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China Solar Eclipse 22 July 2009 - Great Wall & Warriors Eclipse - 9 day tour
Next Solar Eclipse in China
 "Click to enlarge - Tour Map -")
Day 1 - Beijing
Welcome to China and the start of your holiday! Enjoy an arrival transfer to our hotel. Overnight - Beijing
Day 2 - Tiananmen Sq & the Forbidden City
Beijing - breakfast. This morning, we enjoy a Welcome Meeting. We then explore the centre of Beijing including massive Tiananmen Square and the sprawling Forbidden City. Boasting some 9999 rooms, the city within a city was once the sole preserve of the Chinese emperors. Tonight, we enjoy a Welcome Dinner at a city restaurant. Dinner and overnight - Beijing
Day 3 - The Great Wall
Beijing - breakfast. Today, we drive beyond Beijing to Badaling, where we can walk a section of the famous Great Wall. It’s a steep walk, but the photo opportunities are worth a million dollars! Continuing, we explore the nearby tombs of the Ming Emperors and enjoy a visit to a cloisonne workshop. Lunch and overnight - Beijing
Day 4 - Summer Palace
Beijing - Xi’an - breakfast. Strong stomachs today, if you are game to try a few unusual delecacies in the local street market. Later we visit the Silk Alley markets and the Summer Palace, set on Kunming Lake. A drive past the 2008 Olympic stadium commonly referred to as the ‘birdsnest’ and aquatic centre. Overnight soft sleeper train to Xi’an.
Day 5 - Xi’an/Terracotta Warriors
Xi'an - breakfast. Arrive Xi’an and transfer to hotel. We visit the Terracotta Warrior archaeological site where some 7,000 warriors stand in battle ready position, a factory that shows how the terracotta figurines are crafted and Huaqing Hot Springs. Tonight, optional Tang Dynasty Bolt-on, with dinner and performance. Lunch and overnight - Xi’an.
Day 6 - Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Xi’an - Shanghai - breakfast. Exploring the city, we visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, enjoy a bike ride on top of the City Wall and check out the Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque. Later, we board our overnight express train bound for Shanghai. Lunch and overnight - sleeper train.
Day 7 - Shanghai
Shanghai - breakfast. Focus your eyes on spectacular Shanghai. Perhaps China’s most modern city, its amazing Pudong skyline is stunning. We enjoy a tour of the many city sights including Yuyuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple and The Bund, with a cruise on the Huangpu River. Overnight - Shanghai.
Day 8 - Suzhou water canals
Shanghai - Suzhou - Shanghai - breakfast. A sort of oriental Venice, ancient Suzhou is interwoven by a series of canals and pretty waterways. We enjoy a cruise on the Grand Canal, tour the Humble Administator’s Garden and visit a silk workshop. Lunch and overnight - Shanghai.
Day 9 - ECLIPSE on Shanghai
Shanghai - breakfast TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2009. Early this morning we drive south (for approx 1 hour) following the Shanghai coastline. Arriving at our eclipse location, a broad flat beach with clear visuals accross the East China Sea and above. Shanghai's coastline is the most favourable land based location within the eclipse path and additionaly offers one of the greatest time spans for overhead visual.
Poised and ready to witness the total Solar Eclipse scheduled to pass over at approximatey 08:40am. As the event unfolds the sky will change to a deep purple as the horizon falls into shades or orange and red. Then at the precise moment the sun will blacken over and the sky will fall into darkness. The brilliance will last for near 5 minutes and 56 seconds.
After the morning's performance and a wonderful grand finale to our tour we travel back to Shanghai where our tours concludes and onward departure transfer to the airport. International flights should be booked after 15:00pm allowing sufficient time for you to check in prior to your flight. Alternatively, extra nights accommodation are available should you require.
Tour Highlights
- Beijing - Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, UNESCO-listed Emperor's Summer Palace, Silk Alley markets, Cloisonne Factory, Hutong area of Beijing, Chinese Acrobatic Show
- Badaling - UNESCO-listed Great Wall of China, UNESCO-listed Ming Tombs
- Xi’an - UNESCO-listed Terracotta Warriors, Clay warrior workshop, Huaqing Hot Springs, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall and bike ride, Muslim Quarter, Great Mosque and market.
- Shanghai - Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jade Buddha Temple, The Bund and Old Shanghai, Yuyuan Garden, Huang River and skyline of Pudong City
- Suzhou - UNESCO-listed gardens, Grand Canal and waterways, Silk factory, Humble Administrator’s Garden
- TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OVER THE SHANGHAI COASTLINE - 22ND JULY 2009
Solar Eclipse Tour includes
- Breakfast daily, 3 lunches & Peking Duck Dinner in Beijing
- 5 nights 3 - 4 star hotels
- 2 overnight trains (soft sleeper cabin)
- Chinese acrobatic performance
- Rickshaw ride through Beijings Hutongs and local maket walk
- Xi’an - bike ride on medieval City Wall
- Louguantai Wild Animal Breeding Centre
- Airport arrival and departure transfer on day 1 and day 8
- Touring of Beijing, Badaling and Xi'an
- Tour leader escorted
- English speaking specialist guides at local sights
- All relevant transfers and transportation
Solar Eclipse Tour does not include
- International flights and visa
- Laundry, drinks, items of a personal nature
This tour is a 'Guaranteed Departure' tour. Have you considered your visa requirements? Tour Dates
Tour Prices
Additional Options
Make a ReservationPlease use our online booking reservation service where available - if you need any further assistance or to book please feel free to call or email us with your booking. Until you have received a receipted invoice (by post fax or email) your reservation has been recorded but not been confirmed. This is similar to an airline wait-listing. This may only affect you if we have had major changes to the tour. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||