IN FOCUS
Pyhä Igloos, Finland
TRENDING LOCATIONS
Icehotel, Sweden
Away from bright city lights, there are countless destinations around the world that perfectly lend
themselves to stargazing, including more than 200 Dark Sky Places. So where should be top of the list? Angela Malek, senior travel
Elsewhere, guests at Primland Resort in
Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains can watch the stars from the hotel’s fully equipped observatory, while Odera, on the Greek island of Tinos, will offer astrophotography sessions as part of its Tinos by Starlight retreat in September.
Tailored trips Indeed, brands getting it right in this sector are those seeking to elevate guests’ experience beyond the ordinary, and high-end tour operator Black Tomato hopes to do this through personalisation. Its collection of private eclipse tours are tailored around the dates of upcoming solar eclipses and take guests to wherever in the world offers the most superlative view, whether that be Iceland, Egypt or Spain – or even farther afield in Australia and New Zealand. Based on the clients’ desires, the company also arranges private sessions led by astronomers, naturalists and other guides to complement the seminal eclipse-viewing moment.
The Aurora Zone is also doing more
to enhance its astro-tourism offering. The operator introduced its first portfolio of luxury Arctic holidays earlier this year, offering travellers fully customisable trips that can include everything from husky safaris to helicopter tours, in addition to aurora borealis hunting. The Aurora Aarre Collection was launched after the brand noticed a “gap in the market” for high-end adventure travel.
“I think with this being such a wish-list
item for a lot of people, they go in and think ‘I could do this in a cheap way, or I could do it [in a more premium] way and have my activities, clothing, transfers, meals and iconic accommodation [included]’,” Hope says. “People want to do it properly.” She makes a good point. Travellers are seeking astro-tourism experiences – and they want to do them in style. With the sun expected to stay at its ‘maximum’ peak until next year, now is the time for agents and operators to reach for the stars and capitalise on this burgeoning trend.
specialist at Scott Dunn, hails the US as one of the best locations for watching the night sky light up. “We offer a variety of stargazing tours and experiences on our Montana, Wyoming and Southwest National Park trips, where the vast, unspoiled skies stretch endlessly above. The Dark Sky Parks across the US offer ideal conditions for experiencing the night sky in its full brilliance,” she says.
Other destinations that boast minimal light pollution include Interlaken in Switzerland, Leknes in Norway and Mauna Kea in Hawaii. When it comes to tracking down the northern lights, places such as Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland are
great options, as they provide “the ideal combination of northern
latitudes and extended hours of darkness”, Malek says. Wherever clients choose to go in search of
the aurora borealis and its dancing ribbons of green and violet, a local guide will no doubt prove to be a worthwhile addition to ensure the most informative, enjoyable and memorable experience.
aspiretravelclub.co.uk
JUNE 2025 ASPIRE
29
CREDITS: Jani Kärppä/Kota Collective; Asaf Kliger/Icehotel
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