Solar Eclipse Travel Specialist

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Daniel Oppliger, Travel Agent in El Paso, TX

Daniel Oppliger

El Paso, TX Travel Agent
Super Agent

Daniel Oppliger

El Paso, TX · 25+ Years of Experience

Tropical Sails Corp, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
4.9
(32)
100% Recommended
I’m proud to be associated with Daniel Oppliger and his world renowned travel company Tropical Sails Corp. Dan recently invited me and fellow astronomer Cliff Watson... Read More >
About
Reviews
My Places
Travel Stories & Media
Itineraries
Client Testimonials

Areas of expertise

Destinations:

Mazatlan, Egypt, Antarctica, Australia, Morocco

Interests:

Adventure, Luxury, Luxury Hotels, Groups, Holiday Travel

About Me

Solar Eclipse Cruise Australia 2011
Solar Eclipse Cruise Australia 2011

Beginning in 1991, I have been taking clients all over the world with one-of-a-kind total solar eclipse experiences including Africa, Argentina, Australia, Baja California, Chile, China, Tahiti, Turkey, Java Sea of Indonesia and the USA.

Up next is Antarctica Dec. 4, 2021 followed by Australia Timor Sea April 20, 2023, then  Mazatlan - USA April 8, 2024.   We chose places where the weather is favorable and the length of the eclipse is longer.  For example in Chile we stayed in La Serena along the Pacific Coast. People were upset because we have to do a two hour bus ride inland to our eclipse encampment.  On the mountain the probability of clear skies was 89+ percent.  In La Serena it was 20% chance of clear skies.

 

My first excursions was trip to the Baja Peninsula for 85 people in an RV caravan to view the total solar eclipse from the warm embrace of La Paz, Mexico.What started as a unique request for one customer has turned in to an adventure that has now been enjoyed by close to a 1300 clients.

Tropical Sails Corp chartered the Windjammer Barefoot tall ships for the solar eclipse off Guadeloupe in 1998. Chartered ships included the Fantome, the Polynesia, the Legacy, the Mandalay and the new Star Clipper ship.  This led to expanding our offerings to cruise ships!

In 1999 Tropical Sails Corp organized a two week Turkey tour for 33 people sailing in private yachts past the Ephesus, the Dardanelles and Bosporus into the Black Sea.

In 2001, I led a Five Country African Safari covering 3000 miles through South Eastern Africa on safaris and riding in dugout canoes.

In 2008, they took a group on the Silk Road Adventure in China- From the Great Wall to the Xian City wall and Terracotta warriors we traveled by air, plane, and bus the great Silk Road of China. History came alive as we ride bicycles around the Xian city wall and camels in desert.  Many of Tropical Sails Corps clients zip-lined down the mountain from White Pagoda Hill.

In 2009 Tropical Sails led a group on the traditional China Tour and Yangtze Cruise. The Great Wall to mahjong by the Temple of Heaven, our group visited all the sites in Beijing.  In Xian we saw the Terracotta warriors, on to the Yangtze for three relaxing nights with great floor shows each night.  In Shanghai we literally played atop the Oriental TV Tower.  Onto the gardens of Suzhou and Hangzhou we toured.

In 2011Tropical Sails clients cruised the Australian coast and the Great Barrier Reef.  visiting ports along the way as we saw koalas, trains, a river in Brisbane and reef trips all for a great time down under.

In 2012 we sailed from Singapore to the Java Sea for the total solar eclipse.

For the August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse we had 5 coach tours from Salt Lake City, UT. One was a luxury tour the others standard coach tours.

2019 and 2020 led us to Chile and Argentina. In Chile we stayed at luxury resorts Alto Atacama Lodge and Spa, andBeyond ira Vira in Pucon.

2021 was with Atlas Ocean Voyages to Antarctica.

Sunny Mazatlan in 2024 at the just opened, for us, Dreams Estrella del Mar.

 

 

REVIEWS

Rating: 4.9
32 reviews
100% Recommended
Your trust is our priority. Every review is submitted by verified travelers after they have booked and completed their trips. Learn more about our review guidelines.
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Showing 32 reviews

An Amazing Eclipse Experience
Reviewed By 'Astro-Dave' Reneke - Sydney, Australia | Traveled to USA
I’m proud to be associated with Daniel Oppliger and his world renowned travel company Tropical Sails Corp. Dan recently invited me and fellow astronomer Cliff Watson to host one of his sold out tours in August this year as astronomy guide for the much heralded ‘Great American Eclipse!

All places stated were visited, nothing was any trouble for the organisers and we enjoyed a fabulous coach drive throughout the tour with detailed and friendly commentary highlighting landmarks and other important points of scenic interest.

