Atacama Desert Stargazing Tours

San Pedro de Atacama sits high in one of the driest places on Earth, and a short drive out of town the sky turns black enough to show the Milky Way's dark lanes. We compared five night tours that take you out there with telescopes, from a 12-person premium night to a budget classic. Each one comes with its price and its catch.

  • Pick a dark weekA bright Moon washes out the Milky Way, so aim for the nights around the new Moon
  • Book early in your stayClouds or the Moon can move a tour, so leave a spare night or two

In a hurry? Our top pick is The Roofless AI, a 12-person night with two 16-inch telescopes: ~$70 a person with hotel pickup, and it stays home on nights when the Moon is more than half lit. It scores 4.9 from 500+ reviews on Viator. Book it here.

Book on Viator Book on GetYourGuide

Compare all 5 tours

If you only have a minute

Which Atacama Desert stargazing tour should you book?

Say a friend arriving in San Pedro de Atacama for four nights asked us which star tour to take. Over an empanada on Caracoles street, this is what we would tell them.

For most people, the night to book is The Roofless AI by AtacamaTours, from ~$70. Only 12 people share two big 16-inch telescopes, a van collects you from your lodging, and it holds 4.9 from 500+ reviews on Viator. The one snag is that it stays home when the Moon is more than half lit.

On a tight budget, Llama Stargazing is the classic at ~$33, with 800+ reviews and a pisco sour. A Night with the Stars at ~$46 teaches you to read the sky yourself. Owner Experience runs three hours with cheese, wine and a photo session for ~$50, and Observatorio Licanatay adds the Andean way of seeing the sky for ~$36.

No tour can promise a clear night. Check how much the Moon matters and the best months, see how a night unfolds, then read the small print we pulled out before you pay.

Our pick

The stargazing night we would book: The Roofless AI

It pairs the biggest telescopes of the five with the smallest group and the strongest review record. You pay more for that, and you lose the bright-Moon nights.

Two large telescopes lit red under the band of the Milky Way at the observing site Our pick

The Roofless AI: Premium Small-Group Stargazing, AtacamaTours

★★★★★ 4.9 from 500+ reviews on Viator · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

A van collects you from your accommodation in San Pedro, which takes about half an hour of stops, and drives out to a dark site beyond the town lights. Two 16-inch motorized telescopes wait there for a group of 12 at most, so your turn at the eyepiece comes round often.

The guide on the listing is Jhonatan, an astrotourism specialist, with his team. While the telescopes swing to each target, an AI voice guide called Vera explains what you are seeing and takes your questions through a microphone, in English on shared tours.

You sit under thermal blankets with a snack board and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, hot chocolate or decaf tea. Everyone leaves with one professional photo under the desert sky, plus tips for shooting the stars on your own phone.

Duration
2 h 30 on Viator, 2 h on GetYourGuide
Telescopes
Two 16-inch motorized telescopes
Group
12 people at most
Moon rule
Runs only when the Moon is under 50% lit
Pickup
From your accommodation in San Pedro
At the site
Thermal blankets; snacks with wine, hot chocolate or tea
Souvenir
One professional photo per person
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours before
Price per person from ~$70 12 people · 16-inch scopes · pickup
Viator GetYourGuide

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

Powered by GetYourGuide

How the night runs, step by step

This is the order the listings give. The Moon, the clouds and what is up in the sky that night can change any part of it.

In San Pedro de Atacama

  • Pickup at your accommodation, about 30 minutes of stops
  • The drive out past the last streetlights to the observing site
  • Blankets on, eyes adjusting to the dark

Under the desert sky

  • The two 16-inch telescopes point at planets, clusters and nebulae while Vera explains
  • Snacks, wine or hot chocolate, then your professional photo with the stars
  • Back to your door, about 2.5 hours after pickup

What the price covers

The fare pays for the ride, the big telescopes, the people who aim them and a warm drink. Tips are up to you.

Included
  • Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation
  • Expert guide, the AI voice guide and two 16-inch telescopes
  • Thermal blankets, snacks and a drink
  • One professional photo per person
Not included
  • Gratuities
  • Nights when the Moon is more than half lit
  • A full dinner (snacks only)

Between us, before you go

Look up the Moon's phase for your dates before you book anything. If you land in San Pedro during a bright week, this tour may have no nights for you, and you will need a tour that still runs.

Dress as if for a winter evening even in summer, because the desert loses its heat fast after sunset. How cold the desert night gets lists the layers that work.

Why it beats the bigger groups

Time at the eyepiece. With 12 people and two large telescopes, the queue stays short and you can go back to Saturn twice. Its 500+ Viator reviews average 4.9, the best record here for a tour of that size. Premium or budget night weighs the difference.

What you give up is flexibility. Bright-Moon nights are off the calendar, and the price is about double the budget classic.

Who we would not send on it

Travelers watching every dollar, who will be happy with Llama Stargazing at ~$33. Anyone in town only during a full-Moon week. And people who would find a talking AI guide more distracting than helpful, who may prefer the teaching tour with a human at every step.

Book it if

You want long looks through big telescopes with few people around you, and a ride from your door. It suits couples, keen amateurs and anyone who has been disappointed by a crowded telescope before.

Skip it if

Ready for a dark night?

The tour is on Viator (4.9 from 500+ reviews) and on GetYourGuide (4.9 from 100+). Both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can watch the cloud forecast before you commit.

Viator GetYourGuide

The year and the night

How long an Atacama stargazing night lasts, and how it works

Every tour on this page drives out of San Pedro to look at the same southern sky. The choices are who drives you, how many people share a telescope and what gets poured while you wait.

Style · collected from your door

A van to your lodging and back

The Roofless AI, Owner Experience

2.5–3 hpickup, the sky, then the drive home

No walking through unlit streets at night. The Roofless AI keeps the group to 12, and Owner Experience adds a tasting with cheese and cold cuts. Both cost more than the walk-up tours.

Style · meet in town

A meeting point near Caracoles

Llama Stargazing, A Night with the Stars, Observatorio Licanatay

2.5 ha short drive out, home by van

You walk to a corner near the main pedestrian street, then a van takes the group out. Llama Stargazing drops off only at hotels near the center. Licanatay's start point depends on the option you book.

Dark skies and cold nights in San Pedro through the year

  • How good we rate the sky, roughly
  1. Jan5°C night41 °F

    Short nights, storm clouds possible

  2. Feb5°C night41 °F

    The cloudiest weeks of the year

  3. Mar3°C night37 °F

    The summer clouds start to clear

  4. Apr0°C night32 °F

    Clear, dry, cold but bearable

  5. May-2°C night28 °F

    Long nights, the Milky Way core rising

  6. Jun-4°C night25 °F

    The longest nights, the coldest too

  7. Jul-4°C night25 °F

    Milky Way overhead, dress for frost

  8. Aug-3°C night27 °F

    Very clear, wind on some nights

  9. Sep-1°C night30 °F

    Clear skies, national holidays mid-month

  10. Oct1°C night34 °F

    Milder nights, still very dry

  11. Nov3°C night37 °F

    Shorter nights, comfortable cold

  12. Dec4°C night39 °F

    Late darkness, holiday tours fill fast

Temperatures are rough night lows in town; the observing sites outside San Pedro can be colder. The bars are our view of the sky, mixing the length of the night with the chance of cloud; they are not a count and no promise of a clear night. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick. The best months in detail.

How each night is spent

  • Pickup and the drive
  • Under the sky

Total hours come from the listings; the split between the drive and the time under the sky is our rough estimate. The Roofless AI lists 2 hours 30 minutes on Viator and 2 hours on GetYourGuide, and the pickups add time on the door-to-door tours.

  1. Getting out of townA van either collects you or meets the group near Caracoles street, then drives past the last lights of San Pedro. Pickup or meeting point.
  2. Eyes adjustingGuides start with the naked eye while your night vision builds, pointing out the Southern Cross and the Magellanic Clouds. Red lights only, no phone screens. What you will see.
  3. The telescopesPlanets, star clusters, nebulae and the Moon, depending on the night and the season. A bright Moon hides the faint targets. How the Moon changes it.
  4. Photo and a warm cupMost tours finish with a long-exposure photo of you under the stars and a hot drink before the drive back. Your photo under the Milky Way.

Watching every dollar? Llama Stargazing at ~$33 includes telescopes, a pisco sour and a photo with the stars, with 800+ reviews behind it.

How to choose

How to pick the right stargazing night

The sky above San Pedro is the same for all five. What differs is the telescope you look through, how many people queue for it and who picks you up.

Group size

The Roofless AI caps the night at 12 people. Llama Stargazing runs bigger groups, and the others split their groups by language. Premium or budget.

Telescopes

Two 16-inch motorized telescopes on tour 1, three different scopes on tour 4, professional telescopes on the rest. What they show you.

Pickup

Tours 1 and 4 collect you from your lodging. Tours 2 and 3 start from a corner near Caracoles, with a van back afterwards. Who collects you.

Food and drink

A pisco sour on tour 2, hot spiced wine on tour 3, cheese and cold cuts on tour 4. Every tour pours something hot. What to wear anyway.

Budget

From ~$33 for Llama Stargazing to ~$70 for the premium night, and the same tour can cost a little more on one site. Every price in one table.

The Moon

Tour 1 skips nights above half Moon. The others still run, with the Moon itself as a target. Clouds and cancellations.

Everything else to do around San Pedro de Atacama

The 5 tours

Five nights under the Atacama sky, side by side

We read the San Pedro de Atacama stargazing listings on both booking sites and kept one of each kind of night. Each card gives the price and the length next to the tour company's name. It also names the catch, with a button for each site that sells it.

Dark figures and small red lights beside a telescope under the Milky Way Our pick

The Roofless AI: Premium Small-Group Stargazing, AtacamaTours

The one we would book for long looks and a short queue.

A van picks you up for a night at a dark site with two 16-inch motorized telescopes and no more than 12 people. Vera, an AI voice guide, answers your questions while the human team aims the scopes. Blankets, a snack board with wine or hot chocolate and a professional photo are in the price.

  • Rating4.9 from 500+ on Viator, 4.9 from 100+ on GetYourGuide
  • Duration2 h 30 on Viator, 2 h on GetYourGuide
  • Tour companyAtacamaTours
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsThe biggest telescopes; a 12-person cap; hotel pickup
  • Ideal forCouples and keen amateurs

Good to know: It only runs when the Moon is under 50% lit, so some weeks have no dates. The priciest shared night here. How the Moon decides.

~$70per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A guide's green laser pointer reaching across a starry Atacama night sky Budget classic

San Pedro de Atacama Stargazing Experience, Llama Stargazing

The most-booked night in town, at the lowest price.

You meet at the school E-26, a few steps from Caracoles street, and drive 15 minutes out. The guide starts with the naked eye and stories of the Ancient Greek sky, then moves to the telescopes. Red wine, pisco sour, hot chocolate, a snack and a photo with the stars are included.

  • Rating4.7 from 800+ on GetYourGuide, 4.7 from 200+ on Viator
  • Duration2 h 30
  • Tour companyLlama Stargazing
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsLowest price; the most reviews here; drinks and blankets
  • Ideal forBudget travelers and first-timers

Good to know: No pickup, and drop-off only at hotels near the center, not out in the ayllus. Bigger groups mean more waiting at each telescope. Not for under 4s. Premium or budget.

~$33per person
GetYourGuide Viator
The dark outline of a telescope tube pointed at a sky full of stars The teaching tour

Astronomical Tour: A Night with the Stars, Una Noche Con Las Estrellas

For people who want to find Saturn on their own next time.

It opens with a coffee break under red lights so your eyes adjust. Then you learn to find the cardinal points, follow the ecliptic and tell a twinkling star from a steady planet, before the telescopes show how stars are born and die. Hot spiced wine, snacks, blankets and a professional astrophoto come with it.

  • Rating5.0 from 300+ on Viator, 5.0 from 2 on GetYourGuide
  • Duration2 h 30
  • Tour companyUna Noche Con Las Estrellas
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsA perfect score; groups by language; a heater in the cold months
  • Ideal forCurious minds and repeat stargazers

Good to know: More lesson than party, and you walk to the meeting point at Plazuela Apacheta. No campfires, because they spoil night vision. What the telescopes show.

~$46per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A traveler wrapped in a poncho sitting under a dark sky scattered with stars Tasting night

Astronomy Tour with Photos, Snacks and Wine, Owner Experience

The longest night, with cheese, wine and a photo shoot.

A van collects you for three hours at a site away from the town's light. You use three telescopes, from a computerized one for Saturn's rings and Jupiter's moons to a wide-field scope for nebulae. The tasting sets out cheese and cold cuts with wine, pisco sour and hot chocolate, and a professional night photo session follows.

  • Rating4.9 from 100+ on GetYourGuide, 4.9 from 22 on Viator
  • Duration3 hours
  • Tour companyOwner Experience
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsHotel pickup; a real tasting; a photo session
  • Ideal forFoodies and photo lovers

Good to know: Groups are split into Spanish, English and Portuñol. Not for children under 6 or pregnant travelers. Fewer reviews on Viator than on GetYourGuide. Your photo under the stars.

~$50per person
GetYourGuide Viator
Two travelers in warm hats looking up at the Milky Way over the desert Andean sky

Stargazing and Andean Astronomy with Wine, Observatorio Licanatay

Two ways of reading one sky, for less than most.

The night starts with modern astronomy and the telescopes, then turns to how Andean peoples read the sky. They saw shapes in the dark dust lanes of the Milky Way, tied to animals, water and the farming year. You get coffee, tea or red wine, a poncho and a free photo by email.

  • Rating4.7 from 800+ on GetYourGuide
  • Duration2 h 30
  • Tour companyObservatorio Licanatay
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsThe Andean stories; 800+ reviews; a low price
  • Ideal forTravelers curious about local culture

Good to know: Sold on GetYourGuide only. The meeting point depends on the option you book, and gratuities are extra. Stargazing with children.

~$36per person
GetYourGuide

Honest note: the GetYourGuide and Viator buttons are affiliate links. Booking through them sends us a small commission and costs you nothing extra. It never decides which tour we recommend.

Before you go

Eight things about star tours that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page. Each one can decide whether your night ends with Saturn's rings in your memory or a cold, cloudy wait in the dark.

What you should know

  1. Check the Moon before the flight. A full Moon lights the desert like a streetlamp and hides the faint Milky Way. Plan your nights around the new Moon if you can. How much the Moon matters.
  2. Book on your first nights. Clouds or a bright Moon can push a tour back a day. If you book early in your stay, there is still room to move it. Clouds and refunds.
  3. It is colder than you think. At about 2,400 m (7,900 ft) the desert drops toward freezing after dark, in winter well below. Blankets help, but bring a hat and gloves. What to wear.
  4. The same tour, two prices. The Roofless AI costs a few dollars less on GetYourGuide than on Viator, and GetYourGuide shows sale prices on some nights. Check both buttons. Every price compared.
  5. Telescopes show small and grey. Galaxies and nebulae look like faint smudges, not the colors of space photos. Planets and the Moon are the sharp, bright ones. What you will see.
  6. Mind where you sleep. Some tours do not drive out to the ayllus, the farm settlements around San Pedro. If you stay outside town, pick a tour with pickup. Pickup or meeting point.
  7. Leave the flash and the white light off. One phone screen undoes twenty minutes of night vision for everyone nearby. Use red light, and let the guide take your photo. Getting the photo.
  8. Give the altitude a day. San Pedro is high, and a late cold night is harder on your first evening there. Drink water and keep the stargazing for night two. Planning your dates.

Everything in one table

Five stargazing tours, catch included

The five tours side by side. Each row sets the strength of a tour against its catch.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length Pickup, food and drink Tour company and rating Strength and catch Book
The Roofless AI (our pick) Long looks, small group ~$70per person 2–2.5 h Hotel pickup; snacks, wine or hot chocolate AtacamaTours
4.9 on Viator		 Two 16-inch scopes, 12 people. The priciest; no bright-Moon nights.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Llama Stargazing classic A first night on a budget ~$33per person 2.5 h Meet in town; wine, pisco sour, hot drinks Llama Stargazing
4.7 on GetYourGuide		 Lowest price, 800+ reviews. Bigger groups; no pickup.
GetYourGuideViator
A Night with the Stars Learning to read the sky ~$46per person 2.5 h Meet in town, hotel drop-off; spiced wine, snacks Una Noche Con Las Estrellas
5.0 on Viator		 A perfect score, groups by language. More class than party.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Owner Experience tasting night Food, wine and photos ~$50per person 3 h Hotel pickup; wine, pisco sour, cheese, cold cuts Owner Experience
4.9 on GetYourGuide		 Three telescopes, a photo session. Not for under 6s; few Viator reviews.
GetYourGuideViator
Observatorio Licanatay Andean sky stories ~$36per person 2.5 h Start point depends on option; coffee, tea or wine Observatorio Licanatay
4.7 on GetYourGuide		 Two ways to read the sky, a low price. One booking site only.
GetYourGuide

All prices are per-person "from" rates in US dollars, and they shift often, so the booking page has the final say. The Book buttons are affiliate links that help keep this guide free, and your price stays the same.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who saw the rings

Travelers who had a crystal night and some who watched clouds drift in, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★Premium, 12 people

I have looked through telescopes at home and seen grey smudges. Here the two big ones were already pointed at Saturn when it was my turn, and the rings were sharp enough that I laughed out loud. With only twelve of us nobody hurried, and I went back to the eyepiece three times. The guide answered every question, and when he was busy the AI voice took over, which I expected to hate and ended up using for ten minutes.

LHLena H. · Hamburg, GermanyClear night
★★★★★Premium, 12 people

Small group, huge telescopes, a guide who clearly loves this. Worth paying more for a dark night.

MPMateo P. · Santiago, ChileClear night
★★★★☆Premium, 12 people

Excellent views and a warm blanket, but our first date was moved because the Moon was too bright, and we nearly ran out of nights in San Pedro. Book it at the start of your stay so there is room to shuffle.

JWJess W. · Leeds, UKClear night
★★★★★Premium, 12 people

The pickup van found our hostel in the dark without trouble. The professional photo with the Milky Way is now my phone background.

YTYuki T. · Osaka, JapanClear night
★★★★★Premium, 12 people

We picked this one for its rule of skipping bright-Moon nights, and you could tell the difference. Away from town the Milky Way threw a shadow-like glow over the ground, and the guide used it to show us the dark shapes the Andean people saw in it. Wine and a snack board helped with the cold. Two hours went fast, and the van had us back at the hotel before midnight.

SRSam R. · Austin, USAClear night
★★★★★Budget classic

The cheapest night we found, and we saw Jupiter with four moons in a row. A pisco sour under the stars too.

ANAnna N. · Prague, CzechiaClear night
★★★★★Budget classic

We walked to the school near Caracoles and were out in the desert fifteen minutes later. The guide started with no telescope at all, just pointing out the Southern Cross and the two Magellanic Clouds, which was the bit my wife liked most. Then the telescopes, then hot chocolate, then a group photo with the Milky Way behind us. A big group, but well run.

DGDaniel G. · Buenos Aires, ArgentinaClear night
★★★★☆Budget classic

Good value and a lively guide, but there were a lot of us around each telescope and the queue moved slowly. Wear everything you brought, because the blankets only do so much at that altitude.

CLClaire L. · Montreal, CanadaSome cloud
★★★★★The teaching tour

More like a class than a show, and that is what I wanted. Red lights and coffee first so our eyes adjusted.

