If stargazing, astronomy and camping in dark zones are your thing, these new nighttime experiences for 2024 might just be exactly what you’ve been searching the horizons for.
Intrepid is known for featuring some pretty cool, off-the-beaten-track spots to spend the night, but these night sky experiences will take you out of this world. From spotting the aurora borealis in Iceland to camping in sand dunes under a North African sky, here are nine places you can chase stars around the world.
1. Dive into a star-studded sky in Yosemite
You can now add guided stargazing to the list of cool experiences Intrepid offers in Yosemite National Park. After sunset on the new six-day Best of California’s National Parks trip, you can deep dive into the cosmos with a naturalist guide from the Yosemite Conservancy. The park’s minimal light pollution makes it an excellent spot to see the Northern Hemisphere’s stars and you can even pick up some astronomy titbits, local lore and cultural mythology along the way.
2. Teach the kids about constellations with an astronomer
If you’ve got some budding astronomers in your family, the eight-day Croatia Family Holiday might just leave them with a strong urge for a new telescope when you get back home. Lastovo Island, an official nature reserve, is also known for its epic views of the night sky. The lack of city lights on this Mediterranean island means there’s very little light pollution, so it’s a prime spot for stargazing. Now, you can hike to the top of the village and kick back with a local astronomer, who will show you constellations through a telescope.
3. Camp under Alaska’s brilliant blanket of stars
When it comes to stargazing in Alaska’s wilderness, you can’t beat Denali National Park. Intrepid’s new eight-day Alaska Camping Adventure includes two nights of camping in Denali – one of Alaska’s only dark sky parks. Sleep among six million acres of unspoiled nature, under a blanket of stars, and maybe even spot the dancing colours of the aurora borealis.
4. Tick the Northern Lights off your bucket list
For something a little closer to earth, set out on a quest for aurora borealis, a phenomenon that will have you in awe of nature yet again. The new Six Days in Iceland trip gives 18 to 35s a chance to search the skies in the village of Vik at the end of a day filled with glacial walks, mountain trails and thundering waterfalls. For something a little more dedicated to chasing northern lights, crane your neck across the South Coast on Iceland’s Classic Northern Lights trip.
5. Fall asleep under the desert sky of Tunisia
About 40 per cent of Tunisia is desert. On the brand-new Tunisia Expedition to this North African country, you’ll trek into the Sahara for a night of camping in the sand dunes. With a belly full of couscous and desert bread, you can watch out for comets, shooting stars and shining planets as sleep descends. This trip will also transport you to a galaxy far away: Tunisia is also home to multiple Star Wars filming locations, including Vader’s home planet of Tatooine.
6. Search for comets in the Sahara
As one of the hottest deserts on the planet, the Sahara is home to a mostly cloudless sky. Couple this with the complete lack of light pollution and you’ll get an abundance of stars, planets and meteors travelling through the deep night. On the new three-day Sahara Mini Adventure, even if you’re short on time you can watch the sun descend from the back of a camel before setting up camp under the North African constellations.
7. Shoot for the stars in Kilimanjaro
Summit Africa’s highest mountain peak – mighty Kilimanjaro – and get closer to The Milky Way than ever before. On the new Kilimanjaro: Machame Route trip, you’ll spend nine days ascending and descending a whopping 5895 metres. After long days of trekking through lowland forests and dry mountain deserts, your nights will be spent camping under the shining light of the triple star system: Alpha Centauri.
8. Hike into the night on Cvrnica Mountain
Calling all active stargazers. You can now go Hiking in the Balkans via Dinarica on a ten-day trip through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Join a guided hike at night on Cvrnica Mountain in the Dinaric Alps. Your adventure will be led by a certified mountain guide well-versed in the secrets of the stars. As darkness begins to fall at the end of your walk, you can take up a spot of guided stargazing – a rare opportunity when huddled in the Alps.
9. See the southern sky from a new perspective
Search for star-filled skies over an ancient landscape in Australia. You can see the Best of South Australia on this reworked adventure that showcases some of the country’s best spots for stargazing. With two free nights to kick back and look up in Ikara-Flinders Ranges, you’re bound to see your fair share of shooting stars making their way across the twinkling Milky Way.
Find out what else is new for 2024 with The Goods.