We Started from Salt lake City, traveled into Utah, and Wyoming against the backdrop of the Grand Tetons, onward into Yellowstone National Park. I had the pleasure of lecturing to and guiding a fantastic group of passengers throughout the eclipse experience. I'll always remember the camaraderie we shared.

I’ve traveled extensively with many tour companies but never felt more comfortable or confident as I have with Dan and Shirley’s company, Tropical Sails. R
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
50 of 86 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
A country wide tour to remember.
Reviewed By D.G. - Summerland, British Columbia | Traveled to Chile ~ South America
The Kimal group tour of Chile was just outstanding, jam packed with a wide variety of experiences that covered an impressive range of the multi-faceted nature of the country. Very well conceived and organized.
Daniel Oppliger responded
"Thank you for you kind words."
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
29 of 49 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
The best trip of my life
Reviewed By Alex - Farmers Branch, TX ( Dallas area) | Traveled to Chile ~ South America
It was great to be able to speak with Daniel personally via telephone before the trip. He was informative, responsive, interested and courteous and followed up appropriately with emails and correspondence
Daniel Oppliger responded
"Thank you for your kind wordsl"
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
27 of 47 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Total Eclipse Cruis: Turkey
Reviewed By GlenL - Ft. Collins, CO | Traveled to
My wife and I toured Turkey in 1999 on Tropical Sails’ Eclipse Cruise. It was our best vacation ever! We got to explore Greek ruins, enjoy local food and culture, and see a total solar eclipse all while living on one of two 80 foot “gulets” (sailboats.) Our twenty or so fellow travelers made a good-sized group, and our ship’s crew was professional, friendly and the crewmen were also good cooks! All of Dan's arrangements for the ships, our knowledgeable tour guides, shore transportation along to historic sites on the Aegean coast, in Istanbul, Gallipoli, and on the Black Sea were smooth and problem free. Experiencing the total solar eclipse from our gullet (boat) while on the Black Sea was simply awesome! We look forward to traveling with Tropical Sails again!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
47 of 91 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO
Special trip with special care
Reviewed By Plany - Vienna, Austria | Traveled to Argentina ~ South America
Excellent service. Especially the site for watching the solar eclipse was an optimum location. As we were the onl Europeans in the group, we had several special problems (payment etc.) but all this was handled efficiently and friendly.
Daniel Oppliger responded
"Thank you for your kind words. We found a faster way to take oversears payments by using VEEM. It is faster than banks and much less expensive than credit cards or Pay Pay. An Irish client used NicePay and that was fast and efficient. "
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
26 of 50 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YES|NO

My Places

When it comes to travel planning, real-world experience makes a huge difference. Check out the map below to see all the places I have personally visited or booked for my clients. I know these destinations well and can give you reliable guidance.

My Photo Albums and Videos

Solar Eclipse Travel Specialist
View Album
Egypt Solar Eclipse Tour and Cruise 2027

My Travel Stories

Sultan A Under Sail in Turkey

Log from 1999 Solar Eclipse Tour Turkey

1. Saturday 7-31   a. Arrive aboard Sultan-A and Olympus at Bodrum 2. Sunday 8-1 a. TV coverage- Dan is interviewed on Turkish TV. b. Olympus departs Bodrum c. Sultan A departs Bodrum f.. Depart swimming area h. Molly is taken ashore for bar supplies i. Molly makes her firs...
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Client Testimonials

