USA Solar Eclipse Path of Totality and Photographic Tour

Start Location:  Las Vegas, NV

Finish Location:  Austin, TX

Accommodation: 7 nights hotel, 3 nights bush camping*

If you want to explore Las Vegas before the tour starts we recommend arriving a few days earlier. We can set up some optional experiences for you to enjoy, please inquire for details. 

Day 1 / Sunday, 31st of March 2024 Las Vegas

Included Activities: Guided rim walk and sunset experience

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Red Feather Lodge, Tusayan or similar

Day 4 / Wednesday, 3rd of April 2024   Oljato-Monument Valley, UT

We are back on the road heading for Oljato-Monument Valley, home to the largest Native American Tribe, the Navajo's. We will stop along the way at places of photographic interest. We will be meet a Navajo guide who will take us into the traditional lands of the First Nation People and teach us something of their culture and history whilst taking us to some fantastic locations. We are in an area with no light pollution perfect for photographing the Milky Way.      Drive time: 3 hours (300 kms)

Included Activities: Local Navajo guided tour through Monument Valley Tribal Park; Navajo Dinner and night tour as well as a early morning tour

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Goulding's Lodge Oljato-Monument Valley or similar

Day 5 / Thursday, 4th of April 2024      Albuquerque, NM

On our drive to Albuquerque we will stop at the Canyon de Chelly National Monument with it's towering rock faces and ancient Native Indian dwellings which nestle beneath the cliff faces and El Malpais National Monument for photos and lunch with a backdrop!     Drive time: 5 hours (500 kms)

Included Activities:  Stops at Canyon de Chelly National Monument and El Malpais National Monument

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Comfort Inn & Suites Albuquerque or similar

Day 6 / Friday, 5th of April 2024       Roswell, NM

We will take a interesting detour via White Sands National Park, a 275 square miles of desert of great wave-like sand dunes creating the world's largest gypsum dune field. The textures and shapes of the sand will give us many photo opportunities. We will also visit Lincoln National Forest, the birthplace of the world-famous Smokey Bear, the living symbol of the campaign to prevent forest fires. There are still black bears within the forest but they are rarely seen. We are staying overnight at Roswell, NM known AREA 51 and for numeracy reports of UFO sightings. If there is time you could visit the International UFO Museum and Research Centre (optional extra)   Drive time   5.5 hours (560 kms)

Included Activities: White Sands National Park, Lincoln National Forest 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:  Towne Place Suites Roswell or similar

Special information: Laundry available at hotel or nearby as we can prepare for the next 3 nights bush camping where we will have limit access to water. 

Day 7 / Saturday, 6th of April 2024       Bend, TX

We have a long drive from Roswell to our Eclipse Ranch camping location. We will break the journey with some comfort breaks and some places of photographic interest along the road. We will arrive late afternoon to set up and settle into our rustic campsite on 587 Ranch. After our guides have pitched tents we will have our first camp dinner under the Stars. Our bush camp site for the next 3 nights is in a complete dark sky location and as there is no moon during our stay we will be able to spend our evenings photographing the Milky Way.      Drive time: 6 hours (700 kms)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Bush Camping at 587 Ranch

Day 8 / Sunday, 7th of April 2024    Bend, TX

Today, due to our close proximity to our overnight camp, we are exploring at Colorado Bend State Park. We can enjoy great walks along the river, take photos of the waterfall. After lunch at camp we will drive south to the picturesque Enchanted Rock to make it to the summit with great views. Dinner and relaxing along the campfire at camp.

Drive time: 4 hours (280 kms)

Included Activities: Visit Colorado Bend State Park and Enchanted Rock State Park

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 / Monday, 8th of April 2024     Bend, TX

Prepare for a once in a lifetime experience, we will settled in on our viewing spot and get ready for the total eclipse! Our location offers 4 minutes, 13 seconds of totality! This is what we can expect:

Obscuration:100.00%

magnitude:1.0216

Duration of eclipse: 2h, 40m, 30s 

Duration of totality: 4m, 13s

Partial begins8 Apr 2024 at 12:15:59 pm

Full begins8 Apr 2024 at 1:33:19 pm

Maximum8 Apr 2024 at 1:35:28 pm

Full ends8 Apr 2024 at 1:37:37 pm

Partial ends8 Apr 2024 at 2:56:29 pm

Day 10 / Tuesday, 9th of April 2024    Austin, TX

Time to battle traffic and make our way out of the wilderness to our final destination of the city of Austin, TX and enjoy the luxury again of a hotel and a hot shower. Depending on traffic we make visits and stops along the way or in the city.  We will celebrate the offical end of our time together with a farewell dinner.     Drive time: Technically 2 hours but it will depend on traffic (150 kms). If we arrive in Austin in time we will have an optional visit to The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s 284 acres are a mix of cultivated gardens, an arboretum, managed natural areas and wild lands. (entry own cost) 

Included Activities:  Visit Hamilton Pool Preserve if traffic permits

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: La Quinta  Austin or similar

Day 11 / Wednesday, 10th of April 2024     Austin, TX

Unfortunately our last breakfast together. Depending on the time of airport transfers we may manage to squeeze in a spot of street photography on the streets of Austin before departure. 

 Airport drop off: Included.     Drive time: 30 minutes (10 kms)

* This Eclipse will pass through much of the North American continent. It hits land first in Mexico before heading in a line across the USA from Texas to Maine and then into Canada. As it's Springtime we decided that Texas had the least chance of a totally cloudy sky or rain but we can obviously not guarantee that Mother Nature will not rain on our parade. We have chosen a private location for the Eclipse which will put us in a totally dark sky area with no light pollution. The only other people there will be those camped on the ranch and we understand that we will be able to find a spot away from the camping area to set up our tripods to fully enjoy watching the moon covering the Sun until we reach totality which we will experience for 4 minutes and 13 secs. 

Whilst it is the ideal spot for Eclipse watching the downside of choosing this location is that it not a regular campsite with full facilities, we will be essentially camping in the middle of a working cattle ranch normally home to long horn cows.  Our guides will supply us with 2 man tents to share which are tall enough for the average person to walk in too. We can not guarantee that if you have paid the single supplement hotel price you will have your own tent as we have a limit of tents and tent sites. We will have camp beds to sleep but you will need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow. ( We can arrange for these to be purchased for you ahead of time at additional cost). They will also set up a camping shower but there will be limited water associated with that as we have to bring all our water into the camp site.  The Ranch will supply portaloos or portapotties (hopefully only a short walk away). We-Venture will supply a limited electricity supply with generators so that we can recharge batteries etc. 

Exclusions:

• International Flights
• Any visas required
• Services not mentioned in the itinerary

• Late check out at hotels

• Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary

• Drinks with included lunches and dinners

• Tips for leaders, guide and driver

• Expenditure of personal nature

• Personal Insurance
• Optional activities

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