Duration
5 daysSee all Egypt PackagesPrivate Package
Total Solar Eclipse Nile Cruise 2027 — Aswan to Luxor
Location
LuxorPrice
From USD 2550Support
Local teamOverview
On 2 August 2027 the moon passes completely in front of the sun over Upper Egypt, and Luxor sits close to the centre of the path. For a few minutes in the middle of the day the temples go dark, the corona appears around a black disc, and the horizon turns the colour of dusk in every direction at once.
Egypt is one of the best places on earth to see it. This is desert in August: the sky is reliably clear, which is the whole gamble of eclipse travel and the reason people fly across the world for a few minutes of shadow. Luxor happens to be both on the path and surrounded by the densest concentration of pharaonic monuments anywhere.
You watch it from the sundeck of a Nile cruise. That is the part worth choosing carefully: the deck gives you an open horizon in every direction, which matters more during an eclipse than at any other time because the shadow arrives across the landscape before it reaches you and leaves the same way. There are no buildings in the way, no crowd to stand behind, and the river holds the light.
It is an ordinary Aswan to Luxor sailing in every other respect — five days, four nights aboard, full board, a private Egyptologist guide, from USD 2,550 per person sharing a double cabin. What is not ordinary is the direction. The ship runs south to north so that it is moored at Luxor on the morning of the eclipse rather than sailing away from it, and everything else is arranged around that morning.
Tour Highlights
- Totality over Luxor on 2 August 2027 — the next one visible from Egypt is generations away
- Watched from the sundeck of a Nile cruise: open horizon, no crowd, the river beneath it
- Five days sailing Aswan to Luxor, arriving at Luxor in time for eclipse morning
- August in Upper Egypt: the clearest skies of any point on the eclipse path
- The monuments either side of eclipse day, without the winter crowds
- From USD 2,550 per person sharing a double cabin
Itinerary
1
Met at Aswan and taken aboard. The afternoon covers the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk still lying in its quarry, and a short boat crossing to the Temple of Philae on its island. Dinner and overnight moored at Aswan.
2
Sail north to Kom Ombo and its double temple, the only one in Egypt built twice over for two gods — Sobek the crocodile and Horus the falcon, each with its own entrance and sanctuary. Back aboard and on towards Edfu.
3
The Temple of Horus at Edfu, the most completely preserved temple in Egypt, reached by horse-drawn carriage from the mooring. The ship then sails on through the Esna lock towards Luxor.
4
Moored at Luxor. Karnak in the morning, and Luxor Temple later in the day when the light is low and the colossi throw shadows down the colonnade. The ship stays at Luxor overnight, in position for the following morning.
5
The Valley of the Kings and the terraces of Hatshepsut early, then back aboard before the partial phase begins. Totality is watched from the sundeck with an open horizon in every direction — the shadow is visible crossing the West Bank hills before it reaches the ship, and again as it leaves.
Included & Excluded
Included
- Four nights aboard the Nile cruise, Aswan to Luxor
- Full board — all meals on the ship
- A private Egyptologist guide throughout
- All transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fees to the sites visited
Excluded
- International flights
- Egypt entry visa
- Tipping
Booking terms
Before You Book
What the price includes
- Quoted in US dollars, per person, for the whole trip — not per night.
- All taxes and VAT are included in the figure shown.
- Christmas and Easter are priced separately. Ask us early for those dates.
Children
Ages count as they are on the day you travel.
- Under 6Free
- 6 to 11Half the adult fare
- 12 and overFull adult fare
A child travelling free shares their parents’ cabin and has no separate bed.
Cancellation
Counted from your sailing date. Tell us as early as you can — most of this scale costs nothing.
- More than 30 days beforeNothing
- 30 to 15 days before25% of the total
- 14 to 8 days before50% of the total
- 7 to 2 days before75% of the total
- Within 48 hours, or no-showThe full amount
Christmas, New Year and Easter sailings are held on stricter terms, which we confirm in writing before you pay. If we cancel a sailing, you are refunded in full.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the total solar eclipse in Luxor?
2 August 2027. Luxor lies close to the centre line of the path of totality, which is why the city is one of the places people are travelling to for it rather than somewhere the eclipse is merely partial.
Why watch the eclipse from Egypt rather than anywhere else on the path?
Weather. The path crosses Spain, North Africa, Egypt and the Arabian peninsula, and cloud is what ruins an eclipse trip. Upper Egypt in August is as close to a guaranteed clear sky as the path offers, and Luxor adds the temples to the reason for being there.
What does the price include?
From USD 2,550 per person sharing a double cabin: four nights aboard the ship sailing Aswan to Luxor, full board with every meal on board, a private Egyptologist guide throughout, transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle, and entrance fees to the sites visited. International flights, the Egypt entry visa and tipping are not included.
Do I need eclipse glasses, and are they provided?
You need certified solar filters for the partial phases before and after totality — ordinary sunglasses are not enough and looking without protection causes permanent damage. During totality itself, and only then, it is safe to look with the naked eye. Ask us when you book whether glasses are supplied or whether to bring your own.
Where do you watch the eclipse from?
The sundeck of the ship, moored at Luxor. Two things decide an eclipse: where you are on the path, and what you can see from there. Luxor is close to the centre line, which is why the sailing is timed to end there rather than start there, and a deck gives you an open horizon in every direction — the moon's shadow is visible crossing the hills before it reaches you and again as it goes.
How far in advance should I book an eclipse trip?
Early. Luxor has a fixed number of rooms and the river a fixed number of cabins, and every eclipse on a populated path fills them well over a year out. This is not a trip where a late booking finds space at a normal rate.
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