45 Minutes Virtual Stargazing Experience in Lake Tekapo
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45 Minutes Virtual Stargazing Experience in Lake Tekapo
By Dark Sky Project
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About
Educational and entertaining, the experience highlights the science behind our night sky. Using state-of-the-art space rendering technology explore and learn about the secrets of the night sky
Ever wondered what it would be like to stand inside the rings of Saturn? Or how to find the stars of the Southern Cross? This 45-minute tour will reveal the universe through the unparalleled lens of science and technology.
Presented by our knowledgeable astronomy guides and captivating virtual renditions of the universe, you truly feel like you are amongst the stars.
Explore the sky with your very own astronomer, learn about the southern hemisphere constellations and objects, and come out with a renewed understanding and appreciation of our place within the universe.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 5-99, max of 26 per group
Duration: 1h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Chinese, English
More
- All weather indoor virtual astronomy experience using state-of-the-art technology.
- Educational and entertaining experience showcasing the night sky and wider universe.
- Highly knowledgeable and passionate guides deliver this spectacular tour
- Suitable for all ages
- Enjoy a journey through the nights sky, across our solar system and beyond
- Explore the sky with your very own astronomer
- Entry/Admission - Lake Tekapo
- Start:
- 1 Motuariki Lane, Lake Tekapo 7999, New ZealandWe are located close to the lakefront in Tekapo
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 105977P4- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 26 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 105977P4
From
$91.29
per adult
Select date and travellers
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- stevetE67UV0 contributionsClose, but still afar!!Unfortunately, cloudy skies caused cancellation of our Crater Experience at 1:30 am. We could have joined an earlier 10 pm English Summit Experience, where the viewing was still acceptable and there were no-shows, but there was insufficient staff to contact us in-time. We would have had to hang around for several hours on “stand-by”. Disappointing we missed this unique, celestial experience, and hope there are more English language tours available in the future, when we visit NZ the next time!Written 4 February 2025
- dahokolomok0 contributionsUnique experience, but it is pricey. But you do get a refund if the weather doesn't cooperate!It was a very interesting experience, having never done something like this before! You can read the other reviews for full details, but effectively you get an informative tour about the Mt John Observatory (next door to Tekapo town), an introduction to the main stars and planets in the night sky, and then also a chance to use three of their telescopes to peer at various planets / stars. Overall, the tour is about 1hr 15mins in total I reckon (as total time end to end is 2 hours). Do wear warm, as even though we went on a summer night, and was told it was 10 degrees up there, it did get colder as the wind picked up! And you do a lot of standing around in the open. They do provide HUGE coats to borrow for free, definitely do take one. But bring a beanie and gloves too, if you have them. They are also rather ethical; if there is cloud cover, they will tell you before the tour starts, and you can opt for a refund. Note - this option is only for the Summit Experience, not for the cheaper Crater Experience. On our night, we were told before the tour that the skies were 80% clear, but there was risk of some movement of clouds from nearby. We were offered the choice of a refund, but we decided to go ahead. During the tour itself, the visibility got progressively worse. We were maybe 1hr into the tour, when they had to cut it short - the last 5-10 mins I believe. They offered a 50% refund to everyone, proactively. Which was a very fair result, IMO. Price-wise, its not cheap at NZD200+ per person. I wouldn't label it great value for money. But it is a very unique experience. Timing, I would say that the 10pm tour was a bit too early for peak-summer (1st Jan). The sun had barely set yet. I would say go for the tour at least 2 hours after sunset time, so you can get the full "dark sky" experience with all the stars visible. Do book in advance if you can, as the tour groups snatch up loads of tickets 6 months out, from what I've been told.Written 1 January 2025
- SMOOZA0 contributionsFantastic!Really well organised and lots of fun. The night sky was absolutely stunning (and we’ve been to a few dark sky reserves). Clem was knowledgeable and the introductory talk was really interesting. It was amazing to actually see the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter ! We learnt a lot and would definitely recommend this experience. Grateful that extra warm jackets were provided.Written 23 December 2024
- LTG69640 contributionsAdult family trip and Mother Nature did not disappoint. You must remember this is an outdoor weather dependent activity.We had a cold windy night but the clouds disappeared and the stars were brilliant. Hosts were knowledgeable and fun. We learned so much and would go again if we lived hereWritten 13 December 2024
- NickyB2620 contributionsIncredible experience!Phenomenal experience overall. Fun being driven up in the bus (especially the last section with no lights!). The space themed music was a nice addition. Would DEFINITELY recommend layering up, and taking one of their jackets - you’re out all night and it is COLD. Especially if it’s windy. Our tour guide - a beautiful feminine human (?name - we think Carl? (They said their name a lot but it’s been a couple weeks and many tours since we went!) … I digress! They were so incredibly clever and knowledgeable about the night sky. And their obvious passion for the stars and sky above us was infectious. They finished their tour with a really heartfelt message about humans needing to reconnect more with their neighbours to restore a greater sense of community and it was honestly tear-jerking. Especially for someone so young! It was overall a fab experience and would highly recommend the tour to anyone. Definitely do the Summit!Written 4 December 2024
- GHW_120 contributionsGreat experience lucky to have had the opportunity.We were extremely lucky to get a window of opportunity as they'd only gone out once in the prior 2 weeks due to excessive cloud cover. 60% Cloudy at first then cleared up. Amazing how different the stars look when you're in an area of no light pollution ( ie: every city on the planet ) great experience and worth it but, just like glacier helicopters, I would recommend you go in with the expectation you may not be able to experience this and if you get to then treat it as a bonus to avoid disappointment. There is the virtual version but can't comment as we didn't need to do that. Tip - freezing and windy, dress accordingly.Written 19 November 2024
