The Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM) is located at an altitude of 2.396 m above sea level, on the north edge of the La Caldera de Taburiente National Park, in the municipality of Garafía, on the Island of La Palma (Spain).
The ORm entrance is next to the LP-4 road, the road that crosses the island from Santa Cruz to Garafía. It is possible to reach the ORM by car or taxi, but it is not possible the access with regular buses (guaguas) as the ORM is not covered by the usual routes of these lines.
Access from Santa Cruz
From the airport, take the LP-5 direction to Santa Cruz. Just before entering the city, turn left to the LP-20. Drive through the tunnels until reaching the LP-1, and turn left (LP-4) following the indication to the ORM. After a few kilometers, turn right at the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. Drive for ~34 km, and turn left at the ORM entrance.
By taxi, the approximate fares are 50€ (from the airport) and 45€ (from the CALP, Astrophysics Center of La Palma)
ORM access from Garafía
The ORM is located ~21 km from Garafía, which is in turn about 60 km from Santa Cruz.
NOTICE: Due to the high mountain characteristics of the road, we recommend extreme caution on driving. Depending on the bad weather conditions, it is possible that either access is closed, especially in winter time. It is recommended to verify the road conditions before starting the trip, by calling the Guesthouse (Tel:+34 / 922 405 500; internal call: 2500).
Useful links:
La Palma airport
AEMET weather alert web page