Eclipses appear often in the mythology and literature of different cultures and different ages, most often as symbols of obliteration, fear, and the overthrow of the natural order of things. The word eclipse comes from a Greek word meaning ‘abandonment’. Quite literally, an eclipse was seen as the Sun abandoning the Earth.
A recurring and pervasive embodiment of the eclipse was a dragon, or a demon, that devours the Sun. The ancient Chinese would produce great noise and commotion during an eclipse, banging on pots and drums to frighten away the dragon. The Incas too, tried to intimidate the creatures that were eating the Sun.
In India they took a different tack - people would immerse themselves up to the neck in water, an act of worship they believed helped the Sun fight off the dragon. What power does knowledge have over fear?
Does knowing how something works diminish its beauty and mystery? Or is the beauty of the World deepened by understanding the things we see? As you watch the total solar eclipse along with us on August 01, 2008 and learn more about eclipses, ask yourself how your perception of this unique event is affected by the things you're learning.
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Sat, Jul 26, 2008 - Arrive Beijing
Our ‘Follow the Sun…’ tour in China starts with a warm welcome at the Beijing Int’l airport, by our hosts. After clearing customs & immigration we are transferred to our hotel. Balance of the day is free. Overnight: Hotel Holiday Inn Temple Of Heaven, Beijing (2 nights)
Day 2: Sun, Jul 27, 2008 – Beijing
Our full day sightseeing in Beijing starts with the famous Tiananmen Square – the largest downtown Square of the World. We’ll stroll around the square, and later from the North end of Tiananmen Square we will enter the Forbidden City. This was the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Rectangular in shape, the Forbidden City is the World largest Palace Complex and it is a World Heritage Site. We’ll explore the Forbidden City along the central axis from south to north for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Included: B, D.
Day 3: Mon, Jul 28, 2008 - Beijing / Xian (flight)
This morning we’ll take a domestic flight to Xian where the Silk Trade first started. Xian, the eternal city, is the capital of Shaanxi province, located in the southern part of the Guanzhong Plain. With the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Weihe River to the north, it is in a favorable geographical location surrounded by waters and hills.
Called Chang'an in ancient times, Xian is one of the birthplaces of the ancient civilization in the Yellow River Basin area. The cultural and historical significance of the area, as well as the abundant relics and sites, helped Xian enjoy the laudatory title of 'Natural History Museum'. Overnight: Garden Hotel, Xian (2 nights). Included: B, D.
Day 4: Tue, Jul 29, 2008 - Xian
Today we’ll have a full day excursion to the Banpo Village, to see the famous Terracotta Warrior Museum. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th Century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum.
Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses are sensational archaeological finds of all times. Has been listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world’s cultural heritages. Afternoon we’ll go to another “must to see” place: the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Included: B, D.
Day 5: Wed, Jul 30, 2008 - Xian / Dunhuang (flight)
We’ll leave this morning Xian and fly to Dunhuang. The oasis town of Dunhuang lay at a crucial junction of the Silk Road, that ancient braid of caravan trails, which served as a highway not just for merchandise, but also for ideas - religious, cultural and artistic.
By the 4th Century AD, the Silk Road had brought Dunhuang both commercial prosperity and a growing Buddhist community. Here will visit the Mogao Grottoes and the Marvelous Crescent Spring. Overnight: Dunhuang Hotel, Dunhuang (1 night). Included: B, D.
Day 6: Thu, Jul 31, 2008 - Dunhuang / Hami (drive)
Early in the morning we leave Dunhuang and drive to Hami (approx. 400 km), our location for observing the Total Solar Eclipse. Upon our arrival and after check-in, we’ll have some free time to walk around the city square and mingle with other Solar Eclipse enthusiasts, arrived from all corners of the World. Overnight: Jlageda Hotel, Hami (2 nights). Included: B, D.
Day 7: Fri, Aug 01, 2008 - Hami & Eclipse viewing
In the morning we’ll have a short visit at Hami. This ‘Silk Road’ city, called Kunmo in ancient times and Yiwulu under the Han Dynasty, was upgraded to the level of a prefecture in 1884 under the administration of the central government. In 1913, the second year of the Republic of China, Hami and its area was named as a county.
Afternoon we drive to Nanshankou village, about 60 km from Hami - our Eclipse viewing site. The local eclipse contact times will be: First contact (eclipse begins) at 18:09, Second contact (totality begins) at 19:08, Third contact (totality ends) at 19:10, Fourth contact (eclipse ends) at 20:05. Duration of totality is 1m 54s. After this unique and exceptional event we will return to our hotel in Hami. Included: B, L.
Day 8: Sat, Aug 02, 2008 - Hami / Turpan (drive)
This morning, we leave early again, as wee will drive to Turpan, about 400 km from Hami. Located in a depression, approximately 80 meters below sea level, Turpan is a dry and extremely hot city. Nicknamed the "Oven", temperatures in the summer soar to 40° C. In contrast, winters are bitterly cold with temperatures often dropping to -15° C.
