Egypt Solar Eclipse 2027

Egypt

Witness the total solar eclipse amongst Egypt's ancient sites

11 days £4,995 pp This is the per person group tour price, based on 2 sharing. The price is subject to change with exchange rate and flight cost fluctuations.
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Intro, Dates & Prices

Intro

This exceptional journey through Egypt has been thoughtfully designed around one of the most awe-inspiring natural events - the total solar eclipse, which will take place on 2 August 2027. With Luxor lying almost perfectly within the path of totality, this tour offers the extraordinary opportunity to witness over six minutes of complete darkness in one of the most historic landscapes on Earth.

Beyond the eclipse, the itinerary traces Egypt’s civilisation from its earliest monuments to its grandest temples. From the Pyramids of Giza and the treasures of the Grand Egyptian Museum to the majestic temples of Karnak and Abu Simbel, the journey unfolds at a thoughtful pace, enhanced by a leisurely Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan.

Watching the total solar eclipse from the Nile, with the temples of ancient Thebes on either bank, is a rare and memorable way to experience both Egypt’s history and this extraordinary natural event.

The maximum group size for this trip is 14 people. Single rooms/cabins will be limited.

As this is a summer departure, outdoor sightseeing will be done during the cooler parts of the day, and all accommodation and transport is air-conditioned.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • Visit the magnificent Grand Egyptian Museum
  • Stepped pyramid in Saqqara
  • Great Pyramid & Sphinx of Giza
  • Luxor's awesome temples & ruins
  • Burial tombs in Valley of the Kings
  • Island temples & ruins along the Nile
  • Witness the total eclipse in Luxor
  • Dramatic temple & chambers in Abu Simbel

Places Visited

Cairo - Grand Egyptian Museum - Saqqara - Giza Plateau - Luxor - Karnak - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Abu Simbel

What's Included

Arrival & departure transfers
Ground transport with driver
Domestic flights (Cairo-Luxor; Aswan-Cairo)
Accommodation
4 nights on Farida Nile Cruise (suite cabins)
All meals
English-speaking guides
Entrance fees to sites as per itinerary

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Itinerary
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Overview Itinerary Detailed Itinerary
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Day 1 : Arrival in Cairo

Arrive at Cairo International Airport, where you will be met by our representative for fast-track meet-and-assist services through immigration, luggage collection and customs.

Private transfer to your hotel near the Giza Plateau. Settle into your Pyramid View room and enjoy your first evening in Egypt at leisure.

Overnight in Great Pyramid Inn, Cairo

Meal plan: Dinner

As Egypt’s largest city, Cairo is also its most diverse. Home to ancient history and modern wonders, with popular sites and hidden gems, the city offers something for every adventurous traveller. Cairo’s cityscape is as impressive as any, with elaborate mosques standing shoulder to shoulder with modern structures like the Cairo Tower, and some the world’s finest examples of Islamic architecture found in the city’s older areas. Given its diversity, it’s no surprise that Cairo is home to a rich culture – one which may be discovered within the walls of the city’s Egyptian Museum, or lived with a visit to the bustling and expansive Khan el-Khalili bazaar.

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Day 2 : Cairo

After breakfast, visit the newly inaugurated Grand Egyptian Museum, an architectural landmark located near the Pyramids. Your guided visit includes the Hanging Obelisk, the colossal statue of Ramses II, the Victory Column of King Merneptah, the Grand Staircase lined with monumental statues, and the recently opened galleries housing artefacts from across Egypt’s long history, including the treasures of Tutankhamun.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant.

Transfer to hotel and rest of the day is free at leisure. 

Overnight in Great Pyramid Inn, Cairo

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

The Grand Egyptian Museum is one of the world’s most ambitious cultural institutions, dramatically located on the Giza Plateau within sight of the pyramids. Conceived as a modern gateway to ancient Egypt, the museum houses the largest collection of Pharaonic artefacts ever assembled under one roof. Its centrepiece is the complete treasure of Tutankhamun, displayed in full for the first time, alongside monumental statues, royal mummies, and everyday objects spanning thousands of years. The striking contemporary architecture uses stone, glass, and light to echo the surrounding desert landscape, while expansive galleries and open spaces allow for an immersive, carefully curated journey through Egypt’s extraordinary civilisation.

