Sedona stargazing tour prices

How much does a Sedona stargazing tour cost?

From $100 to $225 per person on Viator for the tours we list; the telescope tours sit at $125 to $127.

The table shows every night tour on this site, what you look through and whether anyone drives you.

What does the $127 flagship tour include?

Professional astronomer guides, a laser-pointer tour of the constellations, turns at large GPS telescopes, wide-view binoculars, and chairs, blankets and parka jackets on loan.

The listing runs about 1 hour 15 minutes and takes up to 30 travelers. Transport is not included: the operator emails directions after booking, and its site is about a 20-minute ride from central Sedona.

Is it cheaper to book the stargazing tour direct?

Yes, for the flagship tour: the operator lists $117 per adult and $76 per child on its own website, against $127 per person on Viator.

The fine print differs. On Viator you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before, and a weather cancellation gets you a new date or a full refund. The operator refunds direct bookings cancelled more than 12 hours before and tries to reschedule cloud-outs, refunding in full if it cannot.

The operator itself recommends booking direct. Cheaper and a later cancellation deadline: for this tour, we would book direct. Viator makes sense if you want every Sedona booking in one app.

What does the small-group tour add?

A cap of twelve guests and live deep-sky views on a 4k monitor, for about the same price.

Night Owl Tours lists large-aperture telescopes at dark sites on national forest land (under a seasonal permit) or private ranches, all within a half-hour drive of downtown Sedona. Coffee, tea, snacks and transport are not included. One guest wrote that the small group left time for everyone at the eyepiece.

Prefer a smaller group? This tour caps it at twelve and streams the views to a big screen.

★ 4.7 · 1 h 15 min · from $125

Explore the small-group telescope tour → Tour details

What do you get for $100?

Two hours of constellation stories and naked-eye stargazing with a laser pointer, planisphere and props. There are no telescopes.

The guide tells Babylonian, Greek and Roman constellation stories plus local Indigenous star lore, using a big screen, a play-doh Milky Way and planet size models. The tour meets at the end of Cultural Park Place in West Sedona, with chairs and blankets set out, and the listing invites you to bring your favourite food and drinks.

The site is listed as wheelchair and stroller accessible. Book it for myths and orientation, not for magnified views.

Are the private tours worth the extra?

For your own group or a ride, yes. For telescopes, no: neither private option includes them.

The private night hike is from $225 per person with at least three travelers, includes pickup from Sedona-area lodging, a Wilderness First Responder guide, headlamps and a laser-pointer astronomy talk. The private jeep tour is from $219 per person with at least two, out toward Seven Canyons.

Are there extra costs on the night?

Mostly no: the flagship tour lends blankets, parkas, chairs and binoculars. Gratuities are extra on the private hike, the private jeep and the UFO night tour.

Budget for fuel to the dark site, and bring your own non-alcoholic drink: the flagship tour does not serve drinks and the small-group tour excludes coffee and tea. The night hike already covers the Red Rock Pass parking fee.

How far ahead should you book?

Book early in your trip rather than early in the year: a cloud-out then leaves room for a new date.

Check the moon phase first: the flagship operator advises avoiding the 4 nights before the full moon. More in the best time for stargazing in Sedona.

Frequently asked questions