Everything to know before you come

A guided night of about three hours in Diaguitas, Elqui Valley, 10 minutes from the town of Vicuña. We start by learning to find our way around the sky with the naked eye, move on to three professional telescopes, watch astrophotography happen live and, between one observation and the next, taste local products from the valley.

About three hours, from when we meet at sunset.

It depends on the date and the time. With the naked eye we work with landmarks of the southern sky, such as the Southern Cross, the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds. With the telescopes we aim at star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, the Moon (if it's up that night) and whichever planets are above the horizon.

When you pick a date in the booking calendar you'll see what stands out that night.

Not at all. The night is designed for people who have never looked through a telescope. If you already know your way around, we adjust the level and go deeper.

Spanish, English and Portuguese: both guides, Jorge and Patty, speak all three.

We are: Jorge Valencia and Patricia Trejo, computer engineers with twenty years in technology and the Diploma in Fundamentals of Astronomy from the Universidad de Chile. We came to astronomy as amateurs, and today we photograph and teach the Elqui sky.

How we got here is told in Our story.

The experience is outdoors, so we have chairs and blankets for the cold. Since it all happens in the yard of our home, there's a bathroom and an indoor space for anyone who needs it.

We're a small tour: the guides are the owners, groups are small and everyone looks through each telescope several times. We add live astrophotography and a tasting of Elqui products throughout the night. We also have activities for children of different ages.

We check the forecast with you before your booked night. If conditions aren't right for observing, you choose: reschedule for another night or get a refund of what you paid.

Until 11:00 on the day of the experience you can cancel for any reason.

If that day the forecast for the night is uncertain, we contact you directly by WhatsApp or phone to decide together whether to cancel, reschedule or go ahead as planned. If it's cancelled because of the weather, we refund 100%.

The Moon doesn't limit the experience, it changes it. Near new moon the sky is darker and the Milky Way, nebulae and galaxies look their best. Under a full Moon the deep sky loses contrast, but it's the best night to see the Moon in detail through the telescope, and we still observe nebulae, star clusters and other objects of the night sky.

In the booking calendar each night shows its phase, and Sky & Moon has the forecast for the coming nights.

The Elqui has clear skies for much of the year. In autumn and winter (March to August) the centre of the Milky Way rides high during the night and it gets dark early, though it's colder. In spring and summer the night is milder but starts later. Every season has its own objects and wonders to show.

On the Booking page you pick an available date on the calendar, say how many adults and children are coming, leave your details and pay in full or a 50% deposit. We then message you on WhatsApp or by email to go over the weather.

We have separate prices for adults (18 and over) and for children and teenagers (8 to 17); children under 8 go free. Current prices are on the Booking page.

Your spot is secured once we receive your payment, either in full or the 50% deposit. Afterwards we message you to confirm the meeting time, the exact spot and how the sky looks for that night.

We currently take payments through Mercado Pago, which also lets you pay by credit or debit card without a Mercado Pago account.

If you pay the 50% deposit, you have until 11:00 on the day of the experience to pay the balance; we send you reminder emails with the payment link beforehand. If a balance is still due at that time, the booking is cancelled and you lose any right to a refund.

Until 11:00 on the day of the experience you can cancel for any reason, with a full refund of what you paid.

If that day the forecast for the night is uncertain, we contact you directly by WhatsApp or phone to decide together whether to cancel, reschedule or go ahead as planned. Don't worry: if it's cancelled because of the weather, the refund is always 100%.

If you booked and don't show up, there is no refund.

We arrange the meeting time at the meeting point with you, since it depends on when the sun sets at that time of year. For anything else, message us on WhatsApp at +56 9 4399 7691.

You can book even for the same day, as long as there are spots left on the Booking page.

Same-day bookings are paid in full, though: the 50% deposit isn't available.

After 15:00, bookings for that same night are taken only by WhatsApp or phone at +56 9 4399 7691.

Of course! Message us to arrange buying and delivering a gift card.

Yes, the experience is suitable for the whole family. Children aged 8 to 17 pay a reduced rate, and children under 8 go free.

Since the experience takes place in the yard of our home, there are rooms in case your child needs to rest, and we lend you digital monitors so you can always check on your baby or child without missing the experience.

Children mostly try juices, jams, sweets, cheeses and fruit.

At most 8 to 10 people per group, so the experience stays personal.

Message us on WhatsApp at +56 9 4399 7691 or email hola@cosechadeestrellas.cl and we'll talk it over.

No. Cosecha de Estrellas is an experience designed for you: if it's just you, we'll do it.

Yes. Access is level, along a paved road. During the experience there are no significant changes in level, we move over mostly smooth surfaces without major obstacles, and there's seating throughout.

If you have any questions, message us on WhatsApp at +56 9 4399 7691 or email hola@cosechadeestrellas.cl and tell us what you need.

In Diaguitas, near the Peralilo junction, under 7 km from Vicuña (about 10 minutes by car). We send you the exact spot once your booking is made.

The experience starts at sunset, with a welcome and an introduction to what we'll experience that night.

The start time changes with the season. These are approximate times; we confirm the exact time in your confirmation email:

• November to March: 20:00
• April and May: 18:30
• June to August: 18:00
• September and October: 19:00

You can drive yourself to the meeting point we email you once your booking is made. From there we go together to the experience site, less than 1 km away along a paved road, where there's parking.

We also offer pick-up and drop-off if you're staying between Gualliguaica (west of Vicuña) and Rivadavia (to the east). Message us to arrange it.

Warm clothes: valley nights are cold even in summer. We recommend base and mid layers, a hat, gloves and closed shoes.

We have blankets and hot drinks on site.

Please don't use white light or flashlights, and keep a full-brightness phone screen to a minimum: eyes take 10 to 20 minutes to adapt to the dark, and a single flash resets that for the whole group. That's why we use red lights on site, which barely affect night vision.

Throughout the night, between observations, we share seasonal products from the valley: jams, sweets, juices from seasonal fruit, cheeses, cured meats, local wines and spirits.

It's finger food through the whole experience (a «picoteo», as we say in Chile), not a sit-down dinner.

Yes. The booking form has a notes field precisely so you can tell us about any allergy, dietary restriction or special condition. That way we adapt the menu and you still get to enjoy the Elqui Valley's products along with the rest of the experience.

Three: a Sky-Watcher Dobson 300P reflector (305 mm) for visual observing, a Celestron C11 (280 mm) for detail on the Moon and planets, and a William Optics GT81 apochromatic refractor with a camera for astrophotography. Technical details are on the Experience page.

Absolutely! In fact, with the Celestron C11 we help you photograph the objects we observe that night with your own phone. We just ask you to turn off the flash and lower your screen brightness.