Seven nights under the darkest skies on Earth. Ancient Pilbara gorges. Purpose-built observatories.Images you will carry for a lifetime.
August 2026
New moon window
7 Nights
Full Immersion
10 Guests
Max Capacity
From $11k
USD
The Sky
Most dark sky claims are marketing. This one is measured. The Sky Quality Meter reading at our Karijini site places it firmly in Bortle Class 1, the absolute highest designation possible.
At nearly 800 metres above sea level, values above 21.5 mean the Milky Way casts a visible shadow, zodiacal light is obvious, and your naked-eye limiting magnitude exceeds 7.5.
We scheduled the tour specifically around the August 2026 new moon to ensure you experience the very darkest skies of the year. This is not the "dark sky" experience at a resort. This is the real thing.
Elevation
~800 m
Above Sea level
01
Zero Light
Pollution
One of the most remote corners of Western Australia. The nearest town is a faint smudge on the horizon.
02
Milky Way core overhead
August delivers the galactic core directly above, the peak of the southern hemisphere imaging season.
03
Ancient beyond
Imagination
Karijini's Pilbara gorges expose rock formed 2.5 billion years ago — some of the oldest surface geology on the planet.
04
Big telescopes.
No compromises.
No queues. No compromises. Just you, purpose-built equipment, and a guide who knows exactly what the sky above you is capable of.
Your Journey
7 Nights.
A lifetime of memories
Day 1
Arrival and First Light
Fly into Newman. Transfer to camp. Orientation, welcome dinner, and your first night under the darkest skies you most likely to ever see.
Day 2 - 5
Gorge days & deep-sky nights
Morning gorge exploration, scouting foreground subjects. Afternoon post-processing sessions. Full guided deep-sky imaging and visual observing each night.
Day 6 -8
Deep immersion & farewell
Advanced imaging techniques, sunset landscape sessions, final post-processing workshop, and a farewell dinner under the Milky Way.
Morning
Post-processing workshop
Day
Gorge exploration and Activities
Sunset
Landscape photography
Night
Deep sky imaging
The work
Your Guide
Brendan Mitchell has spent 20 years under southern skies building telescopes and capturing the universe. Over the past decade he has guided photographers to award-winning images of their own. At Karijini, seven nights of that knowledge and everything it took to earn it — is at your disposal.
What's included
Everything is handled.
You just look up
Dedicated telescope
Your own Astrograph with full frame camera is ready for you to image.
Luxury glamping accommodation
Your own private glamping quarters with a retractable roof, gaze at the Milky Way as it passes overhead and close it when you're ready to sleep.
Breakfast and Dinners
Your meals are provided so you can relax and not need to think about what to do.
Expert guidance & tuition
20 years of knowledge beside you every night. Beginners and experienced imagers equally welcome.
Post processing workshop's
Daily sessions turning your raw data into finished images. Skills you take home permanently.
Airport transfers
From when you arrive in Perth, to when you finish your expedition with us, we have you covered.
The accommodation
The Octans portable observatory system deployed at Karijini is purpose-engineered for remote dark sky expeditions. Protecting your astrograph setup from wind, and stray light while keeping the entire sky accessible. This is not generic rental gear. It was designed and built for exactly this kind of site.
The telescope
Every telescope and imaging setup used on the Chasing the Light Tour is designed and built by Brendan Mitchell through Starpoint Australis — the same equipment behind internationally published and award-winning southern hemisphere astrophotography. You are not handed off-the-shelf gear. You are imaging with instruments purpose-built for exactly this sky.
INVESTMENT
Two ways to experience the dark.
The only difference is who you share your room with!
Single Room
11,000
USD per person
Your own private space from start to finish. Single occupancy accommodation with the same dedicated telescope station and full guiding experience. Perfect for solo travellers who want complete privacy after long nights under the stars.
Single Room
8,500
USD per person
Bring someone special. Twin share is perfect for couples where one is passionate about astrophotography and the other simply wants to experience one of the most remote and breathtaking places on Earth. One telescope station, shared accommodation, shared memories.
BOOK YOUR PLACE
Only 10 places and
5 telescopes.
August 2026.
This isn't a tour you book on a website. It's a conversation. Pick a time that suits you and Brendan will call you directly — no pressure, just a chance to make sure Chasing the Light is the right experience for you.
1.
30 minutes with Brendan directly
No sales team. No scripts. Just an honest conversation about the experience.
2.
Tell us your experience level
Complete beginner or seasoned imager and we'll tailor the conversation accordingly.
3.
All your questions answered
Equipment, logistics, what to bring, what to expect. Nothing is off limits.
Get in touch
Choose how you
would like to connect.
Brendan is based in Western Australia but all times are shown in your local time zone automatically. Availability is limited so book early.
Book a zoom consultation
Click the button to open the booking screen, pick a time and date that works for you.
Not ready to talk?
Click the button to fill out a quick form with your questions, and we will get back to you shortly.