Stargazing Tours - Dark Sky Project Lake Tekapo
Summit Experience Mt John Observatory Tour
All prices shown in NZD$.
Genuine Customer Reviews powered by 
Service rating:
Easy to book online. Efficient communication and acknowledgment of voucher being issued. I did find it a little confusing that the email communication did not say the tour was with Dark Sky and initially we waited outside by YHA building.
Product rating:
Very well organised and informative. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
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Responded well to calls and emails and were very helpful altogether
Product rating:
N/A as tour cancelled due to adverse conditions
Service rating:
Great guide with excellent skills at explaining everything
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Good communication. Everything well set up from lanyards with lights to warm jackets to great staff
Service rating:
Karma was outstanding in helping us achieve our goals and Kate was equally good in the execution. I would use this company again.
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All of these activities were extremely well done with very friendly and dynamic people.
Service rating:
Get a better tour guide. Someone who is more animated and knowledgeable re the stars.
Product rating:
Not woth the money paid. Stardome in Auckland is MUCH better
Reply from Everything Travel Group
We are so sorry our tour didn't live up to your expectations, as we feel proud of our guides and the knowledge they have and share with visitors, it is very difficult to stand in front of an audience and deliver information that adapts to every type of public, and also dealing with the everyday things that affect us all as people.
We take feedback very seriously, as this allows us to grow and improve our experience, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We will pass on the comment to our guiding team and assess any necessary improvement.
Service rating:
Although the activity was cancelled, your staff provides very good service. We will book with you again in future.
Product rating:
Thank you for the service.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback, we really appreciate it. So sorry to hear you were not able to do your activity this time. Please get in touch regarding any future holiday plans, we would be more than happy to assist you & offer you a repeat customer discount. All the best! :) Everything Travel Group
Service rating:
Replied back in a timely manner but was disappointed when I discovered the fee paid for a full refund which I took because of the COVID threat only gave 75 percent back when my booking was impacted by lockdown
Product rating:
Unable to attend due to COVID lockdown
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback. We are so sorry to hear that you were unable to travel due to travel restrictions in place. The Change & Cancellation Protection gives customers the opportunity to reschedule their booking, receive a 100% credit note or opt for a 75% refund as stated in our Terms & Conditions. We would like to apologise if this was not clear to you at the time of your booking. We wish you all the best & hopefully, you will be able to travel to Tekapo another time! Everything Travel Group
Service rating:
Contact from Everything New Zealand has been outstanding. Our Tekapo stargazing experience was cancelled due to cloudy skies so we opted for the inhouse experience instead and were told ENZ would be informed so we can contact them for a refund or credit. The very next day (Saturday) I received an email advising me of my credit and options and on Sunday afternoon I emailed requesting to book something else using my credit. My email was replied to almost immediately. That's what I call great service.
Product rating:
Our stargazing experience was curtailed because of cloudy skies so we opted for the indoor experience instead. Obviously it was disappointing but the team at Dark Sky Project were outstanding and about halfway through the presentation one of the team informed us the skies had cleared and they'd set up a telescope outside the building so we could see some nebulae. It was still a great experience even if we didn't get to the observatory.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback, we really appreciate it. We are so glad to hear that you were able to use your credit towards booking another fun activity instead. Please get in touch regarding any future holiday plans, we would be more than happy to assist you & offer you a repeat customer discount. All the best! :) Everything Travel Group
Service rating:
Knowledgeable Friendly Helpful Professional Very Informative and passionate about what they do. Definitely recommend.
Product rating:
Very pleased with our experience
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback, we really appreciate it. We are so glad to hear that you had a wonderful time on the Stargazing Tour. Please get in touch regarding any future holiday plans, we would be more than happy to assist you & offer you a repeat customer discount. All the best! :) Everything Travel Group
Service rating:
Excellent and prompt service. Easy to deal with and super friendly service. Will definitely recommend to others.
Product rating:
Although the weather turned, the guides gave us as much information as they could including a video. Friendly service too!
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback, we really appreciate it. We have passed on your feedback to the operator. Please get in touch regarding any future holiday plans, we would be more than happy to assist you & offer you a repeat customer discount. All the best! :) Everything Travel Group
Service rating:
It was not their fault that we could not go up to Mt St John for the star gazing. However we were taken care of and I should probably upgrade that to 4 stars! The young Frenchman did his very best with a telescope just outside their office and then took us inside to give us an amazing explanation about the stars etc. Just very disappointed that we didn't get to go up the mountain. Staff very friendly and helpful
Product rating:
I like that fact that a partial refund is available if the complete session was not able to take place.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your experience. It was a shame that you were unable to do the Mt John Tour but hopefully, we will see you here in Tekapo again one day. All the best!
Service rating:
friendly - great communication - great followup
Product rating:
mind blowing - we all learnt a lot
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We are glad that you had a great time in Tekapo & we hope to see you here soon again. All the best!
