Rhino Africa’s Star Gazing Hot Spots

On a night time game drive, in search of elusive noctoral animals, I’m usually the one with my head slung back, staring upwards, mesmorized by the twinkling little specs – “fireflies that got stuck up on that big blueish-black thing”, as Timon teaches Pumba in The Lion King. There is something about the unknown, the undiscovered worlds, the unanswered questions…it gets me every time. A spot of star gazing is a great part of any decent safari.

Most of us live in cities where a couple of barely visible dots constitute a starry night. Africa is home to some of the best star gazing spots on the planet, places where astronomers gather together in their search to understand more about the galaxies beyond and, luckily, some pretty luxurious and eco-friendly hotels and lodges have to set up camp too.

Namibia: andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

I first met astronomer George Tucker when working in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. He was giving our rangers a little astronomy training and after probing him with questions about the great beyond, he advised that the place for me was andBeyond’s Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, which is located within the sands of the NamibRand Nature Reserve and is Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR). With the reserve’s Gold Tier status, the night-time environment at this distant escape has little to no impact from light pollution, with the nearest town 140km away.

This is where George spends most of his time as their resident astronomer. Researching day and night, he also welcomes guests up to his state of the art observatory, dominated largely by a Meade LX200R 12 inch telescope, surrounded by charts and data records, passing on his knowledge of the stars and planets. This is where I spent an incredible New Year’s Eve, gazing up in astonishment at what is there every night for all to see, if it wasn’t for the pollution clouding our city skies.

It doesn’t end there either… When you finally tear yourself away, to curl up in your lodge, light from the night sky streams in through a skylight, romantically placed directly above your bed. The moon and stars are so luminous, it can prevent you from sleeping; I had to draw the blinds one night to catch enough shut eye.

Our Team’s Star Gazing Hot Spots

Tswalu, Kalahari: The largest private game reserve in South Africa, Tswalu offers the chance to experience their sleep-out deck, where you can sleep under the stars in a luxurious king size bed right in the middle of this 10,000ha reserve in the Kalahari desert – the perfect honeymoon destination.

Samara, Garden Route: Samara Private Game Reserve, a 70,000ha reserve, lies at the heart of the Great Karoo… It’s the perfect setting for panoramic vistas, great wildlife viewing and learning about prehistoric fossils and Bushmen paintings from bygone inhabitants. The isolation of this property means this is the ideal location for some star spotting with a G&T.

Sanbona, Western Cape: Positioned within the Little Karoo at the foot of the Warmwaterberg Mountains, with an array of game scattered within this 54,000ha reserve, Sanbona is the perfect escape from the city. Famous for its free roaming white lions, this is a place to learn about the little things in nature, one of these spectacular sights being the stars above.

An Essential Guide to Astronomy

1. Pick a spot far away from city lights and light pollution for your best chance of spotting every constellation on display.

2. Check the weather report for clear evenings and wrap up warm on chilly evenings.

3. Have a look at the phases of the moon; you’re there for the stars and the moon does it’s best to outshine them.

4. A flask of coffee or hot chocolate and Amarula will do the perfect trick to keep you comfortable and up for a full evening of star gazing.

5. Bring binoculars if you have them to enhance your view, but many of the stars and planets can be seen easily with the naked eye.

**Top Tip: If you have an ipad or iphone, be sure to download one of the star gazing apps that are available in the App Store before you reach your deserted location. These handy gadgets allow you to raise your screen to the skies and it will show you exactly which stars and constellations you can see in that exact spot – pretty clever!**

A Quick Mythology Lesson

Orion is the Hunter. The famous three star belt makes it one of the easiest constellations to find in the night sky. There are many stories about Orion – one tells of the love between Orion and the goddess Artemis. Artemis was once challenged by her brother, Apollo, to shoot Orion who was swimming in the sea below, little did she know that she was shooting her lover with an arrow. She honoured his death by placing him in the skies for eternity.

Canis Major is the Great Dog. Along with Canis Minor, these were believed to be Orion’s hunting dogs. The brightest star in the sky is held within the constellation of Canis Major. Sirius is the star at the nose of the dog and was held by those living near the Nile River to be a signal for a flood to come.

The Southern Cross is not visible at most latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere and therefore, no Greek or Roman myths have been created around the constellation. However, today we often use it to locate South.

To begin planning your ideal itinerary for a star gazing safari in Africa, contact one of Rhino Africa’s expert travel consultants today.