Hiking the Inka Trail

By Elise Gochberg, Trip Participant 2007

I did a trip to Peru in 2008 with Far Horizons and it was the most amazing trip/adventure I have ever been on to date. And, I have traveled with various groups and locations and nothing compares to my experience in Peru with Far Horizons.

I did this trip for my 40th b-day with 6 girlfriends and it met every expectation I had and beyond. I think what stood out most about our trip was how well organized Far Horizons was and how they went above and beyond in making sure our trip was a success. We stayed at the most wonderful hotels all across Peru and ate at the most exquisite and interesting restaurants - 4 star all the way.

And Juan, our tour guide, was insightful, knowledgeable, kind and caring. He had lots of information and knowledge to share and he made sure that what we did each day met our needs and was flexible to any changes we required. Juan was such a cool guy and I can't imagine having a better tour guide with us!

We experienced various cities throughout Peru that were beautiful and wonderful - Lima and Cusco to name a few, but the real objective and experience of our trip was hiking the Inka Trail and hitting Machu Picchu. It was spectacular and awe-inspiring and we had the best time of our lives. And you can really see the difference in the groups and the camp sites while trekking - Far Horizons takes you on the trails and camp sites that are remote and are not crowded. When traveling with Far Horizons on this trek you understand why you are going with this group and not the others. The food is awesome, the guides are spectacular and the trip is planned and organized with precise detail that benefits the individual in so many countless and indescribable ways...

After experiencing Peru with Far Horizons I started thinking and planning the next trip with them. But, I am not sure anything will compare to Peru - the people and the living cultures are wonderful and it is a trip everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime!

La Cuidad de los Reyes

By Heather Stoeckley

Lima is much more than just a one-night stand for travelers to Peru. Preferring to quickly move onto Cuzco and Machu Picchu, or even Iquitos, the gateway for Amazonian explorations, most people choose to bypass any city sight-seeing and use Lima simply as a necessary layover from their international flights.

What first struck me about Lima was its brightly colored houses and buildings, painted intentionally in order to contrast against the often foggy skyline. As a San Francisco native, I immediately felt at home with this aesthetic (and climate). I began my journey in the historic quarter, where remnants of the city’s colonial past are ever present, particularly as you walk through the streets and peer up at the wooden balconies that characterize its buildings. After touring the cathedral and the magnificent Convent of Santo Domingo, I moved on to Barranco, an artistic district on the coast with a distinctly bohemian vibe. A short walk will take you to El Puente de los Sospiros, the Bridge of Sighs, where you can sit sipping a pisco sour and observe the sun setting into the ocean. And, as the gastronomic center of the Americas, Lima offers a fascinating variety of dining experiences that will leave your taste buds dancing! Known for its variety and quality, Peruvian food reflects the many influences of different civilizations which have passed through its borders... and Lima is the best place to sample these culinary achievements.

My recommendation: don’t skip this center of commerce, culture, and history. A day or two spent exploring the city Pizarro called, “The City of Kings,” will leave you yearning to discover more!

Into the Shadow and Beyond the Great Wall - The Solar Eclipse 2009

A Journey through Mongolia, China, and Korea
Co-Sponsored by UCLA Extension

By Dr. E.C. Krupp, Director of the Griffith Observatory

As the earth continues to travel in its orbit, the sun moves closer to the descending node of the moon's orbit where the moon and the sun will meet in total solar eclipse on 22 July 2009 for the longest total eclipse since 11 July 1991, the longest total solar eclipse of the twenty-first century, and the longest total solar eclipse until 2132.

A total solar eclipse is one of the most dazzling events a person can experience. Those who have never seen one don't understand what all the fuss is about. Those who have are converted into pilgrims on the eclipse path.

Every eclipse is different. Every eclipse is a surprise. Every eclipse has suspense. Every eclipse has more things taking place in a short time than you can possibly observe. You never get it right. And so you go back for another to sample what you missed the last time and what has never been seen by anyone in exactly this way before.

This time the eclipse path passes through India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Japanese islands in the East China Sea, and a lot of Pacific Ocean. Most of the path is threatened by monsoon season, which means clouds, rain, thunderstorms, and typhoons, but the best prospects on land appear to be along the eastern Chinese coast, south of Shanghai. That is where we plan to shanghai the eclipse for 5 minutes and 54 seconds of uncanny sky.

A China eclipse also offers a chance to follow other Asian astronomical trails, and Mongolia's Lamaist monuments are peppered with astronomical and cosmological symbolism. Even the national flag of Mongolia has celestial emblems-the sun, the moon, and the magical light of the upper universe.

I last visited Mongolia a dozen years ago for the Long Underwear Altaic Total Solar Eclipse of 9 March 1997. Mongolia in March was an icebox, and I am looking forward to mowing down the Mongolian grasslands in the height of summer, when the Mongols are celebrating the traditional Naadam festival with wrestling, horsemanship, and archery-skills I need to improve.

We are going much farther afield in 2009, right to the heart of Chinggis Khan's empire, Kharkhorin.

Far from cities in Mongolia in the ten days or so before solar eclipse, we should also be able to access a stunning starry sky at night, and I'll be detailing the constellations we know and the stars as they were seen in ancient Asia.

After Mongolia, on the way to the eclipse, we stop in Beijing to climb the Ancient Observatory with its elaborate historic bronze instruments installed on the roof. Tourists often see these from a distance or even sometimes visit the place, but they rarely get to hear how the instruments and the observatory actually worked and who used them. I have been on that roof four times, and it is always a delight to return.

The celebrated Suzhou planisphere, a thirteenth-century Chinese star map, is one of the historical treasures of world astronomy. People who go to Suzhou see its stunning gardens, but few even know about the map. We are going to see gardens of Suzhou, as will many other eclipse chasers, but the star map is not even mentioned in other organized eclipse tours.

South Korea also possesses astonishing monuments, and one of the most fetching is the Cheomseongdae Observatory at Kyongju. I have wanted to get to it for decades. Built in seventh century, it is a curious bottle-shaped stone building. It is also the oldest standing observatory in Asia. Detailed accounts of it are hard to find and contradictory. Seeing the place in person is bound to be a revelation.

The total solar eclipse and my work worldwide in ancient, prehistoric, and traditional astronomy confers a celestial character to this excursion into the shadow and beyond the Great Wall, but the rest of the itinerary is filled with natural and cultural wonders rarely seen and little known outside of Mongolia and Korea. The chance to sample China, Mongolia, South Korea, and a total solar eclipse in one expedition is unusual. Nobody else is doing it.