Service rating:
Hi very good service and very friendly people good to deal with. Will happily use again.
Product rating:
It’s the second time I’ve done this / loved it both times.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We are glad that you had an amazing time in Tekapo & we hope to see you here soon again. All the best!
Service rating:
They were very friendly and helped me with my booking when the slot I first selected was already fully booked
Product rating:
Due to weather conditions, we weren't able to go with the outdoor stargazing
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We are sorry to hear that the weather was not suitable for the outdoor experience. We hope to see you here in Tekapo soon again & maybe you can try to do the outdoor experience again. All the best!
Service rating:
Friendly, helpful staff who offered options.
Product rating:
Approx 2hrs, one hour on telescopes, one hour in the pool. Knowledgeable presenter. Educational and relaxing.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We are glad that you had an amazing time in Tekapo & we hope to see you here soon again. All the best!
Service rating:
Great service and got everything that I expected from them
Product rating:
The people at the DSP were amazing. Great people and very knowledgeable. Unfortunately it clouded over on the only night we were there, but you cant predict the weather. However it was still a memorable experience
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your great experience. We hope you had a great time in Lake Tekapo! All the best & stay safe!
Service rating:
Yes that is the default since I got to ONE star and your system SELF SUBMITTED it
THEREFORE one star must be correct and that is how I regard your organisation.
The Crater Experience was 3 stars
Product rating:
As before.................
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Hi John,Thank you for your feedback, sorry to hear that you were unable to contact the operator. Unfortunately, due to the major influence COVID19 had on our tourism industry, Dark Sky Project is operating on very reduced working hours and staff at the moment. I do apologise for the inconvenience caused & I hope that you can understand that these are unusual times for many tourism operators. As an agency, Everything Travel Group was able to send the tickets in a timely manner, and once you emailed us regards to your check-in time we were able to communicate with you straight away. We hope that you enjoyed the rest of your trip. Kind regards,Everything Travel Group
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Hi John,
Thank you for your feedback.
Service rating:
Efficient booking process
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Excellent commentary and experience
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Very well run event, Great team with a ton of knowledge.
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Very well done and the staff had a ton of knowledge.
Service rating:
Everything worked like it was supposed to.
Product rating:
A bit expensive for a fairly straightforward tour that wasn’t especially revelatory. Everything went well and everyone was very nice, but overall it was just a bit meh.
Service rating:
Well organised and very interesting... just a couple of disappointing things ... felt that the tour group was too big and one of the guides was grumpy and less than helpful.
Product rating:
Was a bit pricey given the number of patrons jammed on the bus.
Service rating:
Booking easy and organised. When there was a weather issue one of my party dropped out and there was no problem getting a refund.
Product rating:
Despite a super moon washing the Milky Way out, the guides were entertaining and enthusiastic, showing lots of the sky through various telescopes.
Service rating:
Our viewing experience was cancelled. We had hoped to get at least a tour of the observatory despite the overcast skies but waiting around for a full cancellation. The staff were pleasant with everyone's questions -- thank you.
Product rating:
Our viewing experience was cancelled. We had hoped to get at least a tour of the observatory despite the overcast skies but waiting around for a full cancellation. The staff were pleasant with everyone's questions -- thank you.
Service rating:
Information was great, night was stunning but telescopes seemed under gunner to provide much interest.
Product rating:
Telescopes too small. Great information though.
Service rating:
The Mt John stargazing tour was fantastic, with knowledgeable guides, excellent facilities and fortunate conditions.
The booking process was let down by Everything New Zealand as I was unable to book the tour for the same day on their site despite there being availability on the tour (as I later found out at the Earth and Sky office). I got around this by booking for the following day and then calling Earth and Sky to change the booking (which ENZ would have charged $15 for the flexible option!). Simple fix for you guys and would save me a lot of time!
Product rating:
Excellent tour, knowledgeable guides, great facilities and helpful staff to rearrange my booking. A bit pricey but very good experience.
Service rating:
Booked 2 places but later advised only one place available. Couldn't go.
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Service rating:
Amazing experience. Staff were amazing
Product rating:
The staff were so knowledge
Service rating:
You booked the wrong tour; I didn't pick this up as the reporting time on the Ticket voucher was 6.00pm as was for The Little Star Tour. There was no mention of the booking fee on line or on the Ticket Voucher. The voucher just had the Total as $462 and under it was 'Paid in full'. I presume the booking fee was the extra $15 charged to our Visa account, $477. So the 'Paid in full' is untrue. We'll never use Everything again for Anything
Product rating:
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Hi Cam,
Firstly thank you for you for your feedback and we apologise that you haven't had the excellent experience that we strive to deliver for all of our customers. I have pulled up your ticket and can see that you were booked for the Mount John Observatory tour not the Little Star tour. It seems the confusion may be with the time and although the check in time says 6pm, this is an estimate and it states that you must contact the operator the day before to confirm the departure time. With star gazing tours, the time varies according to sunset, so apologies for the confusion there. With regards to the $15, this is for the change and cancellation protection that you opted for when booking, this allows you to reschedule or cancel your booking at no extra charge, provided you give at least 72 hours notice and is reflected on our booking system. We're really disappointed to hear you're unhappy with your experience and would love a second to chance to make it up to you? Please do get in touch if there are any other activities on our website that you're interested in. Kind regards, Sally
Service rating:
Fast, efficient service and good communication
Product rating:
The tour would have been very good and the staff looked after us up Mount John but my Dad should never have been allowed to go. We should have been told it was not a suitable trip for someone with limited ability to walk unaided
Service rating:
晚上去山顶看到了南十字星，星座，景色非常美，值得一看。
Product rating:
Amazing Genius Star Tour.
