Luxor 2027 Total Solar Eclipse: Date, Times & Best Viewing Sites

On Monday, 2 August 2027, the Moon will completely cover the Sun over Luxor for about 6 minutes and 23 seconds. That is the longest totality anywhere on land between 1991 and 2114. Luxor sits almost exactly under the point of greatest eclipse, so the temples of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s terraces will go dark at midday. In this guide, the Luxor-based team at Egypt Best Vacations explains when and where to watch, what to expect on the day, and how to plan your trip. For the full overview, see our Egypt Solar Eclipse 2027 page.

Luxor 2027 Total Solar Eclipse: Quick Facts

Date: Monday, 2 August 2027
Totality in Luxor: about 6 minutes 23 seconds
Time in Luxor: totality from about 13:02 to 13:08 local time (Egypt summer time, UTC+3). The partial phases start about an hour and a half before totality and end about an hour and a half after it.
Sun height: about 82° above the horizon, almost straight overhead
Weather: August skies over Upper Egypt are almost always cloudless, which makes Luxor one of the most reliable places on the whole eclipse path.
Path of totality: the Atlantic, southern Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia

Karnak Temple, a viewing site for the Luxor 2027 total solar eclipse — Karnak Temple

What Is a Total Solar Eclipse?

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. In a total eclipse, the Moon looks slightly larger than the Sun and blocks all direct sunlight. Day turns to deep twilight, the temperature drops, stars and planets appear, and the Sun’s glowing outer atmosphere, the corona, becomes visible. Totality is only seen along a narrow path, about 250 km wide in Egypt. A partial eclipse is visible over a much wider area.

The 2027 eclipse belongs to Saros series 136, a family of eclipses that repeats roughly every 18 years and 11 days. Saros 136 is famous for producing very long eclipses. The 1991 eclipse over Mexico, with 6 minutes 53 seconds of totality, was part of the same series.

Where to Watch the Eclipse in Luxor

Few places on Earth can match the setting: an eclipse of the Sun, the god Ra, above the temples built to honor him. Our guide to the 2027 Luxor eclipse viewing sites compares each location. These are the most popular:

Karnak Temple: the vast open courts of Amun-Ra’s temple and its sacred lake
Luxor Temple: in the heart of the city, beside the Nile
Valley of the Kings: the royal necropolis, surrounded by desert cliffs
Hatshepsut Temple: the terraces of Deir el-Bahari against the cliffs
Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, the Valley of the Queens, Deir el-Medina and the Tombs of the Nobles: quieter West Bank sites

Hatshepsut Temple, a viewing site for the Luxor 2027 total solar eclipse — Hatshepsut Temple

Other Places in Egypt to See Totality

Luxor has the longest totality, but other places in the path also get more than six minutes:

Qena: about 60 km north of Luxor on the east bank of the Nile, with roughly 6 minutes 10–20 seconds of totality. It is home to the beautiful Dendera Temple.
Sohag: about 3 hours’ drive north of Luxor, with roughly 6 minutes 20 seconds. Nearby are the Red and White Monasteries, and Abydos is not far away.
Aswan: sits at the very southern edge of the path. Depending on the source, it gets either a brief totality or a very deep partial eclipse (about 99.9%) with no totality at all. If you want totality, don’t plan to watch from Aswan. Many Nile cruises sail to Luxor for eclipse day instead.

Practical Tips for Eclipse Day in Luxor

Prepare for the heat. Early August in Luxor often reaches 40–42 °C. Bring a wide-brimmed hat, light clothing and plenty of water, and plan the rest of the day around the shade.
Use certified eclipse glasses. Look for the ISO 12312-2 standard. Only take them off during the roughly six minutes of totality, and put them back on as soon as the first bead of sunlight returns.
Look almost straight up. With the Sun about 82° high, a folding chair or mat that lets you lean back will save your neck.
Book early. Luxor has a limited number of hotel rooms and Nile cruises, and eclipse week is expected to sell out long before August 2027.
Bring a camera with a solar filter. Or simply put the camera down during totality and watch.

Luxor Temple, a viewing site for the Luxor 2027 total solar eclipse — Luxor Temple

Solar Eclipses in Ancient Egypt

The ancient Egyptians worshipped the Sun as Ra and believed he sailed across the sky each day and through the underworld each night. Each night the giant serpent Apep tried to swallow him. A sudden darkness at midday may have been seen as a moment when Apep was winning.

No papyrus or inscription found so far clearly describes a solar eclipse. Some texts do speak of the land being “without light” or of “darkness by day”. One example is the Admonitions of Ipuwer, a Middle Kingdom text, and some scholars think such passages may remember eclipses.

Later records are clearer. The Greek historian Herodotus describes an eclipse that stopped a battle between the Medes and the Lydians, usually dated to 28 May 585 BCE. In Cairo, the astronomer Ibn Yunus (c. 950–1009) carefully recorded solar and lunar eclipses, and astronomers still used his observations centuries later.

Plan Your Luxor 2027 Eclipse Trip

Egypt Best Vacations is based in Luxor, and our 2027 solar eclipse tours are built around the best viewing sites, with licensed Egyptologist guides, eclipse glasses and air-conditioned transport. Choose a short eclipse trip, or combine eclipse day with Cairo, the Grand Egyptian Museum, a Nile cruise or the Red Sea:

Not sure which to choose? Contact our Luxor team and we’ll plan your eclipse trip around your dates and budget.

FAQs About the Luxor 2027 Total Solar Eclipse

When is the total solar eclipse in Luxor?

The eclipse is on Monday, 2 August 2027. In Luxor, totality runs from about 13:02 to 13:08 local time (UTC+3). The partial phases start about an hour and a half before totality and end about an hour and a half after it.

How long will totality last in Luxor?

About 6 minutes and 23 seconds. That is the longest totality of the eclipse and the longest anywhere on land between 1991 and 2114.

Can you see the 2027 eclipse from Aswan?

Aswan lies at the southern edge of the path and gets at most a very short totality, or only a deep partial eclipse. For the full experience, watch from Luxor, where the eclipse is longest, or from Qena or Sohag.

What is the weather like in Luxor in August?

Hot, dry and almost always cloudless, with daytime highs often around 40–42 °C. The clear skies make Luxor one of the safest bets on the eclipse path, but plan for shade, water and sun protection.

Do I need special glasses to watch the eclipse?

Yes. Use eclipse glasses certified to ISO 12312-2 for all partial phases. You can look with the naked eye only during totality, when the Sun is completely covered. All Egypt Best Vacations eclipse tours include certified eclipse glasses.

When should I book my Luxor eclipse trip?

As early as possible. Luxor has a limited number of hotels and Nile cruise cabins, and demand for eclipse week is very high. Booking now gives you the widest choice of hotels, cruises and viewing sites.