Tours/La Serena/Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour
Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour
4.8(12)La Serena5–6 hours
VIATOR4.0(2)TRIPADVISOR4.9(10)
+7 photos
At a glance
Duration
5–6 hours
Location
La Serena
Rating
4.8 / 5 · 12 reviews
Languages
ES
Group
Small group, up to 16
Cancellation
Free cancellation
Confirmation
Instant
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
Ecoturismo La Serena Spa.
Meeting point
We are located next to the Toyota car dealership. From Route 5, cross the train line two blocks towards the coast. From the monumental lighthouse of La Serena it is approximately a 15-minute walk towards the mountain range.
Description
In the Elqui Valley, in the IV Region, there is a privileged Astronomical Center with almost 300 days of clear skies a year. It offers advanced astronomy tours with specialized guides in Spanish, who explain everything about the universe in a clear and didactic way. High-quality telescopes are used, such as the 24-inch Hubble Optics, unique in Chile, the 20-inch Hubble Optics, and the 20-inch Meade, rotating between them for a varied observation experience. From the outdoor terrace, constellations, planets, nebulas, and more can be observed. Group astrophotography photos are captured on moonless nights, and visitors are allowed to photograph lunar craters with their own devices on moonlit nights.
Tour Options
Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour
Pickup included
Itinerary
La Serena
60 min
We begin collecting passengers from La Serena
Vicuna
120 min
Then we have a 1 hour and 30 minute drive to Vicuña, where we will have 10-15 minutes to stretch, go to the bathroom or buy some snacks at the nearby supermarket. Then we begin our last journey to the Astronomical Center located at the foot of Mamalluca Hill on a private plot of land in the area.
Admission included120 min
Upon arrival at the observation area, you will enjoy a welcome with a selection of drinks including coffee, tea, water, juice, pisco sour or mango sour. After these 15 minutes of relaxation, we will descend to the observation patio, where our fascinating advanced astronomy tour will begin.
At the astronomical center, you will be provided with expert astronomy guides who will guide you through the cosmos with simple and educational explanations, all in SPANISH. This tour will allow you to immerse yourself in the mysteries of the universe in an accessible and exciting way. The approximate duration of the tour is 2 hours.
La Serena
60 min
The return journey begins towards La Serena, where we will drop off all passengers at their initial pick-up points.
What's included
Included
Group Astrophotography
Soda/Pop
Air-conditioned vehicle
Telescopes
Coffee and/or Tea
Not included
Gratuities
Tour only in SPANISH. A translator can be arranged. Cost: $20,000CLP
Personal Astrophotography
Dinner
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick up all our passengers if they are within the pick-up radius. Please confirm your address and time one day before the tour with our executives. If your address is outside the radius, we can coordinate a meeting point. We will contact you one day before your activity to coordinate the pick-up time and confirm attendance. The same day of your activity, the guide will contact you to better coordinate your pick-up. You must be attentive to your cell phone.
Traveller Ratings
4.8
12 reviews
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Important Information
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tour subject to a minimum of 6 passengers for its realization
Tour subject to sky conditions
We will confirm your pick-up time on the same day of the activity. As it varies depending on the season
Consider the lunar cycle for better observation and prefer days without moon. When there is a crescent moon and a full moon, observation CAN be done, but astrophotography CANNOT.
Astrophotography only for moonless nights
Young children visiting the astronomical center should not wear shoes with lights
Pickup times may vary depending on the season of the year
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour take?
Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour lasts about 5–6 hours. The itinerary has 4 stops.
Can I cancel Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. We pick up all our passengers if they are within the pick-up radius. Please confirm your address and time one day before the tour with our executives. If your address is outside the radius, we can coordinate a meeting point. We will contact you one day before your activity to coordinate the pick-up time and confirm attendance. The same day of your activity, the guide will contact you to better coordinate your pick-up. You must be attentive to your cell phone. Pickup points include Apart Hotel Serena Beach.
What languages is Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour offered in?
The experience is available in ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 16 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap Young children visiting the astronomical center should not wear shoes with lights
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 12 verified reviews; it is run by Ecoturismo La Serena Spa..
Reviews(12)
N
Nydia_P
January 22, 2026
More than a tour, a shuttle to OMEGA
The tour, in general, is beautiful. Omega’s guide Mari was an expert in her work and did it super kindly.
Beyond that, the “tour” is actually a gentleman who drives you at full speed and barely and communicates with you.
If you can rent a car and drive to the Omega observatory, it may be more attractive.
Operator response
Agradecemos tus comentarios. Nos complace leer que la visita al observatorio y la atención de nuestra guía Mari cumplieron con tus expectativas.
Sin embargo, te pedimos disculpas porque el traslado no estuvo a la altura de nuestro estándar. Apreciamos tu honestidad, ya que esto nos permite tomar medidas correctivas inmediatas con el conductor para moderar la velocidad y mejorar la interacción con los pasajeros. Nuestro objetivo es que el tour sea una experiencia completa, máxima comodidad y seguridad para nuestros pasajeros.
Esperamos tener la oportunidad de recibirte nuevamente y brindarte una experiencia de 5 estrellas completa.
Atentamente,
A
adrianaelizabeth2016
January 18, 2026
Astronomical family walk
A beautiful experience with my parents, 100% recommended for all people who like this type of experience.
M
Maria_D
December 19, 2025
A wonderful experience...
A wonderful experience under the star, very well organized, thank you to our drive Pedro and to many thank you our guide he answered all our questions.
B
Bastián C
November 29, 2025
10/10
It is very good the tour, they pass you look and leave . The instructor knows a lot and the cocktail pisco is great. Also, we observed many celestial bodies and the star photograph was beautiful
I
I6814WXestefaniaa
September 27, 2025
Reliable and informative
We want to thank you for the experience, the talk you gave us on the tour was very interesting, dynamic and we will stay with many lessons, everything was very pleasant and safe with the agency. 100% recommended .thank you very much for this nice experience.
9
938javieraf
July 23, 2025
The view from this observatory is wonderful a magical experience for astronomy fans🫰🏻✨🙌🏻
A
Aklucko
July 21, 2025
The transport and very well coordinated schedules, on arrival the family photo is spectacular, the knowledge of the guide was amazing may be too much information for people who do not master the subject, they could make the exhibition more enjoyable, more playful. But it's very good tour
B
bastiana519
July 21, 2025
All well, just consider that the welcome cocktail is small and that it is a unique photograph. There are other tours that give three photos per person.
1 people found this helpful
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G4086QHmarios
June 30, 2025
By far the best experience
Excellent experience the guides the best amazing place very good activity 100% recommended when you are in the area
Operator response
¡Muchas gracias por compartir tu experiencia! ¡Esperamos recibirlos nuevamente en su próxima aventura !
K
karlabM9241TN
June 30, 2025
Beautiful Experience
Everything beautiful, I loved it was very magical. With my partner we were very happy, besides the people who are there are very polite and have very good disposition. The rapporteur was wonderful.
Operator response
¡Muchas gracias por compartir tu experiencia! Nos alegra saber que disfrutaron del tour pudieron ver el cielo con nuevos ojos. ¡Esperamos recibirlos nuevamente !
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