Service rating:
Thoroughly enjoyed, guides so enthusiastic you can't help catch some of there excitement about astronomy.
Would have preferred smaller group possibly so you could spend more time looking through scopes
Product rating:
Always good to learn something new guides so enthusiastic
Service rating:
What an amazing night! The guides were so great - informative and friendly.
We would love to do it again except we live 18 hours away.
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Service rating:
Great service from Everything Travel Group. Our tour didn't eventuate but you guys took the first step to contact us. Appreciated the immediate full refund. Could look for you guys again for future tours. Thank you.
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Service rating:
Good communication etc
Product rating:
Great product, knowledgeable people and fantastic gazing - but I think it was a little too pricey on a time at the actual observatory basis. 1/2 an hour more would have felt more satisfactory.
Service rating:
Nice touch getting a reminder a couple of days before the tour
Product rating:
One of the best tours I have ever been on.
Service rating:
we were away and without email access so didn't get confirmation email sent a few days before our Mt John trip. Our booking form which I printed out when received in November had incorrect booking number which caused considerable angst and consternation and significant costs in phoning Tekapo the day before our trip. Still given it was sorted relatively quickly, I've scored this as good.
Product rating:
Very interesting, gave us things to think about and look at, but too many people on it, so time available to look in telescopes was limited. Might be a good idea to bunch people into groups with a leader. Enthusiastic presenters.
Service rating:
your staff were very helpful and accomodating. they were patient in answering all our queries.
Product rating:
the staff are very knowledgeable and they look after the visitors very well.
Service rating:
It was a shame it was a cloudy night - which I know you can't do anything about!
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Staff were helpful and friendly and the tour of the observatory was interesting. The cloud did clear for a few minutes and so we did have a little bit of time to do some star gazing.
Service rating:
Great!
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Guides were great and we were very lucky to have a cloudless night. We enjoyed the whole experience. The 2 hours flew by!
Service rating:
Bad weather the first night but no trouble to postpone until the second night.
Product rating:
The BEST tour and place to be and excellent guides with good and
appropriate information. LOVELY!!
Service rating:
Very professional
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Very good. The guides are ver professional and actively encouraged to ask question
Service rating:
Awesome
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Brilliant tour would recommend to anyone visiting Tekapo, amazing experience and my partner got to see Saturn on her birthday which was awesome!!
Service rating:
Fantastic tour. Well organized with very professional commentary,
Definitely I highly recommend this to everyone.
Product rating:
No criticism at all. Looking through the telescopes, amazingly unforgettable.
Well worth it.
Service rating:
Good
Product rating:
I confirmed the booking in the morning by telephone, reached there on time and finally tour was cancelled due to bad whether though I will get refund but spent money/time on accommodation and travelling to get there, all in vein.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thank you for providing us with your feedback about your experience with the Mt John Night Tour. Unfortunately this tour is very weather dependent and at times this means the tour needs to be cancelled last minute due to a change in weather conditions otherwise you would be disappointed by the tour. It's a difficult one and Earth and Sky do their best to accommodate their customers for them to have the best experience possible but last minute changes to the weather conditions do occur which is when this happens. If tours can be cancelled earlier then this is done but it can be very difficult to predict exact weather conditions in Tekapo hence the forecast isn't always exact. We are sorry you missed out on the tour and hope that one day you may be able to experience the tour again. You certainly were refunded in full as a result of the cancellation. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your holiday and thanks again for providing your feedback to us.
Belinda Stewart
Everything Travel Group.
Service rating:
Prompt service and understanding staff.
Product rating:
The tour was cancelled due to a local community event which also didn't take place due to weather conditions.
Service rating:
had to cancel 1 ticket a few weeks prior to date and that was no problem. However initial booking overlooked the fact that we were seniors and had a different rate.
Product rating:
Fantastic, learned so much and it was great to see such passionate people doing the tour.
Service rating:
Easy to book.
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Excellent experience - unforgettable.
Service rating:
Excellent service. No issues at all.
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Wonderful tour. Guides were highly competent, knowledgeable and excellent communicators. I would thoroughly recommend the tour to anyone. The "Valentines Day" extra touches were much appreciated.
