Private stargazing tour from Queenstown, for your group only (up to 4 people). Duration is about two hours, with pickup from your accommodation.

Your guide Simon holds a BSc (Hons) in Physics with Astrophysics and shares Māori astronomy whilst guiding you through the southern sky. You'll use binoculars, laser pointers and a Unistellar telescope that shows nebulae and galaxies live on a screen.

Astro portraits of your group under the Southern Night Sky are included, plus a curated set of edited images delivered the next day, including images from the telescope. Hot chocolate and cookies are provided.

Weather dependent. If conditions aren't suitable we will reschedule with you. Aurora sightings are possible but never guaranteed.

Operated under DOC concessions. Qualmark Silver operator.

TRAVELER

AuthenticAs Star Gazing -Nightscape Portrait Photography Tour

Thank you so much for your kind words :) It was an absolute pleasure showing you around the Southern Night Sky. We're so glad we were able to make this happen and make you feel so welcome and looked after. We love where we live and always want to ensure that our guests feel looked after and valued, that's what this place is about. 

We hope you enjoy the rest of your time here in Aotearoa and your incredible photographs help you transport your way back here to remember the vastness of the Universe.

Nga mihi nui ki a koe

Not really one to leave reviews, but incredible experience from start to finish.

Emma and Simon were great. The communication was out of this world when it came to this booking. They went out of their way to get me out into the mountains to show me the stars early (knowing the inclement weather that was to come later in the week). Dare I say courteous and kind? That was them from the start. 

Once up there, it was evident that I was dealing with a rare breed with Mr. Simon. The man is very passionate and knowledgeable when it comes to the stars— as well as NZ culture. Learned so much from him in that short time up there. 

And the view? Stellar! Never seen that many stars in my life— seemed like there were millions up there. Enough to put things into perspective.  We got lucky and got to witness a nice set of auroras— breathtaking.

You’d be in good hands with these folks. Good peeps/ good views. 

Sweet Stars. 

Bring warm clothes and curiousity! What a special night.  You'll learn a bunch about astronomy, astrophysics, photography, Maori legend, history, science and navigation.  Still cherishing the memory and photos of our experience six months later.  You won't regret it.

Bring warm clothes and...

Kia ora, kā mihi nui ki a koe

Thank you so much for your kind words, we're so pleased that we managed to find such incredible skies for you.

We hope you treasure your photos for many years to come and you continue to enjoy exploring the night sky

The most amazing experience of our lives. Thanks so much to Simon for being so welcoming and accommodating. We even had a back up date when the clouds weren’t favourable. Simon’s knowledge of astrology and astronomy and the Māori stories of the sky were a unique and fascinating touch. Not to mention the photos which are mind blowing and like nothing I’ve ever seen. Truly bringing the magic of the sky here on earth. 
Thanks so much !

If you do one thing in queenstown- make it this !

Thank you so much! We're really pleased you had such a good time, it was awesome to show you all around the Southern Night Sky.

We hope you enjoy the rest of your adventure down under. 

Kā mihi nui

Great experience! 
 Highly recommend,  Simon was very knowledgeable and made for a great evening. Great for family’s  

Great experience! ...

Thank you so much for your review. It was a real pleasure to spend the evening sharing both the photography techniques and the stories that live within our southern skies. I’m really glad you left feeling confident to capture more nightscapes on your own and that the experience gave you something lasting to take home. Emma and I both enjoyed your curiosity and enthusiasm .. it would be wonderful to see you back in Queenstown one day for another adventure under the stars. Mā te wā - Until next time

Emma and Simon are lovely people! I came to this with no nightscape photography experience and a few hours later I had some great photos, a good foundation for taking more on my own back home, and a better understanding of the local stories centered on the stars. I’d happily do this again if I get to revisit Queenstown!

Emma and Simon are lovely...

Kia ora Catherine,

Kia pai te rā mō kōrua and big mihi for spending part of your honeymoon with me under the stars — that’s something pretty special. I’m stoked the stories of sky and place added to the experience, and I hope the photos bring back those memories for years to come. Wishing you both a lifetime of clear skies and good adventures!

Kā mihi,
Simon

Such a special highlight of our honeymoon. Simon is so knowledgeable, we loved learning about navigating stars and Māori culture, and received incredible photos of us with the night sky. Thank you!! 

Amazing! 

If you are in the Queenstown area and have even a mild interest in the sky at night, then this tour is for you. Our guide Simon met us at our hotel in town and took us to one of the peaks around Queenstown where we witnessed the most spectacular night sky that we have ever seen. 

Simon has a very interesting way of guiding you through the sky watch. He has an exceptional understanding of Māori culture and their spiritual relationship with the stars. He showed us the main star clusters in the Southern Sky and explained through various stories how their positions and relevance are so important to the Māori culture and history. 

Simon brought several optics with him including telescopes and cameras suited for viewing. He took several photographs of the night sky and sent them onto us the next morning. The photographs also captured us looking and pointing to the stars which will provide us with wonderful memories. Simon also brought spare coats, hot chocolate and cookies that not only kept us warm, but capped off a wonderful evening.

Thank you Simon for your enthusiasm and guidance, making this one of our most enjoyable evenings in New Zealand.

Out of this world experience

The guide was wonderful and knowledgeable. Telling us about the Mauri history with the stars . Highly recommended and appreciated 

Well worth the experience 

One of best experiences we had during New Zealand Trip. Simon is very professional and passionate about what he does. We learned so much about how to navigate the southern dark sky, saw too many incredible stars, images, also Māori culture. The Milky Way is absolutely stunning, the nightscape portrait is unmatched, we will value this experience, the photos are amazing, unbelievable! Thank you so much for this extraordinary tour! Highly recommend!

Best Star Gazing-Nightscape Portrait Photography Ever

Simon is just GREAT! He took good care of my husband and I. He made sure that we were safe, warm and comfortable. He is knowledgable, professional, and patient. I would definitely recommend this tour to my friends who would visit Queenstown. During the tour, we not only saw the amazing stars and the Milky Way, but also the splendid aurora! YES! AURORA! Thank you Simon for the unforgetable tour!

Starry night

Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so happy that you had a great time. 

Simon was a great guide. We learned so many Maōri traditions and the telescope was amazing as well as the photos. He has great humor but watch out, he might send you home with ducks. All kidding aside, it was a fabulous evening even with a full moon. 

Fabulous experience. 

Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so happy that you and your wife had such an incredible night on your Starry Night Adventure, you really did have a beautiful evening for star gazing.

It was lovely to meet. you both and we look forward to meeting you again when you return,

Emma & Simon

My wife and I had the absolute best time on our star gazing trip with Simon. He is very knowledgable and passionate about what he does and it is very obvious and genuine. He catered our experience to us and our interests and we learned so much about the southern sky and how people navigate by it. We saw things through his telescope that we thought we would never see including seeing Saturn and it’s rings. And the pictures of the night sky, including the Milky Way, are absolutely stunning and are such a special and unique souvenir that you can’t get in any other way and our unique to our night and our experience. Of all of the amazing things we did on our trip to New Zealand and of all of the pictures we have, this excursion/tour and the photos from it are at the top of our list. You cannot go to Queenstown and not do this!

Unforgettable, you have to do it!

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.