Stargazing at NamibRand Nature Reserve
southern Namibia. Calculated 24 October 2026 with Astronomy Engine 2.1.19 (MIT licence).
A private nature reserve in the south-west Namib Desert, with lodges and camps rather than towns.
The darkest weeks ahead
Runs of nights when the Moon is down for almost all of the dark hours. Plan your stay inside one of these.
- 4 Nov to 11 Nov 2026 (8 nights)
- 4 Dec to 12 Dec 2026 (9 nights)
- 4 Jan to 12 Jan 2027 (9 nights)
- 3 Feb to 11 Feb 2027 (9 nights)
- 4 Mar to 12 Mar 2027 (9 nights)
- 3 Apr to 10 Apr 2027 (8 nights)
- 2 May to 9 May 2027 (8 nights)
- 1 Jun to 7 Jun 2027 (7 nights)
Month by month
| Month | Full darkness | Milky Way centre up |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 8.7 h | 2.5 h |
| November 2026 | 7.7 h | not in the dark hours |
| December 2026 | 7.3 h | not in the dark hours |
| January 2027 | 7.5 h | not in the dark hours |
| February 2027 | 8.3 h | 2.2 h |
| March 2027 | 9.2 h | 4.3 h |
| April 2027 | 9.8 h | 6.5 h |
| May 2027 | 10.3 h | 8.7 h |
| June 2027 | 10.5 h | 10.5 h |
| July 2027 | 10.5 h | 9 h |
| August 2027 | 10 h | 6.8 h |
| September 2027 | 9.3 h | 4.7 h |
The bright centre of the Milky Way is best here in June. From November to January it is up only in daylight, but the rest of the sky is still worth the trip.
What to know
- It was named an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2012, the first in Africa.
- It holds Gold Tier status, the darkest and strictest category.
There is no town nearby, so the sky is dark from horizon to horizon. Stays are at lodges and camps inside or next to the reserve.
Other dark-sky places: Teide National Park, La Palma, Atacama Desert, Aoraki Mackenzie. Compare all five.
Sources
- Darkness, Moon and Milky Way: our calculation, Astronomy Engine 2.1.19 (MIT licence). How we worked it out.
- NamibRand Nature Reserve, dark sky.