Service rating:
Excellent service and knowledge
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What an experience!
Service rating:
Ok. Quick. Efficient.
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Very knowledgable. Friendly. Caring.
Service rating:
Brilliant, incredibly quick responses to email, very helpful and professional
Product rating:
It was informative, exciting in the dark and inspiring. Great to experience such a academic and fascinating field, and the time they took to explain things for us. Unfortunately the cloud cover was 70% and astrophotography emphasized on the website was not really mentioned. All in all a very special experience.
Service rating:
I think the customer service at the counter should be improved.
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Reply from Everything Travel Group
Sorry to hear you weren't satisfied with the customer service when checking in for your Mt John Night Tour. It was a shame your tour had to be cancelled due to the weather conditions as well. We would like to pass your feedback on to the operator so I have emailed you and would appreciate it if you could provide us with further details about your experience. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
Belinda Nichol
Everything Travel Group.
Service rating:
What a great tour.
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We were kept warm and comfortable at all times.
Service rating:
good
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I lost the bit of paper that gives me access to flickr to get the hight photo, what do I need to do to get a copy
Service rating:
Booking went smoothly
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I thought this was overpriced. I can see the stars just as well from my own garden and three quick looks through telescopes wasn't worth $130. I really didn't need the bus driver to explain to me opening and shutting a gate! The guides were very good and well informed.
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Everything so easy to book highly reccomended
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So many stars and great guides. Not to be missed
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Very easy to navigate website and booking was a breeze!
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We were very lucky that the sky was perfect ! No moon, no wind !! The guide we had was good too! He had a very funny, animated way of explaining stuff and very entertaining ! Too bad we couldn't see what he looked like !
Service rating:
Easy to use booking system, all good.
Product rating:
Good value for money. Friendly and informative staff, and lucky with the weather.
I would recommend it to anyone.
Service rating:
The service was good.
Product rating:
Everything from the pick up and the personal service was great and what I expect in NZ but...I see stars often so cannot imagine the feelings of those from over countries who don't. I think that a bit more education about the tour and what people are going to view would make the tour more meaningful. A 3d video or 4d of our planets and perhaps more insight into how much distance and time is involved travelling to outer space would help people understand. When I pay and visit displays tours overseas they may not have so much authentic content but they are more interactive and have the wow factor! Imagine putting on 3D virtual glasses and walking around the moon or flying off into space in a rocket. A great build up and then being able to appreciate looking at the stars and planets. We are all part of the universe and I would have liked to have experienced more of that. I feel that Tekapo has a great opportunity to become a world class attraction but needs to improve.
Service rating:
Easy, good communication about plans.
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Unfortunately, total cloud cover, but still really great trip with lots of information from enthusiastic and knowledgeable folk. Learned a lot. Both loved it and will be back on a clear night.
Service rating:
Okay although the times weren't correct. Although its an estimated time, Earth Sky has times basically set. 6pm is not close to 7pm.
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Amazing. Very informative and staff were excellent. Saturn and the Moon were amazing.
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Helpfull and available
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Knowledgeable and entertatining
Service rating:
THE VOUCHER WAS PAID FOR MONTHS IN ADVANCE. NOT MY PROBLEM IF PRICES HAVE INCREASED. I SHOULD NOT HAD TO PAY THE EXTRA $20.- AS THE VOUCHER DID NOT EXPIRE TILL THE 16TH JUNE. THAT IS WHY I SCORE IT POOR OR SHOULD IT BE "BAD". I WOULD NOT BOOK WITH EVERYTHING NZ AGAIN.
Product rating:
LOVED IT. EXCELLENT NIGHT TO WATCH THE STARS.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Hi Peter. Thanks for your feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed your Tekapo star gazing experience with Earth & Sky however I'm sorry you felt the service you received from the Everything Travel Group was poor. The reason why you had to pay the extra $20 was that you had an Everything Travel Group gift voucher worth $105 that could be redeemed towards the cost of any activities listed on our website. Like most activity operators in NZ and Australia, Earth & Sky annually increase the price of their Star Gazing tour and at the time of your star gazing booking the price had increased to $125. The prices listed on our website are set by the activity operators themselves, not by the Everything Travel Group. If a customer pre books an activity with us at the lower price and then the price goes up after they have booked the customer will not have to pay the difference. However if prices go up before you book then you will need to pay the current value for that specific activity as per our terms and conditions. I'm sorry this was not made clearer to you by our reservation staff and I can totally understand your frustration and confusion given you had a valid gift voucher. As a gesture of goodwill I have refunded the $20 back on to your credit card. Peter thanks again for taking the time to offer your comments. We continually strive to provide the best possible customer service and feedback like yours is invaluable in assisting us improve our business.
Callum Goodall
Everything Travel Group
Reply from Customer
After our discussion/replies etc, I feel different about your company and therefore revise my comment. I hope there will be other occasions where I would use your services again in the future. Cheers.
Service rating:
..
