Stargazing: Astrotourism is Booming in India
- Editor OGN Daily
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Residents in India's polluted cities rarely get the chance to enjoy clear night skies, so they are flocking to places where they can.
For many such travellers, the opportunity to experience the wonders of the night sky are becoming as compelling as visits to monuments or wildlife sanctuaries. Dark skies, once taken for granted, are now a reason to travel - and for older people, it's a chance to relive the night sky of childhood.
Stargazing in India has long been the preserve of amateur astronomers and science clubs. But as air pollution and city lights obscure the night sky, the hobby is breaking into the mainstream, sparking a new wave of astrotourism.
The trend is still niche, constrained by the high cost of organised trips and the challenge of reaching remote, light-free locations. But with more urban residents now willing to journey hundreds of miles for a glimpse of the cosmos in all its spectacular glory, tour organisers say demand is surging.
In Ladakh's cold desert, the remote, high-altitude village of Hanle (14,750 ft above sea level) once received around 5,000 visitors a year, according to Dorje Angchuk, engineer-in-charge at the Indian Astronomical Observatory. After it was designated India's first dark-sky reserve in 2022, that figure rose to more than 30,000 last year.
Similar growth is being reported elsewhere. Astroport Global, a private company that offers stargazing experiences and astronomy workshops at five of its resorts across Indian states, says visitor numbers have climbed to around 20,000 a year, up from just a few hundred a few years ago.
The boom could also be driven by India's recent successes in space, such as the historic Chandrayaan-3 mission that landed on the south pole in 2024 amid much rejoicing, and the current Aditya-L1 mission - India's first solar observation adventure in space.
