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- New Zealand has a new Dark Sky Sanctuary, a special designation for natural areas with ideal stargazing conditions.
- Dark Sky sanctuaries are a conservation effort to preserve regions with minimal light pollution.
- The new designation is New Zealand’s fifth Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Already famed for its dramatic landscapes and spirit of adventure, 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. Nestled just an hour’s drive south of Queenstown, the South Island’s self-proclaimed “adventure capital of the world” offers easy access to one of the country’s most spectacular wilderness areas.
From here, the small alpine villages of Glenorchy and Kinloch serve as gateways to the UNESCO-listed Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Wilderness. This 10,000-square-mile natural wonder is home to legendary trails like the Routeburn, Greenstone-Caples, and Rees-Dart tracks.
Why Dark Sky Sanctuaries Matter
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 International, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting natural darkness, has been fighting to conserve these dwindling celestial sanctuaries for more than 30 years. Through their global Dark Sky Places program, they’re certifying and preserving special locations where the Milky Way still glows through an ocean of brilliant stars overhead.
Having visited Glenorchy twice over the past two decades and trekked deep into the Southern Alps along the Routeburn Track, I can attest firsthand to this region’s extraordinary beauty. The landscapes here feel like pure, untouched wilderness, with sweeping vistas by day matched only by the magnificent clarity of the heavens 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 2028, and the only designated International Dark Sky Sanctuary in its path. I can’t think of a better backdrop to be awed by the spectacle of a total solar eclipse during the day, followed by an untamed view of the stars at night.
Steve Daggar Photography/Getty Images
The road to qualifying Glenorchy as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, however, took more than just the awestruck reviews of tourists like me to come to fruition. Instead, it involved a five-year grassroots effort by the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Group.
“While none of us knew anything about astronomy at the start, our team of 12 spanning three generations, have upskilled in brilliant ways learning about lighting, moths and bats, staying up late measuring darkness, holding community events and the annual Matariki dinner, going to star courses, and partnering in 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? A sanctuary that is more than just a destination, but a tribute to the dedication of a passionate community, creating an exceptional environment where everyone can reconnect with the unspoiled beauty of the night sky.