Product rating:
Highly professional delivery from the guide. We learned a lot. We are NZers and were proud of the service and experience delivered for tourists.
Service rating:
Considering the booking was made many months in advance from the UK, the
communication by email was helpful and efficient.
Product rating:
I'm sorry to say I was hugely disappointed. I had been looking forward to it for months, so it was unfortunate, and not the organisers' fault that in an outstanding NZ summer, we were unlucky to have an overcast sky for the night booked. But over and above that, I thought we were going have the opportunity to view the southern hemisphere through a large astronomer's telescope, and was very disappointed that we were only "shown" that marvellous piece of equipment, and were only able to look through the portable commercial type that the public can buy in shops. I think Earth & Sky should make that clear on their information, as the ticket price is not cheap.
The next morning I climbed Mt. John to view the glorious panorama over Lake Tekapo and beyond to the Alps and the MacKenzie country ... made up for the night before.
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Hi Raewyn. Thanks for your feedback and I'm sorry to hear you were disappointed in your star gazing experience in Lake Tekapo. It must have been so frustrating for you to have overcast skies on the one night you book your tour! I have passed on your most welcome comments regarding the telescope to the management at Earth & Sky and I'm sure they will take them on board and make any necessary changes.
Callum Goodall
Everything Travel Group
Service rating:
Know very little about this group as we booked at earth and sky
Product rating:
Group too large, very long quese making you obliged to move away without the opportunity to take your time to gaze at the amazing veiws
Reply from Everything Travel Group
Thanks for your feedback Kim. Everything Travel Group is the online booking agent that you booked your Earth & Sky star gazing experience through. I'm sorry you encountered long queues while star gazing on Mt John in Tekapo. I will pass this important information on to the manager at Earth & Sky so they can do everything they can to avoid this happening to future customers.
Callum Goodall
Everything Travel Group
Latest Questions about Stargazing Tours - Dark Sky Project (Lake Tekapo)
For the dark sky experience, what are the age limits I am wanting to bring my family of 5
on the 11th of August 2023, with the children's ages of 11months, 4yrs, and 6years old, are there age Limits?
Comments
Hiya Joshua. Thanks so much for your enquiry into the Dark Sky Project (Lake Tekapo). Unfortunately, infants are not allowed on these tours, I am so very sorry about that!! The minimum age for the Summit experience is 7 years old and 5 years old for the Dark Sky and Crater experience.
Hi. We will stay 1 nite only at Lake Tekapo on June 29, 2023. My kids are 15, 13 & 8 years old. For Summit Experience on June 29, there are 2 slots: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm. Which time is the better option for this experience ? Because this will be once in a lifetime experience for us. Please advice.
Comments
Thanks so much for your enquiry into the Dark Sky Project Project Summit Experience Stargazing Tours. I think either time would work as it is winter and will be dark well before 06.30 PM. I do think this may be a better option for you and you have small children and you will get home earlier in the evening
Hi there
We are traveling from the UK and will be in Lake Tekapo Mon 9th Jan and Tues 10th Jan please can you try and get us in for the summit experience on either of these nights. I appreciate we have left it a bit late but am ever hopeful.
Thank you
Best wishes
Jenny
Booking for March 2, 2023. Is it better to do the 21:30 or the 23:45 summit experience?
How far are you from Acacia lake terrace taupo
Hi we see you are booked out tomorrow and Monday when we will be in Tekapo. Are you likely to have any cancellations that would enable us to see your tour either tomorrow or Monday please.
To book for 12.15 am Saturday night 19th February, would we book for the 20th. What happens if the Sky is cloudy with limited vision, do we get a refund
If we book for March 28 and the weather is cloudy how much is the partial refund?
Comments
Thank you so much for your enquiry. If the tour is cancelled due to bad weather conditions you have the opportunity to join the Indoor Experience and you will receive a partial refund of $99.50 NZD or you can reschedule to a different date.
what time is the star sighting at early March? we will stay in wanaka and was wondering if the time will be too late to come back with 2 infants. thanks!
Comments
Thank you for your question. In early March 2021, the earliest tour is at 9.00 PM.
Hi there,
For my birthday I was given a voucher for the crater experience, however, I can no longer book this as it is apparently unavailable.
What are my options here, will the crater experience become available in the future?
Thanks,
Tori Watson.
Comments
Thank you so much for your enquiry. Yes, the Crater Experience is not available at the moment but you can use your gift voucher towards the Summit Experience or another activity of your choice.
Are there family packages
Comments
Yes, we have a special for 2 adults & 2 kids for $390 NZD as well as a special for 2 adults & 3 kids for $460 NZD
Is the star gazing tour available ?
Comments
Yes, the Crater Experience Stargazing Tour is available at Dark Sky Project.
We tried a few years ago to see the stars with you but both nights were cloudy.This year we are intend to stay four nights.If we book September 10th and it is cloudy can we keep trying the next 3 nights until success?
