Why La Palma?

With low humidity, minimal light pollution, and excellent weather conditions, La Palma offers near-perfect conditions for astrophotography. The Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, one of the world’s top observatories, is located here for good reason: 300+ clear nights per year, high altitude, and remarkable visibility of the galactic core—especially during midsummer, when darkness lasts up to seven hours each night.

What You’ll Photograph

The Milky Way core and full arch across a variety of dramatic landscapes
Star trails, stacked night sky images, and unique night-time compositions
Foregrounds such as volcanic craters, tajinaste flowers, observatories, telescopes, and more
Sunsets and endemic flora in golden hour light before night photography begins

Each evening, the group will split: one smaller group (2–3 participants) will attempt the technically complex Milky Way arch panorama, while others focus on alternative compositions including the core, star trails, and deep-sky elements. All participants will have the chance to photograph the arch if desired, depending on conditions.

Daily Schedule

6:30 PM – 4:00 AM: Photography in the mountains, starting with sunset
10:15 AM: Breakfast
Afternoon: Image processing tutorials, post-processing support, and rest

Indoor sessions will focus on image stacking, night sky editing, and capturing/processing panoramas. You’ll need a laptop with Lightroom and Photoshop installed to benefit fully from these sessions.

Accommodation & Meals

We’ll be based at Hacienda San Jorge, a peaceful hotel featuring a tropical garden, large pool, and beachside location. Spacious rooms include a kitchenette.
Breakfast and dinner included (late breakfast and early dinner tailored to our schedule)
Airport transfers provided by arrangement

What You’ll Need

Camera: DSLR or mirrorless (full-frame recommended)
Lens: Wide-angle (14–16mm, f/2.8 or faster) for night sky; other lenses for daytime
Tripod: Sturdy and essential
Remote shutter release (lockable)
ND filters (recommended for day photography)
Torches: One headlamp, one hand torchClothing: Warm layers, hiking boots with good grip

Skills Required: Comfort using manual and bulb modes. Prior experience with astrophotography is recommended. You should be fit enough to walk several miles in the dark, over uneven ground, and tolerate extended late-night sessions at altitude. Temperatures at night may be cold despite the season.

Weather & Flexibility

June typically brings 75% clear nights, plus another 15% with partially clear skies. If a night is completely clouded out, we’ll return to the hotel early and focus on coastal landscape photography the following day. Thanks to temperature inversions, mountain skies are often clear even when the island below is cloudy—frequently providing incredible cloudscape foregrounds.

Getting There

Fly to La Palma via:
Direct flights from Manchester or Gatwick (TUI)
Via Madrid (Iberia)
Via Tenerife (multiple carriers)

Flights are not included, and should be arranged once the tour is confirmed. Consider arriving the day before to acclimatize.

What’s Included

5 nights’ accommodation at Hacienda San Jorge
Daily breakfast & dinner
All on-island transport, including airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 6
Full photography tuition & post-processing instruction
Guided field sessions each night
Not Included: Flights, lunch (if needed), and drinks.

Schedule Summary

Meet: 1:00 PM on 7 June 2026 at Hacienda San Jorge
Depart: Midday on 12 June 2026
Group Size: Max 7 participants
Leaders: Robert Harvey & Abby Moule

Booking Information

Tour Cost: £2,300 (based on shared twin/double room)
Single Supplement: £230

Deposit: £900 due within 24 hours of booking confirmation
Balance Due: 28 February 2026