Nine months before the total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027, most of the big-name Egypt eclipse tours are already sold out or waitlist-only. On 27 October 2026 we still found bookable places with Sky & Telescope / Insight Cruises (Luxor, from US$2,950 plus eclipse fees), Temple World via the Cambridge alumni programme (Nile cruise, £6,195), Encounters Travel (£5,995 on Responsible Travel), Egypt Tours Plus (US$8,995) and a handful of Siwa and Red Sea packages. Almost every tour watches from Luxor, where totality lasts about 6 minutes 20 seconds, with the Sun almost overhead at about 13:05. Below: every tour we could verify on the operator's own page, with dates, viewing site, starting price and status, plus how long totality lasts at each site and which operator claims don't add up.
Last updated: 29 October 2026 (tour pages checked 27 October 2026; prices and availability change quickly)
Where do Egypt eclipse tours watch totality, and for how long?
Nearly all tours use one of five areas: Luxor and the Nile Valley, Asyut and Sohag further north, the Bahariya or Siwa oases in the Western Desert, or the Red Sea coast at Marsa Alam. All of them are inside the path of totality. Some popular Egyptian bases are not: Hurghada, Aswan, Cairo and Kharga town see only a partial eclipse.
Totality at the sites tours use (2 August 2027, EEST = UTC+3)
| Site | Totality | Totality begins | Sun altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sohag | 6 min 22 s | 12:58:49 | 81° |
| Karnak Temple, Luxor | 6 min 22 s | 13:02:07 | 82° |
| Luxor (Corniche, Winter Palace) | 6 min 20–21 s | 13:02:07 | 82° |
| Bahariya Oasis (Bawiti) | 6 min 17 s | 12:50:21 | 79° |
| Dendera (near Qena) | 6 min 13 s | 13:01:32 | 81° |
| Asyut | 6 min 06 s | 12:56:57 | 81° |
| Esna | 5 min 47 s | 13:02:53 | 82° |
| Edfu | 5 min 32 s | 13:04:10 | 82° |
| Siwa | 5 min 31 s | 12:42:36 | 76° |
| Marsa Alam | 5 min 28 s | 13:08:06 | 81° |
| Kom Ombo | 3 min 29 s | 13:06:10 | 83° |
| Aswan | partial, 99.87% | no totality | 83° |
| Kharga (town) | partial, 99.6% | no totality | 82° |
| Hurghada | partial, 98.6% | no totality | 80° |
| Cairo | partial, 94.8% | no totality | 78° |
Computed by Tember with skyfield and NASA JPL's DE421 ephemeris for each site's centre. Published values differ by a second or two: Sky & Telescope gives about 6 min 22 s near Luxor and 6 min 20 s at Luxor Temple; Egypt Tours Portal gives 5 min 33 s for Siwa. The longest totality of the whole eclipse, 6 min 23.2 s, is in the desert just west of the Nile between Asyut and Sohag. All sites, and the whole path from Spain to Somalia, are on our 2027 path of totality map, country by country.
Luxor is the obvious choice: the longest totality of any big tourist city, the temples, and Nile cruise ships that can moor in the path. For the full picture of the city on eclipse day, read our guide to the total eclipse in Luxor. If you are planning on your own instead, our guide to where to watch the eclipse in Egypt compares the Nile Valley, the Red Sea coast and the desert oases town by town. Weighing Spain instead? Our roundup of Spain total eclipse tours does the same for trips to Tarifa, Cádiz and the Costa del Sol.
Which Egypt eclipse tours are still bookable?
This is every tour for 2 August 2027 that we could verify on the operator's own page, or on a booking platform where marked, on 27 October 2026. Prices are the "from" prices exactly as stated, per person, usually sharing a double room and usually without international flights. Many operators add separate eclipse-site or lecture fees.
