Visual taste

Top Stargazing Escapes

Posted by Pankaj Singh on 22-08-2026

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Travelling after dark is becoming an attraction in its own right. Instead of building holidays entirely around beaches or cities, more travellers are searching for places where the Milky Way, meteor showers and dense fields of stars are visible without the glow of urban lighting.

A new Clean Sky Index from travel connectivity company Holafly compares destinations using four factors: light pollution accounts for 35% of the score, clear-night frequency for 30%, accessibility for 20% and official Dark Sky recognition for 15%.

The ranking assessed 11 locations and limited the final selection to no more than three destinations from any one country.

1. Pic du Midi, France

France takes first place with Pic du Midi, an astronomical observatory standing at 2,877 metres in the Pyrenees.

Its advantage is not simply darkness. Holafly found that Pic du Midi offers an unusually strong combination of sky quality and accessibility, allowing it to outperform several far more remote destinations.

Visitors can reach the summit by cable car from La Mongie. In summer 2026, advance day tickets start at €34, while flexible passes begin at €54. Stargazing-focused Galactic Evenings start at €70, and the planetarium costs an additional €8.

The observatory itself can be visited during the day, while the planetarium introduces visitors to constellations, planets and the current night sky. Summer visits depend on weather conditions, so checking operations before travelling is essential.

2. Warrumbungle, Australia

Warrumbungle National Park in New South Wales takes second place.

Australia’s first recognised Dark Sky Park combines unusually clear skies with the presence of Siding Spring Observatory, making the region attractive to both casual observers and serious astronomy enthusiasts.

Unlike destinations where the night sky is simply an added bonus, Warrumbungle has developed a clear identity around astronomy and low-light conditions.

3. Grasslands, Canada

Canada’s Grasslands National Park ranks third.

Its open prairie landscape provides enormous horizons with very little artificial illumination. The area received Dark Sky Preserve status in 2009 and achieved the highest darkness rating used in the index.

It is an especially appealing choice for travellers who prefer wide landscapes and relative solitude rather than high-altitude observatories.

4. NamibRand, Namibia

NamibRand Nature Reserve recorded the darkest skies included in the study, yet finished fourth because reaching it requires considerably more effort.

That result illustrates an important feature of the ranking: absolute darkness alone does not guarantee first place. Accessibility matters too.

The Namibian desert nevertheless remains one of the strongest choices for travellers prepared to make a longer journey specifically for exceptional night skies.

5. AlUla, Saudi Arabia

AlUla combines desert scenery with one of the largest protected dark-sky areas included in the ranking.

Its Dark Sky designation covers more than 6,000 square kilometres, giving visitors the chance to combine archaeological landscapes and desert experiences with nights under exceptionally clear skies.

6. Atacama Desert, Chile

Chile’s Atacama Desert has long been associated with astronomy.

Its extreme dryness, high altitude and frequent clear conditions have made it an important location for major observatories. In the Clean Sky Index, it takes sixth place, demonstrating that even globally celebrated astronomy regions can lose points when practical travel considerations are included.

Atacama Desert, Chile

7–10. Four More Dark-Sky Trips

Spain’s La Palma ranks seventh, followed by Aoraki Mackenzie in New Zealand.

The final two places go to Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania.

Together, they show how varied a stargazing holiday can be: volcanic islands, Alpine-style landscapes, high mountains and forested parks can all provide exceptional conditions.

The Full Top 10

Pic du Midi, France

Warrumbungle National Park, Australia

Grasslands National Park, Canada

NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia

AlUla, Saudi Arabia

Atacama Desert, Chile

La Palma, Spain

Aoraki Mackenzie, New Zealand

Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Cherry Springs State Park, United States

Dark Skies Without Isolation

The ranking’s most interesting conclusion is that a great astronomy trip does not necessarily require travelling to the most inaccessible corner of the planet.

Pic du Midi succeeds precisely because it combines impressive conditions with practical infrastructure. Cable-car access, visitor facilities and organised astronomy experiences make an otherwise dramatic Pyrenean summit surprisingly approachable.

For travellers tempted to plan their first stargazing holiday, France’s winning destination offers a compelling formula: serious astronomy, spectacular mountain scenery and a night sky worth staying awake for.