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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Northern Shores at Nordbreen

Beach
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 1 m elevation
  • On the coast
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Fig Trees, Rocky Point, Norfolk Island.

Woodland
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 78 m elevation
  • On the coast
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Pallay Punchu - Apu T'acllo Layo, Canas

Lake
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated, dramatic terrain — ridge or summit position · 4,722 m elevation
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Lago Grey, Torres del Paine

Lake
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 56 m elevation
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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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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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Cordillera del Arcoiris Palccoyo

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 4,847 m elevation
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7 Lagunas, Ausangate

Lake
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 4,621 m elevation
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Marcahuasi

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated, dramatic terrain — ridge or summit position · 3,902 m elevation
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Valley view next to Apacheta pass, Ausangate

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Varied terrain nearby, significant relief · 4,768 m elevation
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Tundra Beach

Beach
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 3 m elevation
  • On the coast
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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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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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Red house near Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • 9 km from the coast
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View of Operafjellet from Longyearbyen

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 2 m elevation
  • On the coast
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Honeymoon Island, Fiji Island

Beach
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
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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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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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Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 4,838 m elevation
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Palomani Pass

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated, dramatic terrain — ridge or summit position · 5,126 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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4 Rivers Wreckage

River
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 2 m elevation
  • 7 km from the coast
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Humanity Lake, Cusco Region

Lake
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 4,286 m elevation
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Rainbow mountain , montaña arco iris

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 4,975 m elevation
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Windjana Gorge

River
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 146 m elevation
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Walrus at Magdalena Fjord

Mountain
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
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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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Yellow Water

River
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 4 m elevation
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R'io Urubamba

River
  • Bortle 1 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated, dramatic terrain — ridge or summit position · 2,524 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
View on map
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