Atacama: Stargazing tour Into Our Universe

About This Experience

Atacama Dark Sky's tour suits couples and small parties who want the night to themselves, and photographers who want color images of nebulae and galaxies to take home. It is the most expensive tour we cover at from $186 per person, with a 4.9 rating from 25 reviews. The listing describes a private astronomical tour with a maximum of 4 to 6 people, and the guide speaks English and Spanish. No photography experience is needed.

The guide picks you up at your hotel in a 4x4 and drives into the salt mountain range outside town, to an area called Vallecito. Once you are reclined in a comfortable chair, he leads a naked-eye tour of the southern sky with a green laser, mixing in stories of the people who shaped how we understand the universe. Red-light flashlights help you keep your night vision.

Next comes a small stargazing station with wine or navegado, a seasonal hot wine, plus hot drinks and snacks. The telescope here is a smart digital telescope that points itself at planets, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies and builds up images in color, showing detail your eye only glimpses. Those deep-sky images are sent to you the next day by WhatsApp or email. Warm blankets are available if needed.

The night ends with a short walk through the rock landscape for photos with the Milky Way behind you, facing the galactic center from April to September and the outer Milky Way from October to March. Tours run every clear night except around full moon, three days either side. The terrain is uneven, so it is not wheelchair accessible. Warm clothing is not provided, so bring your own layers even in summer.

Highlights

• 4x4 drive into the salt mountain range to Vallecito, away from town lights
• Naked-eye sky tour from a reclining chair, guided by green laser
• Color images of nebulae and galaxies built up live on a smart telescope
• A night walk for photos with the Milky Way as the backdrop
• Chilean wine or navegado, a seasonal hot wine, at a small stargazing station

What's Included

• ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off in a 4x4
• ✓ Private astronomy guide in English or Spanish, for a maximum of 4 to 6 people
• ✓ Smart digital telescope session, with deep-sky photos sent the next day by WhatsApp or email
• ✓ Photos of you with the Milky Way
• ✓ Chilean wine or navegado, snacks and refreshments
• ✓ Comfortable chairs, red-light flashlights and warm blankets if needed

Not Included

• Gratuities (optional)
• Warm clothing (bring your own layers)
• Dinner or full meals
• Travel insurance and personal expenses

What to Bring

• Warm layers, even in summer
• A warm hat and gloves
• Sturdy shoes for uneven desert ground
• Your phone or email details for receiving the photos

Good to Know & Caveats

• Tours run every clear night except around full moon (three days either side).
• Weather cancellations are fully refunded or rescheduled, and free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before on GetYourGuide.
• Deep-sky photos from the smart telescope are sent the next day by WhatsApp or email.
• Photos face the galactic center from April to September and the outer Milky Way from October to March.
• Not wheelchair accessible because of uneven desert terrain.
• The listing gives no fixed duration; the 4x4 transfer from your hotel is part of the evening.

Meeting Point

The guide picks you up at your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama in a 4x4 and drives you back at the end.