TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IN CHINA
JULY 28 TO AUGUST 4, 2008

$1669. LAND ONLY per person, double occupancy. Add $723. for single supplement (if available).

      This is a 'land only' tour that begins and ends in Urumqi China and features the next total solar eclipse. Be aware that beginning July 25, 2008 prices for all services have been vastly increased due to the Beijing Olympics August 8-24. The prices quoted here all reflect those forecasted increases by our suppliers. It has been reported to us that 1.5 million domestic Chinese travellers and 750,000 foreigns are expected during the Olympic period. Hence we have put our most popular optional tour ahead of the eclipse package. However, the basic and post tour are nevertheless impacted by the peak Olympic pricing period.

PRE AND POST TOURS

Links are posted at the bottom of this web page, just after the description of the main tour.

     Our eclipse observation zone near the Mongolia/China border. Image background and eclipse plot courtesy X.Jubier and GOOGLE EARTH. The blue arrows represent the width of the total eclipse portion of the path and this is approximately 247km (153 miles).

Our itinerary

July 28 (Monday): ARRIVAL INTO BEIJING

      Arrive in Beijing on your own and our nice guide will meet you in the airport. You will then be transferred to your accommodations provided at the. Beijing Meihua Century International Apartment 5* hotel located in the center of Beijing .and the rest of the day is for you to explore the city. Overnight Beijing.

Beijing Meihua Century International Apartment

July 29 (Tuesday): BEIJING

     Beginning today, breakfast, lunch and dinner will be included daily. After

    The breakfast you will go to visit the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and get on traditional three-wheel cycles to see Hutong, Enjoy Kungfu Show in the evening- .Over night in Beijing Meihua Century International Apartment

Trishaw ride

July 30 (Wednesday): DUN HUANG

        Transfer to the Beijing airport for your flight to Dun Huang (Gansu Province) in western China. Upon arrival you will be met and taken on a tour of the Mogao Grottoes and the Museum. The Grottoes are one of the most important ancient sites of Buddhist culture, preserving nearly a thousand years of cave-temple architecture, clay sculpture, mural paintings, and manuscripts dating from the 5th to 14th centuries. They are carved into desert cliffs overlooking a river valley. There are a series of 500 caves, 2400 painted sculptures and 45000 square meters of frescoes.then in the evening you will take the train to Hami and over night in the soft sleeper train ,before leave we will prepare a room for you to take a shower.

July 31 (Thursday): DUN HUANG TO HAMI

       You will arrive at Hami in the early morning .The town of Hami is a small oasis at the remotest end of China. Known in the past as Kumul it was once an important caravan stop on the northern route of the Silk Road. Accommodations provided at the Hami Yiwu county.over night in the yurt

Hami city

August 1 (Friday): ECLIPSE DAY!

Expect a total eclipse like this!

Over night in the yurt and there is a performance for all of you.

August 2 (Saturday): HAMI TO Turpan

       the most important stop on the ancient silk road. Full day in Turpan.
- Gaochang Ancient City: The city's name means 'the King City'. It was founded during the first century B.C. and abandoned during the 15th century.
- Astana Tombs: where the ancient people of the Gaochang city are buried. It is famous for its terracotta figurines and tomb paintings
- The Flaming Mountain: Many years of volcanic activity have formed the unique crisscrossing gullies and ravines. During mid-afternoon the heat becomes intense as the sun's rays are reflected off the red rocks, as though the hillsides areengulfed by tongues of fire, hence the name.
Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves: It contains 83 caves dating from the Northern and Southern dynasties (317 - 589) to the Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368)

August 3 ( Sunday)Turpan – Urumqi.(B+L+D)

      Full day trip in Turpan and Take the coach to Urumqi the capital city of Xinjiang.
      Jiaohe Ancient City: which was the military center from the 1st century to 15th century,it's the only one city that consisted of the dug houses.
      Karez Well: The underground irrigation system and regarded as one of the three greatest man made project.
     Visit the Xinjiang Museum and the Ethnic Bazaar.

August 4 (Monday)Urumqi---- next stop

After the breakfast you will take the flight to your next stop .

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BASIC TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:

• accommodations in double/twin bedded rooms in 5 star hotels or yurt in the same category.
• bus transfers to/from solar eclipse site
• round trip transfers from Beijing airport to hotel in Beijing provided you arrive and depart with the tour group.
• Flight Beijing to Dunhuang.
• all road and other transport as indicated in the itinerary
• airconditioned bus transport
• entrance fees
• sightseeing per the itinerary
• baggage handling at all hotels
• Three meals as each day.
• local English speaking guides
• bottled water on the buses
• Hotel V.A.T (Value Added Tax), city tax, and service charges

BASIC TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• International airfare
• Any additional charge(s) and/or special documentations to be filled for importing/exporting telescopes (if even required)
• cost of visa to China
• cost of required vaccinations
• travel insurance (highly recommended)
• roundtrip Beijing airport to your hotel transfers IF YOU DO NOT ARRIVE/DEPART WITH THE GROUP
• beverages
• departure tax from China at end of tour
• optional excursions
• tips and gratuities
• personal expenses and anything else not included in the 'tour includes' features list

OPTIONAL TOURS

Post tour:5 Days Kashgar Adventure( for the bravers)

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PAYMENT SCHEDULE (per person)

BEFORE June 1, 2007......................USD$500. DEPOSIT.

After June 1, 2007................................. USD$1000. ADDITIONAL (total $1500)

MARCH 1, 2008................................. BALANCE DUE

CANCELLATION FEES (per person)

•  BEFORE june 1, 2007..................... USD$200.EXCEPT IF YOU FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR YOURSELF. THEN, NO PENALTY.

•  June 2, 2007- 1, MARCH 2008.............USD$500.

•  AFTER March 1, 2008 ....................... 100% OF THE TOTAL TOUR COST

  Xinjiang CITIC International Travel recommends that each client purchase adequate trip cancellation insurance, medical, baggage, accident and other personal effects insurance. Trip cancellation insurance must be purchased at time of initial deposit. Clients should be aware that we cannot guarantee the weather for this astronomical event or any other.

 
                           Please contact us via E-mail:

                         lesley@china-silkroad-travel.com