Tekapo Star Gazing and Hot Pool Experience
- New Zealand's only guided tour combining hot pools with stargazing
- Located within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, one of the world's best stargazing locations
- Expert guides use high-powered telescopes to reveal planets, galaxies and southern stars, with astronomy facts and Māori star stories woven throughout
- Cloudy skies trigger an immersive VR journey through the night sky, with 360° imagery and interactive visuals
- Exclusive access to a hot pool at 37.5–38.5°C, complete with floating hammocks and gentle music beneath the stars
- Runs rain or clear skies, so the experience is guaranteed every night
What to expect
Soak in the Stars is Tekapo Springs' signature 90-minute experience — the only guided hot pools and stargazing tour in New Zealand. Set within the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve, expert guides use high-powered telescopes to reveal planets, galaxies and southern stars, weaving in astronomy and Māori star stories (if clouds roll in, guides switch to an immersive VR journey through the Tekapo night sky, with stunning 360° imagery and interactive visuals exploring constellations and galaxies beyond what a telescope alone can show). Guests then soak in an exclusive hot pool at 37.5–38.5°C, drifting on hammocks under the stars while guides keep sharing stories poolside. Runs in all weather; children under 10 not permitted.
Reviews
It is a super great experience to soak in the hot spring while appreciating the starry night.
The overall itinerary and flow were exceptionally well put together! Although the sky wasn't entirely clear at first, the VR experience allowed us to feel the vastness of the universe. Through the astronomical telescope, we saw the Gemini constellation and star clusters with our own eyes, displaying distinct and unique colors. Soaking in the warm, comfortable hot springs while floating quietly, we searched for the Southern Cross and identified the center of the zenith. We also listened to the ancient stories of Scorpius and Orion eternally battling and chasing each other across the starry sky. Site lighting management was executed perfectly, preserving the dark sky environment and allowing our eyes to fully adapt to the dark to see the sea of stars as clearly as possible. The guide from the United States was engaging and fun, and you could genuinely feel her immense passion for the night sky. This was an unforgettable experience, and anyone visiting Tekapo should definitely try it!
Superb! The stargazing explanation was very detailed. I recommend this experience to anyone with a decent grasp of English. Experience: Excellent. Location: A bit far, but perfectly normal for seeing so many stars.
The Stargazing experience was not that great according to me. It could have been much better. The Hot Pools was a good session on the other hand, very relaxing.
Cloudy night at Tekapo stargazing tour dashed our outdoor sky hopes, so they handed out VR headsets as expected. The VR experience was boring and amateurish—could’ve just projected it on a wall for the same low-effort stars, just with bulky headsets. This is followed by hot pool soak, super relaxing — we get a robe, bring your swimmers!
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