Egypt 2027 eclipse tours, checked 27 October 2026
| Operator and tour | Dates | Where they watch | From (as stated) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky & Telescope / Insight Cruises: Luxor 2027 (15 hotel and ship options) | around 2 Aug 2027 (varies by option) | Luxor: Winter Palace gardens, ship decks, Hilton Luxor, Temple Hotel | US$2,950 (Tour 2, ms Hamees) plus eclipse-site and lecture fees of roughly US$2,450–3,950 and US$775–1,750 | Most options sold out or waitlist; Tours 2, 15 and 16 still bookable |
| Temple World (Cambridge Alumni Travel): Total Solar Eclipse with Nile Cruise | 29 Jul – 6 Aug 2027 | Sundeck of a cruise ship moored in Luxor | £6,195 (single £7,995), no international flights | Available |
| Encounters Travel: Egypt Eclipse Adventure 2027 (B) | 11 days; 29 Jul 2027 on Responsible Travel | Near Luxor (Karnak grounds, the boat or hotel gardens) | £5,995 on Responsible Travel, no flights; "on request" on Encounters' site | A fully booked; B limited space |
| Egypt Tours Plus: Egypt Eclipse 2027 group tour | 27 Jul – 4 Aug 2027 | Karnak, Luxor | US$8,995 (double), domestic flights included | Open ("while places remain") |
| Archaeological Paths: Egypt Tour of the Century (14 days) | 26 Jul – 8 Aug 2027 | The "Lost Golden City" excavation site, Luxor (special permission stated) | US$27,985, domestic flights included | "Last places" |
| Harvard Alumni Association: private jet from London to Luxor | 28 Jul – 4 Aug 2027 | Top deck of the Sanctuary Nile Adventurer, Luxor | US$26,950, including the London charter | Some cabin types and all singles sold out |
| Go Stargazing with Dabuka | 29 Jul – 5 Aug 2027 | Luxor, with the stay in Hurghada | €1,460 (basis not stated), no flights | Open |
| Just Go! Holidays: The Solar Eclipse & Gemma Resort | July 2027, 8 nights | "Exclusive" site from a Marsa Alam base | £3,499 including Gatwick flights | Open |
| Egypt Tours Portal: Cairo & Siwa Solar Eclipse Tour | 30 Jul – 6 Aug 2027 | Desert site near Siwa | US$3,900 | Open |
| Asia Odyssey Travel: 9 Days Egypt Eclipse 2027 (private) | 30 Jul – 7 Aug 2027 | Karnak, Luxor | not stated | Limited; its Nile ship is full |
| FJ Expeditions: Total Solar Eclipse, Egypt | not stated | Desert camp near Bahariya Oasis | on request | Confirmed, maximum 12 |
| Goway: Chasing Totality, Egypt & Red Sea | 10 days, dates not stated | Marsa Alam | on request | Enquire |
| TravelQuest International: Egypt Total Solar Eclipse, Southbound | 29 Jul – 8 Aug 2027 | Private site near Luxor | US$10,410 land plus Nile cruise from US$2,100 | Waitlist |
| Sirius Travel: Luxor Egypt Total Solar Eclipse 2027 | 30 Jul – 8 Aug 2027 | Karnak, Luxor ("if access is permitted") | US$7,310 | Waitlist |
| Eclipse Tours #57-B: Egypt Express | 28 Jul – 3 Aug 2027 | Luxor | US$7,250 | Sold out, waitlist |
| Eclipse Traveler: Pharaoh's Shadow | 27 Jul – 2 Aug 2027 | Not named ("on the centerline") | US$6,995 | Waitlist only |
| Scientific American / Academic Travel Abroad: Egyptian cruise | 29 Jul – 7 Aug 2027 | M/S Tamr on the Nile, Luxor area | US$15,495 | Sold out, waitlist |
| Smithsonian Journeys: Nile Cruise in the Path of Totality | 28 Jul – 7 Aug 2027 | MS Tulip, moored in Luxor | US$14,695 | Waitlist |
| Temple World (Cambridge Alumni Travel): rooftop in Luxor | 29 Jul – 6 Aug 2027 | Private rooftop, Luxor | £4,950 | Sold out |
| Ancient World Tours (Jules Verne): The Solar Eclipse 2027 | 30 Jul – 4 Aug 2027 | Hotel gardens in Asyut | £4,850 including BA flights from London | Full, waiting list |
| Eclipse Travel (Australia): 14 Days Best of Egypt | 24 Jul – 6 Aug 2027 | Adrere Amellal eco-lodge, Siwa | AUD 19,152 | Waitlist only |
| G Adventures: Egypt Eclipse 2027 Adventure (Gebeco in Germany) | 11 days (Gebeco: 29 Jul – 10 Aug 2027) | Deck of the cruise boat between Luxor and Edfu | not shown (Gebeco: from €6,899) | No dates currently available on G Adventures |
Sources: each operator's page, linked below, read on 27 October 2026. "From" prices are the lowest shown and usually per person sharing; read each page for what is included. We left out listings with no dates, no price and no viewing site, and a package page that still carried an internal "verify before publishing" note in its eclipse timetable.
The pattern is clear: the science-led and museum-led tours (TravelQuest, Smithsonian, Scientific American, Eclipse Tours, Sky & Telescope's ship options) sold first. What is left is mainly hotel-based Luxor options, smaller adventure groups and the Siwa and Red Sea alternatives. Several operators run waitlists because cruise ships and Luxor hotels are a fixed supply, so a waitlist place is worth having if your dates are flexible.
Which operator claims should you double-check?
- "6 minutes 23 seconds in Luxor." Several pages quote 6 min 23 s, which is the maximum for the whole eclipse, reached between Asyut and Sohag. Luxor itself gets about 6 min 20–22 s depending on the spot. It is a small difference, but it shows which pages copy headline figures.
- Times one hour out. Egypt uses summer time (UTC+3) in August, so totality in Luxor runs from about 13:02 to 13:08 local time. One operator's page gives 12:02–12:08 "local", an hour early.
- Hurghada is not in totality. One operator's eclipse guide quotes about 4 min 50 s for Hurghada; by our calculation Hurghada sees a 98.6% partial eclipse and no totality. Tours based in Hurghada must travel to the path (Go Stargazing's says it watches in Luxor).
- "Greatest eclipse" and "greatest duration" are different points. Greatest eclipse (where the Moon's shadow axis passes closest to Earth's centre) is at 25°30′N 32°53′E, south-east of Luxor; greatest duration (6 min 23.2 s) is at 26°49′N 31°08′E, between Asyut and Sohag (EclipseWise). Operators that say either are both right.
- Viewing sites "subject to permission". Tours that plan to watch inside a monument depend on official permission: Archaeological Paths says the Lost Golden City opens under special permission from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and Sirius Travel plans Karnak "if access is permitted", with buses on standby. Ask what the plan B is.
What is Egypt's government planning for eclipse day?
According to Egyptian press reports, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy set up a higher committee in May 2026 to prepare for the eclipse in Luxor, and chaired its first meeting on 1 September 2026. Luxor and Siwa were singled out. Governorates are to choose public viewing sites with cafeterias and toilets, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority is to publish exact times for each governorate, and plans for extra domestic flights and land transport are being studied. We have not found an official ministry press release or a statement from NRIAG yet; we will update this when one appears.
How hot will it be?
Very. Eclipse meteorologist Jay Anderson (Eclipsophile) gives Luxor an average high of 42.0 °C on 2 August, with a record of 46 °C. The eclipse is at midday with the Sun 82° high, so shade, water and a hat matter as much as the view. The good news is the sky: Anderson rates Egypt the safest part of the whole path for clear weather, with Siwa and Bahariya having "almost no prospect of cloud".
Do you need your own eclipse glasses on a tour?
Yes, ideally. Some tours include glasses; others say plainly that they don't (Archaeological Paths, for example). Either way, everyone needs a certified pair for the partial phases, which last about 1 hour 20 minutes before totality in Luxor and as long again afterwards. Take them off only during the minutes of totality.
