Faq’s

For both self-drive and with transport included tickets, meeting point is outside our office in Los Cancajos   (hotel Las Olas, not at the reception area of the hotel). A map to reach the meeting point is on every ticket and on the reservation page. Please be at the meeting point at least 10 mins before departure.

For closed groups, it is possible to have an alternative picking up point. Please email us to discuss best options.

For other activities the site and meeting point is specified on the web and tickets. Please read the conditions. For example, for “tapas and stars”, the meeting point is in Fuencaliente, althout there is the possibility of transport from hotel Princess (opcional).

Our guides speak English and Spanish. Tours in german language are possible but subject to availability of guides. For Dutch, French and Italian, please request more info via email.

The duration of the tours, excluding transfers, will be about two hours (with transfers  included 4 hours). Other activities have a longer duration and are specified on the activity website. Activities for close or concerted groups may vary in duration according to agreement.

By default our activities do NOT include transport. Customers will need their onw car, a rental car or a taxi booked to access both meeting point and the viewing site.

For groups: for groups larger than 6 people transport is an optional service. In any case, prices may vary depending on the external provider. Groups are free to reserve their own transport service.

The calendar of our astronomy activities including tours and events is published on our web. Tours usually take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. In high season, availability increases. In any case, places left will appear in green on our calendar. Availability of dates appear with 2-3 months in advance only. Star-parties & requested events are not published on our website.

All our guides are amateur astronomers and qualified Starlight guides. Also, our main guides are astrophysicists with previous experience in teaching, science communication, astronomical instrumentation and they are also amateur astronomers. All our guides have more than 5 years on previous experiencie at guiding groups.

To learn more about us, see here.

Photo: 2018 with all our Tripadvisor awards so far.

All our activities are suitable for children and of course, they are always welcome.

Children between 6 and 11 years have a reduced price (see each of the activities) . Whereas children under 6 years go for free (except if they need transportation with us in which case a fee of 12 EUR apply). However, please note that  children under 6 years old cannot attend the (day) visits to the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory due to health and safety reasons.

It is possible to visit the facilities of the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, but only upon prior reservation and only in the morning. See “Visits to the Observatory” on this website.

However, under no circumstances is it possible to stargaze at the observatory at night or to visit the observatory in the evening. From sunset until dawn the gates at the observatory are locked (20:00-7:00) are  and only professionals are allowed. For stargazing tours see here.

The meeting point depends on the experience you have booked and is always clearly indicated in the activity description, your confirmation email and your booking tickets.

For most of our stargazing experiences in La Palma, the meeting point is our office in Los Cancajos (Breña Baja). From there, your guide will lead the group to the observing location selected for that evening.

Our Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Visits have a different meeting point. Participants meet directly at the Observatory Visitor Centre, as this is a separate experience.

If you have booked a private experience with included transport, we will contact you in advance with your pick-up location and time.

We recommend checking your booking details a few days before your experience. If you have any questions, we will be happy to help.

Most online booking issues can be resolved quickly and easily.

Before trying again, we recommend that you:

• Use an up-to-date web browser such as Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox.
• Check that your card is enabled for online payments.
• Complete any bank authentication required by your payment provider.
• Wait a few minutes before trying again if the system has temporarily held your places during a previous booking attempt.

If you are still experiencing difficulties after following these steps, please contact us by email or phone. We will be happy to help you complete your booking.

es.

We organise astronomy experiences for private groups, schools, companies, associations and other organised groups.

The conditions depend on the number of participants, the type of experience and the services included.

If you are planning a group activity, please get in touch with us. We will be happy to prepare a personalised proposal tailored to your group’s needs.

The quality of every experience is always our highest priority.

Before each experience, we carefully assess the weather forecast and the actual sky conditions to determine whether the stargazing experience can take place with the level of quality we expect.

If the conditions are not suitable, we will contact you as soon as possible to offer the available alternatives, such as rescheduling your experience or providing a refund in accordance with our booking conditions.

Our goal is never to run an experience simply because it is scheduled. We would rather postpone it than offer an experience that does not meet the standards you expect from AstroLaPalma.

We understand that travel plans can sometimes change.

Each of our experiences clearly states its cancellation policy before you complete your booking, as some activities, such as the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Tour, have specific cancellation conditions due to the way places are managed.

If you need to cancel your booking, we recommend contacting us as soon as possible. We will always do our best to help you within the cancellation conditions that apply to your chosen experience.

If an activity has to be cancelled due to adverse weather conditions or any other circumstances that prevent it from taking place safely or as planned, we will offer you the options set out in our booking conditions.

All bookings made through our website can be paid using the payment methods displayed during the booking process.

For some Private Tours and tailor-made experiences, specific payment options may be available. If this applies, we will provide all the necessary information when confirming your booking.

If you have any questions before making your payment, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help.