PBPieter B. · Utrecht, NetherlandsClear night
★★★★★The teaching tour

Our guide explained how to tell a planet from a star before we even touched a telescope: planets do not twinkle. After that I could find Saturn on my own. The spiced wine and the heater were very welcome, and the photo they sent afterwards came out beautifully. Groups were split by language, so our English group was small and nobody had to wait for a translation.

ISIsabel S. · Lisbon, PortugalClear night
★★★★☆The teaching tour

Very knowledgeable and patient, and the photo was great. A thin layer of cloud came over halfway through, so the guide switched to the brightest stars and the Moon. Not his fault, and he kept the group busy, but on a night like that the lesson carries more of the evening than the sky does. Go in expecting to learn, not just to look.

TKTom K. · Melbourne, AustraliaSome cloud
★★★★★3 hours, tasting

Picked up at our lodge, cheese and wine under the stars, three different telescopes. A proper evening out.

FMFatima M. · London, UKClear night
★★★★★3 hours, tasting

The guide spoke Portuñol with our group, half Spanish and half Portuguese, and it worked perfectly for us. We saw the craters of the Moon in one telescope and a star cluster in the wide one, then the photo session, which took a while because everyone wanted a second shot. Three hours went by without anyone checking the time.

RGRafael G. · São Paulo, BrazilClear night
★★★★★3 hours, tasting

We are both keen photographers and booked this one for the photo session, which did not disappoint. What surprised us was the tasting: proper cheese and cold cuts, a pisco sour and hot chocolate, set out on a table in the dark with the Milky Way overhead. The van collected us from our place outside the centre too, which mattered because most tours would not come that far.

HBHelen B. · Edinburgh, UKClear night
★★★★★Andean sky stories

The Andean part was new to me: a llama drawn in the dark gaps of the Milky Way. I will never see it the same way.

KAKwame A. · Accra, GhanaClear night
★★★★☆Andean sky stories

A good mix of telescope time and stories from the Andean side, and the poncho was cosy. Our option started from a different place than we assumed, so read the meeting point on your booking carefully. The photo arrived by email a few days later and it is lovely.

EVElena V. · Bologna, ItalySome cloud

Back from the desert?

Help the next traveler choose

How did your night under the Atacama sky go, and what did the telescope show you? The sharp views of Saturn and the cold fingers both help someone else decide.

Stars out of five
The sky that night

At least 40 characters, 40 to go

Blankets ready

Book The Roofless AI for your darkest night

If you have one night to give to the Atacama sky, we would book The Roofless AI. Twelve people, two large telescopes and a van from your door make it the easiest way to spend a long time looking.

Cancelling is free until 24 hours before, which leaves room to watch the clouds. Check the Moon's phase first, then pack a hat, gloves and the warmest layer you brought.

~$70

per person · about 2.5 hours · pickup in San Pedro

Viator GetYourGuide
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ 12 people at most
  • ✓ Two 16-inch telescopes
  • ✓ A professional photo included

Good to know

Why the Atacama sky is so dark, and what you are looking at

Five minutes of reading makes the first look up, and the first look through the eyepiece, much easier to follow.

The Atacama Desert ranks among the driest deserts anywhere, and San Pedro de Atacama lies around 2,400 m (7,900 ft) up on its eastern edge. Dry, thin air and very little town light are why big observatories are built in this region, and why a short drive out of San Pedro shows so many stars.

01Dry air, high ground, few lights

Water vapor and dust blur starlight, and the Atacama has little of either. San Pedro is a small town, so its light pollution fades within minutes of driving. Nearby, the ALMA observatory uses the same dry air on a far higher plateau.

02A southern sky

From here you see stars that never rise in Europe or most of North America. The Southern Cross is small and bright, and the two Magellanic Clouds look like torn pieces of the Milky Way. They are neighbor galaxies.

03Shapes in the dark

Andean peoples also read the dark gaps in the Milky Way, not only the bright stars. These dark constellations include a llama and a fox. Observatorio Licanatay builds half its night around them.

The moment most people remember is not a photo but the first minute after the van's lights go off, when the sky seems to fill in by itself.

