WORDS Catherine Cress IMAGES Craig Fouche
Here’s our pick of the best dark sky locations where you can connect with the cosmos, plus a couple of tips for ensuring you get to see the heavens at their finest.
SUTHERLAND AND THE KAROO
There’s a good reason why international scientists have chosen to build some of the world’s biggest telescopes in the Karoo: we have extraordinarily dark skies for optical telescopes like the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) near Sutherland, and we have unpopulated yet accessible areas suitable for radio telescopes such as the Square Kilometre Array near Carnarvon. You can visit SALT during the day (check out saao.ac.za for details), and there are various groups that offer night-sky viewing with small telescopes – ask at the planetarium, where you can also catch an informative show that enhances outdoor stargazing experiences. If you’re a hiker, consider the Bo-Karoo route near Loxton: they plan to incorporate “astro-art” for interesting astrophotography foregrounds. There are also plans for new co-living/co-working spaces near Sutherland designed for sky appreciation, such as snowstars.co.za – but current accommodation options on nearby farms include Rogge Cloof (pictured above), Tankwa River Lodge and Blesfontein.
THE KGALAGADI
The !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park is the only place in South Africa that has the status of Dark Sky Sanctuary (awarded by the International Dark-Sky Association). To reach !Xaus Lodge, located in the park, you have to cross 91 sand dunes. It is unimaginably remote and dark. According to visitors, the best way to appreciate the sky is “in the company of local people whose indigenous knowledge and traditional sky lore reflect a reverence for the sky and everything in it”. Wild animals roam past the camp, which may be a limitation or a bonus, depending on your point of view.
THE CEDERBERG
The Cederberg offers clear, dark skies as well as some incredibly photogenic rock-formation foregrounds – a combo that makes it great for astrophotography. Visiting the Cederberg observatory at Sanddrif is a popular Saturday-night activity; it’s run by a group of amateur astronomers who offer a slide show plus a peek through their telescopes. Further to the north, on the Doring River, Bliss & Stars offers multi-day wellness retreats, which include guided exploration of the sky, astrophotography and time with an impressive collection of telescopes.
BOTSWANA AND NAMIBIA
A glance at the map of light pollution on the planet (see darksitefinder.com/map) shows that vast parts of Namibia and Botswana are super-dark – and mostly cloudless. You may recall the stargazing options at Namibia’s &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in VISI 107, but there’s also the “Cosmic Connections’’ experience that the Belmond group offers at its lodges in Botswana. A top-notch guide team includes an astronomer, an astrophotographer and locals who’ll share traditional stories of the sky. Belmond also offers an “Introduction to the Southern Sky” at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town.
TIMING, AND THE WEATHER
Full moon is not a good time to see the stars. With decent binoculars or a small telescope, a good time for stargazing is a few days after the new moon. In the early evening you’ll be able to marvel at features on the lunar surface and, once it’s set, you can enjoy the dark sky spectacle. Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings are good targets for small telescopes – check info on planet visibility and moon phases at timeanddate.com/astronomy.
CONSIDER A GUIDE
A knowledgeable guide can be the difference between an enriching, life-changing experience and “standing around in the cold looking at unknown points of light”.
So how do you choose a guide?
• Professional astronomers typically hold advanced degrees in astronomy, and use large telescopes to make scientific discoveries and collect data. They’ll know a lot of physics, and can tell you about being a scientist of the stars.
• Amateur astronomers are typically enthusiastic hobbyists who often have more experience with small telescopes that people can “look through” with an eyepiece. They’ll probably know more about what’s cool to see in the sky.
• You may also encounter astronomy guides who will tell you facts they’ve learnt about the sky just because it’s their job – be aware you may need your own passion to feel engaged here. That said, any guide who provides loungers, blankets and duvets might be a friend forever!
Looking for more local escapes? Take a look at these off-grid tiny cabins and secluded local travel destinations.
