USA Total Solar Eclipse 2024 with Dr John Mason (16 day tour)

Date: 26 March 2024 

Welcome to Albuquerque! Your adventure begins at 6:30 pm where you’ll meet your group and local leader for a welcome meeting before getting to know your fellow travelers over an included welcome dinner. 

If you arrive early, there’s plenty to explore. Downtown is in the midst of an ongoing multimillion-dollar revitalization, and is now home to bustling restaurants, trendy shops, art galleries and a lively entertainment district. Swing by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science to take a journey through New Mexico’s past, from the formation of the universe to the present, and visit the museum’s planetarium.  

Accommodation: The Clyde Hotel or similar 

Meals Included:  

• Welcome Dinner 

Date: 27 March 2024 

Today starts with a guided tour of the Very Large Array, one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories. It consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin, 80 km (50 miles) west of Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna is 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter. 

Later, take a ride on the Sunset Sandia Peak Tram. Rising from the hustle and bustle of Albuquerque, you’ll ascend one of America’s most stunning urban peaks, reaching the 3163-meter crest of the Sandia Mountains where a panoramic view awaits. 

Please note that you will reach a high elevation on the tram ride.                       

Accommodation: The Clyde Hotel or similar 

Included Activities: 

• Very Large Array Tour 

• Sunset Sandia Peak Tram Ride 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Box Lunch 

Date: 28 March 2024 

Today you will leave Albuquerque and start the journey to Santa Fe. 

This evening you’ll spend some time stargazing. The preserve boasts some of the darkest night skies in the world and was declared an official International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association in 2021. 

Accommodation: Governor’s Inn Hotel or similar 

Included Activities: 

• Stargazing activity  

• Santa Fe City Tour, options include: Walking Architecture & Wine Tasting Tour, Churches of the Royal City Walking Tour, Bandelier Hiking Tour, Georgia O’Keefe Museum & Studio Tour (The plan is to allow travelers to choose desired tour option and group splits into smaller tours for the afternoon, before meeting for group dinner and heading to stargazing).  

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Lunch 

• Dinner 

Date: 29 March 2024 

This morning we’ll head north through the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mountains to reach Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo (formerly known as the San Juan Pueblo) – the first Spanish capital of New Mexico.  

You’ll visit the home of Puebloans Norma and Hutch Naranjo, where you’ll embark on a culinary adventure. Learn to bake traditional Native American Horno bread, kneading the dough and stuffing it with locally-sourced prune and cherry filling while Norma shares the rich history of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, “the place of strong people,” and their efforts to preserve their culture. Later, Hutch will show you how to load up the special beehive-shaped adobe ovens with bread, pastries, and gourmet surprises and teach you about their history.  

After a locally-sourced lunch made with seasonal ingredients, this afternoon you will travel just a few miles north to the Los Luceros Historical Site which borders the Rio Grande River. Long home to indigenous peoples, this area was settled by the Luceros and Ortiz families in the 1700s before socialite-turned-farmer, Mary Cabot Wheelwright, took ownership of the ranch in the early 1900s and hosted shamans, artists and writers.  

You will have the chance to explore the grounds and historic buildings on your own – from acres of fruit orchards and groves of Cottonwood trees to a restored capilla (19th-century chapel) and Victorian guest house. Just want to relax? Take in rare views of the Jemez mountains and decompress on the pristine banks of the Rio Grande.                                         

Accommodation: Governor’s Inn Hotel or similar 

Included Activities: 

• Hands-on Horno Baking in a Puebloan Home 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Lunch 

Date: 30 March 2024 

Today you’ll drive south to Alamogordo, stopping along the way for rest breaks and lunch. This evening share dinner with the group before a stargazing session at White Sands National Park. You’ll return to explore the park further on Day 7. 

Accommodation: Hotel or similar 

Included Activities: 

• White Sands National Park 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

Date: 31 March 2024 

A full day of exciting activities today. Visit New Mexico’s Museum of Space History and Sunspot Solar System Observatory. 

Start the day with a visit to the New Mexico Museum of Space History, which is devoted to the history, science and technology of space travel. See authentic ‘moon rock’ and rare replicas of the first man-made satellites, Sputnik and Explorer, and wander the International Space Hall of Fame, which recognizes accomplishments of people around the world who have contributed to the quest for space. 

Next, drive through Cloudcroft and Lincoln National Forest towards Sunspot Solar Observatory. The route will take you along the largest solar system model west of the Mississippi. Set at a scale of 1:250 million, the distance from Cloudcroft, NM to the Visitor Center in Sunspot is scaled to correspond to the distance between the sun and the dwarf planet Pluto. The other planets are placed along the way to scale with their distance from the sun. Driving at 35 mph on NM Route 6563, to scale, you are moving approximately 10 times faster than the speed of light!  

Located at an altitude of 2804 m (9200 ft) in the scenic Lincoln National Forest, Sunspot Solar Observatory is home to gorgeous vistas, historical landmarks, and one of the largest active solar telescopes in the world. The Dunn Solar Telescope, built in 1969, remains to date one of the best ground-based solar observatories in the world.   

