Six minutes and twenty seconds over ancient Thebes
Totality begins at 13:02:08 and ends at 13:08:29 (local time, UTC+3). Maximum eclipse is at 13:05:18, with the sun 82° above the horizon. The partial phases run from 11:40 to 14:26. Egypt is on UTC+3 in August 2027, one hour ahead of mainland Spain.
Luxor is the most sought after place on Earth for the eclipse of 2 August 2027, and it deserves the reputation. It gets 6 minutes 20 seconds of totality with the sun 82 degrees above the horizon, essentially straight up, over the largest concentration of ancient monuments anywhere in the world. Karnak, a couple of kilometres north, gets 6 minutes 22 seconds. The Valley of the Kings, across the river, gets 6 minutes 21 seconds.
To put six minutes in perspective: the 2017 eclipse across the United States gave a maximum of 2 minutes 40 seconds, and the 2024 eclipse over Mexico and Texas gave 4 minutes 28 seconds. Nothing over land will beat 2 August 2027 until 2114.
Karnak reaches 6 min 22 s, the practical maximum
Almost overhead at 13:05, so no horizon needed at all
Upper Egypt in August is as reliable as weather gets
The partial phases begin at about 11:40 and end at about 14:26 local time. Totality in Luxor runs from 13:02:08 to 13:08:28, with maximum eclipse at 13:05:18. Egypt is on UTC+3, so that is 10:05 UTC and 12:05 in mainland Spain.
The middle of the day is the hardest possible time for this in an Egyptian August. Plan the whole day around heat rather than around the eclipse.
The largest religious complex ever built, and the longest totality in the Luxor area at 6 minutes 22 seconds. The hypostyle hall, with its 134 columns, is the image everyone has in mind. Access on eclipse day will almost certainly be ticketed and capped, and probably expensive. Watch for announcements from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
In the middle of the modern town, on the east bank, with the avenue of sphinxes running north towards Karnak. The Nile corniche gives open sky and a long stretch of public space.
6 minutes 21 seconds. The Valley of the Kings is a narrow rocky gorge, which is a poor place to be in a crowd but a remarkable place to experience darkness at midday. Hatshepsut’s terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari, set against the cliff, and the open ground around the Colossi of Memnon are both easier to manage.
Luxor has one of the largest balloon operations in the world, flying over the west bank at dawn. Flights during totality itself are a different proposition, and whether they will be permitted is not yet clear. Treat any offer of an eclipse balloon flight with caution until the operator can show the necessary authorisation.
A moored boat gives you shade, cold water, a bathroom and an open sun deck, which for a midday eclipse in August is a genuinely strong combination. Confirm that your boat will be moored between Luxor and Esna on the day, not further south. Kom Ombo drops to 3 minutes 42 seconds and Aswan has no totality at all.
Luxor in early August averages around 41 degrees and regularly exceeds 45. The eclipse is at 13:05, the hottest part of the day, at open archaeological sites with almost no shade. During totality the temperature will drop noticeably, which is a relief that lasts six minutes. Everything before and after it is full sun. Carry several litres of water per person, a wide hat, and plan to be somewhere shaded for the partial phases.
Plane: Luxor International has flights from Cairo and direct services from several European cities. Hurghada, three and a half hours by road, has far more capacity and may be the practical way in.
Train: sleeper trains run from Cairo to Luxor overnight, taking around ten hours.
Accommodation: this is the problem. Luxor has a few thousand hotel rooms and cruise berths, against worldwide demand for one of the most anticipated eclipses in living memory. Blocks were taken by tour operators well before 2027. If you have not booked, look at Qena, Sohag, Esna and the Red Sea coast, all of which are inside the path.