Conveniently situated only 2km from the Giza Pyramids, the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is claimed to be the largest archaeological museum complex in the world. It houses the world's most impressive collection of Ancient Egyptian monuments, treasures and history. These include over 100,000 artifacts, of which 3,500 belong to Ancient Egypt's most famous boy-pharaoh, Tutankhamen. The museum not only showcases Egypt's ancient Pharonic civilisation but also the more modern Greek and Roman periods of Egyptian history.
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Day 3 : Saqqara & Giza Pyramids

After breakfast, drive to Saqqara, the ancient necropolis of Memphis. Visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world’s oldest large-scale stone structure, along with richly decorated mastaba tombs, the Imhotep Museum and the colonnaded entrance complex.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Continue to the Giza Plateau to explore the Great Pyramids – the last surviving wonder of the ancient world – and stand before the enigmatic Great Sphinx.

Return to your hotel for overnight.

Overnight in Great Pyramid Inn, Cairo

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Saqqara was an ancient necropolis serving the people of the Ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. Today’s Saqqara comprises a number of tombs and pyramids, including the famous step pyramid of Djoser which is the oldest known complete stone complex, constructed during the Third Dynasty 2686-2613BC. The entire site was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1979.

Situated just outside Cairo in Giza, the Giza Plateau is home to some of the most iconic manmade structures in the world. In addition to the Great Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, and the Sphinx, which, for many, have become the definitive symbols of Ancient Egypt as a whole, the plateau also contains intriguing features such as the Pyramid Builders’ Village.

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Day 4 : Cairo - Luxor

Early breakfast and check-out, followed by transfer to the airport for your morning flight to Luxor.

On arrival, visit the vast Karnak Temple complex – the largest religious site ever constructed in the ancient world and dedicated primarily to Amun-Ra. Walk through the Great Hypostyle Hall with its forest of colossal columns.

Lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to your hotel.

Rest of the day is at leisure to relax at the hotel or explore your surroundings in the early evening.

Overnight in Sekhmet Retreat, Luxor

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sat on the east bank of the river Nile, Luxor is located on the famous site of ancient Thebes, home of the Old Kingdom pharaohs of the 16th-11th centuries B.C. Today, there are still a few remnants of the ancient city to be found in Luxor - most notably, the Luxor and Karnak Temples. These huge monuments remain well-preserved and feature impressive statues & hieroglyphics. Additionally, Luxor is home to the Luxor Museum and the Mummification Museum, which display ancient artefacts and exhibit ancient Egypt’s famous mummification process.

Karnak is a temple complex located in modern-day Luxor, and what was previously known as the city of Thebes. It was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1979. The complex comprises a range of decayed temples and chapels from the middle kingdom (2055-1650BC) to the Ptolemaic period (305-30BC). 

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Day 5 : Luxor | The Solar Eclipse

After breakfast, transfer to your small luxury ship for your Nile cruise, which will be your base for the next 4 days. You will be staying in spacious air-conditioned suites with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Nile.

Early afternoon, experience the total solar eclipse from the ship’s sun deck. Luxor lies close to the point of greatest eclipse, offering an extraordinary duration of over six minutes.

Early evening, visit the impressive Luxor Temple, built for Pharaoh Ramses II. 

Dinner and overnight on board the cruise.
 

On 2 August 2027, Egypt will witness one of the most extraordinary astronomical events of the century – a total solar eclipse of exceptional duration and clarity. Luxor lies almost perfectly within the path of totality, making it one of the very best locations on Earth to experience this phenomenon.

What makes this eclipse truly remarkable is its length. Near Luxor, totality will last approximately 6 minutes and 23 seconds, placing it among the longest total solar eclipses visible anywhere in the world this century. Such prolonged totality is extremely rare and allows ample time to observe the dramatic changes in light, temperature, and atmosphere as the Moon completely obscures the Sun.

Egypt’s desert climate offers outstanding viewing conditions, with clear skies and minimal cloud cover at this time of year. Combined with Luxor’s open landscapes and wide horizons, this creates ideal conditions for uninterrupted observation.

Experiencing a total solar eclipse from the Nile, surrounded by some of the greatest monuments of ancient civilisation, is uniquely powerful. The event echoes the deep astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, for whom the movements of the Sun held profound religious and symbolic meaning. Witnessing this cosmic alignment in the heart of ancient Thebes creates a once-in-a-lifetime fusion of science, history, and place.