04What the eyepiece shows

Saturn's rings and Jupiter's moons are sharp and bright when those planets are up. Nebulae and galaxies are faint and grey to the eye, because space photos gather light for minutes. What to expect at each telescope.

05The Moon decides more than the month

Around full Moon, moonlight washes out the faint Milky Way, even in the clearest desert air. The Moon is still a fine target in a telescope. Planning around the Moon.

06Why the cold catches people out

Dry air holds little heat, so the desert loses the day's warmth fast after sunset. Nights sit around freezing for much of the year, and you will be standing still for two hours. The layers that work and what happens on a cloudy night are worth reading first.

2,400 mThe altitude of San Pedro de Atacama

5Tours compared on this page

12People at most on our top pick

24 hFree cancellation on every tour here

Traveling with children? Our guide Stargazing with children sets out the age rules on each tour.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about Atacama Desert stargazing tours

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

What do Atacama stargazing tours cost?

The five tours on this page start at ~$33 per person with Llama Stargazing. Observatorio Licanatay costs ~$36, A Night with the Stars ~$46, Owner Experience ~$50 and The Roofless AI ~$70. Every price and what it buys is in our cost guide.

Which Atacama stargazing tour should I pick?

For most visitors, The Roofless AI, because of the 12-person cap, the two 16-inch telescopes and its 4.9 from 500+ reviews. On a budget, Llama Stargazing is the proven classic. If you want to learn the sky yourself, take A Night with the Stars.

When is the best time of year to go?

In our view April to May and September to October bring the best mix of clear nights and bearable cold. June to August gives the longest nights but the deepest cold, and January to February can bring clouds. The best months.

Does the full Moon ruin a stargazing tour?

It hides the faint Milky Way and deep-sky objects, but the Moon itself, planets and bright stars still look good. The Roofless AI only runs when the Moon is under half lit; the others still go out. How the Moon changes the night.

How long do the tours last?

Two and a half hours on most, and three hours with Owner Experience. The Roofless AI's listing is half an hour shorter on GetYourGuide than on Viator, and its pickups come on top.

Is hotel pickup included?

On The Roofless AI and Owner Experience, yes. Llama Stargazing and A Night with the Stars meet near Caracoles street and drop you back by van, and Licanatay's start point depends on the option. Pickup or meeting point.

What happens if it is cloudy?

Partly cloudy nights often still go ahead. If the operator cancels for weather, you usually get a new date or a refund, depending on the listing's policy, so book early in your stay. Clouds, cancellations and refunds.

How cold does it get?

Nights hover around freezing for much of the year and drop below it from June to August, colder still at the observing sites. Every tour hands out blankets or ponchos, but you need a hat, gloves and a warm jacket. What to wear.

Can children come?

Yes, on most tours. Owner Experience takes no one under 6, and Llama Stargazing no one under 4. Hot chocolate and Saturn's rings tend to win kids over, but the late hour and the cold are hard on small ones. Stargazing with children.

What will I see through the telescopes?

Depending on the night, planets such as Saturn and Jupiter, the Moon's craters, star clusters, double stars, nebulae and galaxies. Faint objects look grey, not colored like space photos. What the telescopes show you.

Do I get a photo?

All five include one. The Roofless AI, A Night with the Stars and Owner Experience take a professional photo; Llama Stargazing and Licanatay include a photo with the stars. Your photo under the Milky Way.

Is the altitude a problem?

The town lies around 2,400 m (7,900 ft) up, which most visitors handle with water and an easy first day. We would keep the stargazing for your second night or later, since it means a late, cold evening.

Is the AI guide on The Roofless AI any good?

Vera explains each object while the telescopes move and takes your own questions, in English on shared tours. The human guide and team are there all night too, so you are never stuck talking to a machine.

Can I cancel for free?

Usually. The listings we checked allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before, but confirm it on yours at checkout. If the operator calls off a night for clouds or the Moon, you get a refund or a new date, depending on the listing's policy.

Read before you travel

Guides to a night under the Atacama sky

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.