6-Hour Tour with Observation of the Stars 1242 with Lunch

The best part of this Tenerife outing is the change from daylight to darkness at Mirador El Retamar, high at 2,100 meters. You begin with solar viewing through a Coronado H-Alpha telescope, raise a glass of chilled wine for sunset, then return to the sky with a 12-inch Dobsonian telescope and live astrophotography of far-off galaxies.

I like the pairing of organic wine and homemade tapas with a serious astronomy program. I also like the short stop at the ancient El Pino Gordo, which gives the evening a bit of Canarian character before the telescopes come out. The main caution is group size: the tour is advertised for no more than eight, but one booking account found several vans combined, so confirm this point if a small group matters to you.

Key points to know before booking

• Solar viewing comes before stargazing: You use Coronado H-Alpha telescopes while there is still daylight, then switch to a 12-inch Dobsonian after sunset.
• El Retamar sits at 2,100 meters: Expect a high viewpoint, a sunset stop, and a long astronomy session in one place.
• The food is part of the experience: The final stop includes organic wine tasting and homemade tapas at Restaurante Finca Tres Roques.
• El Pino Gordo is an ancient tree: The pine is described as 700 to 800 years old and is visited mainly for a quick photo stop.
• The tour lasts about five to six hours: Thursday departures are listed from 5:00 PM, with the experience ending around 11:30 PM.
• Small group size needs checking: The stated limit is eight people, though one booking account reported being combined with other vans.

Why this evening works so well

Tenerife offers a natural rhythm for this kind of tour. You leave in the late afternoon, see a landmark in daylight, arrive at a high viewpoint for the sunset, and stay until the stars take over. Instead of treating astronomy as a quick add-on after dinner, this experience gives it a central role.

At $75, the price is reasonable if you want several separate activities folded into one outing. You are paying for transport with pickup offered, guided stops, wine, tapas, solar observation, night-sky viewing, and professional equipment. You are not simply buying a drive to a viewpoint.

The value depends on your priorities. If you want a polished dinner, a long mountain walk, or a full winery visit, this is not designed for you. If you want a compact evening that joins local food, Tenerife scenery, sunset, and astronomy, the mix makes good sense.

The most important practical point is timing. The tour starts at 5:00 PM on Thursdays and may finish as late as 11:30 PM. That makes it easy to fit into a Tenerife day, but it is not a short sunset stop. Plan for a full evening.

El Pino Gordo, a five-minute stop with real character

The first stop is El Pino Gordo, a huge pine described as one of the oldest and largest in the Canary Islands. Its age is estimated at 700 to 800 years, which gives this brief visit more weight than a routine roadside photo stop.

You get about 15 minutes here, with roughly five minutes used to reach the point of interest. This is not a long nature walk or a guided forest visit. You stop, take photographs, and see a distinctive old tree before moving on.

I like this opening because it gives the tour a sense of place. The evening is not only about looking upward through a telescope. You also get a small connection to Tenerife itself, through one of its notable natural sights.

Keep your expectations in check. Fifteen minutes is enough for photos, not for a slow exploration. If you want extended time among the trees, this stop will feel brief. As part of a five to six-hour program, though, it works as a clean introduction before the main stop.

Solar telescopes and sunset at 2,100 meters

The heart of the tour is Mirador El Retamar. At 2,100 meters above sea level, the viewpoint provides the setting for several activities in one place: solar observation, sunset viewing, a glass of chilled wine, photographs, and later stargazing.

The solar session uses Coronado H-Alpha telescopes. This matters because the experience does not wait for darkness before the astronomy begins. You can look at the Sun through equipment intended for solar viewing while the guide prepares the evening program.

You should treat the solar observation as a scheduled part of the visit rather than a casual look at the sky. The equipment gives the astronomy a clear focus, even before the stars appear. If you have never used a telescope for daytime viewing, this may be one of the more unusual elements of the tour.

The sunset is paired with a glass of chilled wine. That is a simple touch, but it changes the feel of the stop. You are not standing at a viewpoint for five minutes before being rushed away. The three-hour visit allows time for the light to fade and the next phase of the evening to begin.

