Let’s show you the best night sky in NZ!

Let’s show you the best night sky in NZ!

If you’re heading to NZ to try our 5-day Fiordland Four Great Walks this this story is of interest.

Around 200,000 hectares of land at the head of Lake Whakatipu next to Queenstown – your departure point for our walk – have been certified as the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary, making it the fifth Dark Sky Sanctuary in NZ and 25th globally.

 

Managed by Dark Sky International, the certification honours areas that preserve night-sky visibility through responsible lighting and education.

The sanctuary, stretching from Bennett’s Bluff to the northern boundary of Mt Aspiring National Park, includes over 75% of UNESCO’s Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Wilderness.

It encompasses popular tracks like Routeburn – one of the four walks you’ll be trying – Greenstone-Caples, and Rees-Dart, and surrounds the towns of Glenorchy and Kinloch, which will join the International Dark Sky Places program as a community next year.

The sanctuary will also be one of the few places to witness the total solar eclipse in 2028.

Leslie Van Gelder, chairperson of the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies Group, expressed pride in the achievement and hopes the sanctuary will attract visitors to experience the Milky Way and aurora.

So what else do you experience on our walk?

This tour lets you explore Fiordland’s iconic tracks—the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, and Hollyford—while enjoying superb accommodations and without the burden of a heavy pack.

Walk through glacier-carved valleys, lush rainforests, and past towering mountains, with each trail offering unique views, from the dramatic peaks of the Routeburn to the tranquil Kepler lakes. Highlights include a helicopter ride over the Kepler Track, jet boating on the Waiau River, and a magical night aboard the Milford Mariner on Milford Sound.

Life’s An Adventure ensures an unforgettable experience with stunning landscapes and “wow-mazing” activities throughout.