A once-in-a-lifetime adventure

Far East specialists Bamboo Travel still have space on their a once-in-a-lifetime small group adventure which combines the Naadam Festival in Mongolia with 2009’s total solar eclipse in China, the longest eclipse that will occur anywhere in the 21st Century.

Mongolia’s Naadam Festival
There is no better time to visit Mongolia than during its National Games, the Naadam Festival, when nomads from all over the country come together to compete in wrestling, archery and horsemanship. Our tour spends 2 days at the National Naadam Festival during which time you will witness the spectacular opening ceremony and see wrestling bouts, archery events and amazing horse races with boys as young as 5 years old competing. There are few national festivals that capture the soul of a nation in quite the way that the Naadam Festival manages to get to the heart of Mongolia. A truly unforgettable experience.

Mongolia’s wilderness
After all frenetic fun of the festival our tour heads out into the Mongolian wilderness in a convoy of 4x4 vehicles to explore the contrasting landscapes of endless steppe, towering sand dunes and rich river valleys. On this 5 day overland Mongolian adventure you will really get away from it all and experience the beauty and vast expanse of the Mongolia countryside. This section of the tour includes visits to nomadic families, ancient monasteries, therapeutic hot springs and offers a chance to see an astonishing variety of wildlife including the takhi wild horse which has recently been re-introduced in the wilds of Mongolia.

Scenic China
Saying farewell to Mongolia the tour moves to China taking in some of its most famous and picturesque scenery. Visits are made to Hangzhou in Eastern China, once described by Marco Polo as the most splendid city on earth, for a 2 night stay on the shores of West Lake and afterwards the tour continues into rural China for an overnight stay on the summit of the mesmerizingly beautiful Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). There will also be an opportunity to discover the time-forgotten scenes around the village of Hongcun before heading off to a prime spot from which to watch the eclipse.

The Eclipse
The highlight of the tour will be a chance to experience the solar eclipse in the company of a local astronomer who will answer questions and provide an insight into this rare natural phenomenon. Our viewing spot is an island on the Yangtze River which is in the central part of the corridor of totality, for the maximum effect of the eclipse. A total solar eclipse creates a surreal daytime darkness and in Eastern China this is expected to last between 5 and 6 minutes on the 22nd July.

As the sun moves behind the moon a premature dusk descends on earth, and all wildlife start preparing for their nocturnal activities. The main spectacle is when the sun becomes completely covered by the moon and the corona, the sun’s wild atmosphere, becomes visible around the moon’s periphery. Being the longest eclipse that will occur anywhere in the present century, this is a unique opportunity to closely observe the workings of a star.

This 19 day / 17 night small group tour departs the UK on 7th July 2009. Prices are from £2,895 per person sharing, with a single supplement of £425.

For more information and bookings, log on to Bambootravel.co.uk.