Plan this sky
Save the place, open the map, or continue into a stay once the route is worth it.
- Best use
- Milky Way, meteor showers, and deep-sky viewing
- Planning signal
- Dark-window target
- Route context
- 4 Stella stays within 350 km
Dark-sky reserve & sanctuary
NamibRand Nature Reserve
Namibia · Truly dark skies · certified April 24, 2015
About this place
- Overview
- Africa's first IDA Dark Sky Reserve; exceptional Southern Hemisphere skies
- Horizon
- Flat desert terrain, unobstructed 360° views
- Region
- Namibia
- Nearest city
- ~200 km of light pollution
Designation & sky
- Type
- Dark-Sky Reserve
- Designation
- Reserves
- Certified
- April 24, 2015
- Sky quality
- Bortle 2.0 (measured) · Truly dark
- Measured brightness
- 21.7 mag/arcsec² · NamibRand IDSR Annual Report: reserve-wide zenith mean 21.70 mag/arcsec^2 (SQM toward zenith)
- Status
- Certified
Official links
Verify hours, access, and current conditions before you go.
Dark-sky stays near here
Book a night under these skies — the closest astronomy-forward stays in the Stella catalog.
- 20 km · Dark-Sky LodgeWolwedans Dune LodgeView stay →
- 31 km · Dark-Sky LodgeKwessi DunesView stay →
- 35 km · Observatory StayandBeyond Sossusvlei Desert LodgeView stay →
- 46 km · Dark-Sky LodgeLittle KulalaView stay →
Next steps
Build the trip around this sky.
Jump to astronomy stays, eclipse paths, and observing guides while keeping this place in context.
Dark-sky mapFind protected places
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Open routeEclipse travelCompare eclipse pathsUse the 2024-2035 catalog to pair path timing with nearby dark-sky stays.
Open routeStargazing staysSleep near the skyExplore observatory hotels, aurora lodges, astrofarms, and dark-sky resorts.
Open routeTonight guideKnow what to look forStart with the practical guide, then use Stella for the exact window where you are.
Open routeStargazing near nearby cities
Use city guides to compare drive time, nearby stays, and darker alternatives around this place.
- 299 km · ~5 hr 11 min drive*Stargazing near WindhoekOpen city guide →
- 302 km · ~5 hr 14 min drive*Stargazing near SwakopmundOpen city guide →
On the map
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