Atacama: Pro Guided Stargazing & Astrophotography

About This Experience

Andestellar's tour suits travelers who care about the photos as much as the telescope views, and anyone who likes a social evening with drinks. It starts from $49 per person and has a 5.0 rating, but from only 10 reviews so far. Guides are bilingual in English and Spanish. A dedicated photographer specializing in astrophotography works alongside the astronomy guide.

After hotel pickup, you drive with the group to the site, where lounge chairs and blankets are waiting. The guide opens with a talk on astronomy and ancestral worldviews, the ways Andean peoples read the sky. Then comes a cocktail hour with hot and cold drinks, a chance to get to know the rest of the group before the observing starts. There is a bathroom at the location.

The guided telescope session uses a 12-inch telescope and a Unistellar eQuinox 2 smart telescope, and the guide points out planets, stars, nebulae and star clusters, whatever is up that night. At the same time, the photographer runs the photo session, with 3 photos per person against the starry sky. To keep both parts personal, the group is split if needed so no section has more than 8 people.

Photos are sent 3 to 5 days after the tour, so do not expect them the same night. Wear bright colors, since they show up better in the pictures, and bring warm layers for standing outside, especially from June to August when nights drop to around freezing. The order of the evening may change with the weather, and the listing does not state a fixed duration.

Highlights

• Three photos per person by a photographer who specializes in astrophotography
• A 12-inch telescope plus a Unistellar smart telescope
• A talk on astronomy and ancestral Andean worldviews
• A cocktail hour under the stars with hot and cold drinks
• Lounge chairs and blankets for watching the sky

What's Included

• ✓ Hotel pickup with professional drivers
• ✓ Bilingual certified guide in English and Spanish
• ✓ Guided observation with a 12-inch telescope and a Unistellar eQuinox 2 smart telescope
• ✓ 3 photos per person with the starry sky as the background
• ✓ Cocktail hour with hot and cold beverages
• ✓ Lounge chairs, blankets and a bathroom at the location

Not Included

• Tips
• Dinner
• Warm clothing beyond the blankets provided

What to Bring

• Bright, colorful clothing for the photos
• Warm layers
• A hat and gloves on winter nights
• An email address or phone for receiving the photos

Good to Know & Caveats

• Photos are sent 3 to 5 days after the tour.
• Groups are split if needed so no section has more than 8 people.
• The order and schedule of the tour may change depending on the weather.
• Tours depend on clear skies; if the weather cancels it, ask the operator to reschedule or refund, and free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide.
• With 10 reviews so far, the 5.0 rating rests on a small sample.
• The listing does not state a fixed duration.

Meeting Point

Hotel pickup in San Pedro de Atacama is included, with professional drivers taking the group to the site.