When to Go

The eclipse is on Monday 2 August 2027. That date is fixed and it is the only thing about this trip you cannot change. Everything else follows from it.

What time is the eclipse?

The moon’s shadow first touches the Earth at 08:26 UTC in the Atlantic and leaves at 11:48 UTC in the Indian Ocean. In between it crosses the path in this order:

Each row uses the local clock of its own country: CEST in Spain, UTC+1 in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, UTC+2 in Libya, UTC+3 in Egypt.

In practical terms: mid morning in Spain and Morocco, late morning in Tunisia, and the middle of the day in Egypt. The partial phases last a little over two hours everywhere, so allow the whole morning wherever you are.

How early should you arrive?

Two days before, as a minimum. That is Saturday 31 July for a Monday eclipse, and it gives you:

• A buffer against a delayed or cancelled flight, which is a real risk at the end of July.
• Time to scout your viewing spot in daylight and find out that the car park is smaller than it looked.
• Time to move if the weather forecast turns against you. Cloud forecasts become useful about three days out.
• A Sunday to do the sightseeing, because on Monday everything near the path will be chaotic.

If you are travelling to Ceuta, Melilla or across the Strait, arrive earlier still. The ferries in the first week of August are the busiest of the year.

How long should you stay?

Four to seven nights is the sensible range. A one night dash is possible from anywhere in Spain and is a poor idea, because it gives you no margin at all and a very long drive on the day everybody else is also driving.

Staying at least one night after the eclipse is worth a lot. The outbound traffic on Monday afternoon will be severe. If you are not in it, you have a normal Tuesday morning instead.

What the weather is doing in early August

Early August is the driest part of the year across the whole path, which is the main reason this eclipse is such a good bet. It is also the hottest. Southern Spain runs at 30 to 38 degrees, inland Andalusia higher, and Upper Egypt at 40 to 45. See weather and cloud for the detail.

Booking timeline

• Now: accommodation inside the path. This is the binding constraint, particularly in Luxor, Ceuta, Melilla and the small Cádiz towns.
• Twelve months out: flights, once schedules are published. Ferries for the Strait crossings.
• Six months out: hire cars, and visas for Algeria and Egypt.
• Three months out: eclipse glasses, from a reputable supplier. Prices rise and counterfeits proliferate as the date approaches.
• Three days out: check the cloud forecast and decide whether to move.
• The night before: fuel, water, food, and charge everything.

The rest of the week

Whichever end of the path you choose, there is more than enough to fill a week around the eclipse.

• Andalusia: Cádiz, Jerez and the sherry bodegas, the white villages, Ronda, Seville and Granada. The last two are outside the path but both are worth days.
• Morocco: Tangier, Tetouan’s medina, Chefchaouen, and the Roman site of Volubilis.
• Tunisia: El Djem, Kairouan, the Bardo museum in Tunis, Djerba and the desert oases.
• Egypt: Luxor, Abydos, Dendera, Aswan and the Red Sea. A Nile cruise fills a week comfortably.

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