Gazing up at our galaxy, the Milky Way, is a wonderful experience that every night photographer and stargazing enthusiast dreams of capturing. There are some of the best locations around the world to witness this wonder, perfectly elevated and free from light pollution.
In this article, we have curated some of the best and most popular locations to see the Milky Way, from Europe to Asia. We will also provide you with a complete guide on how to get there safely and the best time or season to visit each location.
These are some of the top locations around the world where you can witness the wonder of the Milky Way, our galaxy, from Earth.
1. Atacama Desert in Chile
Source: Smithsonian Magazine
The Atacama Desert would be one of the best locations to see the Milky Way. It’s located in the north of Chile and also on the Pacific coast of South America. It’s located on a high plateau at almost 2,438 m, with an average of 330 clear nights per year.
The desert condition is the driest nonpolar in the world, which makes this landmark special and also makes life almost non-existent. Just make it perfect for a sustainable stargazing spot and to witness the Milky Way because it’s free from light pollution.
📆 Best time to visit: From June to August, the Milky Way would be in vertical position. Starting from September to November, the Milky Way will be in a horizontal position.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in Atacama Desert Chile: You can plan your trip independently by visiting public observatories or camping under the stars. But you must book these well in advance that only operate over the weekends during early morning. To save you time planning, you can simply book an organized and guided tour.
2. Arches National Park in the United States
Photo by. Scott Stulberg
Despite many other landmarks known for the sight of the Milky Way in the United States, Arches National Park remains the best spot across the country.
Arches National Park is one of the popular places to adore and capture the Milky Way with your lens. It’s located in Utah, and the high desert landscape on the Colorado Plateau is away from the light pollution of the States with a high elevation of 1,524 m.
There are some perfect spots to capture the Milky Way in Arches; The Windows Section, Garden of Eden Viewpoint, Panorama Point, and the iconic Balanced Rock Picnic Area.
📆 Best time to visit: The early evening in September to November is the best scene of the Milky Way in Arches NP. While during June to August, the Milky Way is easily viewable any time after the sun sets.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in Arches National Park USA: Reservations required when driving your own vehicle into Arches NP. You will need to reserve an entry ticket before coming to the park. Then you can book a campground to sleep in your tent, car, or RV within the boundaries of your area.
3. Banff in Canada
Photo by. Alan Dyer
Banff National Park is the best location to see the Milky Way in Canada without a doubt. Located within the Canadian Rockies, this expansive region includes other National Parks such as Kootenay and Jasper. This makes it the finest location in North America for viewing the Milky Way.
Towns in Banff might be the source of light pollution, but the viewing site is surrounded by mountains. As long as you leave the town, the galaxy would show its wonder.
The best spot to photograph the Milky Way in Banff would be along the Icefields Parkway. This location is farthest from the source of light pollution at elevations above 6,000 ft.
📆 Best time to visit: In July to August, the Milky Way is visible in the middle of the night. While from September to October, it would be visible during the evening.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in Banff Canada: Visiting the park by car or tour bus is most common. In the town of Banff, you can also catch the ROAM bus. Pick up a map or bus schedule at the Banff or Lake Louise visitor information centers.
4. Tasman Glacier in New Zealand
Photo by. Elena Pakhalyuk
The South Island of New Zealand offers an area with very low light pollution. This features the amazing sceneries of fjords, mountains, and the perfect night sky to see the Milky Way.
New Zealand, specifically further south is known as the best location to see Milky Way in Oceania. One of the best spots would be Tasman Glacier. It is the largest glacier in New Zealand that flows from the Southern Alps.
But the best view of the Milky Way in Tasman Glacier comes with quite a ‘high price’. The location is known to be a hiking spot. If you’re a hiker and photograph enthusiast, then this is the real deal for you.
📆 Best time to visit: The Milky Way is visible in New Zealand between February and October. Winter would be the best season to capture the Milky Way in New Zealand.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in Tasman Glacier New Zealand: From SH80, turn onto Tasman Valley Road before Aoraki/Mount Cook Village. The track begins near the car park at the end of the road.
5. Warrumbungle National Park in NSW, Australia
Source: Visit NSW
Warrumbungle National Park is one of Australia’s Dark Sky Parks. These camping grounds encourage visitors to use minimal artificial lights at night.
