Night Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$99
per adult
Akaroa Stargazing
Akaroa Stargazing
5
Full view
About
Immerse yourself into the darkness of the Banks Peninsula and the wonders of the Southern Skies. Your starry night starts with us!
Akaroa, New Zealand
Why book with Akaroa Stargazing
- I have a lifelong passion for astronomy. Since a very young age I have been looking up and constantly learning about our Universe.
- Italian • English
- Professional tour guide
Tours and Tickets by Akaroa Stargazing
Eco Tours
30 minutes
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$20
per adult
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
31 reviews
Excellent
31
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Diana H
London, UK4 contributions
Apr 2022 • Friends
Luca and Mano were an absolutely delight and made our whole group (adults and children) feel welcome and comfortable. Luca’s knowledge and passion for the night sky is second to none and we all learnt a lot about the Milky Way, visible constellations and how to use the Southern Cross to find South. Learn while supporting local tourism - a win win!
Written 24 April 2022
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 Diana,
It was our pleasure to have you all on our tour and guide you through our amazing night sky.
Ngā mihi nui,
Luca - Akaroa Stargazing
Written 30 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
SweetDisarray
Canberra, Australia49 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
This tour is excellent because of Luca's passion and deeply personal connection to what he does. It's impossible not to be captivated! Lovely group of people too. It can definitely get pretty darn cold! But the provided blankets and hot tea more than compensate. The included souvenir photo was a cool finishing touch. Thanks again.
Written 14 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 SweetDisarray,
Thank you for your kind words.
We work hard to make every tour a memorable experience for our guests and always try to engage with them, making them feel welcomed, involved, and part of our stargazing family. Your considerate words reaffirm that our efforts are making a difference. Yes, stargazing can indeed get chilly! We're pleased the blankets and hot tea helped keep you cozy throughout the evening. And we're delighted you appreciated the souvenir photo. Thank you once again for joining us and sharing your feedback.
Akaroa Stargazing team
Written 15 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Daniel I
1 contribution
Jan 2024 • Couples
What an unforgettable experience! Luca has the perfect level of passion, enthusiasm and knowledge about astronomy. The stargazing tour was one of the best things we’ve ever done. Naked eye, binoculars and telescope viewings combined with Luca’s fantastic way of communicating/teaching was just amazing. So so much was learnt. The next day we also joined Luca for the Sun Gazing tour - also 100% worth the very reasonable price. Thank you so much for such a wonderful night (and day)
Written 11 January 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 Daniel,
Thank you for your kind words! I'm humbled to hear that your stargazing experience with us was unforgettable. Your appreciation for the passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge we bring to astronomy warms our heart. It's fantastic to know that the tour was among the best things you've ever done.
I'm delighted you also joined me for the Sun Gazing tour, and I'm grateful for your kind words about its value. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wonderful night and day.
Ngā mihi,
Akaroa Stargazing
Written 22 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GSET36
Portsmouth, UK66 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
Luca was passionate and knowledgeable and gave us an great evening looking at the stars and moon. He had all the equipment and a fabulous location and he ensured we went on a night when the skies were clear. He answered all our questions and more besides.Totally worthwhile and not to be missed when in New Zealand.
Written 20 January 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 GSET36,
Thanks for your kind words! We're delighted you enjoyed exploring the stars and moon with us. Our passion, knowledge, and the clear skies made for a memorable evening. Your recommendation means a lot—stargazing in New Zealand is not to be missed!
Akaroa Stargazing team
Written 23 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Emily J
5 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
We had an amazing time with our guide Luca. He is super knowledgeable and passionate, which he really shares with his tours. The little extras like hot drinks and blankets really make it. We learnt heaps and loved it! Stunning spot.
Written 29 November 2022
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 emilyjV7857AR,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice review for us. It's been an absolute pleasure to have you guys on our Night Awe tour. Knowing that you have learnt something more about our universe and enjoyed your night under our beautiful Banks Peninsula night sky, makes us feel very proud.
Ngā mihi nui,
Luca - Akaroa Stargazing
Written 11 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Suzanne K
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
This tour was the best thing we have done in a long time. The location was perfect. Luca went above and beyond to make it an amazing experience. His depth of knowledge and passion was obvious and he has a great way of passing that on to his guests. It is inspiring to want to learn more- be a great way to get your kids interested in the fascinating world up there in the night sky.