The tour also includes photographs as a gift. The supplied details do not specify how many images you receive or how they are delivered, so you should not book this mainly for a professional photo package. Think of the photographs as a pleasant extra attached to the sunset portion.

At this elevation, conditions can matter. The experience requires good weather, and poor weather can lead to a new date or a full refund. That is sensible for astronomy, since clouds can affect both sunset and the night-sky session.

Stargazing with a 12-inch Dobsonian telescope

Once night arrives, the equipment changes. The session uses 12-inch Dobsonian telescopes, along with real-time astrophotography showing galaxies and other distant objects.

The telescope size is a useful detail. This is not being presented as a naked-eye star view with a guide pointing at a few bright objects. The program is built around hands-on telescope observation and live images of deep-sky targets.

Real-time astrophotography can be especially helpful if you are traveling with family or friends who find it hard to see faint objects through an eyepiece. A live image gives the group something clear to follow and makes distant galaxies feel less abstract.

The astronomy staff are described as professional astronomers, and the tour is built around their explanations and equipment. The supplied information does not provide their names, so you should not expect a named astronomer to be guaranteed at booking. What is clear is that the astronomy portion is more than a scenic pause.

The phrase one of the best skies in the world for stargazing is used to describe the setting. That is an enthusiastic claim, not a formal ranking you should treat as independently verified. Still, the tour’s high viewpoint, dedicated telescopes, and weather-dependent schedule show that night-sky viewing is the main reason to choose it.

The three-hour stay at El Retamar is a strong feature. You have time for the daylight program, sunset, and stars without moving between several viewpoints. The drawback is that you remain outside for a long period, often after dark. Wear clothing suited to the conditions, even though the supplied details do not specify an exact temperature or clothing list.

Wine, tapas, and lunch at Finca Tres Roques

The food portion takes place at Restaurante Finca Tres Roques and lasts about one hour and 30 minutes. You receive an organic wine tasting with homemade tapas.

This is described as lunch, although the departure and finish times make it part of an evening schedule. If you are hungry before the 5:00 PM departure, eat something light beforehand. The supplied details do not give a menu, portion sizes, or information about dietary substitutions, so do not assume the tapas replace a large dinner.

The wine and food have been among the strongest parts of the experience for me on paper because they give the astronomy a local, social frame. You are not only looking at distant galaxies. You also get to taste regional produce and sit down after spending time at the high viewpoint.

The organic designation may matter to you if you care about how the wine is made. Still, the details do not name the winery, grape varieties, or number of pours. If you are a serious wine collector, this is best viewed as a tasting component rather than a dedicated winery tour.

A very positive booking account described the tapas and wine tasting as tasty, and praised the team’s preparation and kindness from the tasting through the sunset and star observation. That matches the structure of the tour: the food is not an afterthought, but one of the three main pieces of the evening.

The small-group promise and what to confirm

The experience sets a maximum of eight people. That limit would be valuable during telescope viewing, since a smaller group means less waiting at the eyepiece and more room for questions.

There is one important qualification. A booking account reported that several vans were combined, despite the stated maximum of eight. That does not prove every departure is large, but it is enough to make group size a booking question rather than a guarantee you should take for granted.

If you care about a quiet astronomy session, ask for confirmation that the total group will remain at eight. Also ask whether people from different vans join the same telescope session. This is especially useful if you are choosing the tour for personal attention rather than simply for transport and access to the viewpoint.

The good news is that the same account still described the guide and astronomer as good, and said the promised activities took place. So the possible group-size problem appears to affect the atmosphere more than the basic program.

The overall rating is 4.8 from five ratings, which is encouraging but based on a small sample. I would place more weight on the repeated praise for the complete sequence, the food, and the staff than on the number itself.

Pickup, schedule, and the late finish

Pickup is offered, and a mobile ticket is available. The supplied details do not list every pickup neighborhood or a fixed meeting address, so check the exact pickup point during booking.

