Covers the rainforest at night, Asia's night markets and Mexico City, plus glowing bays and dark skies.
Updated
This page carries dated prices, start times or seasonal openings checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
Go to the Canaries. Honestly, that's most of the answer.
We scored 16 stargazing tours, and they're almost all far from our 32 cities: up volcanoes in the Canary Islands and Hawaii, and out in the deserts of the American Southwest. Three of the top four are on Tenerife, in or near Teide National Park, and they cost $39 to $73 (€35 to €65). That's roughly a seventh of what you'll pay in Hawaii for much the same thing: a sunset, then a guide, a laser pointer and a telescope.
Mauna Kea is the famous one, and the tours there are good, with 1,681 to 1,892 reviews at 4.8 or 4.9. They're also 5 to 8 hour trips at $289 (€258) or more, with altitude rules that keep out kids under 13. Our score weighs price per hour, so they land mid-table.
Whatever you book, check the moon first. Today, October 26, is a full moon, about the worst night of the month to look at faint stars.
At a glance
Best overall
DAS Experience, Teide sunset and stargazing, 8.5, $39 (€35) on sale
Best small session
Astroguide Tenerife, 40 minutes after sunset, rated 4.9
Biggest telescope
Astrophototour's 32-inch Dobsonian on Teide, 10 people max
Best in Hawaii
Hawaii Forest and Trail, Mauna Kea Summit and Stars, 7.9
Best in the US desert
Joshua Tree guided stargazing, Yucca Valley, 6.6
Age limits
Mauna Kea tours are 13+; one is 16 to 75
On this page
The 12 best stargazing tours, ranked
Ranked by Night Score across every city we cover, with no more than three from one place. Night Score = 30% rating, 10% review count, 20% price per hour, 40% how much the night is the point. How we score
Tenerife: Sunset and Stargazing at Teide National Park
Stargazing tours · Teide National Park, Tenerife
8.5/10Night Score
From $39 (€35) sale
3 hours
Starts: Before sunset
Small group
4.7 (3,757 reviews)
The best value we found anywhere: three hours for $39 (€35), on sale from $45 (€40), with a glass of cava and a free astrophoto. And it has 3,757 reviews, far more than any other stargazing tour here. That pairing wins it first place, even at a 4.7 rating. DAS Experience does sunset at a viewpoint the listing puts at about 1,400 m, then a session with a 12-inch Dobsonian. That's below the roughly 1,600 m where the park's official page says its pine forests start, and in wind or cloud the group stays at the lower viewpoint anyway. No toilets. Warm jackets come only with the pricier VIP pickup.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%5.3
Review countData · 10%9.6
Price per hourData · 20%9.7
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A DAS Experience sunset at a Teide viewpoint at about 1,400 m, then a guided stargazing session with a 12-inch Dobsonian telescope.
Good to know: Sale price of $39 (was $45). Includes a glass of cava and a free astrophoto; warm jackets only on the VIP pickup option. No toilets at the sites, and in wind or cloud the group stays at the lower viewpoint.
After dark: Teide is a Starlight Reserve above the clouds, and the telescope session is only possible after dark.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on GetYourGuide on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Ties for first on score. Astroguide Tenerife meets by the Ermita de las Nieves inside the national park, starts 40 minutes after sunset when the sky is properly dark, and spends two hours on telescopes and a laser-pointer sky tour. $39 (€35). It rates 4.9 on 541 reviews, higher than DAS, with fewer reviews behind it. The catch is getting there: you drive yourself into the park at night, so you need a car. Free photos, English and Spanish. Not for babies under 1. If you've got a car, I'd take this one.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%7.5
Review countData · 10%6.6
Price per hourData · 20%8.1
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: Astroguide Tenerife's 2-hour telescope and laser-pointer session in Teide National Park, meeting by the Ermita de las Nieves.
Good to know: You get yourself to the meeting point (it is in the national park, so plan a car). Free photos included; English and Spanish. Not for babies under 1.
