Tamil Nadu's first Dark Sky Park — an astro-tourism centre where exceptionally clear, low-light night skies make for spectacular stargazing, with expert-led whole-night observation camps.
- Category
- Adventure
- Location
- 8959+6R, Ariyurnadu, Kolli Hills, Namakkal 637415 (stays at Agaya Gangai eco-huts)
- Best time
- New-moon nights between 15 January and 15 June
- Timings
- Evening viewing roughly 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM daily; structured sessions 15 Jan – 15 Jun (closed during the monsoon)
- Entry fee
- Paid stargazing sessions & overnight camps (by booking)
The Kolli Hills Dark Sky Park is the first Dark Sky Park in Tamil Nadu — a dedicated astro-tourism and science-education centre that makes the most of the hills’ exceptionally clear, low-light-pollution night skies. Set up by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department at a cost of around ₹1 crore, it is equipped with three advanced telescopes and runs on solar power.
Beyond stargazing, the park is built around a mission: to protect the natural night-sky environment, raise awareness about light pollution, and serve as a learning space for students, nature lovers and astronomy enthusiasts through guided sessions and awareness programmes. By day it promotes scientific literacy; by night it opens up the cosmos.
What you can see
On a clear night, through the park’s telescopes you can observe:
- The Moon — craters and surface features in sharp detail
- Planets — Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Venus
- Deep sky — star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies under favourable conditions
Facilities
- Guided stargazing areas
- Dinner & breakfast with overnight programmes
- Fully solar-powered infrastructure
- Non-permanent (tented) accommodation that treads lightly on the land
Stargazing sessions
- Whole-night observation camps are held around the new moon, 2–3 times a month, when the skies are darkest.
- Overnight packages typically include expert talks, camping, dinner, late-night snacks and breakfast.
- Accommodation is at the nearby Agaya Gangai eco-huts, with transport arranged by the Forest Department.
Location
- Address: 8959+6R, Ariyurnadu, Kolli Hills, Namakkal – 637415 (around 11.2990, 78.3752).
- Find it on the map: Open in Google Maps
- Rated 4.6★ on Google.
Good to know
- Evening viewing hours are roughly 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM daily, but it’s a night-sky venue — go on a clear, dark (ideally new-moon) night.
- The structured-sessions season runs roughly 15 January to 15 June, when skies stay clear for about six months; it closes during the monsoon.
- Sessions are limited and run on select dates each month — book well in advance.
- Bookings and astronomy events are run in partnership with Trek Tamil Nadu (with Starvoirs). See the official eco-tourism portal: tnfdsutrula.com.
- Carry warm layers — clear nights at altitude get cold.