The published operating schedule lists Thursdays from 5:00 PM to 11:30 PM for the period from July 22, 2023 through June 17, 2026. Since the tour needs darkness and good conditions, the late finish is part of the design rather than a delay.

The stated duration is about five to six hours. The timed portions add up to roughly four hours and 45 minutes, before allowing for transfers and the movement between stops. That fits the advertised duration.

The route includes short travel sections. The first point of interest at El Pino Gordo is reached after about five minutes, and the trip to Mirador El Retamar takes about 15 minutes. The supplied details do not give the full transfer time to Finca Tres Roques, so do not plan your evening around exact minute-by-minute timing.

Pickup can make the tour easier if you do not have a car. It also means you can enjoy the wine tasting without needing to drive. That is a real part of the $75 value.

Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. No special walking difficulty is highlighted in the supplied details, but you should still be comfortable spending a long evening at a high viewpoint and outside after sunset.

Is $75 good value?

For $75, this is a strong bundle if you would otherwise pay separately for transport, a sunset viewpoint, wine tasting, and a guided astronomy session.

The most valuable inclusion is the equipment and astronomy staff. A regular sunset excursion may get you to a viewpoint, but it usually does not add solar telescopes, a 12-inch Dobsonian, and real-time images of galaxies. The food and wine help round out the cost, while pickup removes a transport problem.

The price is less compelling if you mainly want a winery visit. The wine tasting lasts about 90 minutes, while the El Retamar stop takes three hours. Astronomy is clearly the main event.

I would also factor in the weather risk. The tour can be canceled for poor weather, with a different date or full refund offered. That policy protects your money, but it cannot guarantee a clear sky on the replacement date.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Inside 24 hours, the payment is not refunded, and changes are not accepted. The experience can also be canceled if the minimum number of people is not reached, with a new date, another experience, or a full refund offered.

Who will enjoy this Tenerife evening most?

I would choose this tour if you want a well-packed evening and have a genuine interest in astronomy. It suits couples, families, and small groups who like the idea of moving from wine and sunset to telescopes without arranging several separate bookings.

It is also a good pick for people who do not have a rental car. Pickup, included food and wine, and a late return simplify an evening that could otherwise require careful driving and route planning.

You may want another activity if you dislike long stops, late nights, or uncertain weather. The three-hour session at El Retamar is the tour’s strength, but it can feel long if you only want a quick look at the stars.

I would also hesitate if you need a guaranteed intimate group. The stated limit is eight, yet one account found combined vans. Ask before paying if that detail affects your decision.

Should you book Stargazing 1242?

Book it if you want more than a standard sunset trip. The combination of an ancient pine, solar observation, chilled wine, sunset, homemade tapas, and telescope viewing gives you a varied evening for $75.

The best reason to go is the astronomy session at El Retamar. You get professional astronomers, Coronado H-Alpha solar telescopes, 12-inch Dobsonian telescopes, and live astrophotography of galaxies and distant objects. The strongest praise also centers on the capable staff and the tasty wine and tapas.

Before booking, confirm the pickup details, the final group size, and the food arrangements if you have dietary needs. If you are happy with a Thursday evening that may run until 11:30 PM, and you accept that clouds can change the plan, this is a practical and appealing way to experience Tenerife after dark.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately five to six hours. The listed Thursday schedule runs from 5:00 PM until 11:30 PM.

What astronomy equipment is used?

Daytime solar observation uses Coronado H-Alpha telescopes. Night observation uses 12-inch Dobsonian telescopes and includes real-time astrophotography of galaxies and distant objects.

Is pickup available?

Yes, pickup is offered. The specific pickup details are not provided in the supplied information, so confirm the location when booking.

What food and drink are included?

The experience includes a glass of chilled wine during the sunset stop, plus an organic wine tasting and homemade tapas at Restaurante Finca Tres Roques.

How many people can join the tour?

The stated maximum is eight people. One booking account reported that vans were combined, so confirm the group arrangement if a small group is important to you.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience may be canceled because it requires good weather. You will be offered a different date or a full refund.