The Darkest Dark-Sky Photography Locations

Every location below is Bortle Class 1 or 2 — excellent to genuinely rural dark sky — pulled from ShotScout's full worldwide location catalogue rather than any single region. This is the real ceiling for how dark a sky can get in the catalogue right now.

By Robert Bridgewater · Last updated

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Huandoy near Laguna Parón

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 4,224 m elevation
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Lighthouse near Carnavon

Seascape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 42 m elevation
  • 1 km from the coast
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Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Winton, Queensland

Landscape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 272 m elevation
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Cumbal volcano and Frailejones

Landscape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 3,436 m elevation
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Cordillera del Arcoiris Palccoyo

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 4,891 m elevation
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View to Ausangate, Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 4,966 m elevation
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Charles Knife Canyon Drone, Exmouth, Western Australia

Valley
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 250 m elevation
  • 8 km from the coast
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Relaxing Elephant

Woodland
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 1,107 m elevation
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Corny Point Lighthouse drone, Yorke Peninsula SA

Seascape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
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Coastline of Tempelfjorden

Coastal
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 89 m elevation
  • 2 km from the coast
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Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, NT, Australia

Landscape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 401 m elevation
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Windjana Gorge, The Kimberley, Western Australia

River
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 137 m elevation
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Nyholmen Bay - Mountains

Coastal
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
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Fordlandsundet Open Water

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • 10 km from the coast
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View to Mountain Range near Laguna Parón

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Varied terrain nearby, significant relief · 4,374 m elevation
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Ice carving of Spitzberg Glacier

Arctic
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
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Watu Malandong

Beach
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 7 m elevation
  • On the coast
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Glacier front at Hilopenstretet, Svalbard

Arctic
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
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Hinlopen Svalbard

Arctic
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 74 m elevation
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Hiking trail to Apacheta Chucura Pass, Ausangate

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Varied terrain nearby, significant relief · 4,703 m elevation
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Leopard Seals Petermann Island Antarctica

Arctic
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
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7 Lagunas, Ausangate (Drone)

Lake
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 4,622 m elevation
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Bungle Bungles

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 256 m elevation
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Laguna Azulcocha, Ausangate (Drone)

Lake
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 4,566 m elevation
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Rainbow Mountain

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 4,543 m elevation
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Ausangate

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 4,316 m elevation
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Sunset at Etosha National Park

Landscape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 1,081 m elevation
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Humanity Lake, Cusco Region

Lake
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 4,223 m elevation
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Chudop Waterhole

Landscape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 1,097 m elevation
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Dik-Dik Drive Etosha

Landscape
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 1,099 m elevation
View on map
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