After dark: The session starts 40 minutes after sunset, when the sky over the national park is fully dark.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on GetYourGuide on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Gran Canaria: Sunset & Stargazing Tour: PickUp or Self Drive
Stargazing tours · Llanos de la Pez, Gran Canaria
8.4/10Night Score
From $50 (€45)
3 hours
Starts: Before sunset
Small group, 5+
4.9 (319 reviews)
Gran Canaria's answer to Teide. Stargazing Gran Canaria does sunset at Pico de las Nieves, at about 1,900 m, then telescopes at Llanos de la Pez. Three hours from $50 (€45), with pickup from the south of the island or self-drive. There's no pickup from the north. A welcome drink, blankets and a downloadable astrophoto are included; dinner isn't. Rated 4.9 on 319 reviews. Two rules: no children under 5, and nobody who has been diving in the previous 24 hours. The start moves with sunset through the year.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%6.8
Review countData · 10%5.8
Price per hourData · 20%8.7
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: Stargazing Gran Canaria's sunset at Pico de las Nieves and telescope session at Llanos de la Pez, with pickup from the south or self-drive.
Good to know: Includes a welcome drink, blankets and a downloadable astrophoto; meals are not included and there is no pickup from the north. Not for children under 5 or anyone who has dived in the previous 24 hours.
After dark: Sunset at Pico de las Nieves at about 1,900 m, then telescopes once the mountain sky goes dark.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on GetYourGuide on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Teide National Park: Guided Large Telescope Stargazing Tour
Stargazing tours · Teide National Park, Tenerife
8.2/10Night Score
From $73 (€65)
3 hours
Starts: After sunset
Small group, 5+
4.9 (386 reviews)
The telescope tour for people who care about telescopes. Astrophototour brings a 32-inch Dobsonian, a night-vision telescope and a live astro-camera, picks the site on Teide by the wind, and includes hotel pickup. Max 10. It's $73 (€65) for three hours, rated 4.9 on 386 reviews. It costs more than the two Tenerife tours above, which is why it's fourth. They send the meeting time and site by WhatsApp around 9:30 a.m. on the day, and move or refund if the weather's bad. No shorts, open shoes or flashlights. Under-5s can't come.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%7.1
Review countData · 10%6.1
Price per hourData · 20%7.2
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: An Astrophototour small-group session with a 32-inch Dobsonian, a night-vision telescope and a live astro-camera, with hotel pickup.
Good to know: Max 10. Not for children under 5; no shorts, open shoes or flashlights. Meeting time and site sent by WhatsApp around 9:30 a.m. on the day; moved or refunded if the weather is bad.
After dark: A 32-inch telescope under one of Europe's darkest skies shows galaxies and nebulae that need full darkness.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on GetYourGuide on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Mauna Kea Summit and Stars Small-Group Adventure Tour
Stargazing tours · Central pickup points from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island
7.9/10Night Score
From $330 (€295)
8 hours
Starts: Afternoon pickup for summit sunset
Small group, 13+
4.9 (1,681 reviews)
The best-rated Mauna Kea trip here: 4.9 on 1,681 reviews. Hawaii Forest and Trail picks up in Kailua-Kona in the afternoon, drives a small group up by 4x4 for sunset at the summit observatories, then runs a private telescope session at about 9,000 feet. Hooded parka, gloves, a hot picnic dinner, cocoa and the telescopes are included. It scores 2.5 on value: $330 (€295) for eight hours. That's the cost of Mauna Kea, and it's what keeps it fifth. No one under 13, no diving in the 24 hours before. A reviewer got back just before 11 p.m.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%8.5
Review countData · 10%8.4
Price per hourData · 20%2.5
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A small-group 4x4 trip up Mauna Kea for sunset and guided telescope stargazing at about 9,000 feet, run by Hawaii Forest and Trail.