Comments
Yes, with the Dark Sky Project you will be able to reschedule your trip if it is cancelled due to cloud cover. This is of course subject to availability, but the team at Dark Sky Project do all that is possible to reschedule you. They do also have a fantastic indoor, interactive option if there is no alternate day or you run out of days.
Hello. At what time does Summit Experience really starts? Is it possible there is like a 5:30 schedule or does it really start at 6 after sunset?
Comments
The normal departure time for the Summit Experience is at 11.30 PM
We'll be staying in Mount Cook without a vehicle and want to know if your tour offers pickup from Mount Cook Village.
Hi there,
My husband and I were wanting to do this tour with our 4 year old daughter between the 12-14th March, but just noticed your age guidelines?? Is this strict with the ages? If she was to be asleep in her pram or awake I feel like she would thoroughly enjoy this experience aswell.
Look Forward to your response
Comments
Unfortunately these are strict age guidelines due to health and safety reasons.
Do you offer the Manderin tour for star gazing tour?
Comments
Absolutely! They have Mandarin speaking staff which means you wont miss out on any of the fascinating information. However if you do require a guide who speaks other languages you should enquire ahead of time to avoid disappointment.
what happens if you book a night and the weather is bad so you can't see the stars?
Comments
If the weather is too bad to provide a quality star gazing experience they will cancel the tour and we will be able to reschedule or provide a full refund.
How do you define the winter months? Thanks, Heather
Comments
Hi Heather, June is considered to be the start of Winter through until the end of September
Can I ask for more Information on the CowanTour? We have 3 adults and 2 children aged 7 & 8.
Comments
It is not up on Mt John but it is held at their Cowan’s Observatory. (approx. 1 ¼ hours) Perfect for your first stargazing experience. This tour will only operate if the sky is clear enough to see some of our I have southern night sky objects. Contact us for further details ")
Hi
We are coming down to Tekapo on Friday. Do you think there will be any chance of seeing the Southern Lights on Friday or Saturday ? Which day would be best to book for the tour ? Thanks
Hi what time does the 2 hour long night tour of Mount John Observatory start for tonight? Also, is there a cafe with food over there before the tour?
Hi we are a family of 6 which includes 2 adults, 1 senior and 3 children ages 9, 7 and 5. We understand that your little star tours only operates in the winter months but we will only be in NZ in the month of december. Is there a tour or a variation whereby my young ones can experience stargazing in the month of december as I understand that it is you spring/ summer month.
Comments
The Little Stars tour in Lake Tekapo does only operate during winter however there is another tour that is suitable for kids 5 and older called the Cowans Tour star gazing tour. This is very similar to the normal night tour however it is run at a slightly different location and is a little cheaper. The cost would be $93 for adults, $83 for the senior and $53 for kids. This tour runs most nights so if you could let me know which dates you are thinking of in December I can let you know if there is space for you on that night.
For the Little Star tour what times do they start ?
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The Little Star tour in Tekapo operates during the winter months only and departs at approximately 5pm.
We are staying in Queenstown. How do we get to Lake Tekapo? Can you pick us up? Two people.
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Tekapo is a good 3 hour drive from Queenstown and there are no return transfers offered as part of the Mt John star gazing tour unfortunately. There is a star gazing tour available in Queenstown from the top of the Skyline gondola complex. You can also add in dinner at the Skyline restaurant. Cost is $89 for the tour and return gondola ride or $135 if you include dinner.
How far in advance do I need to book for Mt John Night Tour
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Hi Heather, the Mt John Night Tour is very popular especially during the summer months so bookings need to be made at least a week in advance if not earlier at this time of year. The tour is heavily booked until the end of February at this stage. Let us know what date you are thinking of doing the Mt John Night tour and we can check availability for you.
Hi Heather, the Mt John Night Tour is very popular especially during the summer months so bookings need to be made at least a week in advance if not earlier at this time of year. The tour is heavily booked until the end of February at this stage. Let us know what date you are thinking of doing the Mt John Night tour and we can check availability for you.
What's the difference between the Mt John Night Observatory Tour & Twilight Tour?
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Hi Szean, the Twilight Tour runs earlier than the Mt John Night Tour so you catch the last of the sunset as well as doing some star gazing. While you wait for the sun to go down you will get a tour of the observatory and the facilities there, watch a short film and have a hot drink and cake before star gazing.
Whats the difference between Tekapo Star Gazing tours and Mt John Observatory tours. Are they just different turn operators for the same star gazing ?
Hi there,
Is under 5's free on the Little Stars tour?
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Yes children under 5 years of age do travel for free on all the star gazing tours in Tekapo.
Hi Could you please clarify what a "Little Stars Tour" is? You have very good feedback but the cost is very expensive. I would love to bring my star gazing grandchildren hopefully this would be a way for them to experience it. Many thanks Joy priest
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The Little Star tour at Mt John in Tekapo is very similar to the standard night tour however it is a little shorter and is the first tour for the night so more suitable for kids.
what nights can you put your cameras
on the telescopes
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Hi Carolyn, each night there is a photographer up at the Mt John Observatory who can assist in having the correct settings on your camera to get the best pictures of the night sky. You won't actually put your camera on the telescope but you will be educated on how to get the best pictures of the night sky by using the correct settings.