- Look for EN ISO 12312-2:2015 and the CE mark, and check each pair before use: how to inspect eclipse glasses.
- Paper on its own is not enough: read what Spain's 2026 withdrawals teach about fake and non-compliant eclipse glasses.
- Going by boat? See which 2027 eclipse cruises will be in the path of totality.
Tember eclipse glasses are certified to EN ISO 12312-2:2015 (EU type-examination certificate CE-PC-260615-499-01-9A) and carry the CE mark; the documents are on our compliance and test documents page. Packs run from 4 to 100 pairs, so tour leaders and families can cover a whole group. See the glasses. For groups, see bulk eclipse glasses.
Frequently asked questions
Are Egypt solar eclipse tours for 2027 sold out?
Many are. On 27 October 2026 TravelQuest, Smithsonian, Scientific American, Eclipse Tours, Sirius Travel and most of Sky & Telescope's ship options were sold out or waitlist-only. Places remained with some Sky & Telescope hotel options in Luxor, Temple World's Nile cruise, Encounters Travel, Egypt Tours Plus and several Siwa and Red Sea packages.
How much does an Egypt eclipse tour cost?
The starting prices we found run from about €1,460 (a Hurghada-based package without flights) and US$2,950 plus eclipse fees (a Luxor hotel option) to about US$14,700–28,000 for museum-led Nile cruises, a private-jet trip and a 14-day archaeology tour. Most exclude international flights.
Where is the best place in Egypt to watch the 2027 eclipse?
Luxor combines about 6 min 20 s of totality, the Sun 82° high and very low cloud odds with hotels and temples. Sohag and the desert between Asyut and Sohag get slightly longer totality, Bahariya and Siwa have the lowest cloud risk, and Marsa Alam offers a beach base with about 5 min 28 s.
What time is the eclipse in Luxor?
Totality runs from about 13:02 to 13:08 local time (EEST, UTC+3) on Monday 2 August 2027, about 6 min 20 s at the Corniche and 6 min 22 s at Karnak. The partial phases start at about 11:40 and end at about 14:27.
Is Hurghada in the path of totality?
No. Hurghada sees a partial eclipse with about 98.6% of the Sun covered. Safaga (99.6%) is partial too. On the Red Sea coast, totality starts further south: El Quseir gets about 2 min 19 s and Marsa Alam about 5 min 28 s.
Can I watch the eclipse in Egypt without a tour?
Yes. The eclipse is visible from any public place in the path, and according to Egyptian press reports the governorates are to set up public viewing sites. Book a hotel inside the path early, because Luxor rooms and cruise cabins are a fixed supply.
Sources
- Tour pages (all read on 27 October 2026): Sky & Telescope / Insight Cruises: Luxor 2027; Cambridge Alumni Travel / Temple World: Total Solar Eclipse with Nile Cruise; Cambridge Alumni Travel / Temple World: Total Solar Eclipse, Egypt 2027; Encounters Travel: Egypt Eclipse Adventure 2027 (B) and Responsible Travel listing; Egypt Tours Plus; Archaeological Paths; Harvard Alumni Association; Go Stargazing; Just Go! Holidays; Egypt Tours Portal; Asia Odyssey Travel; FJ Expeditions; Goway; TravelQuest International; Sirius Travel; Eclipse Tours #57-B; Eclipse Traveler; Scientific American; Smithsonian Journeys; Ancient World Tours; Eclipse Travel (Australia); G Adventures and Gebeco; On The Go Tours: solar eclipse guide
- Egyptian government plans: Sout Al-Omma, 23 May 2026; Masrawy, 1 September 2026; Banker.news
- Jay Anderson, Eclipsophile: Total Solar Eclipse 2027 August 2 (weather and Luxor temperatures)
- Fred Espenak, EclipseWise: path table (greatest eclipse and greatest duration)
- Totality durations, times and Sun altitudes: Tember's own calculation with skyfield and the JPL DE421 ephemeris, 27 October 2026.