Tenerife Dark Sky & Astrophotography

After breakfast, we check out of our hotel in Playa de las Américas and journey into the dramatic landscapes of Teide National Park. Volcanic rock formations, high-altitude terrain and expansive skies accompany us as we travel into the mountains for a guided visit to the Izaña Observatory, located 2,390 metres above sea level. Here, we take part in an engaging astrophysics workshop and enjoy the opportunity to observe the Sun’s photosphere and chromosphere through professional solar telescopes, with the chance to view sunspots, prominences and solar activity in remarkable detail. Lunch is included at a local venue.

Later this afternoon, we check into the Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide, set in the heart of the national park beneath Mount Teide itself. After dinner, we step outside once more for a two-hour observing session with Pete Lawrence, using specialist telescopes to explore Tenerife’s internationally recognised dark skies and some of the finest stargazing conditions in Europe.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

We wake to the extraordinary setting of the Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide, surrounded by the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Teide National Park. This morning is at leisure to relax at the hotel or explore nearby walking trails, where the ever-changing light across the caldera creates striking photographic opportunities.

After a leisurely morning and lunch, we join Pete Lawrence for a two-hour solar viewing and photography experience. Using specialist equipment, we observe the Sun in remarkable detail and receive expert guidance on capturing and processing solar images.

Following dinner at the hotel, the experience continues beneath some of the clearest skies in the Northern Hemisphere. Join Pete Lawrence for an evening of guided observations, as planets, constellations and distant deep-sky objects reveal themselves against the pristine darkness of the Teide night sky.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today, we enjoy a full-day excursion showcasing some of northern and western Tenerife’s most striking landscapes. We begin in Icod de los Vinos, a charming town of whitewashed colonial buildings, wine shops and cafés, and home to the famous thousand-year-old Dragon Tree. Next, we continue to the historic coastal town of Garachico, known for its black-sand beach, natural volcanic swimming pools and attractive streets lined with traditional Canarian architecture. Here, we enjoy lunch at leisure.

This afternoon, we travel back towards the south with a stop at a scenic viewpoint overlooking the dramatic 600-metre cliffs of Los Gigantes, one of Tenerife’s most impressive natural landmarks. Later, we continue to Playa de las Américas and return to the H10 Conquistador for the next two nights.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner