April 2024 Solar Eclipse

THE GREAT SOLAR ECLIPSE OF APRIL 2024.

Caravanas de Mexico is centering most of our 2024 offerings to experience what is probably the greatest Solar Eclipse occuring in your lifetime, or at least before I enter a nursing home. The next one is over 20 years away. Over 4 minutes of totality. We will be using 2 locations, Mazatlan and Durango. PROTECTIVE GLASSES WILL BE PROVIDED.

Please note that we are having to pay RV Parks over a year in advance. Deposits on this trip are not refundable. Are you already planning to be in Mexico? Then we have an option for you. If you are in the Puerto Vallarta area, you may join our Yucatan group northbound, or if you are further south, or in the Guadalajara area, you may join our Copper Canyon extension  group. The caveat is that you MUST sign up for our Copper Canyon package in April, northbound. The price may be a bit less depending on where you join the group. Contact Paul at [email protected] to discuss these options.

PLEASE NOTE, some of this is still fluid and some small changes,  additions or alterations may still take place as we work out schedules. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT QUITE A BIT OF DRY CAMPING MAY BE INVOLVED !!!!

There are 3 Stand Alone trips of 17,19 and 24 days in April, plus a Yucatan, Colonial City, Copper Canyon & Baja trip, either including the eclipse or having option to do so. 


1) A 17 and a 19 day caravan with beach time and 4 tours / 4 meals
2) A 24 day caravan with 10 tours, including a trip by train to Copper Canyon / 16 meals
3) A  90 - 95 day Yucatan  - all Mexico caravan (almost full) This trip includes a 3 day exit via Nogales from Mazatlan or with a Copper Canyon option based on availability
4) An optional side trip on the stand alone, Yucatan, Baja and stand alone caravans is to Durango and back for the eclipse (High altitude, low light pollution).
5) A 31 day Copper Canyon trip in January with an optional long term beach stay in Melaque, Jalisco that will include the Eclipse in Durango. 
6) A Copper Canyon/Colonial trip in January that will also include the eclipse in Durango (approx 85 day)

Shorter term Caravans will leave Nogales Az (March 31 or April 1st) and return to Nogales. No Texas exit option on these.

There are participation limits for all tours, and only those who pay a deposit are booked, on a "first come first serve" basis. Those who have already paid deposits are first in line.

Stand alone trips are filling fast

All caravans will involve some dry camping. Serious  Astronomy buffs may prefer Durango. It is located inland at 7000 ft and has very low light pollution. The eclipse coincides with a new moon, so Astronomy should be excellent. It will cost a bit more. We have to cover the Wagon Master, Green Angel escort, Tour Guide, and security at the dry camp location. It is a rather expensive toll road to get there. It is, however, a stunning drive. Durango spots are first come - first serve, with a proposed maximum of 30 rigs. This may be raised depending on another vacant lot being available. The chances of clear skies are the same for either location, just about 80%. It is a new moon, so Durango with its lower light pollution and high altitude is for better night astronomy and, of course, you get to transit the spectacular Devils Backbone Toll Road. Extra cost is $300 USD based on 3 nights up there

The Mazatlan groups will relocate to a baseball field at Concordia. This town is about 30 minutes inland where sea mist and fog should not cause an issue

The odds of clear skies on April 8th are the same for Mazatlan & Durango, just about 80%. The map below indicates clear sky probability, blue being best, red worst. However the eclipse is around noon and clouds usually are a morning phenomena at this time of year.

Tips and Warnings

A few notes about the eclipse. You may want to download the “Solar Eclipse Timer” by George Telepun. This will provide info during the eclipse and let you know when it is safe to remove your protective lenses and put them back on. The version for the 2024 eclipse is now available and costs $1.99. It will be safe to view the sun during totality. Failure to replace your glasses after the disk starts to re-appear can result in eye damage or blindness. You can also view through binoculars or a telescope, but be very careful not to do this until totality starts and after it stops. This app will give you warnings. Viewing the eclipse through binoculars before or after totality, will result in blindness. We plan to have a physicist and eclipse expert along to instruct everyone about all of this.  If this is your first eclipse we do not advise photographing it, you do not want to distract from the experience. Professional eclipse chasers will take far better pictures than you can, Soak in the experience. Since the sun will be fairly high in the sky, a set of binoculars will be useful to witness coronal ejections. The sun should be in the peak of its 11 year activity cycle in early 2024. If that holds true, you should witness flares.
The Solar Eclipse Timer will work anywhere. The app does its calculations internally. It does not require cell service or an internet connection to work. It only requires a GPS signal or manually entering GPS coordinates for the calculations to occur. However, Mexico has very good cell coverage and it will be fine in Concordia and should be Ok in Guadalupe Aguilera as well, without having to manually enter co-ordinates. We are going to the 2 locations on the day previous to the eclipse and you may want to note the position of sun on that day around 11 AM in Concordia and around 12 Noon in Guadalupe so it is not blocked by trees or buildings on eclipse day. This is more likely to be an issue in Concordia. We will ensure we move people there early AM on April 7th so we can check it out. We may send someone there on the April 6th to be certain. Just as a reminder, the sun rises in the east.

As you can see in the map below, apart from Torreon, Mazatlan and Durango have the best odds of clear skies anywhere along the eclipse path.

Deposits 

Initial Deposits to secure your spot are $1000 USD or $1350 CAN for all trips. We price in USD, but accept Canadian dollars at the book rate. The $1350 CAN is credited as $1000 USD.

Already made a deposit?

You should be on the list, we will double check your preferences upon request.

Prices

 Prices for Stand alone trips have been set below. Other trips may vary slightly if days are added or subtracted, as we firm up schedules. Once you pay a deposit, your price will not go up.

Yucatan & Baja Groups

Yucatan caravan participants may return with their own group (exit Mexico on April 12th) or add on  the northbound Copper Canyon program at a reduced price. The same is true for Baja groups. Baja groups must pay their own ferry fare across from La Paz or return north to California. They have time to go south again from Nogales if they wish to do so, and space is available.

Permits and Insurance

See our page at Insurance for information. Once you have paid a deposit you have access to our comprehensive customer manual.

Please note, there are no previous customer discounts for stand alone trips. There are for the others. Our 3.5% surcharge for credit card payments is in effect for those who signed up after March 1st

Mayo Dancing
24 - day

Tarahumara 
24 - day

Copper Canyon
24 - day

Cable Car
24 - day

Durango Hwy
Baluarte Bridge

Copper Canyon
24 - day

El Fuerte 
24 - day

Mazatlan
All caravans

Typical Toll Highway

Durango 

Durango

Durango

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