In the January 2006 issue of The Genre Traveler, “Demons to Devour the Sun!” (pg. 22) listed several tours to see the solar eclipse on March 29. I just got word of three more from on the go tours out of London — two to Egypt and one to Turkey. Here’s some more information.
Tour 1: Egypt Eclipsed
This tour includes the pyramids, Aswan and Philae Temple, Nile felucca cruising, Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, and Dahab on the Red Seacoast for swimming, snorkeling and relaxation. It also includes a trip to Alexandria and El Alamein. On March 29, you will be driven to a rocky, mountainous spot about 60 km west of El Alamein, to view the eclipse near Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Lunch will be provided and a local Egyptologist will be on hand to answer questions about the solar eclipse.
The 15-day tour departs on March 26. The cost is £529 per person, which includes all accommodation, guided sightseeing, most entrance fees, all transportation and breakfasts, one group lunch, one group dinner, arrival and departure transfers to and from Cairo airport.
Tour 2: Eclipsed in Egypt
This 11-day tour includes the pyramids, Nile felucca cruising, and a visit to the Valley of the Kings, as well as trips to Alexandria and the El Alamein. On March 29, you will be driven to a rocky, mountainous spot about 60 km west of El Alamein, to view the eclipse near Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Lunch will be provided and a local Egyptologist will be on hand to answer questions about the solar eclipse.
The tour departs on March 26 and costs £429 per person, which includes accommodation for 11 days, all breakfasts, guided sightseeing, transportation, one lunch, one dinner and arrival and departure transfers to and from Cairo airport.
Tour 3: Solar Eclipse Tour in Turkey – Chasing the Eclipse
This 10-day tour departs March 26 from Instanbul and includes visits to Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Roman ruins, the Aegean coast, Troy, Gallipoli and a viewing of the solar eclipse on the vast Anatolian steppe. On March 29, you will travel just south of Hacibektas, a rural terrain 100km west of Ankara, to view the eclipse. They plan to be there from 12 to 2pm, as the total eclipse passes through there at 1:04pm local time and lasts about 3 mins. Lunch will be in a nearby village during the afternoon tour after the eclipse, and eclipse glasses will be provided.
The cost is £499 per person, which includes all accommodation, guided sightseeing, transportation, arrival and departure transfers to and from the airport in Istanbul and all breakfasts, most lunches and five group dinners.
Please note that all these tours exclude flights to and from the departure points. To book your trip, contact:
on the go tours
68 North End Road
West Kensington, London W14 9EP
UK Tel: 0207 371 1113
US Tel: 877-541-0882 (toll free)
www.onthegotours.com
info@onthegotours.com
