The opportunity to gaze at the inky blackness of the sky with twinkling stars is hard to come by, given the neon-lit, noisy, and densely populated world we live in. However, if you want to experience the earth in its most beautiful form, a stargazing experience should not be missed. So, transport yourself from the blinking city lights to these amazing stargazing places in India with our travel guide. In the following sections, we will list some of the best destinations for gazing at stars in the Indian night skies.
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1. Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal’s Spiti Valley is possibly one of India’s most magical places for stargazing. Located almost 15,000 ft above the mean sea level, Spiti offers its visitors fresh, clean air and beautiful clear skies. If you are a space enthusiast, you can travel to Kibber in Spiti, the highest motorable village. This is a great location to catch clear views of the night skies. Other spots for stargazing in the Spiti Valley are Losar, Tabo, Komik, and Dhankar. The best time to visit Spiti is between May-June or October-November.
2. Nubra Valley in Leh Ladakh
One of the most amazing stargazing spots is in the Turtuk village, located in the Nubra Valley. The cold desert region is between majestic mountains and has pristine lakes, sweeping rivers, high passes, and star-studded night skies. All this and more makes Nubra Valley an ideal destination for travelers who enjoy extraordinary experiences. However, if you want to enter the Nubra Valley, you would require a special permit. The best time to visit Nubra Valley for a stargazing experience is between April-June and September-October.
3. Roopkund in Uttarakhand
Roopkund is widely known as one of India’s darkest places, making it an excellent spot for a stargazing experience. Located around 16,900 ft above mean sea level, Roopkund is most famous for its Skeleton Lake and trekking trail. It has attracted adventurist trekkers from all over the world. Roopkund offers people one of the most magical camping experiences, especially at night when you can gaze at the stars to your heart’s content. The trekking trail opens twice yearly, between May and June in the summer and September and October.
4. Sonmarg in Kashmir
Sonmarg is an astronomer’s delight in the Kashmir Valley, also called heaven on earth. The region offers undisturbed and uninterrupted views of the beautiful meadows and clear blue skies. At around 2800 m, Sonmarg is famous for its natural beauty, dazzling peaks, and magnificent night skies. It is also home to various peaks like Sirbal, Amarnath, and Kolahoi, which are excellent for camping, trekking, stargazing, and other adventurous activities. If you want to visit Sonmarg for stargazing, the best time would be between April and June in the summer months. You could also catch the other unique experiences the valley offers.
5. Coorg in Karnataka
Coorg is a quaint hill station in Karnataka that has something to offer everyone, whether you are a nature lover or a stargazing enthusiast. The region is popularly called the Scotland of India and is widely known for offering magnificent night sky vistas. Besides an excellent stargazing experience, you can also soak in the views of the teak wood forests, misty hills, verdant coffee, spice, and tea plantations. The best time to visit this scenic location for stargazing is between March and June.
6. Mount Katao in Sikkim
Mount Katao is around 15,000 ft above the mean sea level in Sikkim. It is truly a fascinating place, offering surreal views of the mountains and magical views of the vast sky. This region is largely unexplored, which means it is free of pollution and chaos usually found in touristy destinations. This makes Mount Katao an excellent spot for a stargazing experience. You would need a permit to explore this majestic destination. The best time to visit this spot is between March and June in the summer. However, experiencing Mount Katao in the winters between December and February would be something else, as it is usually covered in thick snow.
7. Rann of Kutch in Gujarat
Offering views of expansive white salt deserts, the Rann of Kutch is also an excellent stargazing location in India. According to the experiences of many visitors, the skies of the Rann of Kutch are so clear that one can catch even six-magnitude stars from the naked eye. Besides this, the region is also quite famous for its folk culture and fairs. The best time to visit the Rann of Kutch is November and February.
Conclusion
With this, we have covered some of the best stargazing places in India. However, the best way to have a memorable stargazing experience is through careful planning and good luck. A great pro tip is to plan your trip during the new moon, as the moonlight will not hamper your stargazing experience. Besides this, keep a tab on the weather so you don’t encounter cloudy skies on your stargazing trip.