Turpan is synonymous with grapes and wine, which is the area’s most famous product. Despite the stifling heat and dry climate, delicious and succulent grapes are cultivated here due to an ingenuous irrigation system installed over 2,000 years ago that transfers water from the glaciers. Upon our late afternoon arrival, we’ll check in to our hotel. Overnight: Oasis Hotel, Turpan (2 nights). Included: B, D.
Day 9: Sun, Aug 03, 2008 - Turpan
Our tour today starts with the Bizaklik - the Thousand Buddha Caves. The Caves are located in the Flaming Mountains' Mutou Valley. They were called the Ningrong Grottoes in the Tang Dynasty. There are 77 numbered grottoes, about 40 of which still have murals in them.
The group of grottoes in Bizaklik, with a total of 1,200 square meters of murals, has the most grottoes most diversified architectural styles and the richest mural content in the Turpan area. The oldest grottoes were hewn in the period of Qushi Gaochang from the Tang Dynasty right up to the Yuan Dynasty in the thirteenth Century. It was an important Buddhist gathering place.
In the afternoon we will enjoy the visit & the grapes (and wine – of course) in the Grape Valley. Here we’ll have the chance to see the famous Karez irrigation System. The structure of the Karez basically consists of wells, underground channels, ground canals and small reservoirs.
In Spring and Summer, a great amount of melting snow and rainfall flow down from the Bogda and Karawuquntag Mountains north and west of the Turpan Depression into the valleys and then seep into the Gobi Desert. Overnight: Xinjiang Grand Hotel, Urumqi (1 night). Included: B, D.
Day 10: Tue, Aug 05, 2008 - Urumchi / Beijing / Homebound -
or better continue on with us with a Tibet overland journey: Day 10: Shortly after breakfast we take our first flight of the day, to the Capital City of Szechuan, Chengdu.
From here we connect flight to Lhasa, the main gate for Tibet. Here our adventure across Tibet starts, as we are welcome by our guide and driver at Gonggar airport (90 km from Lhasa) and later transferred to our hotel in Lhasa. Overnight: Dhood Gu Hotel, Lhasa (3 nights). Included: B, D.
Day 11: Wed, Aug 06, 2008 - Lhasa
Lhasa, the heart and soul of Tibet, in Tibetan language mean ‘The land of Gods’. Our today’s Lhasa visit will start with the Drepung Monastery. Drepung is one of the World’s largest monasteries and was built in 1416 by Jamyang Choje a pupil of Tshong Khapa, the founder of the Gelugpa Sect.
Drepung literally means “heaps of rice” and the fertility of its fields supported a monastic community that, before 1959, ranked-it as Tibet’s largest monastery with 7,770 monks. For over 500 years Drepung served as the major pillar of the theocratic state, serving as the main political headquarters for the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
It also served as the residence of the Dalai Lamas until the Potala Palace was constructed in 1645. Suffering only minor damage during the ‘Chinese Cultural Revolution’, Drepung has plenty of historical relics, Buddhist scriptures and arts. From here we drive to Sera Monastery. Its setting is one of the prettiest in Lhasa area, hugging the ridge that forms the Northern wall of the Kyi Chu Valley. Included: B, D.
Day 14: Thu, Aug 07, 2008 - Lhasa
Today we’ll visit the magical Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Market in Lhasa. Potala Palace has been the focus of Buddhist travelers for centuries. It is a cardinal landmark and a structure of massive proportions. This symbol of Tibet, an architectural gem, built in the colossal monastic style of Central Tibet by Gyelwa Ngapa, the fifth Dalai Lama in the 17th Century, stands 300 m above the valley, atop the hill called Marpo Ri.
The thousand rooms in Potala date from 1645 when the fifth Dalai Lama began erecting this Palace that would serve as a sacred and administrative center. It has served many succeeding Dalai Lamas and as one of Tibet’s most impressive and enduring monuments, the Chinese Army of Red Guards protected it during the ‘Cultural Revolution’.
As a result, many of its chapels and treasures are intact, virtually unchanged since the 17th Century. Next is the Jokhang Temple. Included: B, D.
Day 15: Fri, Aug 08, 2008 - Lhasa / Gyantse (drive)
The drive from Lhasa to Gyantse is a fulfilling experience. The road uphill meanders through stark desolate mountains, but beyond Kampa La Pass the scenery changes dramatically as we spot the turquoise-blue Yambrok Tso Lake for the first time.
The road runs parallel to the Lake for several kilometers until we reach Nakartse, an assuming town en route. Slowly we begin to ascend again and approach Karo La Pass (5010 m). As we reach the top of the pass the glacier that seems poised to crash down from Mt. Nechinghangsang is an amazing sight.
