Tekapo Star Gazing Tour - Soak in the Stars
South Island, New Zealand
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Watch the spectacular stars above the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve on a tour that starts with a guided constellation tour, and ends in the warm waters of Tekapo Springs. Using a floating hammock in the hot pools is ideal for an evening of stargazing that won’t leave you with a sore neck, and access to an indoor star projector means you’re guaranteed to see stars in any weather.
- Guided stargazing helps you find your way through the nighttime display
- Indoor projector option features full-color satellite images
- Evening hour hot pool access means an uncrowded experience
- Enjoy relaxing music, a floating hammock, and warm water at Tekapo Springs
What's Included
- Exclusive use of the hot pools at night in a group of no more than 32
- Professionally guided tour of the largest dark sky reserve.
- A floating hammock to use whilst floating in the hot pools
- Pick up/drop off from Lake Tekapo Township (subject to availability and upon request only)
- A warm woolen blanket to use whilst outside exploring the universe.
- Food and non-alcoholic drinks (some hot drinks provided on the tour)
- Alcoholic drinks (cannot be brought to the premises)
- Swimwear, robes and towels available to borrow
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Tekapo Springs300 Lakeside Drive, Lake Tekapo 7945, New Zealand
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Tekapo Star Gazing
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Minimum age to join the tour is 10 years old.
- Dress accordingly to the weather conditions. A warm blanket will be provided but temperatures can be very low in our alpine environment.
- Wheelchair accessible, please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required due to limited availability
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather (snow, extreme ice, lightning storms), you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund. Tours go ahead regardless if some or none of the night sky is visible. If the sky is not visible an informative indoor tour takes place to highlight the significance of the Aoraki MacKenzie Dark Sky Reserve and local Maori understanding of the night sky. Regardless of the weather, the relaxing hot pools as the second half will still go ahead.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 32 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Elena_N
Enjoyed the virtual reality portion and we were lucky that the clouds cleared and we were able to see the milky way. The hot pools were wonderful. The guides were so knowledgeable and absolutely a pleasure to chat with. I would absolutely recommend this to my friends
Reviews
4.3
based on 113 reviews
Shelby_C, Mar 2026
The springs were warm and lovely. They have a robe and towel for you and changing/showering facilities. The water hammocks were nice. I found that you can sit on them or straddle them and lay back. I enjoyed laying back to see the stars better and be more immersed in the water. After 45 minutes in the pool and storytelling which we learned a lot from then everyone got out of the pool, changed, and went to the stargazing deck. They had 3 telescopes set up and 1 of the 3 employees was an Astronomer which I thought was cool. Great experience and well worth the money.
They do keep the parking lot and grounds super dark for stargazing. That is part of the experience. I noticed a group of women in their 70s and 80s that had some challenges getting up the ramps in the dark. I would suggest being prepared to use the flash light on your phone facing the grounds to help anyone who may have trouble traversing the way in. Most of the path in has low lighting but there are strips of the path that do not. I wouldn’t avoid if I was older and had terrain challenges. I just want it to be called out to keep everyone safe.
We saw 3 different things through the telescope and all were really neat. Learned lots and enjoyed the Māori folklore.
Sandra_M, Feb 2026
You may or may not get clear skies but it is a great activity regardless. The host is enthusiastic and very knowledgeable.
marie_f, Jan 2026
Did this tour with my husband and 4 young adults, beautiful setting and clear night sky for us. Enjoyed the hot tub experience. Room for improvement..groups of 8 around each tekescope meant minimal time ( like 2 minutes each) viewing which was really disappointing. Need smaller groups.,need to be told to bring warm clothing as we are outside at the telescopes for an hour. Expected The knowledge of the presenters to be more in Depth . The initial quiz was a bit amateurish
Nora_T, Dec 2025
Knowledgeable guides and lovely hot springs, with refreshments, showers, and nice amenities. Really enjoyed learning about the stars, especially those you can only see in the Southern Hemisphere. At first we considered canceling when we saw that low cloud cover would be 100%. However, the weather and clouds completely cleared up in time for us to see Saturn, Betelgeuse, Sirius, and many other stars.
Elena_N, Dec 2025
Enjoyed the virtual reality portion and we were lucky that the clouds cleared and we were able to see the milky way. The hot pools were wonderful. The guides were so knowledgeable and absolutely a pleasure to chat with. I would absolutely recommend this to my friends
Nikunj_K, Dec 2025
Due to weather, there was VR show. Either the booking should have been refunded or should have been rescheduled. Disappointing!!!!!
Vineela_R, Nov 2025
Perfect way to experience the largest dark sky reserve in the world! The hot springs were cozy, the guides were highly informative and the sky was clear - what more can we ask for!
Sean_G, Nov 2024
Great experience. The moon was a little too bright and caused poor conditions for star gazing. However what we could see was explained and shown to the group effectively. The dip in the hot pools with more info about the stars and random interesting facts was great. I'd suggest it for anyone. Although make sure the moon is not on the way to becoming full.
Shane_P, Apr 2023
Absolutely amazing journey with Jose as our guide. Very well versed in Incan history (as a history nerd myself). Very personable and made our afternoon a pleasure. Would highly recommend this company and José whilst in Cusco!
Tim_S, Feb 2020
Not a good experience. Was not cancellable or re-bookable despite zero visibility. Cancel button would not work and no sympathy on phone. Don't trust these people!
lkobayashi, Jan 2020
Fantastic and unique experience, almost spiritual and definitely out of this world. The guides are all terrific, friendly and knowledgeable. Go if you are seeking a beautiful, quiet, informative and commune with nature type of experience
Abby H, Jan 2020
The tour was ok, but I could have just gone out to a field and seen the same thing for free. The guide said a few inaccurate things and only pointed out one southern constellation. She was easily distracted and not particularly knowledgeable. There were telescopes set up to look at 4 different objects. That was good, but our tour guide did not know how to set them up. The hot springs were nice, but are also available without the tour.
Christoph_B, Jan 2026
Unfortunately, hardly any stars to see, but nobody can help it. But holobrilles as a substitute didn't work, that was disappointing. Time inside hot pools was nice. Overall, however, far too expensive. 100 euros per person ... for what?
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