solar eclipse 2009
great wall & warriors eclipse - 9 days
 Tour Information
Starts in: Beijing
Ends in: Shanghai
Departs: Tuesday 14th July 2009
Prices and Departure info: Click here
Breakfast: 8, Lunch: 4, Dinner: 1
Hotel rating: 3 - 4 
Local Payment Required: No
Tour leader Escorted: Yes
ECLIPSE: 22nd July, totality 09.36 am
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. Tonight enjoy an incredible acrobatic show. 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 ‘birds nest’ 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 Administrator’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, the moon will first touch the sun at 08.23, with totality beginning at 09.36. As the event unfolds the sky will change to a deep purple as the horizon falls into shades of orange and red. Then at the precise moment of totality the sun will blacken over and the sky will fall into darkness. The brilliance of totality will last for 5 minutes.
08.23am - Moon first touches the sun - start of the eclipse
09.36am - Start of totality. 09.41am - End of totality. Duration 05.00mins
11.01am - Moon is no longer visible on the sun - end of the eclipse
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.
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