If you want the longest totality, go to Egypt's Nile Valley: about 6 min 21 s to 6 min 22 s in Luxor, and 6 min 23 s at the eclipse's greatest duration between Asyut and Sohag. If you want the best weather odds, the deserts of Egypt and Libya and the coast of Tunisia are the safest bets, according to eclipse meteorologist Jay Anderson. If you want the shortest, easiest trip from Europe, the Strait of Gibraltar (Tarifa, Gibraltar, Ceuta) and Tangier give 4 min 27 s to 4 min 50 s, with more risk of cloud and dust. Saudi Arabia has long totality too (5 min 58 s in Jeddah), but on 4 November 2026 the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the whole country.
Last updated: 8 November 2026 (UK travel advice re-checked on 8 November 2026)
The total solar eclipse of Monday 2 August 2027 crosses southern Spain, Gibraltar, northern Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia before heading over Yemen and Somalia. Every one of those countries gets a real total eclipse, but they are very different trips. Below we compare a typical base in each country on the things that actually decide where people go: how long totality lasts, the weather odds, the heat, getting in, and the official travel advice. The durations and times are our own calculation, checked against published figures; the weather notes come from Eclipsophile, Jay Anderson's eclipse weather site; the travel advice is the UK government's, read on 4 November 2026.
How long is totality in each country?
Totality gets longer as the Moon's shadow moves east and the Sun climbs higher. Spain gets the start of the track in the morning, with the Sun fairly low in the east; Egypt and Saudi Arabia get it around midday, with the Sun almost overhead. Times below are local clock time on 2 August 2027.
| Base | Country | Totality begins (local time) | Totality lasts | Sun altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Málaga (city centre) | Spain | 10:48:11 CEST (UTC+2) | 1 min 50 s | 39° |
| Cádiz | Spain | 10:45:26 CEST (UTC+2) | 2 min 53 s | 37° |
| Gibraltar (Casemates) | Gibraltar | 10:45:36 CEST (UTC+2) | 4 min 27 s | 38° |
| Tarifa | Spain | 10:45:10 CEST (UTC+2) | 4 min 39 s | 38° |
| Ceuta | Spain | 10:45:22 CEST (UTC+2) | 4 min 48 s | 38° |
| Tangier | Morocco | 08:44:45 GMT (UTC+0) | 4 min 50 s | 38° |
| Oran | Algeria | 09:51:06 (UTC+1) | 5 min 08 s | 43° |
| Djerba (Houmt Souk) | Tunisia | 10:09:47 (UTC+1) | 4 min 41 s | 57° |
| Sfax | Tunisia | 10:08:50 (UTC+1) | 5 min 39 s | 56° |
| Benghazi | Libya | 11:27:53 (UTC+2) | 6 min 09 s | 68° |
| Luxor (Corniche) | Egypt | 13:02:07 EEST (UTC+3) | 6 min 21 s | 82° |
| Marsa Alam | Egypt | 13:08:06 EEST (UTC+3) | 5 min 28 s | 81° |
| Jeddah (Al-Balad) | Saudi Arabia | 13:22:24 AST (UTC+3) | 5 min 58 s | 76° |
Our calculation with Skyfield and the JPL DE421 ephemeris, at sea level, with a smooth lunar edge. Sun altitude is at mid-eclipse. Morocco has been on GMT all year since September 2026, so Tangier is two hours behind Spain on the clock, although in real time totality actually reaches it about 25 seconds before Tarifa. Published figures differ by a few seconds: the Wikipedia timetable gives Gibraltar 4:28, Ceuta 4:49, Tangier 4:51, Oran 5:08, Sfax 5:41, Houmt Souk 4:43, Benghazi 6:11, Luxor 6:22 and Jeddah 5:53. For Málaga, which is close to the northern edge, it gives 1:57 and Spain's IGN gives 1 min 48 s.
Two things stand out. First, inside one country the spot matters as much as the country: Cádiz gets less than three minutes while Tarifa, about 85 km away, gets over four and a half, and Málaga sits only about 9 km inside the northern limit. Second, the gap between the Strait and Egypt is less than two minutes: Tarifa's 4 min 39 s against Luxor's 6 min 21 s. For every city in the path and outside it, see our eclipse times in 125 cities and the path of totality map, country by country.
Where are the weather odds best?
In early August the whole track is in the dry season, so this is about small risks, not big ones. Still, they are not the same everywhere. Everything below is from Eclipsophile unless we say otherwise.
- Strait of Gibraltar and Cádiz: the main enemies are low marine cloud and the Levante, the east wind that, in Anderson's words, "tends to be the more persistent" of the Strait's two winds and can blow for days. Cádiz had an 88 percent frequency of sun-visible days in his survey, while Tarifa and the other Strait sites averaged 74 percent. Data gave Gibraltar a 74 percent chance of a sunny view, a figure he thinks is pessimistic for anyone willing to move a little. His advice for the coast: go inland. The Málaga side, the Alborán coast, fares "particularly well". Details in our Cádiz and Tarifa guide and our Gibraltar guide.
- Dust over Spain and Morocco: Anderson told Sky & Telescope that "the main threat in Spain and Tangier is a dusty pall over the whole of the sky", from dust blown north from the desert basins of Mali and Mauritania. You still see totality through haze, but the corona looks less crisp.
- Northern Morocco: Chefchaouen has the lowest cloud amount in Morocco in his analysis; the coast between Tetouan and El Jebha is one to avoid on eclipse day. Tangier is generally favourable: see our Tangier eclipse guide.
- Algeria: Eclipsophile gives no sunshine figure for Oran. Dust is lower near Oran than further east: aerosol optical depth goes from 0.20 near Oran to 0.41 near the southern limit between Biskra and Gafsa.
- Tunisia: the coast's topography gives "Sfax and the region to its south the lowest average cloud amount" on the western part of the track, and the lowest dust values are near Sfax and Tangier. Anderson told Space.com: "Tunisia has got the best weather, and Sfax would be a nice base." Djerba lies in that southern area: see our Djerba guide.
- Libya and Egypt: parts of the track over Libya and western Egypt "have seen no August cloud on eclipse day whatsoever", and Anderson calls Benghazi "a very good site". At Luxor the main threat is thin, transparent cirrus that mostly affects photos of the faint outer corona. For the safest skies of all he suggests Siwa Oasis or Bahariya Oasis, which have "almost no prospect of cloud". More in our Luxor eclipse guide.
- Saudi Arabia: the Tihamah coastal plain stays sunny, with August cloud cover of just over 10 percent, while the mountains inland are cloudier. The catch is dust: "the regions south of Jeddah stand out with their dusty skies." Afternoon storms are not a worry, because "most buildups come in the afternoon, after the lunar shadow has passed." See our Jeddah eclipse guide.
Anderson sums up the east of the track for Space.com: "Cloud cover runs somewhere in the neighborhood of a zero to 5% chance extending from Benghazi in Libya to Saudi Arabia." So the odds improve as you go east, while Tunisia is the best bet in the west. Past weather is not a forecast, though. Whatever you choose, watch the forecast in the last days and keep a car or a train ticket that lets you move.
How hot will it be?
The further east you go, the hotter it gets, and the later in the day totality comes. In Spain and Morocco totality is mid-morning, in Tunisia around 10:10, in Egypt and Saudi Arabia around 1 pm, close to the hottest part of the day.
| Base | August mean daily high | Station and period |
|---|---|---|
| Cádiz | 28.2 °C | Cádiz, 1991 to 2020 (provisional) |
| Gibraltar | 28.4 °C | Gibraltar airport, 1991 to 2020 |
| Tangier | 28.6 °C | Tangier airport, 1961 to 1990 |
| Málaga | 31.5 °C | Málaga airport, 1991 to 2020 |
| Benghazi | 32.0 °C | Benina airport, 1991 to 2020 |
| Oran | 32.4 °C | Oran airport, 1991 to 2020 |
| Sfax | 33.4 °C | Sfax, 1991 to 2020 |
| Djerba | 33.5 °C | Djerba, 1981 to 2010 |
| Hurghada (for the Red Sea coast) | 37.5 °C | Hurghada airport, 1991 to 2020 |
| Jeddah | 38.7 °C | Jeddah, 1991 to 2020 |
| Luxor | 41.2 °C | Luxor airport, 1991 to 2020 |
Climate tables on Wikipedia, which cite AEMET, NOAA, the WMO and other national services. Marsa Alam has no comparable official table, so we show Hurghada, the nearest airport station with one, about 270 km up the coast.
Eclipsophile adds that at Luxor the average high on 2 August over the past 17 years was 42.0 °C. Anderson's advice for Egypt, as quoted by Space.com: "Use air-con when it's available, and have a wet cloth on the back of your neck." On his own site he suggests a buddy system, with someone to watch you while you watch the sky. With partial phases of well over two hours, plan water and shade before you plan your camera.
How easy is it to get there, and do you need a visa?
The rules below are for UK passport holders, from the UK government's entry requirements pages, checked on 4 November 2026. Other nationalities have different rules: check with your own foreign ministry or the country's embassy before you book.