- _zhfrancis0 contributionsMust-do awe-inspiring experience when in TekapoWe were originally booked onto the Summit Experience, however due to ice on the track we were rescheduled to the crater experience. The daytime was very cloudy so we were unsure if the tour would go ahead however, at 10:20 check-in the sky was almost 100% clear! The craters are man-made and provide shelter from the wind and from any light pollution. We could see the stars beautifully from it, and we had 3 telescopes (including a Hubble) to look at the stars through. The guides were awesome and full of information and we learnt so much about the night sky! Definitely worth doing if you’re in Tekapo for an evening, and still worth it if the summit experience isn’t possible!Written 29 October 2024
- susanrN1762VZ0 contributionsWow! Chance to see the southern sky in all its glory!The experience started at the headquarters, where we were each given a red light flashlight to be able to see our path, and offered heavier coats. Driven up to the crater along a bumpy path, and there were 4 telescopes and several guides/staff to help us understand what we were seeing. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides, who answered all our questions and gave us more tidbits of information. It was a cold night, but we all came away smarter and more convinced of the importance of DARK SKIES!! The main guide had an awesome laser pointer that, I swear, went all the way out to the distant stars and galaxies to show us where we should be looking!Written 27 October 2024
- madan_850 contributionsI'm going to need a bigger antenna.What a great project! We did the Summit Experience. We boarded a mini bus with other travelers and were taken to the Mt John Summit Observatory. Once up top, a quick briefing, followed by a guided tour of the night sky by the lovely staff. Viewing of the night sky through three of their onsite telescopes really made the evening. I had the privilege of viewing Saturn through a telescope! This is a great tour for the curious one, amateur astronomers and astrophotographers. If you want to learn about the McKenzie region dark sky project and/or gain an understanding of the night sky and what you can do to minimise light pollution this is a great start. Lots to learn!Written 21 October 2024
- andysW4170FN0 contributionsA very informative and interesting presentation on some of todays mysteries in Physics and CosmologyI went to the talk about Dark Matter and Dark Energy. This was such an informative and interesting presentation. Oscar was superbly professional and knowledgeable and the Q&A was equally informative. Even though the ending was sad (the death of the Universe!) I left feeling uplifted and I would like to congratulate Oscar and DSP for this session.Written 20 October 2024
- Ameznz0 contributionsMust DoReally neat experience! Originally our group was supposed to do Summit but the weather was too dangerous (high winds). The staff were great and very informative.Written 2 October 2024
- zakariash20230 contributionsI had a good time on the crater experience.I had a good time on the crater experience. Good customer service. We had initially booked saturday 21st. but since the weather was better friday we were tranfered without an issue. We were stunned by the views of the stars through the telescopes and we were amazed by the knowledge of the staff.Written 22 September 2024
- ZoeGrimshaw0 contributionsWorth it, excellent experienceExcellent experience, we had originally booked on the summit experience however unfortunately it was too windy however they still offered to take us out on the cater experience with a partial refund and offered full refund if wasn't satisfied with this alternative. We still did the crater experience and thought it was absolutely awesome. Bus driver was very funny and Oscar our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable. We got to look through 2 telescopes at 4 different things which was super cool. Definitely rug up however we were provided with arctic jackets so kept very warmWritten 19 September 2024
- Rodders20110 contributions$50 price tag on a $20 tour$50 per person was a bit over the top for this half hour experience. You got to watch a video on constellations on the big screen and then moved on to a room about suns, another projection about constellations and the. See the big telescope. While I’m sure out guide was very knowledgeable he was very difficult to understand. Definitely would not recommend for the money.Written 13 September 2024
- hazelpW6984CV0 contributionsPerfect nightFantastic experience starting with an amusing bus drive with Phillipa. Owen and his crew were a wealth of knowledge on our solar system. We learned so much and enjoyed looking up close through the telescopes. The coats provided were an extra much needed tough!Written 5 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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3.0
2 reviews
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Emily H
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
We were very lucky to get a private tour & were privileged to have Kate as our guide. We also did outdoor stargazing but this virtual experience really helped us understand everything we had seen. Kate was a fountain of knowledge, answering all of our questions with great enthusiasm. I would strongly recommend this experience for anyone curious about astronomy and interested in learning more about the formation of stars & the night sky.
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Ora Emily,
We love to hear that you considered the tour to be a great experience.
We're thrilled to hear about the positive experiences with our guides.
Thank you for taking the time to share a detailed review.
Ngā mihi, Dark Sky Project
Written 12 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Leanne Gordon
3 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
Extremely disappointed and misleading advertising as to what we expected, felt like I was back at school, and did not feel we were among the stars as advertised, the speaker but nice but very hard to understand with not clear english and spoke extremely fast. It was a screen show, and all 3 of us were gutted as thought this would be a highlight of our trip in Lake Tekapo. Don't waste your money on this. Way over priced for what you get.
Written 2 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Ora Leanne,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback and we are saddened to hear about your experience.
We greatly value all feedback from our manuhiri and appreciate you bringing this to our attention so we can further improve our experience for future manuhiri.
Please email us at manager@darkskyproject.co.nz if you have any further feedback.
Ngā mihi, Dark Sky Project
Written 16 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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