Booking choice: The flagship telescope tour, from $127 per person. Check dates Tour details
UFO tours are part of Sedona's identity, and they are fun. But they are not telescope tours: you look through night vision goggles, which brighten the whole sky, while a telescope magnifies one object at a time.
Nobody can promise you a UFO, and the listings do not either. Here is how the options compare.
The quick answer
Pick a telescope tour to see planets, star clusters and galaxies up close with an astronomer. Pick a UFO tour for night vision goggles, many more faint stars and satellites at once, and UFO stories. Sightings are never guaranteed.
What is the difference between a UFO tour and a stargazing tour?
The equipment: UFO tours hand out night vision goggles; telescope tours give you turns at big telescopes and binoculars with an astronomer.
| Telescope tour (flagship) | UFO night tour | Goggle tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| You look through | GPS telescopes, binoculars | Night vision goggles, 1 pair per 2 adults | Your own goggle |
| Length | 1 h 15 min | 1 h 45 min | 1 hour |
| Ages | Child rate 1 to 11 | Child rate 6 to 10 | 14 and up |
| Getting there | Drive to a dark site | Follow the guide by car | Location texted the day before |
| From | $127 per person | $175 per person | $160 per person |
| Rating | 4.3 (977) | 4.4 (273) | 4.3 (51) |
Will I see a UFO in Sedona?
Maybe something you cannot identify, but no tour promises a UFO, and the listings do not either.
Guests on the goggle tours report shooting stars, satellites and fast-moving lights they could not explain. Others mostly enjoyed the stories and the goggles. Go for the experience, not a guaranteed sighting.
What do night vision goggles show you?
Far more faint stars, satellites and the Milky Way at once, in green, rather than a close-up of one object.
The UFO night tour provides one pair for every two adults aged 11 and up, and only adults over 18 get to use its star pointer. The goggle tour lists a goggle for every guest and takes groups of up to four. One guest wrote that the goggles let them see the Milky Way despite a full moon.
Curious about the goggles? The UFO night tour visits three viewing spots.
Check dates for the UFO night tourWhat do telescopes show you?
Magnified views of planets, star clusters, galaxies and nebulas, chosen and explained by an astronomer.
On the flagship tour a laser-pointer sky tour comes first, then turns at large GPS telescopes, and binoculars between turns. The small-group tour adds live views on a 4k monitor. Guests note that eyepiece views are small and grey compared with photos, and still the highlight of their trip.
Where do the UFO tours take place?
Around West Sedona: the UFO night tour drives in convoy to spots near Fay Canyon and Cultural Park Place; the goggle tour texts the location the day before.
The UFO night tour meets at its tour center on West State Route 89A and has no restrooms at the viewing locations. It bans flash photography and all audio and video recording, to protect the goggles. Two goggle-tour guests found their viewing spot was a roadside parking area with passing car lights; if darkness matters to you, ask where you will be.
Want to get out of town? The flagship tour sets up on a private site outside it.
Explore the flagship telescope tour Tour detailsWhich is better for kids?
The telescope tour, for most families: the flagship has a child rate for ages 1 to 11, while the goggle tour is for ages 14 and up.
On the UFO night tour children 6 to 10 pay a child rate. The listing says children 10 and under share an adult's goggles, must be helped by an adult the whole time and may not hold the goggles themselves. More in Sedona stargazing with kids.
Which one should I book?
Telescopes for astronomy, goggles for the UFO story and a wide view.
- Planets and galaxies up close: the flagship or the small-group telescope tour.
- The UFO legend and goggles: the UFO night tour.
- Short and personal, adults and teens: the goggle tour.
- Stories and naked-eye stars: the Night Sky Star Story tour.
Decided on telescopes? Check dates for the flagship tour.
Check dates for the flagship telescope tourFrequently asked questions
Is the Sedona UFO tour real?
The tours are real and rated 4.3 to 4.4 on Viator, but sightings are not guaranteed. Treat it as a stargazing night with goggles and stories.
Can I do both a UFO tour and a telescope tour?
Yes; they run on separate nights or at different times. The UFO night tour does not run around the full moon.
Do UFO tours use telescopes?
No. Both UFO tours here are built around night vision goggles, and neither includes a telescope.
Ready to book
Choose your night
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Sedona Stargazing Tour
- Constellation overview with a laser pointer
- Turns at large GPS auto-positioning telescopes: planets, galaxies, nebulas, star clusters
- Wide-view binoculars and a chair between turns
Sedona UFO & Stargazing Night Tour
Night vision goggles and UFO stories; no runs around the full moon
UFO Tour with Your Own Night Vision Goggles
A one-hour goggle session for up to four, with a spiritual angle