My husband and I will be holidaying in your area late Dec 2014 to early Jan 2015. We would like to do the night observatory tour and want to know before we book accommodation if you will be open to do the tours in those days or will you be closed for the holiday break? Depending on your days of being open will be when we book our accommodation. Thanks very much.
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Hi Harsha. The Lake Tekapo star gazing tours operate every day of the year except Christmas day. The period over Christmas and New Years and the summer school holidays are the busiest time for bookings so we do recommend booking well in advance.
We will be visiting lake Tekapo for one night in December and would like to do the night observatory tour however with 3 children, youngest of whom is 8 yrs old I am worried it will be too late and they will get bored ... If I book the sunset tour will we still be able to view stars through the telescope once it gets dark?
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Hi Anna,
You will be able to star gaze for the last 20 minutes of the sunset tour. It will not be a dark sky, but you will be able to see bright objects.
The later tour finishes as 12:30am - so it is quite late.
Kind regards
Nigel Hobbs
My family will be staying at Tekapo 2,3,4 Jan. Can I buy vouchers for two adults and one child for them as a Christmas gift?
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Hi Joyce. Yes you certainly can buy an open dated gift voucher for the Tekapo Star Gazing. To do this simply go to the Star Gazing page on our website and click on the Book Now button at the top or bottom of the page. Then check the box at the top of the page where it says "I want this to be an open dated Gift Voucher". You then write a message, click the green tick and then choose the options you want. Add this to your Basket, go to the Check out page and pay and we will then email you back with a Gift Voucher.
Hi
We are going to Tekapo this weekend and have a voucher to use for start gazing which we would like to do on 1 September (night tour). What is the cancellation policy is we book now - the only reason we would cancel is if the weather wasn't very good.
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Hi Katherine, if you book the Tekapo Star Gazing with your voucher for this weekend and Earth & Sky cancel the tour becuase of poor weather then your voucher will be refunded the money.
Are you operating on 15/9/12 for a night visit?
Up to how many people can you take?
What happens if it is cloudy?
Many thanks
Ruth
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Hi Ruth,
Yes the Star Gazing Tours at Lake Tekapo are operating on the 15th of September.
When stars are hidden from sight by cloud, The Earth & Sky crew will take you on journey to discover the nocturnal world of an astronomer. See behind the scenes of Mt John Observatory, usually out-of-bounds to the general public. Nowhere else can you experience what you see and hear on our Mt John Stargazing Tour. This behind the scene tour is arguably as interesting and amazing as the star gazing.
Regards,
Nigel
I am hoping to visit some time in March 2013, I will have a Canon 60D with me - what would I need to connect to your scopes if there was a chance to use it (I have a T adaptor that I use with my scope in the UK).
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Hi Brian. I have spoken to the team at Earth & Sky who run the Mt John night tours and they have informed me that it is not possible to connect your camera up to the telescopes.However, there is a tracking mount which can hold up to 5 cameras and moves with the telescope which enables you to take some longer exposure shots with your camera.
I have been told that the "Southern Lights" might be able to be "predicted" around 24hrs prior to ocurring. Is this correct? Can we book is there a website to monitor this and check the weather forcast? Accordingly, can we book at VERY short notice as will fly from Auckland. Thanks :)
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Hi Kevin, the Southern Lights are very difficult to predict however there are conditions that make it more likely to occur such as high levels of sun activity and no moon. Within the next week conditions are good for Southern Lights appearing however the window of warning given that it is going to appear is only moments before so not enough in advance to fly down from Auckland unfortunately.
Hi can we just drive up and ssee the observeratery and have someting to eat in the cafe?What does your cafe serve for adults and kids.
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Hi Jo, yes you certainly can drive up to the Mt John Observatory during the day and have something at the cafe. The cafe serves muffins, scones, slices, cakes as well as an all day breakfast menu including bacon and eggs, toasted sandwiches and bagels etc.
I would like to give my husband and our daughter a gift voucher for the night tour. The dates I am looking at are Sept 29th or 30th
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Hi Tricia, this is no problem at all if you want to purchase them a gift voucher just click on the Book Now button on the Earth & Sky page and then at the top of this page check the box that says "I want this to be an open dated gift voucher" that way they will receive the voucher for the Mt John Tour and then when they redeem it online they can select the exact date they want to go.
What happens if you have prebooked and then the weather doesnt allow viewing?
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Hi E, if the weather prevents your Mt John Star Gazing tour from going ahead then you are given the chance to reschedule or offered a full refund.
Hello, can you please advise whether the state of the moon has an effect on star gazing?
Hi Alex, yes the moon certainly does affect star gazing. With a full moon, viewing of stars is poor as there is too much light and you are likely to see only planets and bright stars. The best time for star gazing is when there is a new moon.
Hi there,
I am from auckland, and plan for a 2 or 3 days trip to Lake Tekepo to see Aurora Australis, when is the best time to go there during the year? and should I fly to Tiramu or Christchurch, or Queenstown then drive to Tekepo?
Thanks a lot
Elva Chan
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Hi Elva, an Aurora Australis is extremely unpredictable and no one can ever be certain when it is going to happen. It depends on how active the sun is but it can occur any time of day or night for either a few seconds or last a few hours. Winter is generally a good time of year to see one but only because there are more dark hours.
Hi. What if we have booked a particular night time tour and the weather is bad, also is it adviseable to prebook or can we book on the day?
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Hi Jenny. If the weather is bad and the Lake Tekapo Star Gazing tour doesn't go ahead then you can reschedule or get a full refund from us. It is adviseable to book in advance as there are often tour groups that book up entire nights.
Hi, I was wondering if the nighttime Star gazing tour is suitable for someone in a wheelchair (me)
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Hi Colin, the Mt John Night tour is not ideal for wheelchair access however if you have a support person with you and have some mobility then you may be ok. The issue will be getting in and out of the van to get up to Mt John and there are a few steps to get up once you get there. If this doesn't sound like an issue then you should be fine.
Hi Colin, the Mt John Night tour is not ideal for wheelchair access however if you have a support person with you and have some mobility then you may be ok. The issue will be getting in and out of the van to get up to Mt John and there are a few steps to get up once you get there. If this doesn't sound like an issue then you should be fine.
Hi my name is Fin Pringle-Booth i am interested in booking a night tour for some friends of mine as a gift. i was wondering if i was to book a night tour if you get to do star gazing during that and also i would like to ask if i was to book it if i had to book it for a specific date or if i could get a sort of booking that could be moved to when is suitable for them? also are there any specific astronomical events in the next 6 months that would be worthy of a special trip? thank you
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Hi Fin Pringle-Booth, you can certainly book the Earth and Sky Night Observatory Tour as a gift you just need to tick the box that says "I want this to be an open dated Gift Voucher" at the top of the Book Now page. You do not select a date, rather it is a voucher for your friends to book when they would like to do it. When they have decided on the date that they want to go they just book it online and use the voucher code to pay. Star gazing is included in the night tour and Tekapo is one of the best places in the world to view the stars. There are no particiular astronomical events that Mt John are advertising in the next 6 months however the experience is magnificent any day as long as the skies are clear.
I am flexible as to when to take the night tour. Can you suggest the best night,(in the near future) when I should book this?
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Hi Boyd. The weather is meant to clear Tueday and Wednesday next week (1st & 2nd May). If you are wanting to book the Earth & Sky star gazing tour in Tekapo I'd suggest Wednesday 2nd May might be your best option as there is a full moon later in the week which will mean the sky is not as dark at night and the starz wont be as clear.
Hi!
We are a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids), and are staying in Tekapo fo2 4 nights from July 2nd.
We would like to do the Observatory Night Tour, but are wondering if it's best to book ahead to secure a place, or wait until we get there so we can pick the best night/weather.
Can you please advise?
Many thanks,
Jodi (from Adelaide, Sth Australia)
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Hi Jodi I would recommend booking the Mt John Night Tour for a family of 5 in advance. They often have tour groups coming through which can fill out the tours so it's best to confirm your spot in advance. If the weather is no good and the tour is cancelled you are given the option to reschedule or obtain a full refund. Alternatively if you arrive in Tekapo and want to change your tour date then that is fine as long as there is still space on the night you want to go. You just need to get in touch with us and we can ammend your booking if space allows.
Can we just drive up in the evening to see the night sky from the top of the road or cafe?
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Hi Richard. The road is closed at night time and is only accessible via tour. To see the stars from up there in the evening you will need to join the Mt John Observatory Night Tour.
When is it most likely to be able to see the Aurora from Mt John
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Hi Kathleen. It is impossible to predict when the southern lights or Aurora Australis will be visible from Mt John Observatory in Lake Tekapo as it depends solely on the suns solar activity. It can be visible at any time of the year, summer or winter, although it is often seen more regluarly in winter only because it is dark for longer and the daylight hours are much shorter. Fortunately it has been viewed from Mt John Observatory the last couple of nights but wh knows how long it will stay around for. The Aurora Australis is truly a spectacular sight but even if it isn't visible on the night you visit Lake Tekapo the stars themselves will blow you away!
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Reply from Everything Travel Group
Hi Sandra, thank you for taking the time to give us your valuable feedback. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your tour and it was not up to your expectations. The service section of the feedback, however, was to do with how the booking service was, we hope that you had a great experience booking your tour with Everything Travel Group and that it was a smooth process and that you got your booking confirmation in a timely manner.
Posted 05-Apr-2022