Free guided visits · La Silla & Paranal
Book your visit to ESO's observatories
Free guided visits to La Silla and Paranal — up to 10 people per booking. Upcoming available dates will be announced here as soon as they open; check back soon to book your spot.
Regular visits: up to 10 peopleConfirm by Friday 12:00 Santiago timeModifiable until Friday 12:00
Step 1 of 3 — Choose your observatory
Paranal (VLT)
Antofagasta Region
In 2024 it detected 32 erupting protostars and captured supernova SN 2024ggi just 26 hours after detection. The first observatory to directly photograph an exoplanet (2004).
09:30–13:00 · 13:30–17:00Minimum age: 4 years
La Silla
Coquimbo Region
HARPS, the world's most precise spectrograph for detecting exoplanets, operates here. In December 2025, the new SOXS instrument made its first observations, opening the study of rapid astrophysical transient events.
09:30–13:00 (Apr–Aug) · +13:30 (Sep–Mar)Minimum age: 8 years (winter season)
Does your group exceed the individual limit?
More than 10 for a regular Saturday visit, or more than 4 for a night event? The ESO Reservations team will coordinate with you. Download the template, fill in the group details, and let us know your preferred date and observatory — up to 40 spots at La Silla and up to 60 spots at Paranal for daytime groups. We respond within 2–3 business days.
How to complete your booking
Choose observatory and date
Select above. You'll see the calendar with available dates and time slots in real time.
Complete the registration
Enter your details and those of your companions — up to 10 people for regular visits, up to 4 for night events. You'll receive a confirmation by email.
Confirm before Friday
You'll receive an automatic reminder. Confirm before Friday 12:00 to secure your spot.
Visitor portal
Already have a booking?
Manage everything from one place with your ESO-XXXXXXXX code you received by email. No login, no password — just your code and the last 4 digits of your ID.
Check status
See whether your booking is pending confirmation, confirmed, or cancelled.
Go to portal
Modify companions
Add or remove people from your group. Each change resets the confirmation deadline.
Go to portal
Confirm attendance
Confirm you'll attend before Friday 12:00. Without confirmation, your spot is released.
Go to portal
Cancel booking
Cancel if your plans change. Only possible before the Friday prior to your visit.
Go to portal
Deadline: the Friday before your visit, 12:00 (Santiago time)
After that moment, the system automatically closes the modification window. Only the ESO team can make changes after that time. If you don't confirm, your spot is released to other visitors.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know
If you do not find your answer, use the contact form or the help chat in the bottom right corner.
How many people can I include in an individual booking?
It depends on the visit type. For regular Saturday visits you can include up to 10 people. For special night events the maximum is 4 people per registration — spots are capped at 40 per event and assigned in registration order. For groups of more than 10 (courses, schools, corporate visits), use the group booking flow: download the template from the observatories section and submit it through the group form.
How long can I modify or cancel?
Until the Friday before your visit date, before 12:00 Santiago time. After that moment, the system automatically closes the window. Only the ESO team can make changes after that time.
What happens if I don't confirm my attendance?
The system automatically cancels your booking and releases the spots to other visitors. You'll receive an email reminder before the deadline. Confirmation is mandatory and must be done from the My Booking portal with your ESO-XXXXXXXX code.
Can I add or remove companions after booking?
Yes. From My Booking you can add people if there are spots available in the time slot, or remove companions at any time (no spot restriction for removals). Each modification resets the confirmation status to Pending.
Is there a minimum age for visits?
At Paranal: minimum 4 years. At La Silla during the winter season (April–August): minimum 8 years. During the summer season (September–March) both observatories welcome families with young children.
What's the difference between Paranal and La Silla?
Paranal hosts the VLT (Very Large Telescope) — four 8.2-metre telescopes operating as one instrument. In 2024 it detected 32 erupting protostars and photographed supernova SN 2024ggi just 26 hours after its detection. Up to 60 spots per visit. Operates on Saturdays in winter season; in summer the schedule varies according to the ESO team.
La Silla operates HARPS, the most precise spectrograph for detecting low-mass exoplanets. In 2025 it added SOXS, a next-generation instrument for studying rapid astrophysical transients. Up to 40 spots per visit. Operates on Saturdays in winter; in summer the schedule may open to additional days according to ESO availability.
La Silla operates HARPS, the most precise spectrograph for detecting low-mass exoplanets. In 2025 it added SOXS, a next-generation instrument for studying rapid astrophysical transients. Up to 40 spots per visit. Operates on Saturdays in winter; in summer the schedule may open to additional days according to ESO availability.
How do I get there? Is there official transport?
For regular Saturday visits, ESO does not provide transport: Paranal is ~130 km south of Antofagasta on Route 1; La Silla is ~160 km north of La Serena. A private vehicle is required and ESO sends access instructions upon booking confirmation. For special night events, access is exclusively via the ESO bus (round trip) — arriving by private vehicle is not permitted. Pick-up points and times are communicated to registered participants once the event is confirmed.
What are special night events and how do I register?
Night events are special limited-date visits, separate from regular Saturdays. Spots are capped at 40 per event and assigned in registration order. Dates are announced on ESO's social media — @eso.chile on Instagram and @ESOChile on Facebook — follow them to know when new registrations open. Access is exclusively via the ESO bus (round trip): arriving by private vehicle is not allowed. Pick-up points and schedule are shared with registered participants once the event is confirmed. Maximum 4 people per registration.