Astro tourism witnesses a rise in India as stargazers seek to experience starry nights

The night sky has remained a source of fascination for thinkers and artists alike for hundreds of years. From inspiring poets to pen romantic verses to propelling brave voyagers to set sail across seas following constellations — starry nights have always been just the fuel a kindled mindneeds. Cut to now, in the post-pandemic era, adventure enthusiasts are taking their love and fascination for stargazing to a whole new level, thanks to ‘astro tourism’. This emerging travel trend allows nature buffs to travel to remote areas, to indulge in stargazing, under pollution-free skies, sometimes designated as dark sky reserves.

While astro tourism has been prevalent in the West, the trend is picking up in India, thanks tothe demarkation of dark sky reserves and sanctuaries in places like Hanle in Ladakh, and the setting up of astro parks in Benital (Uttarakhand), Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. If travelling to remote villages across India, just to experience the beauty of the night sky, marvel at the vastness of the universe and photograph the coveted Milky Way sounds like your thing, read on.
WHAT IS ASTRO TOURISM?
Astro tourism is an experiential travel trend, that combines travellers interest in astronomy, night sky along with the love for exploring new remote locations. It also boosts nature-based travelling, tapping on growing interest of tourists to discover destinations that offer the luxury of being close to nature in a comfortable accommodation.

THERE’S BEEN A 30-40% RISE IN ASTRO TOURISM AMONG TRAVELLERS: EXPERTS
From the latter half of 2021 to now, there has been a huge spike in people opting for astro tourism. After travel resumed postpandemic, we have noticed a 30-40% rise in interest for this experience among travellers,” says Sonal Asgotraa, founder of Astrostays that provides astro stays in Ladakh region, in villages like Maan and Phyang. She adds how it becomes a whole some experience for the tourists. "We have created Cosmohubs which provides independent astrotourism experience, run by local women from Phyang who have been trained to handle telescopes and read skies. It also brings along gastronomical and local culture visits along with. Hence, it becomes a holistic culture experience. For instance, when someone spots the constellation Sagitarius, they also learn what it means in Buddhist cultures and other additional information," adds Sonal.

Paul Savio, CEO and co-founder of Starscapes, that facilitates stargazing and other activities across India, says this trend is catching on across the country. “It is a niche but rising sector in tourism. What has made it quite a trend is the growing interest in space, sky, stars fueled by the talks of space tourism provided by some companies in the West,” states Paul, whose company provides equipment and setup to hotels, resorts and homestays in remote areas with clear skies. He adds another observation to it, “Post pandemic travel has been all about trying new experiences, going on the greatest of all time trips etc. Astro tourism caters to such travel aspirations. And even the hotels, resorts, homestays etc. are seeing potential in it. They have been reaching out to us providing sessions, equipment and curated activities on their premises to tap into the trend.”
ASTRO TOURISM CAN BE A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE, SAY TRAVELLERS
The travel trend has caught the fancy of tourists from across generations. “School children are the most interested group for this kind of travel, followed by Gen Z who love to travel for new experiences,” says Paul. There are also many who have been taking dedicated astro tours. Noida-based IT consultant Abhinav Pratap Singh, who has gone on several astro tours to remote villages, says, “Since I was a child, I was always interested in stargazing and celestial events. In the past 4-5 years, my passion for capturing the night sky in all its glory has been revived and I started going on astro tours. I’ve travelled to remote villages in Rajasthan, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for this.” Srini Ravikumar, a freelance graphic artist from Bengaluru, adds, “I always save pictures of the Milky Way and put it up on Instagram page. Finally I decided to go and witness its full glory in Ladakh on an astro tour. It was truly a life changing and humbling experience.”
WISH UPON A SHOOTING STAR AT DARK SKY RESERVES
By the end of the year, Hanle in Ladakh will be set up as India’s first ‘Dark Sky Reserve’. According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a Dark Sky Reserve is a private or public land that features exceptional quality of starry lights and a nocturnal environment. Such areas are specifically protected for their natural, scientific, or educational value or for public enjoyment. Such Dark Sky Reserves have a core area that meets the minimum criteria for natural darkness and sky quality. It also has a peripheral area that lends support to the preservation of the dark in the core.


What makes a destination ideal for astro tourism
Ø Access to clear, dark skies
Ø Little to no light pollution
Ø Situated at a higher altitude