Night Watch: Our Favorite Stargazing Destinations

Most adventure travelers head out to the world’s great destinations in search of sublime landscapes, epic wildlife, fascinating culture, and mysterious ancient sites. But we often find it’s the more subtle aspects of these places that stay with our travelers long after they’ve returned home. Light filtering through a jellyfish-filled lake in Palau, the earthy smell of cooking fires in the remote valleys of Peru, the din of a bustling market street in Vietnam, or a dizzying array of stars and constellations blanketing the night skies.

Here are our favorite Stargazing Destinations for 2013: Destination: Jordan This desert locale with minimal light pollution offers some of the best stargazing on the planet.

How to book through Boundless Journeys: Reserve a spot on one of Boundless Journeys’ Africa Tours. Reserve Online or call 1-800-941-8010. Destination: Namibia Another desert destination with minimal light pollution and crystal-clear skies, Namibia offers some of the southern hemisphere’s best stargazing. Little Kulala is an intimate, upscale safari camp made up of thatched roof tents, or “kulalas”. Each kulala offers a rooftop skybed for relaxed stargazing. How to book through Boundless Journeys: Reserve a spot on Boundless Journeys’ 7 day/6 night Namibia safari with daily departures year-round. Reserve Online or call 1-800-941-8010.

Destination: Iceland When the weather cooperates (and the sun goes down) Iceland offers some of the northern hemisphere’s best astronomy viewing– from stargazing to the Northern Lights.  How to book through Boundless Journeys: Reserve a spot on Boundless Journeys’ Iceland hiking tour with departures throughout the summer. Your best bet: the September 1-8 departure, when the skies are dark starting at about 9 p.m. each evening. Reserve Online or call 1-800-941-8010.

Of course, there are many other places that rival these for “best stargazing destination” status… our Tanzania, Palau, and Nepal tours all offer ideal conditions for skies full of stars.

About Boundless Journeys Boundless Journeys is an award-winning small group adventure tour operator. With a diverse collection of locally guided, small group itineraries and Private Collection trips around the world, Boundless Journeys offers “The World’s Great Adventures.” The adventure trips for 2-16 guests are active, ranging from leisurely cultural tours and wildlife safaris to challenging trekking ― with plenty of easy to moderate walking and sea kayaking in between.