BOTSWANA AND NAMIBIA

A glance at the map of light pollution on the planet (see darksitefinder.com/map) shows that vast parts of Namibia and Botswana are superdark – and mostly cloudless. You may recall the stargazing options at Namibia’s &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in VISI 107, but there’s also the “Cosmic Connections’’ experience that the Belmond group offers at its lodges in Botswana. A topnotch guide team includes an astronomer, an astrophotographer and locals who’ll share traditional stories of the sky. Belmond also offers an “Introduction to the Southern Sky” at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. andbeyond.com | belmond.com