The Solar Eclipse at Siwa Oasis
July 27th - August 4th 2027
The Eclipse
On August 2, 2027, one of the longest total solar eclipses of the 21st century will sweep across North Africa. Along the centre of the eclipse’s path, surrounded by the sands of the Sahara, lies the ancient Oasis town of Siwa. Here the totality will last up to about 6 minutes and 23 seconds, turning day into twilight as the Sun’s corona becomes visible to the naked eye.
Egypt won’t see another eclipse of comparable length for roughly a century, making it one of the most anticipated sky-watching events of our lifetime.
Prices and exact itinerary TBC by the end of October 2026
Figure 11: Map of average early afternoon August cloud fraction derived from 20 years of observations from NASA’s Aqua satellite. These data are from an early afternoon pass. Data: NASA.
Siwa Oasis
Siwa Oasis is a remote desert oasis in western Egypt, close to the Libyan border. Surrounded by the vast sands of the Western Desert, it is famous for its palm groves, olive trees, natural springs, salt lakes, and dramatic desert landscapes.
At the heart of Siwa is the old settlement of Shali, whose distinctive fortress was built from kershef, a traditional mixture of salt, mud, and clay. Siwa also has a long history: the Temple of the Oracle of Amun became famous in antiquity after Alexander the Great visited the oracle in 331 BCE.
What makes Siwa especially striking is the contrast between environments: golden dunes and barren desert surround intensely green palm gardens and brilliant blue-green salt pools. This combination of natural beauty, ancient ruins, and a distinctive local culture makes Siwa one of Egypt's most unusual oases.