12 Stargazing Tours in Canada That Live Up to the Photos

1.Guided Sunset and Stargazing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 262 reviews · 2 hours · from $66Our pick

You’ll walk about 5 km on mostly paved, gentle trails from the Cave and Basin site as sunset fades into starlight. English-speaking guides such as Jacob, Ben, Ewan, and Kale point out constellations, share Banff stories, help with night photos, and carry bear spray. Northern Lights sightings are possible but never guaranteed.

“The tour was great! He went out of his way to make sure that we got the best views (& photos) possible. Even though I was scared of wild animals, I felt very safe throughout the walk. Even with slight clouds the view was absolutely beautiful and clear.”

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2.The Banff Stargazing Tour – 2hr Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 189 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $68Top rated

Meet your certified guide at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site for a two-hour, mostly flat night walk through Banff National Park. Guides such as Kael and Ewan point out constellations, share park stories, and help with phone photography. Headlamps and ice cleats are provided when needed. Dress warmly and expect about 3.5 miles of walking.

“What an incredible experience! The nighttime walking tour was absolutely magical — the stars were breathtaking, and the guides made the whole night even better. They were so funny, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable, sharing stories and facts that brought the sky to life. It felt like walking with friends who just happened to know everything about the universe. A truly special and memorable evening! Would highly recommend! ✨”

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3.Planetarium and Telescope Combo Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 144 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $68

Spend 90 minutes at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge learning about Indigenous constellations, glaciers, planets, and the Northern Lights. The experience combines a dome presentation with outdoor telescopes, aurora photography advice, and real Moon and Mars rocks. Clear skies may bring views of Saturn or the aurora, while cloudy nights come with a two-year rain check.

“It was a really fun experience for our large family group. The whole team was great!! They were super friendly and enthusiastic about what they did. You could tell they loved what they did and really made it a fun time. We are so glad we did it even though it ended up being a pretty chilly day. Shout out to Conner, Luke, Georgia, Ollie, Alley, and I’m not sure of the rest of the names but they were all great people!!!”

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4.Jasper Planetarium and Telescope Combo Tour Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 118 reviews · 1h 30m · from $61

Spend 90 minutes at Jasper Park Lodge exploring First Nations constellations, the Milky Way, and the edge of space in a planetarium dome. Then visit powerful telescopes for possible views of planets and nebulas, plus hands-on Moon, Mars, and meteorite samples. Cloudy skies bring a live-screen backup and a two-year telescope rain check.

“Great views of Saturn and other star clusters! Plus the 4k telescope has great real-time views!”

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5.Sunset at Moraine Lake & Stargazing Tour from Canmore/Banff

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 95 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $97

Travel from Canmore or Banff to Moraine Lake for sunset, quiet lakeshore time, and stargazing after dark. Guides such as Laura, Tobias, and Sebastian add local stories, wildlife tips, and camera help. The small group, headlamps, hot drinks, binoculars, and tripods make this a practical way to see Moraine Lake after the daytime crowds leave.

“Our guide Tobias was excellent and really wanted everyone to be comfortable. The tour plan is good, but it all depends on the weather. We had a little rain to dampen our trip, and the clouds didn't allow much star-gazing, but seeing Lake Morraine was a treat. There isn't much walking; just a lot of steps to get up to the lake. Overall, our experience was a little dampened, but Tobias helped us make the best of it.”

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6.Banff OR Moraine Lake: Night Tour with possible Stargazing

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 83 reviews · 3 hours · from $108

Join guides such as Lenka, Denise, Yanik, or Sebastian for a hotel pickup from Banff or Canmore, then settle into a dark mountain location with blankets, hot chocolate, loungers, and a telescope. Choose the 2.5 to 3.5 hour Banff tour or the 4.5 to 5.5 hour Moraine Lake option, offered June to mid October.

“My husband and I had the best time! Our guides were personable from the moment they picked us up. They were full of great information about the area and fun historical facts. We saw so many stars. Unfortunately, the Northern Lights did not grace us with their presence but that can’t be helped. We would definitely do this tour again!”

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7.Stargazing Tour – Kananaskis After Dark

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $78

Join guide Claude for a two-hour night hike through Kananaskis forest, with snowshoes supplied when snow conditions require them. Pause in an open meadow for stars, constellations, and possible shooting stars, then warm up with a hot drink and cookie. The tour starts and ends at Kananaskis Outfitters.

“Love Claud as the tour guide. He is so knowledgeable and friendly. This is the second time we have done this tour. We didn’t snow shoe this time and noticed our 50 year old bodies really struggled with the pace of going up the mountain just walking. Make sure you wear proper gear and are physically able to hike at a fast clip. Other than that it was great.”

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8.Sunrise or Sunset/Stargazing Tour at Moraine Lake from Banff

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 50 reviews · 6 hours · from $98

Choose an early sunrise or evening sunset and stargazing trip to Moraine Lake from Canmore or Banff. A guide such as Tobias or Laura leads the walk, helps with photos, serves hot drinks, and provides blankets, headlamps, binoculars, and a monocular. Groups are capped at 13 people.

“Laura was the most kind, thoughtful and diligent guide. She made sure everybody felt warm and welcomed and provided us infinitely many stories and facts to keep us entertained. It rained and was cloudy so we didn’t get to see the stars but it was such an enjoyable tour thanks to her”

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9.Stargazing and Nature by Nightfall Walking Tour – 2hr

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $69

Walk about 3.5 miles on uneven forest trails with a local guide such as Jacob, learning about Canmore’s wildlife, culture, and Banff-area stories as night falls. The route pauses for scenery and star viewing away from city lights. Bring sturdy shoes, dress for changing mountain weather, and expect a small group of up to 12 people.

“An amazing experience with a great guide!! Beautiful night, stars were out, weather was perfect. Can’t wait to book another adventure :)”

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10.Night Adventure with possible stargazing and Aurora chasing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $111

Join a small evening group from Banff or Canmore for a 2 to 4 hour mountain night adventure. Guides set up chairs, inflatable loungers, blankets, headlamps, hot tea, cocoa, and a telescope at dark-sky locations. You may spot planets, the Milky Way, wildlife, or the Aurora, but clear skies and sightings are never promised.

“This was a wonderful experience despite the mostly cloudy conditions. The guides shared their knowledge and identified certain visible constellations, set up a scope for us to get a closer view, warmed us up with hot chocolate and spiced tea. Then a surprise activity that we were able to capture on our smart phone cameras. But I will not provide the details so that others can experience the activity firsthand.”

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11.Jasper Planetarium Dark Sky Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 11 reviews · 3 hours · from $102

Spend three hours with Jasper Planetarium guides learning about planets, nebulas, Indigenous constellations, and deep-space objects. The evening includes a dome theatre, optical telescopes, a short walk to a darker site, and supplied binoculars. Cloudy skies do not have to end the experience, thanks to a two-year rain check.

“It was great and the guides where extremely knowledgeable”

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12.Planetarium Indoor Dome Experience

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 8 reviews · 35 min · from $34Best value

At Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, you’ll join a 35-minute English-language planetarium program inside a climate-controlled, 42-seat dome. Your guide takes you from Indigenous constellations and the Aurora Borealis above Jasper to Rocky Mountain glaciers seen from space and the edge of the known universe. A question period follows.

“The planetarium was amazing. Definitely worth it. Parking not ideal. Had to park really far away and was almost late.”

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