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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What does your tour involve?

Our 75 minute stargazing tour has been designed to deliver an outstanding, quality experience without costing the Earth. The tour involves learning about the stars with naked eye observation, use of our powerful telescopes to view deep sky objects, and a complimentary photo of you under the stars (weather permitting)!

We want you to enjoy stargazing the way it was always meant to be enjoyed, No crowds, No queues, just you, your guide, and the stars. Our tours are capped at 20 people per tour, so you will have more time with the telescopes and more time with your knowledgeable guide without the giant price tag!

Due to changes in sunset times, and Daylight Savings, our tour times change regularly with the season. Click on the Book Now button and select a date and the times will show up with availability.

  • As the seasons change, so does our night sky. Some stars are always visible, but some can only be seen during a certain time of year. Different parts of Milky Way are visible as long as sky is clear.

     

  • During the winter months sunset is much earlier so our tours start early (about 7pm) , this is great if you are bringing young children on the tour but the weather can get very cold.

     

  • During the summer our tours start later (about 10:30pm) , but the weather is much warmer.
  • In short, yes. You will still be able to see the brighter stars, important constellations and plenty of objects through the telescope however the light from the Moon will wash out the fainter stars and make them harder to see.

     

  • The Moon is also one of the most detailed and interesting things you can look at through a telescope. If we have enough time during the tour then our guides can even teach you how to photograph the Moon through the telescope with your phone camera.
  • In short – YES, it would be rather pointless looking at clouds on a stargazing tour!
  • Because the weather in Mt Cook can change very quickly we do not like to cancel tours any earlier than one hour before their departure times, often we will wait until check-in before making that decision to give all of our guests the best chance of experiencing the night sky. (In the event of very adverse weather exceptions to this rule will be made)
  • If your tour is going to be canceled you will be notified via the email address you or your travel agent have provided. In some situations, when we believe that the weather has a chance of clearing up later in the night we might push the start time of your tour later.
  • Any decision that we make on cancelling the tours is always made with you, the customer in mind. If you have any questions about your tour we encourage you to get in contact with us.

You may cancel or reschedule your booking up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time of your tour. Please check our Terms & Conditions for the full refund policy.

  • If you are running late please get in touch with us ASAP so we can advise you.

     

  • You must arrive at our location on time for check-in (15 minutes before tour departure time). If you NO SHOW for your scheduled departure, Silver River™ Stargazing has the right to on sell your tickets and put other guests in your spot. You will NOT be eligible for a refund.

     

  • Our tours run consecutively throughout the night and have to run to a strict timetable, we will not accommodate late arrivals. If we have spaces available on any of our later departures we may allow you to transfer your booking. We are NOT required to do this and it will be done on case by case basis.
  • Child tickets are for anyone aged 3 – 15 years (inclusive)

     

  • Infants under 3 years old are welcome to join us on the tours, however, you MUST contact us before making your booking. To book your infant please contact us by calling: 027 339 9794 or emailing: hello@mountcookstargazing.com to check availability.
  • Photos that are taken during your tour are uploaded to our public Flickr account where you can access and download from your desktop. If you are accessing Flickr from your mobile, you will need to download the free Flickr app. Each person who booked a tour will be emailed after the tour with a link to Flickr to access photos.

     

  • Please keep in mind this may take 24-48 hours. Photos taken during your tour will occasionally be used on our social media platforms and on our website to showcase the tour experience. Participation in tour photos is voluntary.

We sure are! We are all located underneath some of the darkest skies in the world. Meaning our stargazing sites are not just dark, they are really really dark! We even support the IDA (the International Dark-Sky Association) too and their efforts they provide to assist dark sky reserves around the world.