There is no single answer, because every visitor is looking for something different. Some people dream of seeing Saturn for the first time, others want to visit the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, some would like to learn more about astronomy, while others are simply looking for a unique experience during their holiday in La Palma.

That is why AstroLaPalma offers a range of astronomy experiences, all designed with the same philosophy: small groups whenever the activity requires it, scientific accuracy and a personal approach.

If it is your first stargazing experience

Our Stargazing Tours and the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Tour are the perfect introduction to the night sky in La Palma. No previous astronomy knowledge is required—just curiosity and a desire to discover one of the world’s best skies for stargazing.

If you are looking for an exclusive experience

If you prefer a more relaxed pace, are celebrating a special occasion, travelling with young children or simply want to enjoy the night sky without the crowds, our Private Tours, VIP Experiences, Stars & Sunset and selected Masterclasses are probably the best choice.

Private tours have been part of AstroLaPalma since 2021. Over the years, we have continuously refined these experiences to offer fully personalised astronomy tours tailored to each group’s interests, pace and level of knowledge.

If you want to learn much more

If you already have an interest in astronomy, enjoy night photography, or would like to gain a deeper understanding of the Universe, our Masterclasses and AstroMaster programme provide a far more in-depth learning experience than a standard stargazing tour.

If you are still unsure which experience is right for you, just get in touch. We would much rather recommend the activity that best suits your interests than suggest something that may not be the perfect fit.

👉 More here: Stargazing Tours, Private Tours & Masterclass,  Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Visit

The difference is not simply the number of participants. It lies in the type of experience you are looking for.

Our Stargazing Tours are designed for anyone who wants to discover the night sky of La Palma for the first time. They are engaging, educational and suitable for all ages, with no previous astronomy knowledge required.

Our Premium Experiences, such as Stars & Sunset and selected Masterclasses, are organised in very small groups, usually between 6 and 8 participants. This is not a random number. Over the years, we have found that small groups allow everyone to spend more time at the telescope, ask questions freely and enjoy a much more personal and relaxed experience.

Private Tours are different. They are designed exclusively for a couple, a family or a group travelling together. The pace of the activity, the objects you observe, the level of the explanations and even the duration of the experience can all be tailored to your interests and expectations.

Our goal has never been to organise large-scale tours. We believe that the best astronomy experiences are those where every participant finishes the evening understanding what they have seen—not simply looking through a telescope.

👉 Recommended internal link: Private Tours, Stars & Sunset

A Private Stargazing Tour is the perfect choice when you are looking for an experience tailored entirely to you.

It is ideal for couples, families, small groups of friends, astronomy enthusiasts, night photography lovers, special celebrations, or simply for anyone who wants to enjoy the night sky at their own pace and away from larger groups.

Since 2021, AstroLaPalma has been designing and delivering private astronomy experiences in La Palma. Over the years, we have learned that no two groups are the same. Some guests want to search for distant galaxies, others prefer to learn how to navigate the night sky using the constellations, while many simply wish to admire the Milky Way in peace and silence.

That is why we do not offer a standard private tour. Before confirming your booking, we like to understand what you are looking for so we can recommend — and, whenever possible, tailor — the experience that best matches your interests, expectations and level of astronomy knowledge.

For us, that personalised attention begins long before the tour itself. It is an essential part of the experience.

Because we believe that the quality of an astronomy experience depends on much more than the telescope.

Above all, it depends on the time that the guide can dedicate to each participant.

In a small group, there is time to answer questions, adapt the explanations to the participants, allow everyone to observe through the telescope without rushing, and help each person understand what they are seeing. That personal interaction is almost impossible to achieve in larger groups.

For this reason, our Premium Experiences, Stars & Sunset, and many of our Masterclasses are usually limited to 6 to 8 participants.

This is not a marketing strategy. It is a decision based on years of experience designing and leading stargazing experiences in La Palma.

We would much rather every guest goes home with a real understanding of the night sky than simply having looked at as many objects as possible through a telescope.

We believe that a great astronomy experience begins long before you look through a telescope.

Every AstroLaPalma experience has been designed following the scientific approach of Ana García—an astrophysicist, astronomy communicator and Starlight Foundation Certified Guide. Our mission has always been to make astronomy accessible to everyone by combining scientific accuracy with clear, engaging and easy-to-understand explanations.

Our team is made up of guides with many years of experience leading stargazing experiences and Observatory tours in La Palma. We do not assign inexperienced guides to lead our activities. Instead, we have chosen to grow gradually while maintaining the high standards and personal approach that define AstroLaPalma.

We also believe in small groups whenever the activity requires it, tailoring each experience to the interests of our guests and selecting the best observing location every night rather than visiting the same viewpoint every time. This flexibility allows us to offer the best possible experience under the night sky.

Our goal is not simply for you to see the sky above La Palma. We want you to understand it, enjoy it and remember it long after your visit has ended.