Finishing the day by visiting Apache Point Observatory. The Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation, or APOLLO, is a project at the Apache Point Observatory. It is an extension and advancement of previous Lunar Laser Ranging experiments, which use retroreflectors on the Moon to track changes in lunar orbital distance and motion.                                             

Accommodation: Hotel or similar  

Included Activities: 

• New Mexico’s Museum of Space History 

• Sunspot Solar System Observatory 

• Apache Point Observatory

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Box Lunch 

Date: 1 April 2024 

Today, journey from Alamogordo to Las Cruces where you will revisit White Sands National Park. Nestled between the Tularosa Basin between the Sacramento and San Andres Mountain ranges of southern New Mexico, the glistening white dunes of White Sands National Park are incredible to see.  

Stop by the visitor center to learn more about the rich ecosystem around you before taking a scenic 45-minute drive, stopping for walks on the sand, photography and the chance to hear more about the park’s natural and cultural history.         

Accommodation: Hotel Encanto or similar  

Included Activities: 

• White Sands National Park 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

Date: 2 April 2024 

After breakfast, it is time to head to Spaceport America, near the curiously named town of Truth or Consequences. Take a tour of the world’s first purpose built commercial spaceport before heading on to Las Cruces.                                                                                                                   

Accommodation: Hotel Encanto or similar  

Included Activities: 

• Space port America Tour 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Dinner 

Depart Las Cruces and cross state lines to reach Alpine, Texas, stopping in Marfa en route if time allows. Later you’ll visit the McDonald Observatory for a special viewing of the night sky using their powerful telescopes. 

Accommodation: Hampton Inn or similar  

Included Activities: 

• McDonald Observatory 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Box Lunch 

Date: 4 April 2024 

Today’s drive is quite long but Dr John Mason will keep you entertained with a short talk whilst you are in the vehicle. You’ll also stop for plenty of breaks en route to Fredericksburg. 

Founded by German settlers in 1846, the town’s roots are evident today in its charming historic Main Street, which offers some 150 shops, art galleries, museums, bakeries and restaurants in a walkable setting. 

Accommodation: Hampton Inn or similar 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Box Lunch 

Date: 5 April 2024 

Make your way along Fredericksburg Wine Road 290 and pass by 22 award-winning wineries. Today is a longer travel day, but we may find time to stop for a winery visit. Upon arrival in Johnson City, you’ll take a tour of LBJ Ranch and the former home of Lyndon B Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, known as the ‘Texas White House’.  

For lunch, chow down on some classic Texan food and local wine at the iconic Salt Lick BBQ & Salt Lick Cellars. Travel on to Austin, where you could explore the city on an optional tour and experience Texas-style street food at Austin’s abundant food trucks.                

Accommodation: Hampton Inn or similar  

Included Activities: 

• Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park 

• Iconic Texas Restaurant: Salt Lick BBQ & Salt Lick Cellars 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Lunch 

Date: 6 April 2024 

The main event is just around the corner, so today you’ll make your way to San Antonio. Once you’ve settled in, venture out for a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed San Antonio Missions. Explore the grounds at Mission Concepción, San José, San Juan, and Espada; view original frescos at Mission Concepcion – the oldest unrestored stone church in the nation; learn about life at the missions at Mission San Jose, the Queen of the Missions; and spot birds and wildlife along the new Mission Reach Hike and Bike Trail.           

Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio Hill Country or similar   

Included Activities: 

• San Antonio Mission UNESCO World Heritage Tour 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

Date: 7 April 2024 

The day before the solar eclipse, you will visit the Curtis Vaughan Jr.Observatory, home to a research grade 16" Meade LX200 Advanced Coma Free telescope that was donated to UTSA for scientific research for physics and astronomy students. Currently, it is being used in tracking asteroids and minor orbiting bodies within our solar system for orbital tracking.                                                     

At 5 pm, you will attend a short eclipse briefing to hear how the next 24 hours will go. 

Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio Hill Country or similar   

Included Activities: 

• Curtis Vaughan Jr. Observatory 

• Eclipse Briefing 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Hors D’Oeuvres/Light Dinner 

• Food Trucks 

Date: 8 April 2024 

Today is the big day! Eclipse site details will be released closer to departure – however Dr John Mason will ensure that you find the perfect ranch location from which to witness the eclipse. Refreshments and snacks will be provided throughout this exciting day. 

Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio Hill Country or similar   

Included Activities: 

• Full eclipse day with lecture given by Dr John Mason 

Please note that 3 groups will be meeting at the eclipse site with a maximum number of 120 people gathered to watch the total solar eclipse with Dr John Mason. 

Meals Included:  

• N/A Lunch 

Date: 9 April 2024 

Today is a day for you to relax or explore at your leisure. In the evening you are welcome to attend a post-eclipse event where Dr John Mason will speak about the momentous occasion that you all experienced together the previous evening. 

Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio Hill Country or similar  

Included Activities: 

• Eclipse feedback event 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast 

• Dinner 

Date: 10 April 2024 

Your trip comes to an and today. After breakfast, you are free to start your journey home or continue your own adventures. 

Meals Included:  

• Breakfast