Registering for a guided tour
Visit Paranal from your armchair with our Virtual Tours. Click on the thumbnail below to experience a 360° visit to the Paranal Observatory and Armazones, the future home for the planned E-ELT.
Guided tours for tourists and the general public are offered on the last two weekends of every month, except in December.
| Arrival on Paranal | Start of Tour | |
| Saturday | 13:30 | 14:00 |
| Sunday | 09:30 | 10:00 |
| Sunday | 13:30 | 14:00 |
The guided tours are free of charge, but registration is required as there is limited space. Large groups are asked to register as far in advance as possible.
To register for a visit to Paranal, please submit the Visitor Form or contact Paranal at +56 55 435335 or parvisit@eso.org via email.
Every visitor to Paranal (or any ESO site) must read and sign the Release Form in English or Spanish. Once signed, the form must be delivered on arrival at the observatory gate. An emailed copy of the form can unfortunately not be accepted.
Additional information is available on the following pages:
How to reach Paranal
Currently the Paranal Observatory does not offer transport to tourist visitors. Please follow the link for useful information on how to reach Paranal. You should arrive at the Observatory 30 minutes before the start time of the tour.
The road is completely paved so special vehicles are not necessary.
While on Observatory roads, it is mandatory to use a safety belt and to keep to the posted speed limits. If you do not have a valid Chilean or International Driver's License, you will not be allowed to drive at Paranal.
If you hire transport, we recommend that you make sure that the bus/ vehicle has a maintenance license that is up to date, has seat belts for all passengers and also passenger insurance.
While on Paranal
- All buildings and public areas on Paranal are non-smoking.
- During your visit, you must stay with the ESO guide at all times. In an emergency, always follow the guide’s instructions.
- The Paranal Observatory permits photographs and videotaping during the tours.
- Paranal’s basecamp is located at 2456 metres altitude. The telescopes are at 2600 metres altitude. We recommend that you do not walk quickly.
- Ask questions! The more questions you ask, the more you will learn. The guides are trained to answer your queries.
General health recommendation
The average humidity on Paranal is between 2 and 10%. It is important to drink plenty of bottled water or juice to avoid dehydration.
Do not drink water from the taps.
You are welcome to bring a light snack or lunch. There are no facilities on site that offer meals. We recommend that you limit intake as excess can cause stomach inflammation and digestive problems at high altitudes. You will be allowed on site half an hour before the tour is scheduled to begin, and restroom facilities are available.
Please do not throw bottles, garbage or drop any other litter while at Paranal.
Clothing
Paranal is located on a remote site in the middle of the driest desert in the world. You may be exposed to strong winds, high solar radiation and dust from construction or maintenance areas.
Please wear appropriate clothing such as trousers, walking shoes (no sandals), sunglasses, etc. We recommend a jacket or sweater for the VLT enclosures, which are kept at 5–11 ° C.
Safety
If you experience any of the following during the tour, please inform the ESO Guide immediately: acute headache, dizziness, breathing problems, ringing or blocking of ears, heart pains, acute muscular pains or seeing “stars”.