- Spain: UK visitors can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Spain, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) is being rolled out, so expect fingerprints and a photo at your first crossing. For Gibraltar's own border, see our Gibraltar guide.
- Morocco: no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days; your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you arrive. Ferries cross the Strait from Algeciras, so Spain and Morocco can be one trip.
- Algeria: you must have a visa, applied for in advance through the Algerian consulate. The visa on arrival that the UK page mentions is only for trips spent mostly in the south with an approved agency, which does not fit a coastal trip to Oran.
- Tunisia: no visa for up to 90 days; your passport should be valid for the whole stay.
- Libya: the UK page only says to make sure you have the right visa, to contact the Libyan Embassy in London, and that a visa issued overseas may not be recognised in some areas or at certain ports of entry.
- Egypt: British passport holders normally need a visa. Options: an e-visa from the official portal (visa2egypt.gov.eg, which asks you to apply at least 7 days before departure; tourist e-visas valid for up to 3 months), a visa on arrival at approved airports (US$30, cash, up to 30 days), or, at Cairo airport since 1 August 2026, a digital visa on arrival (US$36, card only).
- Saudi Arabia: a tourist e-visa, online or on arrival at international airports, valid for 365 days with multiple entries but 90 days in total (UK government). The official site visa.visitsaudi.com lists the UK and every EU country as eligible, and says the visa covers Umrah but not Hajj.
For most Europeans Spain is still the simplest: no visa, no extra paperwork for EU citizens, and you can drive or take the train. Our Spain total eclipse guide covers the Spanish side town by town.
What does the travel advice say for each country?
This is the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) advice as it stood on 4 November 2026. Other governments publish their own and may differ. In the FCDO's words, "your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice" from the Foreign Office.
| Country | FCDO page updated | Advice for the eclipse bases |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 28 October 2026 | No areas advised against. The latest update is about rail disruption after a high-speed train collision in Toledo. |
| Gibraltar | 14 July 2026 | No areas advised against. |
| Morocco | 19 August 2026 | No areas advised against. |
| Algeria | 25 September 2026 | Against all travel within 30 km of the borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali and Niger and parts of the Tunisian border; all but essential within 30 km of the rest of the Tunisian border. Oran and the north coast are not listed. |
| Tunisia | 24 July 2026 | Sfax and Djerba are not named. Against all travel to Ben Guerdane, the far-south military zone and within 20 km of the Libyan border; all but essential within 75 km of it, excluding Zarzis, the C118 road and Medenine governorate north of that road. |
| Libya | 21 July 2026 | Against all travel to Libya except Tripoli, Misrata and Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Derna and the Jebel Akhdar area, where it advises against all but essential travel. |
| Egypt | 27 October 2026 | Luxor, Qina, Aswan and the Nile Valley are excepted from the Western Desert advice, and so are the oasis towns of Siwa and Bahariya; the Red Sea resorts are not listed. Against all travel to North Sinai and within 20 km of the Libyan border. |
| Saudi Arabia | 27 October 2026 | Against all but essential travel to the whole country, and all travel within 10 km of the Yemen border. Houthi missiles and drones have targeted several locations in Saudi Arabia, Jeddah is on the FCDO's list of places under heightened threat, and Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport was struck by a missile on 10 October 2026. |
Further east, the FCDO advises against all travel to the whole of Yemen (updated 27 October 2026) and to almost all of Somalia, including Somaliland, except the Awdal, Maroodijeh and Sahil regions, which are all but essential (updated 4 June 2026). That is why we leave them out of this comparison. Advice changes: read your government's page again before you book and again before you fly.
Which spot suits which traveller?
- A short trip from Europe, or a first eclipse: Tarifa, Gibraltar or Ceuta. Over four and a half minutes of totality, a mid-morning eclipse with August highs around 28 °C, and no visa for most Europeans. The price is a higher cloud and dust risk than further east, so pick a base you can drive away from. Málaga and the Costa del Sol towns work too, with shorter totality: see our Málaga guide.
- Spain plus Morocco: Tangier gets about 4 min 50 s, a little more than Tarifa, and is a ferry ride away. Morocco's clock is two hours behind Spain's, so totality there starts at 08:44 local time.
- Families: Sfax or Djerba. Totality around 10:10, before the worst heat, a high Sun that buildings rarely block, beach hotels, and no FCDO warning for either. Djerba gets about 4 min 41 s, Sfax about 5 min 39 s.
- The longest totality: Luxor and the Nile Valley, with 6 min 21 s to 6 min 22 s and the best weather odds on the track. Expect over 40 °C around 1 pm. Marsa Alam on the Red Sea gives 5 min 28 s. Our Luxor guide has the details.
