Nepal
The snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas look nothing short of incredible at night when suffused with moonlight. High in the Annapurna range light pollution is reduced to an absolute minimum as the few scattered villages are all at lower altitudes. Taking a high altitude trek such as our Annapurna Sanctuary Lodge Trek takes you closer to the stars in one of the world’s best stargazing locations, which just happens to offer fantastic walking too! With some of the most spectacular mountain landscapes in the world, this is an unbeatable trip, boasting majestic peaks and picturesque sunrises.
Morocco
The tiny isolated Berber villages in the mountains of the High Atlas generate very little light pollution, making this a great place to sit out and watch the stars on The Berber Trail walking itinerary. During the day you take scenic walks in the Atlas Mountains, traversing mule trails and stopping at the various Berber villages along the way to admire the beautiful views. In some villages you can even sleep out on the terrace of a house (weather permitting) under the night sky with fantastic views. This is one of the best places to see the Milky Way, and there are also fine views of Saturn and Albireo.
Romania
From the small mountain huts and chalets where you stay you’ll get lovely unpolluted views of the heavens from horizon to horizon at night. Being halfway between the equator and the North Pole gives you a unique perspective and it’s not uncommon for people to sit out late transfixed by views of the Milky Way, the moon’s craters, Saturn’s rings, star clusters, comets and other astral phenomena. By day on our Alps of Transylvania holiday, you walk in the Carpathian Mountains and enjoy treks to the highest peak in Romania, walk past waterfalls and mountain lakes and enjoy a visit to Bran Castle.
Greece
Well off the beaten track, our Hiking in the Pindos Mountains walking holiday to northern Greece is a perfect location to get out and watch the heavens. After climbing Tymfi’s highest peak (2,497m) we stay in a mountain refuge far from any village, creating a fantastic opportunity to observe the sky by night and enjoy a remarkable celestial panorama with stars that seem close enough to touch. We also enjoy alpine lake walks, breathtaking panoramic views, and hiking three of the highest peaks in Greece. The unspoilt and untouched nature of this landscape becomes evident as we traverse the paths of this striking corner of Greece.
Finland
Hiking in the very remote parts of northern Finland during winter, we have two trips that take you far away from towns and local communities, reducing light pollution. This seclusion provides excellent darkness - making stargazing and potentially observing the northern lights a possibility! We spend evenings in a wilderness cabin for the best chance of watching the stars and atmospheric phenomenons on a clear night. Choose from Call of the Wild or Snowshoe in Wild Finland. Our Call of the Wild holiday offers activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, igloo building, husky sledding, ice fishing and visiting a reindeer farm, whereas Wild Finland focuses purely on snowshoeing around five to six hours a day with ice swims and evening saunas for good measure.
Mongolia
Although our Hiking Mongolia trip arrives and departs from the capital city Ulaanbaatar, we spend most of our nights in yurt camps, typically within natural parks and therefore deep in Mongolia's rural landscapes. The sheer expanse and sparse population guarantees superb pitch-dark and starry skies, ideal for astronomical sights seen with the naked eye. The night spent at the desert camp in the Gobi is one of the best locations in this itinerary for stargazing. This trip spends time in Mongolia's diverse landscapes including mountains, valleys and deserts. Enjoy hiking in two of the country's most iconic national parks, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and Khustai National Park, passing otherworldly rock formations, remote villages and monasteries. If you're lucky, you may even spot the elusive Przewalski’s horse.
Patagonia
There are several opportunities for stargazing on this twin-centre trip that visits both Chile and Argentina. In Chile, Torres del Paine National Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty, regarded as having Class 1 dark skies due to its high altitude, remoteness and almost zero light pollution. The Milky Way is also clearly visible here. Over in Argentina, El Charlten is surrounded by the Andes, and the remote town has minimal light interference, ideal for a total immersion in rugged mountainous terrain. At the 'End of the World' Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego in Argentina also offers the possibility of seeing the southern lights. This Patagonia walking holiday also visits Los Glaciares National Park, home to the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier and the iconic Fitz Roy Mountain.
Peru
In the Cusco region, the rare combination of altitude (Cusco sits at 3,400m), dry air and minimal light pollution creates the perfect environment for stargazing as the atmosphere allows for great views of stars, planets and the Milky Way especially from March to October. Rainbow Mountain has almost zero artificial light, and therefore is one of the darkest, accessible regions in Peru. At the beginning of our Ausangate, Rainbow Mountain & Cusco tour you acclimatise in Cusco, with a half-day city tour and optional activities to keep you entertained. You then hike through the Yanama Valley, soaking up views of Ausangate, onto Mount Vinicunca with its unique colouration and then to Qomerqocha Lake, learning about Quechua traditions along the way.
Updated on August 29, 2025
Many of our group tours can run on a self-guided basis, so you can choose your own departure date and tailor your trip to a particular celestial event. Contact our team to find out more about our trips, or use our holiday search to start planning your stargazing and walking holiday!