Good to know: Pickup, hooded parka and gloves, a hot picnic dinner, cocoa and cookies, and the telescope session are included; tips and bottled water appear unclear. No children under 13; no diving within 24 hours; returns late (a reviewer was dropped off just before 11 p.m.).
After dark: Sunset at the summit observatories, then a private telescope session at about 9,000 feet under very dark skies.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Mauna Kea Small-Group Sunset and Stargazing Summit Trip
Stargazing tours · Pickup in Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa Village or Hilo, Hawaii Island
7.5/10Night Score
From $289 (€258)
5 to 8 hours
Starts: Afternoon pickup for summit sunset
Small group, 13+
4.8 (1,892 reviews)
The cheapest of the three Mauna Kea tours here, at $289 (€258), and the only one with pickups in Hilo as well as Kailua-Kona and Waikoloa Village. Hawaii Island Holidays goes up by 4x4 van for sunset at nearly 14,000 feet, then telescopes. Transport, snacks, a hot drink, jacket and gloves, a guide and a night photo are included. Rated 4.8 on 1,892 reviews, the most of any Hawaii tour on this list. Up to 14 per van. No one under 13, no pregnant travelers, nobody with a serious heart condition. The page says 5 to 8 hours.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%6.9
Review countData · 10%8.5
Price per hourData · 20%3.0
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A 4x4 van trip up Mauna Kea for sunset at the summit and guided telescope stargazing, run by Hawaii Island Holidays.
Good to know: Transport, snacks, a hot drink, jacket and gloves, guide, telescope and a night photo are included. No one under 13, no pregnant travelers or serious heart conditions; up to 14 per van.
After dark: Sunset above the clouds at nearly 14,000 feet, then telescope stargazing in one of the darkest skies on Earth.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Mauna Kea Sunset and Stargazing Summit Tour with Photos
Stargazing tours · Pickup in Kailua-Kona
7.5/10Night Score
From $290 (€259)
8 hours
Starts: Afternoon pickup for summit sunset
Small group, 16+
4.8 (1,814 reviews)
Ties with Hawaii Island Holidays on score, and includes more: hotel pickup, a BLT dinner, hot drinks, the Mauna Kea admission fee, a snow parka, pants and gloves, the telescope, a photo and gratuities, all in $290 (€259). Sunset is at the summit; stargazing is at the Onizuka mid-level area. Up to 12 per van. Rated 4.8 on 1,814 reviews. The age rule is the strictest we found: 16 to 75 only. Summit time may be cut short if someone gets altitude sickness, which is fair enough.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%6.9
Review countData · 10%8.5
Price per hourData · 20%3.0
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A 4x4 van tour to the Mauna Kea summit for sunset, then telescope stargazing at the Onizuka mid-level area, run by Hawaiian Eyes Tour.
Good to know: Hotel pickup, a BLT dinner, hot drinks, Mauna Kea admission fee, snow parka, pants and gloves, telescope, a photo and gratuities are included. Ages 16 to 75 only; up to 12 per van; summit time may be cut short for altitude sickness.
After dark: You watch sunset from the summit and then stargaze by telescope under a pitch-black mid-mountain sky.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Stargazing tours · 54490 Skyline Ranch Rd, Yucca Valley, California
6.6/10Night Score
From $200 (€179)
2 hours
Starts: After dark
Small group
4.9 (186 reviews)
A private dark-sky site in Yucca Valley, right by Joshua Tree, with telescopes, astro-binoculars, loungers, blankets, a hot-drinks station and, rare on these trips, a restroom. Stargazing Joshua Tree rates 4.9 on 186 reviews. It's $200 (€179) for two hours, and that price is the whole story of why it's eighth: the worst value score on the page. Transport isn't included, whatever the inclusions list says. Up to 18. The page itself admits a full moon limits faint objects, so go in a dark week.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%5.8
Review countData · 10%5.0
Price per hourData · 20%1.7
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A guided telescope and astro-binocular session at a private dark-sky site in Yucca Valley, near Joshua Tree, run by Stargazing Joshua Tree.