The park is also close to Siding Spring Observatory, which is great for astronomy enthusiasts to learn. Unfortunately, the observatory isn’t open to public, but campers can still enjoy the Milky Way here with naked eyes.
📆 Best time to visit: Late February to late October.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in Australia: The Warrumbungles is a five-hour drive from Sydney. You can also fly to Dubbo and rent a car at the airport.
6. La Palma in Spain
Source: Capture the Atlas
La Palma is a Starlight Reserve and a UNESCO biosphere reserve. It’s undoubtfully one of the best locations around the world for stargazing and Milky Way photography.
La Palma’s skies are protected by the island’s terroir. A great effort is made to keep light pollution low and preserve its dark skies.
La Palma has been the world’s first Starlight Reserve since 2012. This means that planes are no longer allowed to fly at night over the island, ensuring an undisturbed view of the magnificent Milky Way.
📆 Best time to visit: The best time is during the summer months (June-September), it’s when the weather is warm and the skies are usually clear. However, La Palma is known for its clear skies throughout the year. Just avoid the rainy season from November to February.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in La Palma Spain: You can travel to La Palma by plane or ferry. Once you are in La Palma, the Milky Way will be visible in many areas of the island. Mirador Llano del Jable is the most popular spot.
7. The Dolomites in Italy
Photo by. Michael Shainblum
The Dolomites is one of the few locations in Italy where you can see the Milky Way. Consider the continent is one of the most light-polluted on Earth.
There are only a few villages and peaks 3,048 m high, but the entire Dolomite mountain range is still one of the best locations to see the Milky Way in Europe.
For the best location to capture the Milky Way, you can visit Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Cinque Torri, and Monte Pelmo.
📆 Best time to visit: From late March to late August. But the Milky Way season starts from late February, then ends in late September.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in The Dolomites Italy: From Milan, you can take 5-hour train to Dolomiti. You can also take a bus which takes longer around 6 hours but cheaper.
8. The Sahara Desert from Tunisia
Photo by. Marco Carotenuto
The desert is one of the best ecosystems on Earth to see the Milky Way. Many deserts are far from cities and have few people, so you can enjoy the quiet and see some of the darkest skies.
There are many deserts where you can see the Milky Way, but few are as amazing as the Sahara Desert. This huge desert has few people and is far from big cities as the source of light. It’s famous for being one of the iconic sites on Earth to get the perfect view of the Milky Way.
📆 Best time to visit: From February to October. The Milky Way is best seen between midnight and 5 am when it is highest in the sky.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in The Sahara Desert Tunisia: Southern Tunisia offers a vast and remote part of the Sahara, ideal for stargazing. Djerba Island is a good starting point to access the desert. There is also an option for booking a tour operator who offers stargazing tours in the Sahara Desert.
9. Mount Bromo in Indonesia
Source: Java Adventure Trail
Mount Bromo is one of the most remote, yet accessible site to visit and get a sight of the Milky Way under its night sky. Not only far from light pollution sources, but it’s also one of the safest volcano mount sites to visit on East Java Island.
This location features an area of active volcanoes at 2,286 m, where you can capture the beauty of the Milky Way with “special effects” from the ash and smoke of Mount Bromo.
📆 Best time to visit: Between April to September during dry season. Best to start the trip between midnight to 1 am in the morning, when the weather is sunny without clouds.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in Mount Bromo Indonesia: Only motorcycle is a private vehicle that allowed to enter the Mount Bromo site anytime. The most recommended way would be to book a Midnight Tour of Mount Bromo from Surabaya.
10. The Namib Desert in Namibia
Photo by. Stefan Liebermann
Another perfect desert to see our galaxy is the Namib Desert in Namibia. As the world’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, this site is the best location to see the Milky Way in Africa.
As the Namib Desert gains more exposure and becomes popular, it is now more accessible to visit and spend a night there comfortably. There are transportation options, rents, beautiful lodgings, and night tours to offer.
This site would be one of the unique photography sites, not only for the Milky Way, but also for the dunes, natural arches, and morbid yet fascinating sight of dead trees.
📆 Best time to visit: May to October, it’s dry winter month with clear skies and fresh air.
📌 How to see the Milky Way in Namib Desert Namibia: You can find accommodations near the NamibRand Nature Reserve, which includes lodging where you can enjoy the Milky Way in private. But ideally, you can join a stargazing tour that provides everything you will need to see the Milky Way.