After a couple of hours the high wall of the Gyantse Dzong looms in the distance and it is the most striking feature of the town. The Gyantse Dzong is a very imposing feature of the town. We walk up the cobbled steps and labyrinths, which lead to the top and which gives us a bird’s eye view of the entire Gyantse town. The multi storied Kumbum Stupa beside, is an unusual architectural masterpiece.
Built in 1440 in the shape of a mandala, the Kumbum Stupa is distinguished by fine statues and murals dating from 15th Century inside its 112 chapels, of which only 23 are open to the public. The Pelkhor Choede Monastery that served the Gelugpa, the Sakya and the Buluk orders was built here in 1418 and has remained remarkably intact and unscathed till today.
The antique thankas, the colorful murals and several images that adorn the various chapels and the assembly hall are a delight. Overnight: Hotel Gyantse (1 night). Included: B, D.
Day 16: Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - Gyantse / Shigatse (drive)
After breakfast we leave for Shigatse, and visit en route Shalu Monastery, then in Shigatse the Tashilunpo Monastery and the local Market. A leisurely 2-hour drive along the asphalt road, a rare luxury along the dusty realms of Tibet, winds up at Shigatse the second largest town in Tibet.
Just a few kilometers before entering Shigatse, spread over fertile farmlands is the Shalu Monastery. The monastery stands in sharp contrast to all the other monasteries of the region. With glazed green tiled roofs and the Mongolian architecture it is set in a cluster of tall juniper trees. Included: B, D.
Day 17: Sun, Aug 10, 2008 - Shigatse / Shegar (drive)
The drive from Shigatse to Shegar covers a distance of 279 km and passes through several high passes, flat farmlands, and farmsteads that dot the dusty road. We should make preparations today for the high altitude that we will be exposed to. The road twists and tours and arrives at Gyatso La (5220 m), the highest point of the entire journey, which offers magnificent views over the Himalayas on a clear day.
We’ll take some time to absorb the impressive view of the north face of the world's highest mountains. Just a few miles from Lhatse, a small stopover on the highway, we take a dusty, unmarked road and drive 26 km to Shakya. Set among desolate and rustic surroundings, Shakya is unique in every sense. Grey buildings with red and white bands give an outwardly appearance.
Established in 1073 by Kongchok Gyalpo, the monastery holds an important place in Tibetan history, as it was from here the Mongols chose the Shakya Pundit to rule over Tibet. Shegar or New Tingri, as it is popularly known, lies in the ‘shadow’ of the Shegar Dzong. The first British mountaineers allowed into Tibet to attempt Mt. Everest in 1921 it’s said that have marveled at the grandeur of the Dzong, where they have established their first base camp en route to attempting the highest peak.
However it has been reduced to rubble today, though some remains of the once majestic Dzong can be seen still. Today the town has nothing much to offer but if you are interested, you could mail a post card home from here, marked as from the ‘highest post office in the World’. Overnight: Chomolongma Shanghai Hotel, Tingri (1 night). Included: B, D.
Day 18: Mon, Aug 11, 2008 - Shegar / Zhangmu / Kathmandu (drive)
After an early breakfast we leave Tingri and drive to Zhangmu, the ‘border city’ between Tibet and Nepal. This journey starts with an impressive close-up, right after Tingri, of the peaks of the Mt. Everest. The vistas are breathtaking and awe inspiring, and at Lalung La Pass the world's highest peaks seem to be within touching distance.
The road zigzags several kilometers and then we reach Nyalam. As we descend the dry barren hills slowly recede and tree lines begin to appear and eventually the desolate landscape is replaced and gives way to greenery. We later arrive to Zhangmu, an unassuming border town that ‘clings’ on to the face of a hill. It is an amalgam of small wooden houses with corrugated roofs and concrete building.
Apart from the immigration office, where we exit Tibet (China), it has nothing interesting to offer. After necessary immigration formalities at Kodari, the Nepalese side of the border, we follow the Arniko Highway and drive to Kathmandu, passing though several small towns and villages. It offers a ‘window’ to the Nepalese rural life as we make our way to the Capital City. Overnight: Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza (1 night). Included: B, D.
Day 19: Tue, Aug 12, 2008 - Kathmandu / Homebound
Today we leave Nepal, taking with us strong memories of what it is said to be the most ultimate cultural and observational experience ever, a Central Asian overland journey, partially along the 'Silk Route' and then across Tibet. Included: B.
Important Note: For your convenience, this tour will be offered in two modules: the first 11 days (including the Eclipse observation), and the full tour length.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
* Module 1: Full length – USD: 2,555.00 / CAD: 2,935.00 - per person in double occupancy. Single Supplement USD: 535.00 / CAD: 620.00
* Module 2: first 11 days – USD: 1,690.00 / CAD: 1,945.00 - per person in double occupancy. Single Supplement USD: 330.00 / CAD: 375.00
Also see tour packages in:
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China
Tibet
Nepal
Astronomy
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