Good to know: Telescopes, astro-binoculars, loungers, blankets, a hot drinks station and a restroom are included; despite the inclusions list, the page says transportation is not included. Up to 18 per group; a full moon limits faint objects.
After dark: The high desert beside Joshua Tree has some of southern California's darkest skies, and the telescopes need them.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Mostly a day trip. MYTOURSTORY picks you up in Las Vegas between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., depending on season, spends the day in Death Valley National Park, then stops for stars near Death Valley Junction about 90 minutes after sunset. About 12 hours for $249 (€222), with park entry, water, transfers and gratuities. Rated 4.9 on 660 reviews. The night is only the last part of the day, so it scores 7 on darkness, not 10. Up to 14, under-70s only, back late. The page lists meals, but a reviewer paid for dinner.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%7.7
Review countData · 10%6.9
Price per hourData · 20%3.6
After darkEditors · 40%7.0
What it is: A small-group day trip by MYTOURSTORY to Death Valley National Park that stays for sunset and a stargazing stop before the drive back to Las Vegas.
Good to know: Up to 14; park entry, water, hotel transfers and gratuities included; the page lists meals but a reviewer paid for dinner. Under-70s only; a bright moon or cloud spoils the stars, and you are back late.
After dark: Ends with stargazing at a dark-sky spot near Death Valley 90 minutes after sunset, though most of the day is daytime sightseeing.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Arches After Dark: Astrophotography, Stargazing, and Hiking
Stargazing tours · The Windows Section parking lot, Arches National Park, near Moab, Utah
6.5/10Night Score
From $175 (€156)
2 hours
Starts: After dark
Small group
5.0 (108 reviews)
The smallest group here, 6 people, and a perfect 5.0 on 108 reviews. Moab Dark Sky Tours meets at the Windows Section parking lot inside Arches National Park for a night hike, stargazing and help shooting the Milky Way, with red-light headlamps and tripods included. It's $175 (€156) for two hours, which is what holds it down. You drive into the park yourself, in the dark. The page lists admission as free and doesn't mention the park fee; the National Park Service charges $30 (€27) per private vehicle. Bring a warm hat.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%5.6
Review countData · 10%4.2
Price per hourData · 20%2.2
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A guided night hike and stargazing session with astrophotography help at the Windows Section of Arches National Park, run by Moab Dark Sky Tours.
Good to know: Red-light headlamps and tripods are included; you drive yourself into the park in the dark. Maximum 6 per group; the page lists admission as free and does not mention the park's own entrance fee; bring a warm hat for wind.
After dark: Arches is an International Dark Sky Park, and the Milky Way over the Windows only appears after full dark.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
The Night Sky Star Story, Galaxy, and Sedona Story Tour
Stargazing tours · End of Cultural Park Place, Sedona, Arizona
6.4/10Night Score
From $100 (€89)
2 hours
Starts: 7:30 p.m.
Small group
4.6 (303 reviews)
Stories, not telescopes. Adventure Explore and Soar sets out chairs at the end of Cultural Park Place in Sedona at 7:30 p.m. and talks you through the constellations with a laser pointer, models and a planisphere. No telescopes are listed. That's fine if you want the myths; less so if you want Saturn's rings. $100 (€89) for two hours, up to 20. A 4.6 rating on 303 reviews is the lowest here, which is why it's eleventh. The host offers a money-back guarantee on cloudy nights, which is a nice touch.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%3.0
Review countData · 10%5.8
Price per hourData · 20%4.4
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A guided naked-eye and laser-pointer stargazing talk with constellation stories and models, from chairs at the end of Cultural Park Place, run by Adventure Explore and Soar.
Good to know: Chairs, blankets, laser pointer and planisphere are included; no telescopes are listed. Up to 20 per group; the host offers a money-back guarantee on cloudy nights.