Overnight in Nile Cruise, River Nile

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

The River Nile is the longest river in not only Africa, but the entire world, though this fact is disputed by the Brazilian government, who claim the Amazon River is longer. The Nile empties into the Med near the Egyptian port of Alexandria,but not before first plotting a course through an astonishing  eleven countries including the length of Egypt itself, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and of course Uganda, where it starts. Funnily enough, there are two Niles that become one at the North Sudanese capital of Khartoum: the White Nile (source Lake Victoria) and the Blue Nile (bubbling up from Lake Tana, Ethiopia).

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Day 6 : Exploration of Luxor

After breakfast on board, cross to the west bank of Luxor and begin your exploration of the legendary Valley of the Kings, dramatically hidden within the barren limestone hills overlooking the Nile. This royal burial ground was used for nearly 500 years by the pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Your visit includes entry to three of the standard tombs covered by the general ticket, offering a glimpse into richly decorated burial chambers carved deep into the rock. In addition, you will visit the tomb of King Ramses VI, renowned for its exceptionally well-preserved wall paintings and astronomical ceiling, as well as the world-famous tomb of King Tutankhamun, discovered almost intact and still housing the young king’s mummy.

Afterwards, continue to the magnificent mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s most remarkable rulers. As the only female pharaoh to reign as king, she adopted full royal regalia and titles, and her elegant, terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari is a masterpiece of harmony between architecture and landscape. En route, pause for photographs at the imposing Colossi of Memnon – two colossal seated statues that once guarded the entrance to a long-lost temple and still stand as silent sentinels of the Theban plain.

Return to your ship for lunch and enjoy the rest of the day sailing along the Nile. 

Dinner and overnight onboard.

Overnight in Nile Cruise, River Nile

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Located on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor, the Valley of the Kings holds the tombs of pharaohs from the New Kingdom (from 1539-1075BC). It has been a site of Egyptological and archaeological exploration since the end of the eighteenth century, and it was thought that the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 was the last of the tombs to be found. However, in 2005 another tomb was found about 50 feet from Tutankhamun's with pottery, empty sarcophagi, and other materials inside. Then in October 2019, 30 sealed sarcophagi were found by accident and are estimated to be around 3,000 years old, making it the largest human coffin cache discovered since the end of the 19th century. 

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Day 7 : Nile: Edfu - Kom Ombo

After breakfast onboard, disembark and travel by horse-drawn carriage to Edfu Temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus and considered the most complete temple surviving from ancient Egypt.

Return to the ship for lunch and continue sailing to Kom Ombo.

Early evening, visit the unique double temple of Kom Ombo, shared by the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris. Adjacent is the Crocodile Museum, displaying mummified crocodiles found nearby dating back thousands of years.

Continue sailing along the Nile.

Dinner and overnight onboard.

Overnight in Nile Cruise, River Nile

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Located in Upper Egypt on the west bank of the Nile, Edfu is home to charming modern culture and ancient history alike. True to their Greek roots, the friendly locals of the city continue to produce traditional decorative pottery. Edfu’s primary draw, though, is the vast and remarkable Temple of Horus, considered by many to be the most well- preserved remnant of ancient Egypt in the world. With fine examples of both Egyptian and Greek architecture, the temple has been hugely significant in the understanding of many aspects of ancient Egyptian life.

The Temple of Kom Ombo is a double temple just north of Aswan, dedicated to the two deities: Haroeris, the sky god, and Sobek, the crocodile god. It was constructed during the Ptolemaic dynasty (180-47BC) and some later additions were made during the Roman period. Because of the two temples, the complex is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis, though much has been destroyed by earthquakes and flooding of the Nile. However, the reliefs carved on the columns of the temples are of a remarkable quality.

Overnight in The Orient, Dahabiya

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Day 8 : Philae Temple & Elephantine Island

After breakfast, disembark and travel by motorboat to Philae Island, home to the beautifully proportioned Temple of Isis. Saved from rising waters following the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the temple was painstakingly dismantled and reassembled stone by stone on its present island, preserving one of Egypt’s most atmospheric sacred sites.

Return to the ship for lunch. Later in the afternoon, before sunset, board a traditional felucca for a relaxed sail on the Nile, gliding quietly past riverbanks and islands as you circle Elephantine Island and enjoy the changing colours of the evening sky.

Dinner and overnight onboard.

Overnight in Nile Cruise, River Nile

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Situated on an island in the reservoir between the Aswan High and Low Dam, just south of the bustling city of Aswan, the Philae Temple had to be relocated during the building of the High Dam. The temple complex itself is a patchwork of architecture, periodically influenced by Greek, Roman, and Byzantine rulers making their own additions to the temples. The complex consists of an 18m high entranceway with two granite lions guarding the doorway; a main courtyard followed by an inner temple with another magnificent doorway; and the sanctuary, dedicated to Isis. 

Overnight in The Orient, Dahabiya .

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Day 9 : Aswan - Abu Simbel

After breakfast, disembark and depart from Aswan by road for the journey south to Abu Simbel, arriving around midday.

On arrival, transfer to your private boat on Lake Nasser and enjoy lunch on board, accompanied by striking views of the monumental Abu Simbel temples rising dramatically from the shoreline.

Later, transfer to your lakeside lodge. In the evening, attend the evocative Sound and Light Show at Abu Simbel, where illuminated projections and music recount the story of Ramses II and his queen Nefertari, bringing their legacy vividly to life against the night sky.

Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Overnight in Eskaleh Eco-Lodge, Abu Simbel

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

The twin Abu Simbel Temples were founded approximately in 1264BC during the New Kingdom of Egypt, as monuments for Pharaoh Ramesses II and his queen Nefertari. The temples were carved out of the mountainside and then relocated in 1968 to save them from being flooded by the creation of Lake Nasser. The temple has been designed (originally and in its relocation) so that on only two days a year the first rays of sunlight in the morning can filter straight through the length of the temple and illuminate the inner sanctuary, showing off the spectacular architectural ingenuity that the Ancient Egyptians had.

Overnight in The Orient, Dahabiya.

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Day 10 : Abu Simbel - Cairo

Take a boxed breakfast from the hotel before checking out at dawn.

Return for an early morning visit to the awe-inspiring Abu Simbel, located near Egypt’s southern border. This extraordinary site is home to two colossal rock-cut temples dedicated to Ramses II and his queen Nefertari. Marvel at the immense seated statues of the pharaoh, which have guarded the entrance for more than 3,200 years and rank among the most iconic monuments in all of Egypt. You will get the chance to explore the inner chambers of the temple. 

Following the visit, return by road to Aswan and transfer to the airport for your flight back to Cairo.

On arrival, transfer to your airport hotel.

Overnight in Le Meridien Cairo Airport Hotel, Cairo

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

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Day 11 : Departure

After breakfast, check out and self-transfer to the airport for your onward departure, bringing this remarkable journey through Egypt to a close.

Meal plan: Breakfast

Accommodation

Accommodation

All accommodation subject to availability. Final accommodation choices will be confirmed after booking.

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Great Pyramid Inn

Cairo (3 nights)

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Nile Cruise

River Nile (4 nights)

A Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan offers a luxurious journey through Egypt’s ancient heart. Travelers explore iconic sites like Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, and Philae Temple while enjoying scenic river views. Onboard, guests experience fine dining, entertainment, and relaxation, making it an unforgettable cultural adventure.

Visit hotel's site
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Eskaleh Eco-Lodge

Abu Simbel (1 night)

Nestled near Abu Simbel, Eskaleh Eco-Lodge offers an authentic Nubian retreat with traditional architecture, serene surroundings, and warm hospitality. Enjoy home-cooked cuisine, stunning Lake Nasser views, and easy access to the iconic temples. Perfect for culture lovers and eco-conscious travelers, Eskaleh blends comfort with heritage for an unforgettable stay.

Visit hotel's site
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Le Meridien Cairo Airport Hotel

Cairo (1 night)

Extensions

Alexandria extension (2 days)

Explore Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria

Hidden Treasures of Egypt (15 days)

Magnificent pyramids, grand temples & cruise down the Nile

Essential Egypt & Nile Cruise (12 days)

Travel north to south and along Egypt's timeless river

Egypt Solar Eclipse 2027 (11 days)

Witness the total solar eclipse amongst Egypt's ancient sites

Reviews

An absolute dream holiday for me!! The tour went smoothly and was so well organized with attention to every detail.....hotels, guides, historical sites, transportation, food and Nile Cruise...Thank you Travel the Unknown for the most memorable adventure to Egypt!!

Sandy Hanly , Hidden Treasures of Egypt
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