Dark Sky Project Summit Stargazing Experience at Mt John Observatory

This was my first stargazing tour, and it was even cheaper than the official website. The service was excellent; you don't have to worry about not having warm enough clothes, as they provide one-piece down jackets. It seemed like they had four or five sizes! The only downside was that we attended on the 15th day of the first lunar month, which was a full moon. This affected the stargazing, making it a bit less impressive than I had imagined. For the "Dark Sky Project," they transport you from the base of the mountain to the observatory reserve, where a specialist explains various astronomical phenomena. They also ask if anyone has questions about astronomy. If you're not familiar with the twelve planets and some specialized astronomical English terms, it might be a bit challenging to understand. However, they do offer an earlier session in Chinese. They also use the observatory's super-large stargazing telescope, which was my first time experiencing something like that, and I found it incredibly amazing and a rare opportunity! But if your visit falls around the new moon or full moon, I would advise against participating, as you might be disappointed.

Due to the schedule for the next day, I was the only one in the group who chose to go up the mountain when the visibility in the sky was low. Even so, the guide still enthusiastically led me around the observatory's facilities and tried his best to explain to me the various stars that could be observed in the night sky that day. And after the tour, half of the travel fee was refunded as an apology. It was truly a wonderful and unforgettable night.

3/12/2024 Due to the weather, we were unable to see the beautiful Milky Way that day, but our colleague Mok at the center was still very patient and careful in explaining our questions about the starry sky, and his friendly Cantonese answers made us feel even warmer, as if we were in I met a friend I haven’t seen for a long time from afar. In addition, because we were unable to participate in other activities due to time constraints, we can get a full refund. We visited the center again on 4/12. My colleague Ada explained the refund procedure in detail. We sent an email to follow up with the service provider. The warm hospitality of every colleague left us with wonderful memories of the entire trip. We will wait for the next opportunity to meet again and witness the mystery of the starry sky together.

I participated in the Japanese tour and was extremely satisfied. The weather was looking iffy that day, and when I looked up at the sky after dark, it was cloudy, making me worry if the tour would be okay. Fortunately, the sky cleared up just in time for the midnight tour. Choosing the Japanese (my native language) tour was also an excellent decision. Our guide shared fascinating, in-depth knowledge, almost like an astronomy enthusiast, which made observing the New Zealand sky incredibly interesting. The observatory is located high up on a mountain, and it's pitch black with no cell phone lights allowed, so you need to watch your step carefully. However, as long as a normal adult listens to the guide and follows instructions, there shouldn't be any problems. I later learned from an email from the Dark Sky Project that if I had booked directly instead of through an agency, I could have entered a lottery to get a cashback on the participation fee by posting a review on their official site. From now on, I'll consider booking international attractions directly instead of through Klook.

My family and I attended the midnight session on the 27th of January 2026. Right away we knew this was going to be special as the night sky was completely clear for the first time in two weeks. The moon set shortly after we left Lake Tekapo on a drive up to Mt John, which took about 15 minutes. Our guides were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about what we could see, and all of us came away in awe of the majesty of the night sky visible in the dark sky reserve. Definitely one of the memorable sights of our whole trip!

Although I booked an English explanation, it was worth it! How many times in life can you go to the Stargazing Research Center to use such sophisticated instruments to observe the stars, and at the same time, there are three cameras to see the Milky Way, the moon, and the stars in a starry sky protection area without light pollution! It's a worthwhile experience!

Although the weather was not good that day, we switched to the indoor dark starry sky plan. The guide was Malaysian and could speak Chinese. The reception and explanation were great. The knowledge of the starry sky was greatly improved and the pictures were beautiful.

The night sky in Tekapo is unbelievably dense with stars, and the Milky Way is very clear. If the weather is good, it's amazing, but it's freezing cold, so you need to dress warmly. Overall, it's pretty great.

It takes half an hour to go up and down the mountain. The first 45 minutes are spent introducing the starry sky, and the last 45 minutes are spent taking photos and looking through the telescope. The introduction is very detailed. The tour guide also helped take photos.

An activity well worth participating in! Not only can you see the spectacular Milky Way, but you can also see Saturn through a professional stargazing telescope, which is very eye-catching!