👉 Recommended internal link: About Us

In many cases, yes.

In addition to our regular schedule, we organise private astronomy experiences for groups, companies, schools, universities, conferences, organised trips and special celebrations.

We can also tailor the experience around a specific theme, such as beginner astronomy, deep-sky observing, night photography or educational activities for specialised groups.

Availability depends on the type of experience, the number of participants and our guides’ schedules.

If our published dates do not fit your travel plans, or if you are looking for a customised experience, please get in touch. Whenever possible, we will prepare a personalised proposal to suit your needs.

Yes.

We organise astronomy experiences for companies, schools, universities, travel agencies, conferences, incentive trips and organised groups.

Each experience is tailored to the profile of the participants and can combine astronomy outreach, stargazing, visits to the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, or private experiences designed specifically for each group.

If you are organising a trip, corporate event or educational activity, we would be delighted to prepare a personalised proposal.

Private Tours are not scheduled as regular experiences with open bookings.

Each tour is designed specifically for each reservation, taking into account guide availability, duration, the number of participants, the type of experience you are looking for and, where appropriate, additional services such as night photography or transfers.

For this reason, Private Tours do not appear in our general booking calendar.

If you are interested in a Private Tour, simply send us your request. We will let you know our availability and help you choose the option that best suits your interests and travel dates.

Most of our astronomy experiences are available in English and Spanish.

Whenever possible, we organise language-specific groups so that everyone can comfortably follow the explanations and enjoy the experience to the fullest.

If you would prefer your experience to be conducted exclusively in one of these languages, or if you have any specific requirements, please contact us before booking. We will always do our best to accommodate your request whenever possible.

At AstroLaPalma, we believe that a truly memorable astronomy experience depends above all on the person guiding it.

That is why our team is made up of guides with many years of experience leading stargazing experiences and Roque de los Muchachos Observatory tours. We do not assign inexperienced guides to lead our experiences. Instead, we have chosen to grow gradually while maintaining the high standards of quality that define AstroLaPalma.

All our experiences follow the scientific approach of Ana García, an astrophysicist, environmental educator, science communicator and Starlight Foundation Certified Guide. Our goal is to make astronomy accessible to everyone by combining scientific accuracy with clear, engaging and easy-to-understand explanations.

We believe that the best memory of a night under the stars is not simply looking through a telescope, but understanding what you are observing.

👉 Recommended internal link: about us. 

If no available dates appear in the calendar, it usually means one of the following:

• The experience is fully booked for those dates.
• We have not yet published the schedule for that period.
• That particular experience is not available on the selected dates.

We publish our calendar several months in advance. If your travel dates are not yet available, we recommend checking back later or contacting us. We will be happy to let you know when new dates are released.

If an experience is fully booked, we may also be able to add you to a waiting list in case a place becomes available due to a cancellation.

It depends on the time of year and the type of experience.

During the high season, public holidays, Easter, Christmas and special astronomical events, many experiences sell out weeks or even months in advance.

Experiences with small groups and Private Tours usually have more limited availability, so we recommend booking as early as possible once you know your travel dates.

If your trip is approaching and you cannot find availability, please contact us. We will always do our best to help if there is an alternative.

Prices for all our activities and services are in Euros. Payments in advance can be made via credit card. Some local travel agencies, hotels and tourist information offices have our events and/or tours on sale.

Astronomy tours are safe. However, they take place at night. We recommend clients to follow some basic precaution measures, such as perhaps to have a red torch, drive slowly after dark…. However, it is extremely important for you to bring winter clothing to the activity as temperature may drop at night, even in summer.

Yes, always. It is very important. We strongly recommend you to wear warm winter clothes even in summer. At high altitudes, temperatures can drop up to 5 C in winter and be around 15C in summer. We are outdoors.

To enjoy the stars, please wear comfortable and warm clothes. If you are too warm, you can always take them off, but if you are cold it will not be pleasant.

All our activities are in Spanish and English. Sometimes we have guides that also Speak german, so yes, it is possible to have a guide who is English speaking.

Yes. Occasionally we offer a 10% discount on online bookings. It will show on the price tag. For groups, we also have discounts depending on group size.

Meeting point is in our office in Los Cancajos. We have chosen this option after years of experience. We honestly think this is the best option. Even if you are staying on another side of the island or if you want to make the most of your time in La Palma, our office is the best option for the meeting point. This is because our office has electricity, mobile signal, street lights and it is in an easy-to-find location whereas astronomy viewpoints have no lights, very poor (or none) mobile signal and are dark (we are going to stargaze!!). So we honestly think, we need to guide you there even for self-drive options. Do not worry, roads are fine and safe (no 4×4 needed), only that you do not know them! Besides, we do want to meet you and chances are that, by meeting in the mountain in the dark, we would miss each other. We would think it would be irresponsible to do otherwise.

