Nearly five minutes of totality along the Mediterranean coast
Totality begins at 09:44:42 and ends at 09:49:33 (local time, UTC+1). Maximum eclipse is at 09:47:07, with the sun 38° above the horizon. The partial phases run from 08:40 to 11:00. Figures are for Tangier. Morocco keeps UTC+1 in August 2027, one hour behind mainland Spain.
Morocco is the first country on land to be crossed by the total eclipse of 2 August 2027, and the northern strip of the country does better than anywhere in mainland Spain. Tangier gets 4 minutes 50 seconds, Tetouan 4 minutes 51 seconds, Al Hoceima 4 minutes 26 seconds. Cape Spartel, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, gets 4 minutes 49 seconds.
The path enters Morocco on the Atlantic coast around Larache and Asilah and runs east along the Rif, leaving the country near Oujda. It is a band roughly a hundred kilometres deep. Fez, Meknes, Rabat and Casablanca all sit outside it and see a very deep partial eclipse instead.
Tetouan and Tangier beat anything in mainland Spain
One hour behind Spain. Totality is mid morning, before 10:00
Early August is the dry season across the whole north
| City | Eclipse | Duration / coverage | Maximum | Sun altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tetouan | Total | 4 min 51 s | 09:47 | 38° |
| Tangier | Total | 4 min 50 s | 09:47 | 38° |
| Cape Spartel | Total | 4 min 49 s | 09:47 | 38° |
| Asilah | Total | 4 min 44 s | 09:46 | 38° |
| Al Hoceima | Total | 4 min 26 s | 09:49 | 40° |
| Larache | Total | 4 min 18 s | 09:46 | 38° |
| Nador | Total | 4 min 15 s | 09:50 | 41° |
| Chefchaouen | Total | 4 min 13 s | 09:47 | 38° |
| Saidia | Total | 4 min 02 s | 09:51 | 42° |
| Berkane | Total | 3 min 16 s | 09:51 | 42° |
| Ouezzane | Total | 2 min 33 s | 09:47 | 38° |
| Oujda | Total | 1 min 08 s | 09:51 | 42° |
| Taza | Partial | 98.94% | 09:48 | 40° |
| Volubilis | Partial | 98.59% | 09:46 | 38° |
| Fez | Partial | 98.40% | 09:47 | 39° |
| Rabat | Partial | 98.56% | 09:45 | 37° |
| Meknes | Partial | 97.96% | 09:46 | 38° |
| Casablanca | Partial | 97.07% | 09:44 | 36° |
| Marrakesh | Partial | 89.15% | 09:43 | 36° |
Moroccan local time, UTC+1. Computed from JPL DE440s ephemerides.
Tangier is the natural base: an international airport, a fast train to Casablanca, ferries from Spain, and 4 minutes 50 seconds of totality. Cape Spartel, fifteen kilometres west, is the point where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, with a lighthouse, cliffs and the Caves of Hercules just below. It is one of the great settings on the whole path, and it will be crowded.
Tetouan has the longest totality in Morocco at 4 minutes 51 seconds, a UNESCO-listed medina and the Rif rising behind it. Martil and Cabo Negro, on the coast just below, give you beach and open sky with the same duration.
The blue town in the Rif, at 600 metres, gets 4 minutes 13 seconds. Watching the light drain out of those painted walls is a striking proposition. The town is very small, the roads in are mountain roads, and it is already one of the busiest places in Morocco in summer. Plan accordingly.
4 minutes 26 seconds, a national park of limestone cliffs and coves, and much less visited than the Tangier end. If you want space, this stretch of coast has it.
On the Atlantic side, 4 minutes 44 seconds and 4 minutes 18 seconds. Asilah is a whitewashed walled town with a strong arts festival tradition; Larache sits next to the Roman ruins of Lixus.
This catches people out, because those are the cities most visitors to Morocco go to. Fez sees 98.4%, Rabat 98.56%, Casablanca 97.07% and Marrakesh 89.15%. All impressive, none of them totality. If you are travelling to Morocco for this eclipse, you need to be on the northern coast on the day.
Getting there: Tangier Ibn Battouta and Tetouan Sania Ramel both have international flights. The Al Boraq high speed line links Tangier to Rabat and Casablanca in a little over two hours. Ferries run from Tarifa to Tangier Ville in about an hour, and from Algeciras to Tangier Med.
Crossing on the day is a bad idea: early August is the peak of the Strait crossing season, when the ferries are full for weeks with families travelling home. Cross at least a day early.
Visas: citizens of the EU, the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia and many other countries do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Check the current rules for your nationality before you travel. See our visa notes.
Money: the dirham is a closed currency, so you change money on arrival rather than beforehand. Cards are widely accepted in cities, less so in the countryside.
Weather: early August in northern Morocco is hot and dry, with a good chance of clear sky. Coastal morning cloud is possible on the Atlantic side and normally burns off before mid morning. See weather and cloud.