Stargazing with telescopes at the cable car base station

An hour of sky with telescopes and a guide accredited by the Starlight Foundation, in the car park of the cable car base station, at 2,356 m and inside the National Park. It is organised by Volcano Teide, the cable car company. It begins at nightfall, so the time changes with the season and is chosen when you book. It costs from €35 per person and does not admit children under 8, who must bring a document proving their age.

At the base station barrier, as night falls

You arrive in your own car at the cable car base station car park, at km 43 of the TF-21, and wait in front of the closed barrier for someone from Volcano Teide to come out and meet you. It does not include transport and is not held at the Teide Observatory: everything happens in the open air, beside the station. From the north or south of the island it is more than an hour of mountain road, and you will do the return in the dark; allow for that when choosing the time.

What you see through the two telescopes

The group works with a 9.25-inch Celestron CPC and a 30 cm Sky-Watcher Dobsonian. The guide teaches you to recognise the constellations and tells the Greek myths behind their names, and at the eyepieces explains what each object you are looking at is. What appears depends on the night: with a full moon the deep sky fades, so if you are choosing a date, check the lunar calendar before booking.

Days, languages and what happens if it clouds over

In Spanish it takes place on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays; in English, on Mondays and Thursdays, and in French, on Fridays. You can change the date or cancel free of charge up to 24 hours beforehand; after that nothing is refunded. An unused booking allows up to three changes of date over a year. If the weather does not allow observation, the company refunds the amount. Animals are not admitted, except guide and therapy dogs.

January clothes in any month

At night, at 2,356 m and with wind, it is very cold, even in summer: bring a proper coat and comfortable closed shoes. Carry your booking voucher on your phone or printed; it is compulsory. If you have any health problem, the company asks you to check with your doctor first because of the altitude.

Dinner and bed without leaving the mountain

The Parador restaurant serves dinner from 18:30 to 21:30 and is about five minutes away by car: depending on the time of the observation, dine beforehand or book for afterwards. If you sleep at the Parador, you avoid driving down the mountain road at night. To see the sunset before the telescopes, the Narices del Teide viewpoint is a quarter of an hour beyond the Parador.