After dark: Sedona is a certified dark-sky community, and the constellation stories need a black sky.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Haleakala's only telescope tour on our list. Amazing Maui Stars leaves Makawao at 4 p.m., drives up for sunset, then sets up telescopes and binoculars at about 10,000 feet inside the national park. Transport, warm outerwear, chairs and hot drinks are included; bring a boxed dinner, since there's no food in the park. Up to 8. Rated 5.0, but on only 64 reviews, and with $245 (€219) for 5.5 hours, that's why it's last. Not for anyone with a cold or blocked sinuses at that altitude.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%4.5
Review countData · 10%3.4
Price per hourData · 20%3.6
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A small-group drive up Haleakala for sunset and guided telescope and binocular stargazing, run by Amazing Maui Stars from Makawao.
Good to know: Transport, telescope, binoculars, warm outerwear, chairs and hot drinks are included; dinner is not (bring a boxed dinner). Up to 8 per group; not for anyone with a cold or sinus congestion at altitude.
After dark: From about 10,000 feet inside Haleakala National Park, the sky after sunset is dark enough for deep-sky telescope views.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Reserve links go to GetYourGuide or Viator. Booking through them can earn us a commission at no cost to you; it never changes a score or a rank. How we make money
What a stargazing tour actually is
Most follow the same script. You get to a high, dark spot before sunset, watch the sun go down, wait for full dark, and then a guide sweeps a green laser across the sky, names things, and lines up a telescope on a planet, a cluster or a galaxy. Two or three hours. Sometimes hot chocolate.
The big differences are the telescope and the hike to get there. Astrophototour on Teide brings a 32-inch Dobsonian. DAS uses a 12-inch. Sedona's Star Story tour uses no telescope at all, just a laser and the old stories. The Hawaii and Death Valley trips wrap the stars into a long day or a long drive.
Good guides matter more than gear. A bad one reads the planisphere aloud. A good one makes you look up and actually find Andromeda yourself.
The moon and the weather
The moon is the big one. A full moon rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, NASA's explainer says, so it's up all night and washes out the faint stuff. Joshua Tree's page admits it, the Death Valley page warns about a bright moon, and Sedona UFO Tours doesn't run around the full moon at all.
The next new moons, from the US Naval Observatory (dates in Universal Time): November 9 and December 9, 2026, then January 7, February 6 and March 8, 2027. Full moons fall on November 24 and December 24. Plan for the week either side of a new moon.
A bright moon isn't a total loss. The moon itself is great in a telescope, and planets still show. But if you've flown to Hawaii for the Milky Way, book a dark week.
Then weather. Clouds kill it, wind can move you. On Teide, DAS keeps the group at the lower viewpoint in wind or cloud, and Astrophototour picks the site by the wind each day. The park's official page describes strong contrasts between day and night and some snow in winter. Mauna Kea's official safety page warns that winter conditions, including freezing temperatures and 100+ mph winds, can happen at any time of year.
Altitude and health rules
Take these seriously, especially on Mauna Kea.
The Center for Maunakea Stewardship's safety page says not to go above the Visitor Information Station, at 9,200 ft (2,804 m), if you are under 13, pregnant, intoxicated, have high blood pressure or a heart or respiratory condition, or have been scuba diving in the previous 24 hours. Spend at least 30 minutes at the station to adjust before going higher. Above it, the road needs four-wheel drive. Symptoms to watch for include headache, nausea, shortness of breath and poor coordination. The answer to all of them is to go down.
That's why every Mauna Kea tour here is 13 and up, and why Hawaiian Eyes may cut summit time short for altitude sickness. It's also why the telescope sessions happen at mid-level, around 9,000 feet, not at the summit: the summit area closes 30 minutes after sunset.
The Canaries and Haleakala are lower but still high. Gran Canaria's tour bars anyone who's been diving in the prior 24 hours. The Haleakala tour isn't for anyone with a cold or blocked sinuses. Drink water. The air on Mauna Kea is very dry, and the official advice is about 500 ml (16.9 oz) per person per hour.
Where the best ones are
Tenerife. Teide National Park rises to 3,715 m at the summit of Spain's highest peak, and it's busy, with 4.26 million visitors in 2022 according to Spain's national parks network. Three of our top four are here, and none costs more than $73 (€65). Self-drive or pickup from the south coast resorts.
Gran Canaria. One tour, ranked third, at Pico de las Nieves.
Hawaii. Mauna Kea, on Hawaii Island, is the bucket-list sky. Haleakala, on Maui, is the cheaper drive-up alternative, though its single telescope tour still costs $245 (€219). The park charges $30 (€27) per private vehicle, valid three days, and has no food anywhere, even by day.
The US Southwest. Joshua Tree, Sedona, Arches near Moab, and Death Valley from Las Vegas. Thin on the booking sites: one or two tours each.
Mainland Europe. Nothing yet. Portugal's Alqueva dark-sky reserve has one bookable tour we found, and it had five reviews.
What they cost
The spread is huge. $39 (€35) gets you a Teide session. $289 to $330 (€258 to €295) gets you Mauna Kea. The US desert tours sit in between at $100 to $249 (€89 to €222) for much shorter sessions, which is why they score low on value.
Watch for extras. Arches charges its own park fee, which the Moab tour page leaves out. Haleakala charges per vehicle. On Mauna Kea, one operator we scored, Taikobo, lists a $20 (€17.90) Center for Maunakea Stewardship passenger fee on top; Hawaiian Eyes includes the admission fee.
Kids, and what to wear
For kids, the Canaries win. Astroguide only excludes babies under 1; Astrophototour and Gran Canaria start at age 5. Mauna Kea is 13 and up, and Hawaiian Eyes is 16 to 75. The Death Valley trip, oddly, is for under-70s only.
Wear far more than you think. Mountain nights get cold fast. The Mauna Kea tours hand out parkas and gloves, the Haleakala tour lends warm outerwear, and DAS only gives jackets on its VIP option. Haleakala's park page says the temperature drops quickly once the sun goes down. Closed shoes; Astrophototour bans shorts and open shoes outright.
Pickup from select Lahaina-area hotels and the cruise port, Maui
5.0/10
$257
Frequently asked questions
What is the best stargazing tour?
By our Night Score, two Tenerife tours tie at 8.5: DAS Experience's sunset and stargazing at $39 (€35) on sale, with 3,757 reviews, and Astroguide Tenerife's two-hour session inside Teide National Park, also $39 (€35), rated 4.9.
Is Mauna Kea stargazing worth the money?
If you're on Hawaii Island and over 13, it's a great night, rated 4.8 to 4.9 on 1,600-plus reviews per tour. At $289 to $330 (€258 to €295) for 5 to 8 hours, it's the priciest stargazing we found. Book near a new moon.
Can kids go stargazing on Mauna Kea?
Not above the Visitor Information Station if they're under 13. The official safety page warns against it, and every Mauna Kea tour we ranked is 13 and up. The Canary Islands tours take children from age 1 or 5.
When is the best time to go stargazing?
The week around a new moon, on a clear night. The next new moons are November 9 and December 9, 2026, per the US Naval Observatory. A full moon is up from sunset to sunrise and washes out faint stars.
Do you need to drive yourself to a stargazing tour?
Sometimes. Astroguide on Teide, the Joshua Tree site and the Arches tour all need your own car. The Mauna Kea tours, Astrophototour on Teide and the Haleakala tour include pickup.
Further reading
Official sources
Center for Maunakea Stewardship: Visit Maunakea safely– Who should not go above the VIS, 30-minute acclimatization, symptoms, summit closed 30 minutes after sunset, water advice, winter weather; checked October 26, 2026
