An excellent experience! - We chose to do the 10pm viewing and we’re not disappointed. After a short bus ride to the top we were met by our guide for the night who gave us a briefing then off up the hill to the first level where the aurora could be seen, a first for us which was great! Then on up the hill to the top where two telescopes were set up adjacent to a much bigger indoor telescope. Great viewing was had by all with a good clear sky. Our guide was very knowledgeable and shared lots of information with us. While there the breeze came up so we appreciated the extra warm long jackets that had been provided. Back on the bus and to Te Anau after midnight - well pleased with the entire experience. If you are interested in the night sky, this is a must do and we highly recommend it. Keep looking up!

The Summit Experience - It was an incredible experience. We booked onto the summit experience on the 3rd May 2024 and were so lucky to have a crystal clear night. Not only that, the moon was nearing a new moon so there wasn't much interference from moonlight either. The milky way was out in all its glory and we saw a couple of shooting stars too. Our guide was Josh and he was funny, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. We were able to see the Southern Cross, Alpha and beta centuri, Arceturus, Sirius, Canopus, the Magellan Clouds, Scorpio, and more. I initially thought the clouds were just that - clouds. To find out we were looking at two extra galaxies with the naked eye was mind-boggling. It was really interesting to also look through the telescopes. We were able to see the Tarantula nebula, baby stars, elderly stars, and more. Our trip up to the summit on the "rocket ship" was piloted by Philippa (apologies if I have misremembered her name). She was a rider of Rohan and took our photo at the end of the trip, which was pretty amazing. Her soundtrack of choice going up and down the summit was great and she was hilarious. Sadly we had to return the extra cosy jackets we borrowed (they were so comfortable). All in all, we were very lucky and had a brilliant time.

Great experience - Fantastic experience! Warm jackets against the cold, spectacular clear star gazing, guided use of telescopes and excellent commentary/education from our friendly knowledgeable guide Sarah. My amateur astronomer husband loved it too.

Dark sky experience— Mount John - The staff were all so friendly and helpful. We were offered the opportunity for a refund prior to viewing due to clouds , but chose to go ahead as southern cross was on view. Unfortunately wind gusts upto 100km and having evening cut short for everyones safety. Staff were brilliant— all very professional and created a calm and informative session in the cafe , whilst we waited for winds to settle and walk to bus. Many thanks to “Marina” our lovely and informative guide— we learnt lots despite a short visit. Bus driver was also awesome 🤩 Coats are toasty warm and added to the fun. Company has offered everyone a full refund . I would highly recommend 😊

Amazing experience - We had heard that the dark skies around Tekapo were fantastic. As I enjoy some amateur astronomy, I decided to try the Dark Sky experience at Mt John observatory. We were rewarded by a fantastically clear night and the sky was truly amazing, never seen a better view of the night sky. The staff were excellent and explained what you were looking at and had a number of telescopes set up to view different objects in the night sky. 100% recommended if you are interested in the night sky.!

Amazing - Highly recommended when in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand The exsperiance begins with boarding with Philippa, our pilot on the space shuttle to the Galaxy. Philippa is a wealth of knowledge and entertainment as she navigated the narrow steep windy road to the summit and Observatory. Our guides on the summit were filled with a wealth of knowledge. The time spent learning about the southern sky and what the galaxy has to hold was beyond belief. Then again Philippa boarded us back on her Galaxy space shuttle for the return trip.

Wabbits Wabbits Wabbits - Captivating and Cerebral! Thank you to the University of Canterbury, the Kaimahi (Guides) & all involved with the Dark Sky Project to make this experience possible! Guides were all informative, enthusiastic and friendly. Come with questions and curiosity! MVP goes to Phillipa Robertson Rider of Rohan, 'yeah' ... whose excellent bus driving skills, witty rhetoric and easy-going nature made for a fun evening all round! Chur Cosmos!

Best cancellation experience ever - The night of our booking, the winds were 160 kph on the summit and it was cancelled. However, the way the staff handled the situation was phenomenal. They gave us multiple different options to choose from, including full refunds. They were super enthusiastic about their work, great at communicating the situation. How they handled this was super professional and considerate, which speaks a lot to how the place is run. I left really disappointed as I expected this to be a great experience.

Interesting but underwhelming - The staff presenting were great and interesting but I expected larger telescopes. Unfortunately with portable outdoor telescopes were buffeted but the 50kph winds so images were affected by this. Glad to have done it once but wouldn’t do it again.

Fun and informative - We had booked the Summit tour, but it was canceled due to the strong wind on the mountain. Very nice and friendly employees gave the option to join the Crater experience, rebook or get a refund. We went with the Crater group and got the difference in price back without any problem. The crater is simply a kind of pit in which 3 telescopes are set up. The enthusiastic explanation, in combination with the beautiful star-filled sky (80% visibility) carry this tour. But the price/quality ratio is not good in our opinion. Good to know: there are good winter coats for when it is really cold.