Kitt Peak is very much alive during the daylight hours and offers a variety of activities to enjoy. During the summer, the mountain is a great place to beat the desert heat.
Each tour, led by a docent, visits one of the large, historic telescopes of Kitt Peak. Telescopes are occasionally closed to the public for maintenance. The Visitor Center does its best to alert visitors of any changes to the regularly scheduled tours.
The program requires extensive walking. Most facilities visited are not wheelchair-accessible. Guests should wear comfortable walking shoes, and be able to walk the distances between the telescopes and climb stairs. Please let us know 24 hours in advance at kpvc@noirlab.edu or phone +1 520 318 8726 if you require mobility assistance.
This docent led tour visits the historic Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meterr Telescope. Check in at the Visitor Center by 1:15pm for this tour which starts at 1:30pm and lasts for approximately 1.5 hours.
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Strollers: Strollers or carry-on infants are not permitted.
- Advance reservation: Advance reservation is recommended, but not required unless the tour is fully booked. Walk-ins welcome.
- Discounts: Discounted tickets (20%) are available for seniors age 62 and older, groups of 8 persons or larger, active duty military with ID, and students with ID.
- Tohono O’odham Nation: This program is free to members of the Tohono O’odham nation (TON Tribal IDs will be checked at the arrival).
- ASTC Members: Tours are free for ASTC Members and immediate family members (ASTC Membership card will be checked upon arrival).
Terms and Conditions
For all activities you may cancel at any time up to 24 hours prior to the tour date without any penalty, except the Eventbrite fee.
If less than 24 hours notice is provided, tickets are non-refundable and cannot be rescheduled.
If we are forced to cancel the program ourselves we will make a full refund. We reserve the right to cancel part or all of the program in the event of natural or man-made hazards, threatening weather, power failures, or other safety concerns beyond our control. Even if conditions look pleasant near the program start but are anticipated to become hazardous hours later near the end of the program, we will cancel the program and refund the program fee.
If a last-minute emergency or other situation comes up that prevents some or all of your group from attending, please let us know as soon as possible as this will allow us to fill the empty space with others from our waiting list.