- Clear skies above all: the Egyptian and Libyan deserts. Benghazi has 6 min 09 s and excellent weather, but the FCDO advises against all but essential travel there, and going against that advice can invalidate your insurance.
- Saudi Arabia: Jeddah has 5 min 58 s, but the FCDO advice covers the whole country. If you go, check your insurance and the latest advice, and read our Jeddah guide.
Spain's IGN has practical advice that works anywhere on the track: don't travel on eclipse day if you can avoid it, "especially after the event", pick a site near a high-capacity road, use public transport where you can, and check the weather forecast in the days beforehand.
Do you need eclipse glasses everywhere in the path?
Yes. In every country on this list, the partial phases last more than two hours, and you need eclipse glasses certified to ISO 12312-2 (in Europe, EN ISO 12312-2 with a CE mark) the whole time the Sun is even slightly uncovered. Take them off only during totality, inside the path, when the Moon covers the Sun completely, and put them back on as soon as the first bright point of sunlight returns. Outside the path, for example in Seville, Algiers, Tunis or Cairo, there is no totality at all and the glasses stay on throughout. Our guide how to use eclipse glasses safely explains each step, and what an eclipse can do to your eyes explains why it matters.
Bought glasses for 2026? Read whether 2026 eclipse glasses can be reused in 2027 and how to check an ISO 12312-2 certificate. Tember eclipse glasses are certified to EN ISO 12312-2:2015 and carry the CE mark; the certificate and test reports are on our compliance documents page. They come in packs of 4 to 100 pairs. See the glasses. Travelling as a group? See bulk eclipse glasses.
FAQ
Which country has the longest totality on 2 August 2027?
Egypt. The greatest duration, 6 minutes 23 seconds, is near the Nile between Asyut and Sohag, and Luxor gets about 6 minutes 21 to 22 seconds. Libya (Benghazi 6 min 09 s) and Saudi Arabia (Jeddah 5 min 58 s) come next among the bases we compared.
Where is the weather best for the 2027 eclipse?
According to Jay Anderson's Eclipsophile, the deserts of Libya and Egypt have the lowest cloud risk, with parts of the track there showing no August cloud on eclipse day in his records. In the western half of the track, Sfax and southern Tunisia have the lowest average cloud. The Strait of Gibraltar has more risk from marine cloud, the Levante wind and dust.
Is Spain or Morocco better for the 2027 eclipse?
They are very close. Tangier gets about 4 min 50 s, Tarifa 4 min 39 s and Ceuta 4 min 48 s. Spain is easier to reach from most of Europe and has no visa for EU citizens; Morocco has no visa for UK passport holders for up to 90 days. Both share the same cloud and dust risks, so being able to move on the day matters more than which side of the Strait you pick.
What time is totality in Spain, Tunisia and Egypt?
Around 10:45 CEST (UTC+2) on the Strait of Gibraltar, around 10:09 local time (UTC+1) in Sfax and Djerba, and around 13:02 EEST (UTC+3) in Luxor. In Tangier it starts at 08:44 GMT, because Morocco stays on GMT all year.
Is it safe to travel to Saudi Arabia or Libya for the eclipse?
On 4 November 2026 the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the whole of Saudi Arabia, and against all travel to Libya except Tripoli, Misrata and the Benghazi area, where it advises against all but essential travel. Check your own government's advice and your insurance before booking.
Which destination is best for families?
Many families will find Tunisia easiest: Sfax and Djerba have totality around 10:10 in the morning, before the worst heat, no visa for UK passport holders for up to 90 days, and no UK warning for those areas. Southern Spain is the closest option from Europe, with a cooler morning but more cloud risk.
Can I take my glasses off during the eclipse?
Only during totality, and only inside the path of totality. For the partial phases before and after, which last more than two hours everywhere on the track, keep ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses on.
Sources
- Eclipsophile (Jay Anderson): weather prospects for the 2027 eclipse
- Space.com, Jamie Carter, 25 August 2025: eclipse experts' travel tips for 2027
- Sky & Telescope, Jamie Carter: plan for the 2027 eclipse of the century
- Wikipedia: Solar eclipse of August 2, 2027 (timetable)
- IGN (Spain): practical recommendations
- Wikipedia climate tables: Cádiz, Gibraltar, Tangier, Málaga, Benghazi, Oran, Sfax, Djerba, Hurghada, Jeddah, Luxor
- UK Foreign Office travel advice: Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia
- UK Foreign Office entry requirements: Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
- Egypt e-visa portal
- Saudi Arabia tourist visa portal
- Our own calculations with Skyfield and the JPL DE421 ephemeris (local times, durations, Sun altitude), 4 November 2026.