Eclipse Tour from Salt Lake
Overall, the trip was great. The guide, driver, and the viewing location were excellent. The biggest improvement would have been not trying to drive back to SLC right after the eclipse in the predictably horrendous traffic jam. It would have been better to stay one extra night in IF and add some local sightseeing. We prefer small groups with more active, and more independent, activities but that is personal preference. Our main goal with this trip was a hassle-free way to see the eclipse and you did a great job providing that. Thanks,
AA & DB
First Time to the USA
Thank you to Tropical Sails Tour Group for organizing a Total Eclipse Tour of Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Teton Mountains, and the solar eclipse event. The tour included a diverse group of people led by Tour Director Steve Kaverman and driver Dave. We traveled through Utah and Idaho, learning about the area's history. In East Yellowstone, we experienced the beautiful landscape, met locals, and enjoyed American Mexican food. Our tour included a visit to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, where we learned about local wildlife. We saw bison, elk, bears, bald eagles, geysers, hot springs, and waterfalls. We toured Yellowstone, including Old Faithful, and went rafting on the Snake River by the Teton Mountains. We prepared for the eclipse, with clear skies and excitement. Watching the total eclipse was an unforgettable experience. We celebrated with a BBQ at Hatchet Resort and shared our knowledge and enthusiasm with the group.
Cliff W Cooroy, AU
Hale Bopp Star Clipper Eclipse Cruise
I was on this cruise with my 2 daughters. We dropped off several people who wanted to view the eclipse and photograph it from land and the ship continued out to sea near the Island of Montserrat. There was a seismic event which caused waves and the people onboard the boat were treated to a volcano as well as the celestial event we came to see! We conducted a rescue of those who landed on Guadalupe and Zodiac boats needed to navigate thru choppy seas in order to reach the shore and bring people and cameras back on board. There was a brand of rum produced that year in Barbados called Eclipse Rum.
Laurel P
I Concur with Cliff
I fully concur with all you’ve said about the brilliant trip last year. I loved every minute and enjoyed the company of a rich diversity of people from around the world including my roommate Rob from Ireland I intend to go on another in 9 years time when it crosses Europe at Gibraltar (2/8/27). Cheers
Tom H UK
Chile Trip 2019
Hi Daniel and staff, We really enjoyed our tour with you in Chile in 2019. The Mazatlan 2024 Solar Eclipse package is appealing. A prime interest for us on this trip would be doing more exploration of the southern night sky and I was wondering how practical this would be from the new hotel? Do you know what the light pollution situation is around Mazatlan, and would night observing be practical from the vicinity of the hotel? Thanks
Dave G Summerland, B.C
Mandalay Sailing Cruise
I spent 2 weeks on Mandalay in January 2005. It was the most relaxing holiday of my life so far. I desperately wish to sail again on this beautiful yacht. Thank you Tropical Sails for arranging it.
John
Great Turkish Holiday on the Sultan A
"We've had the most fantastic holiday ever. Ibo and his crew did everything to make our sailing trip perfect. We hope to go again in fall 2024 and have already discussed the route with Ibo. Thank you for all your help." "We had a marvelous cruise! Captain Ibo and the rest of his team were friendly, professional, and attentive without being intrusive. The food was varied and delicious, and to our surprise, all the Turkish wine served was excellent, leading to quite a bit of consumption. The Sutlan A was a wonderful acquaintance, spacious, well-maintained, and with cabins and bathrooms that met everyone's satisfaction. We enjoyed sailing every day except one due to a lack of wind. I hope you are having a great season, and we will definitely return, perhaps to explore the Greek islands. Thank you for everything! "We just returned from a fabulous week on the Sultan A—Ibo and his team took excellent care of us!
Amanda J Los Angeles, CA
Exmouth Australia Solar Eclipse Cruise
Dan, Thank you for the very successful 2023 eclipse cruise. Our eclipse travels with you have been 100 percent successful, whereas those with another supplier have been cloudy 50 percent of the time, so we look forward to you being able to offer trips in 2027 and 2028. Mavis managed several pictures including the diamond ring below.
Peter F, Houston, TX
Turkey Yacht Charter Sailing Cruise Special
Dear Dan, We're finally home and finished traveling for the moment, so I wanted to give you a little report on the trip to Turkey. In a word, it was great. There were a few surprises, but it all worked out very well. The Tussock yacht was beautiful and the crew couldn't have been better. There was a traditional Turkish dish served at each meal, all very well prepared and delicious, and the wine and drinks were abundant. (Well, a few of the passengers griped when they ran out of gin, but vodka and tonic seemed an acceptable substitute to me.) It was booked as a astronomy, nature and archeology cruise. One of the best things about the trip was the good people we met. You know Alan and Gail, and we couldn't have asked for nicer travel companions. You seem to have a feel for the kind of travel we like best. Whatever you do, I wish you great success. And we thank you for launching us on another fine holiday.
Janet D, Playa del Rey, CA
Holland American -Singapore Solar Eclipse Cruise
I'm sorry that I did not get a chance to write sooner. Still trying to catch up from the trip. All went well. The group was an interesting bunch and a good time was had by all. Singapore is an exciting place, but way too hot and muggy to properly enjoy. We took advantage of several excursions and they all paid off well. The eclipse was perfect. Sailed to a clear spot and got a nice place on deck to watch the whole thing. Accommodations pretty good, but not as nice as the Dawn Princess. Food on ship good. Food on land a bit spotty but recognizable. I want to thank you for arranging the drink packages for me and Cathy. They worked out well for both of us. With the high temperatures, we drank a lot of water. Those flights are so long and the planes more uncomfortable than ever. Once again, thanks for everything. Another successful trip! Bob
Bob W Somers Point, NJ
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