Also, please consider that, our activities are weather dependant. By meeting in our office we have more chances to be flexible and to adapt to weather conditions (clouds and microclimates). We do not always go to the same site to stargaze. Viewing sites chosen depending on weather conditions exclusively. We would go to the best site each night.

Our cancellation terms and conditions is as follows:

a. If you cancel.

We are concious your plans may change. Your fare will be reimbursed if you cancel at least 24h in advance. Notice of cancellation must be made in written via email (you will receive a confirmation email. Please notice our working hours). However, a 20% deposit is non-refundable upon cancellation by you.

Important: For visits to the Observatory there is a 50% non-refundable fee and if you would like to cancel and get the partial refund notice is at least 48h.

b. Cancellation due to adverse weather conditions.

Astronomy activities will take place if weather conditions allow night sky observation. A tour or activity may be cancelled due to weather conditions. Options in these cases are that: we refund your fare, we offer an alternative date for your tour/activity or else, we offer and alternative astronomy activity, if available. Under no circumstances can we be held responsible for cancellation due to weather conditions, if you are not contactable for cancellations or if contact data is incorrect. We strongly advice you give us a contact mobile telephone/hotel name & room number to inform you in case of cancellation.

c. For bookings through authorised agencies, see terms & conditions of your agency directly.

For special events or groups it is possible to organise an additional tour. However, minimum number of clients apply. This is also subject to availability of guides and equipment.

The meeting point of our activities depends on the activity itself and is specified in each activity and on its tickets. Normally the meeting point is in our office in Los Cancajos. However, for activities that allow transportation such as astronomical tours or for groups, there is the possibility of picking up clients at hotels. There is a minimum number of customers for this. Please consult us via email.

One of the main reasons why La Palma has one of the best night skies in the world for astronomy is the legal protection of its dark skies.

The Canary Islands Sky Law regulates aspects such as outdoor lighting, radio emissions and certain activities that could affect the quality of astronomical observations. Its purpose is to protect the exceptional observing conditions of the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory and the other observatories operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC).

Thanks to this legislation, scientists can carry out world-class astronomical research while visitors to La Palma can also enjoy remarkably dark, star-filled skies.

If you would like to learn more about how this pioneering law works and why it has made the Canary Islands an international reference for astronomical sky protection, we explain it in detail in our dedicated blog article.

👉 Recommended internal link: Law of the sky in La Palma

Light pollution does much more than make it harder to see the stars. It also affects biodiversity, increases energy consumption, disrupts natural ecosystems and human sleep patterns, and limits the work of scientific telescopes.

In La Palma, outdoor lighting is carefully regulated to protect one of the island’s greatest natural treasures: its dark night sky. Thanks to these measures, visitors can admire thousands of stars with the naked eye, while astronomers at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory continue to carry out world-class scientific research under exceptional observing conditions.

If you would like to learn more about how artificial light affects the night sky and why reducing light pollution is so important, we have prepared a dedicated blog article on the subject.

👉 Recommended internal link: Dark skies, Light Pollution and the Protection of the Night Sky

Not necessarily.

The Moon is one of the most fascinating objects to observe through a telescope. In fact, for many visitors, seeing its craters, mountains and shadows in detail becomes one of the highlights of the night.

What changes is which celestial objects are best to observe. During a Full Moon, its bright light illuminates the night sky, making very faint objects such as distant galaxies and some nebulae more difficult to see. On the other hand, it is the perfect time to enjoy spectacular views of the Moon itself, as well as planets and many bright star clusters.

At AstroLaPalma, we adapt every stargazing experience in La Palma to the lunar phase and the actual sky conditions on the night of your tour. This allows us to choose the most suitable celestial objects for observation and ensure you enjoy the best possible experience.

There are no “good” or “bad” nights for astronomy. Every night offers a different sky, and each season reveals new wonders of the Universe.

👉 We recommend checking the lunar calendar (here) before booking your experience. If you’re unsure which dates are best for your visit, feel free to contact us—we’ll be happy to help you choose the perfect night.

We do not have a single fixed stargazing location.

Instead, we carefully select the best observing site every evening based on the current sky and weather conditions.

La Palma has a very complex microclimate. Wind direction, cloud cover, humidity and local weather patterns can make one viewpoint perfect on a particular night and far less suitable the next.

Thanks to our many years of experience leading stargazing experiences across La Palma, we carefully assess the weather forecast and real-time sky conditions before every activity to choose the most suitable location.

Some nights we observe close to the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory. On other occasions, another astronomical viewpoint may offer better conditions. Our priority is never to visit the same place every night, but to take you to the best possible location for that particular evening.

We believe this flexibility is one of the reasons why our stargazing experiences are so special and why every night under the stars is unique.

👉 Recommended internal link: Some of the best stargazing veiwpoints in La Palma