when there’s no light, all the details suddenly become visible.
The best way to experience a star-gazing vacation is with a camper trailer. You want to make sure that you’re outside most of the time, enjoying everything that your surroundings have to offer.
So, with that said, where should you go to find dark skies?
Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya
Much of northern Kenya is a wildlife conservation area. The majority of the country is just rolling savannahs and beautiful natural wilderness.
Because of this, it’s a fabulous place to go star-gazing if you plan on travelling to Africa. Nairobi is hundreds of miles away to the south. And compared to most western cities, it hardly produces any light at night, giving you an unrestricted view of the cosmos.
If you want to get even better views with less atmospheric interference, travel to higher land. Elevations of 6,000 feet or more can offer greater visibility and make it much more likely that you will see shooting stars.
Joshua Tree National Park, USA
The Joshua Tree National Park in California is a national treasure. Despite the state’s high population, Joshua Tree National Park is quite some distance away from the likes of Sacramento and Los Angeles, meaning that skies are darker than most places in the American West. Plus, during the day you can enjoy a range of other activities, including climbing, mountain biking, and hiking.
Agafay Desert, Morocco
Agafay Desert is stationed between Marrakech at the Atlas Mountains. The region backs onto the Sahara, one of the least light-polluted spots on Earth outside of the oceans. Visitors can experience luxury travel at its finest at this location, enjoying a glamping experience with air conditioning, double beds, and chef-prepared candle-lit dinners.
Waldseilgarten Höllschlucht, Germany
Waldseilgarten Höllschlucht is another popular location for star-gazers. While the area is a popular haunt for experienced rock climbers, it also offers the opportunity to camp out under the stars in tents that hang from trees. Skies aren’t as dark as they could be because the location is in the middle of Europe. However, it’s still well worthwhile checking out if you are travelling through the area and you want to experience a little slice of nature.
Capertee Valley, Australia
Capertee Valley is just a few miles from Sydney and offers inflatable bubble tents for guests to enjoy. You can also start a fire pit and watch migrating birds flying through the area.
