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Dark skies of South Africa.

6 sky guides in South Africa, out of 11 places we know there.

2Bortle89International Dark Sky ParkLapalala WildernessSouth AfricaSouth Africa21.76 mag/arcsec² · May–Sep3Bortle83astronomical observatoryBoyden ObservatorySouth AfricaSouth Africa21.33 mag/arcsec² · May–Aug1Bortle75volcanoMascarin PeakSouth AfricaSouth Africa21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Jul1Bortle74volcanoMarion IslandSouth AfricaSouth Africa21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Jul1Bortle73islandPrince Edward IslandSouth AfricaSouth Africa21.90 mag/arcsec² · May–Aug9Bortle30astronomical observatorySouth African Astronomical ObservatorySouth AfricaSouth Africa17.68 mag/arcsec² · Mar–Jul

Other places in South Africa

  • Lake SibhayiBortle 2
  • BuffelspoortBortle 2
  • Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy ObservatoryBortle 4
  • Johannesburg PlanetariumBortle 8
  • Natal ObservatoryBortle 9

Plan the night

A guided night, a bed nearby, a car.

Car hire in South AfricaDiscover CarsSee prices 

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The family

Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?

Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.

beachesCoastyaFind your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit lakesLakeyasEvery lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountainsPeakyasEvery summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit waterfallsCascadyasEvery waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit islandsIslandyasEvery island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit riversRiveryasEvery river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit canyonsCanyonyasEvery canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit cavesCavernyasEvery cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit
dark skiesDarkskyasWhere the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.You are here
viewpointsViewyasEvery viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit
birdwatchingBirdyasEvery bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.Coming soonVisit
forestsForestyaEvery forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit