On 2 August 2027 the Moon will cover the Sun over Luxor for about 6 minutes 22 seconds. It is the longest totality anyone on land will see until 2114, and it happens above Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Nile. This guide covers the timings, the weather, the tours still open and what to pack for your eyes.
Why Luxor is the place to be
NASA puts the eclipse's longest totality, 6 min 23 s, in the desert just north-west of Luxor. The city itself gets about 6 min 22 s, within a second of the maximum. Sky & Telescope calls it the longest totality "for the next 87 years".
The Sun will be about 82° high, almost straight overhead. That suits a hotel rooftop, a ship's deck or a temple courtyard, but it means a lot of looking up, so bring a hat and something to lie on.
Eclipse timetable for Luxor (local time, UTC+3)
| Phase | Time |
|---|---|
| Partial eclipse begins | 11:40 |
| Totality begins | 13:02 |
| Maximum eclipse | 13:05 |
| Totality ends | 13:08 |
| Partial eclipse ends | 14:26 |
Times are rounded to the minute and may differ by a few seconds between sources. Some calculations give Luxor 6 min 19 s of totality.
Other places in Egypt
- Sohag: about 6 min 22 s of totality, around 12:58.
- Asyut: about 6 min 07 s, around 12:57.
- Marsa Alam (Red Sea): about 5 min 26 s, from 13:08.
- Siwa Oasis: about 5 min 33 s, from 12:42, with some of the clearest skies on the whole track.
- Cairo: partial only, about 95% of the Sun covered. You must travel south to see totality.
- Aswan: partial only, about 99.8%. Many Nile cruises start or end in Aswan, so check that your ship is in the Luxor area on 2 August.
Will the sky be clear?
It's one of the safest bets in eclipse history. Meteorologist Jay Anderson gives Luxor a cloud frequency of just 0.7% in early August. The main risks are thin high cloud and occasional dust. The trade-off is heat: the average high on 2 August is about 42 °C. Egypt's national astronomy institute (NRIAG) advises water, head cover and shade.
Eclipse tours: what's still open
Many people booked early. We checked operators' pages on 15 October 2026; prices and availability change quickly, so confirm with each operator.
- Sky & Telescope / Insight Cruises: 15 Luxor packages from $2,975. 14 are sold out or waitlist only. The ms Nile Plaza cruise (28 Jul – 5 Aug, from $3,675) was "nearly sold out".
- Responsible Travel: an 11-day small-group tour from 29 July 2027, £5,995 per adult excluding international flights, with a 7-night Nile cruise and an astronomy lecture. Listed as available.
- On The Go Tours: five eclipse itineraries from $6,750, departing 26–29 July 2027, viewing from Luxor or Hurghada.
- Nile Cruisers: eclipse cruise packages from $3,979 (4 days) to $7,499 (8 days), quote on request.
- Alluring Africa: a 10-day tailor-made Nile journey (29 Jul – 7 Aug), watching totality from a ship moored at Luxor. Price on request; the operator says space is limited.
- Archaeological Paths: an 8-day luxury tour from $19,985 per person, watching from the "Lost Golden City" site. Marked "Last places".
- Eclipse Traveler: four Egypt tours of 11–14 days; two available, two on waitlist.
Already gone: Harvard Alumni's $26,950 charter and the Cambridge alumni tour (£4,950) are both full. If you are planning independently, Luxor has far fewer hotel rooms than Cairo or the Red Sea coast, and prices are rising.
Getting there
Luxor International Airport (LXR) is about an hour's flight from Cairo, with EgyptAir and Air Cairo flying the route. The overnight sleeper train takes around 10 hours. From the Gulf there are direct flights from Jeddah and Kuwait; check current schedules. Direct flights from Europe to Luxor are mostly winter-only, so plan on connecting through Cairo in August.
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has set up an eclipse committee to prepare viewing sites and manage visitor flows. NRIAG plans a scientific conference in Luxor on 3–5 August 2027.
Protect your eyes: the only gear you can't skip
Totality is the only safe moment to look with the naked eye. For the roughly 1 hour 20 minutes of partial eclipse before it and again after it, you need certified solar viewers. NASA's advice is clear: use glasses that meet ISO 12312-2, and never use them behind cameras, binoculars or telescopes. Ordinary sunglasses, however dark, are not safe.
Before you fly, check that each pair is undamaged, carry one per person plus spares, and keep them flat and dry in your bag. Our safe-use guide explains how.
Your Luxor eclipse checklist
- Choose your spot: Luxor, Sohag or Siwa for the longest totality.
- Book a tour or a hotel in the path of totality, and check that your cruise is near Luxor on 2 August.
- Pack ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses for everyone, plus spares for new friends.
- Bring a hat, water and a mat for looking straight up.
- Learn the timetable and set an alarm for 13:02.
On 2 August 2027, thousands of people from around the world will stand in the Moon's shadow in Luxor. We'd love for you to be one of them, with the right eye protection. Tember eclipse glasses are certified to EN ISO 12312-2:2015 (certificate CE-PC-260615-499-01-9A). Pack sizes run from 4 to 100 pairs, so a group can be covered too. See the glasses.
Sources: NASA GSFC eclipse path tables; Sky & Telescope "Luxor 2027"; Jay Anderson, Eclipsophile; Space.com; NRIAG via Travel And Tour World; NASA eclipse safety guidance; operators' websites checked on 15 October 2026. Tour listings are not endorsements, and Tember has no affiliation with these operators.