Written 16 December 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 Y5752FKsuzannek,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm thrilled to hear that the stargazing tour was a highlight for you. Sharing the wonders of the night sky in such beautiful location is always a joy. It's incredibly rewarding to inspire that curiosity and desire to learn more, especially among younger guests, and I hope it can spark lifelong interests in the fascinating world above us. I'm delighted that the experience left such a positive impact on you.
Akaroa Stargazing team
Written 11 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Voyager26222100393
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Family
The Virtual Stargazing Tour (Indoors) was fantastic, We also did the Night Awe tour (Outside) chilly evening, nice hot drinks. Loved looking through the telescope, we saw Saturn and its ring, Amazing !!! We learnt so much about the Planets and the stars. Luca is so passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We definitely recommend doing this when you are in Akaroa
Written 16 September 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.
sarahreeda2018
Sydney, Australia1 contribution
Jun 2024 • Family
We were visiting from US and the North Island and got to see the stars on a very clear winter night. Luca was a great host, explaining the southern night sky, the life cycle of stars, relationship of human-produced light on the environment, and distances across space and time.
A few notes for those that might be considering this:
1) Definitely worth the experience
2) When making a reservation, the address that google extracts from the confirmation is different than the meeting place for the tour, so check the instructions and don't trust the google address.
3) The night can be cold- Luca has blankets and hot drinks, but as you are still for most of the experience, bundle up if going in the winter
4) Children under 5 are not supposed to come- We did not see this in advance, so I was there with my baby and since it was just our family in the group, we all went together, but I would have been very dissappointed to have missed this if she was not allowed in.
5) Definitely worth the experience
Enjoy your place in the stars!
A few notes for those that might be considering this:
1) Definitely worth the experience
2) When making a reservation, the address that google extracts from the confirmation is different than the meeting place for the tour, so check the instructions and don't trust the google address.
3) The night can be cold- Luca has blankets and hot drinks, but as you are still for most of the experience, bundle up if going in the winter
4) Children under 5 are not supposed to come- We did not see this in advance, so I was there with my baby and since it was just our family in the group, we all went together, but I would have been very dissappointed to have missed this if she was not allowed in.
5) Definitely worth the experience
Enjoy your place in the stars!
Written 9 July 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,
Thank you for sharing your detailed experience with us! We're thrilled you enjoyed the clear winter night and found the tour informative and engaging. Your tips for future guests are much appreciated and will surely help others have a smooth and enjoyable experience.
We're delighted to hear you found the experience worthwhile.
- Thanks for pointing out the address discrepancy—checking the provided instructions is key.
- Good advice on bundling up for the cold; we're glad you appreciated the blankets and hot drinks.
- We apologize for any confusion regarding the age policy. We will make sure to clarify this in the booking process to avoid future misunderstandings. We're happy everything worked out smoothly for your family in the end, which is what matters most.
- We're grateful for your strong recommendation.
Akaroa Stargazing team
Written 11 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mariella T
1 contribution
May 2024 • Friends
Loved the experience - star gazing is a way to reconnect with the present and realise how truly vast and spectacular the universe is. Passionate tour guide very knowledgeable and appreciate the ability to help out one of our party that had mobility issues. Thanks for the awe!
Mels
Mels
Written 3 July 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 899mariellat,
We're delighted to hear that you loved the experience and felt a deeper connection with the universe. It's wonderful to know we could make the tour enjoyable for everyone in your party. Thank you for sharing your awe with us!
Akaroa Stargazing team
Written 11 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Matt L
Christchurch, New Zealand2 contributions
May 2024 • Family
Great night out! Luca is very knowledgeable and entertaining. Would readily recommend this to anyone interested in star gazing.
Also, Luca was very accommodating, moving the booking twice, once due to bad whether and the other due to illness on our side, without any issues.
Also, Luca was very accommodating, moving the booking twice, once due to bad whether and the other due to illness on our side, without any issues.
Written 26 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 MattL3855,
Thank you for your lovely feedback! We're happy you had a great night out and found the stargazing tour both knowledgeable and entertaining. We're also glad we could accommodate your booking changes smoothly. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
Akaroa Stargazing team
Written 11 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience