African Overland Tours

You’re in for a treat if you go stargazing in South Africa. It’s a large country with many dark skies, including an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. Many visitors to South Africa come from the Northern Hemisphere and are keen to see fresh stars and constellations like the Southern Cross during their trip. Fortunately, there are many, many places with incredible night skies. This is especially true in the northwest and along the western coastline, where you find extremely low populations and dry climates. Let’s start by looking at the country’s astronomy capital of Sutherland. We can then look at South Africa's International Dark Sky Sanctuary. After that, I mention three places that offer excellent stargazing conditions alongside other top tourist attractions, like wildlife safaris and hiking.

1. Sutherland, Northern Cape

[caption id="attachment_60261" align="alignnone" width="2560"] The Milky Way as seen from Sutherland[/caption] The small and highly remote Karoo town of Sutherland is South Africa’s astronomy capital. So if you’re serious about stargazing, this is the place to visit. Sutherland sits on the cold Roggeveld Plateau at 1,550 m (5,085 ft) above sea level in a semi-arid desert region with almost no light pollution or clouds, so it has exceptionally clear skies. It’s consequently one of the best places in the entire Southern Hemisphere for stargazing. You can enjoy stargazing at Sterland Campsite just outside of Sutherland, where there are regular telescope stargazing presentations. You can also visit the Sutherland Planetarium in town and look through 11” and 14” telescopes to see stars and constellations as well as planets, clusters, and nebulae in season. They also teach smartphone astrophotography. Finally, you can (and most definitely should) visit the mountaintop South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) field station. Here, at 1,798 m (5,899 ft) above sea level, you find the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. There are various tours on offer, including a stargazing one. Note that April to October is the key window for seeing the Milky Way.

2. Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, Northern Cape

[caption id="attachment_60255" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgalagadi has quiver trees that provide striking silhouettes[/caption] Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in the far north of the country is part of the Kalahari Desert. This remote corner of the Kalahari boasts some of the darkest, clearest skies in all of Africa. In fact, the southwestern section of the park, known as the !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park, has been declared an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). It's one of only two such sanctuaries in Africa! The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park is part of the greater Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which South Africa shares with Botswana. Kgalagadi is one of Africa’s top safari reserves, especially for desert-adapted species (think oryxes, springboks, Kalahari lions, leopards, bat-eared foxes, and hyenas). So if you’re keen to work your stargazing into a safari itinerary, prioritise Kgalagadi! Finally, given the fact that the park is in such a remote region, know that the best way to explore it is on an overlanding trip, like those offered by African Overland Tours.

3. De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape

[caption id="attachment_60330" align="alignnone" width="1917"] De Hoop's dunes create a natural barrier between land and ocean[/caption] Since not everyone can or will want to make the journey to the remote Botswana border, let’s look at some more accessible locations that still offer stellar stargazing conditions. One of these is De Hoop Nature Reserve on the southern coast of South Africa. A coastal and marine reserve, it’s far enough away from any towns that the night skies are often beautifully sharp. Here, the ideal stargazing season is winter (May to August), as this is when you experience long and usually crisp nights. I must also say that De Hoop is a beautiful place, with bush-covered hills, a vlei wetland, and large white dunes that meet the coastline in a series of rugged, isolated coves. Currently there are high concentrations of certain mammals like elands, bonteboks, and Cape mountain zebras, making frequent sightings of these animals almost a given. What’s more, this is a great place for spotting southern right whales and various waterbirds, among other wildlife. Know that you can drive to De Hoop in about four hours from Cape Town. It’s an ideal stopover when you're en route from Cape Town to the famous Garden Route.

4. Cederberg Wilderness Area, Western Cape

[caption id="attachment_60328" align="alignnone" width="1500"] Stargazing near the Maltese Cross rock formation in the Cederberg[/caption] The Cederberg is a rugged mountain range that's about a three-hour drive north of Cape Town. Like De Hoop, the Cederberg is a place with extraordinarily beautiful scenery. It's also ecologically very rich, being part of the Cape Floral Kingdom and a transition zone between mountain fynbos and dry succulent Karoo. Hiking in the Cederberg is exceptionally rewarding, especially in spring, when countless wildflowers like proteas are in bloom. The region’s striking weathered sandstone rock formations are another big draw for hikers. You can also visit sacred San Bushmen rock art sites. As for stargazing, the Cederberg Observatory hosts public stargazing evenings on most Saturday nights with slide shows and large telescopes. So this is a fantastic destination for anyone keen to combine stargazing with hiking, epic scenery, history, and botany.

5. Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga

[caption id="attachment_60357" align="alignnone" width="1296"] Looking up through the trees in Kruger[/caption] Finally, if you’re only intending to visit the northeast of South Africa because you’re flying in and out of Johannesburg, then know that Kruger National Park often has fantastically clear night skies. The Kruger is one of Africa’s largest and very best wildlife reserves for its standout wildlife variety and density. A safari here is a truly memorable experience. While the Kruger sits within South Africa's lowlands, it's far inland and so its nights are usually cold and crisp, especially in winter. If you stay inside the park, you’re setting yourself up for some wonderful stargazing as you gather around the campfire at night. Happily, winter is also prime gamespotting season in the Kruger.

Go stargazing on a South African overland tour

[caption id="attachment_60263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Milky Way seen above a church in eastern South Africa[/caption] South Africa's best stargazing regions are naturally not close to major airports. One of the safest and most economical and environmetnally responsible ways to visit them is on a small-group overlanding tour. The 25 Day Southern Africa Adventure Safari is an excellent tour choice as you visit both the Cederberg and Kruger. You also travel through Namibia, where you find the continent's only other International Dark Sky Sanctuary in the Namib Desert. If you're keen for excellent stargazing but also want to experience South Africa's other top tourist attractions, I suggest you do a cross-country tour that starts in Cape Town and takes you to the Garden Route, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and the Kruger, among other places. The 18 Day South African Adventure is an excellent option for this. But I share further tour suggestions below. All of them offer wonderful stargazing alongside so much more! Note: This blog post was created in January 2019 by Jodi Lucas. It was rewritten in August 2026 by Megan Abigail White.

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