The total solar eclipse on August 02 2027 will bring 6 minutes and 22 seconds of totality – the longest until 2114 – to Luxor, the temple-strewn capital of ancient Egypt. But while media attention will focus on Luxor and the Nile, photographers actually have thousands of miles of eclipse track to choose from – including many well-known holiday locations.
On August 02, the moon’s shadow will cross southern Spain and Gibraltar before sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East.
With favorable clear-sky prospects across much of the route, maximum duration needn’t be the priority. Solar altitude, landscape, heat, accessibility and mobility could all matter more than another few seconds of totality.
For photographers, there’s only one way to plan an eclipse trip – start with the photograph you want to come home with.
How to plan for the 2027 total solar eclipse
If you want to photograph the totally-eclipsed sun, there is one non-negotiable rule: you must be inside the path of totality. A 99% partial solar eclipse is not remotely the same thing – and will not give you the full experience or the photographic opportunities.
However, you don’t necessarily need to be precisely on the centerline. Moving toward the edge of the path can cost surprisingly little duration while putting you somewhere with better landscape, clearer weather prospects, or easier road access.
Before booking anything, decide what photograph you want. Use eclipse maps (such as Xavier Jubier’s Interactive Google Map) alongside apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris (which has a highly detailed Solar Eclipse Simulator), PhotoPills or PlanItPro to investigate the altitude and azimuth of the sun from potential locations.
Then work backward from your intended foreground. If you want a castle, mountain, mosque or ancient temple beneath the eclipsed sun, where do you actually need to stand? It could be hundreds of meters or even several kilometers away.
Solar altitude matters, especially in 2027. Around the Strait of Gibraltar, the eclipsed sun will be roughly 38° above the southeast horizon. By Luxor, it will be around 82° high – almost overhead.
That’s awkward if you imagined the eclipsed sun hanging above an Egyptian temple. It’s also awkward for telephoto images of the corona, because it means cameras will need to point almost vertically upward in temperatures exceeding 104°F / 40°C.
Make sure your tripod head can support a long lens at a steep angle, shade equipment before totality, keep spare batteries cool, and watch for overheating warnings, particularly when shooting video.
Above all, scout your composition, not just your location. If possible, arrive a few days early and visit prospective sites at approximately the same time of day as totality.
Where to photograph the 2027 total solar eclipse: Spain
For European photographers, southern Spain is the easy option. Totality is shorter than in North Africa, but the sun is lower and in the southeast, making it easier to combine with beaches, mountains, villages and the ocean. Infrastructure, road access and the ability to drive in with your own equipment are other major advantages.
Málaga (1 min 54 secs).
Totality is relatively short, but excellent transport links, plentiful accommodation and a long Mediterranean waterfront make this one of the easiest places from which to photograph the eclipse.
Cádiz (2 mins 56 secs).
One of Europe’s oldest cities sits on a narrow peninsula almost surrounded by the Atlantic, with its historic skyline, waterfront and beaches offering plenty of potential foregrounds.
Tarifa (4 mins 40 secs).
Close to the centerline and overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar towards Morocco, Tarifa combines a long totality with beaches, mountains and seascapes.
Where to photograph the 2027 total solar eclipse: Morocco
Morocco combines almost five minutes of totality with a relatively low sun, making its coastlines, medinas and Rif Mountains particularly attractive for environmental eclipse photography.
Tangier (4 mins 50 secs).
A historic port overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar, with the medina, coastline and views towards Spain.
Tétouan (4 mins 51 secs).
Its UNESCO-listed medina, whitewashed architecture and proximity to the Rif Mountains offer plenty of possibilities for combining totality with a distinctive Moroccan foreground.
Chefchaouen (3 mins 39 secs).
You sacrifice more than a minute compared with Tangier, but the famous blue-painted city and dramatic Rif Mountains could make that an attractive trade for photographers.
Where to photograph the 2027 total solar eclipse: Algeria
Algeria could suit photographers looking for landscapes and locations far removed from the major eclipse-tour circuits. Oran is the obvious starting point because it is a major coastal city with ferry links to Spain, while locations farther inland are closer to the centerline.
Oran (5 mins 9 secs).
Algeria’s second-largest city sits on the Mediterranean coast and offers a relatively practical base, with coastal scenery, Santa Cruz fort above, and more than five minutes of totality.
Mostaganem (5 mins 7 secs).
Farther east along the Mediterranean coast, this less-visited city combines a long totality with beaches, cliffs and coastal landscapes.
M’Sila (5 mins 22 secs).
Head inland for a longer eclipse, increasingly arid scenery and excellent prospects for clear skies — an interesting option for photographers prioritizing the eclipse over tourism infrastructure.
Where to photograph the 2027 total solar eclipse: Tunisia
Tunisia offers a choice between Star Wars desert landscapes near the southern edge of the path and much longer totality around Sfax on the Mediterranean coast.
Tozeur (1 min 43 secs).
Totality is relatively brief, but the surrounding desert contains some of Tunisia’s most famous Star Wars locations, including the nearby Mos Espa sets.
Sidi Bouhlel (3 mins 9 secs).
Better known to movie fans as “Star Wars Canyon,” its rugged desert landscape could provide one of the most distinctive eclipse foregrounds anywhere along the path.
Sfax (5 mins 41 secs).
Tunisia’s second-largest city combines almost six minutes of totality with a Mediterranean location, good infrastructure and excellent prospects for clear skies.
Where to photograph the 2027 total solar eclipse: Egypt
For sheer spectacle — as well as bragging rights — Egypt will be impossible to beat. The path crosses the Nile Valley near Luxor, where totality lasts about 6 mins 22 secs beneath some of the most reliable clear skies on the eclipse track. Dust, extreme heat and a throng of humanity may be bigger concerns than clouds.
Six minutes of totality is an extraordinary luxury. There will still be the usual scramble around the diamond rings and Baily’s beads, but plenty of time between them to photograph the corona, stop shooting and simply look up.
However, Luxor may not be the best place in Egypt for photographers. It will be exceptionally busy — accommodation is already in incredibly high demand and access to sites such as Karnak and the Valley of the Kings will likely be restricted. Don’t plan your photography around setting up a tripod inside a famous archaeological site.
Many visitors will watch from Nile cruise boats, but a moving, vibrating platform isn’t ideal for long-lens photography. Nearby boats could also mean engines, music, announcements and artificial lights during totality.
The path covers a long stretch of the Nile Valley, so consider looking beyond Luxor. Esna and Edfu have major temples and lie inside the path, while Kom Ombo is closer to its southern edge. All could be quieter alternatives, although transport and access will require careful planning.
Another catch awaits anyone dreaming of the eclipsed sun hanging above an Egyptian temple. Around Luxor, the sun will be about 82 degrees high, almost overhead. A conventional telephoto composition of temple-plus-eclipse is therefore unlikely — you may need to move a considerable distance from the monument or use an extremely wide lens to include both.
Alternatively, Egypt could be perfect for a 360-degree camera. Put one on a tripod, start recording before totality and leave it alone. It can capture the approaching shadow, changing landscape, sunset-like horizon and reactions around you, and you can reframe the footage afterward. Best of all, there’s nothing to operate during totality.
Luxor (6 mins 22 secs).
The headline destination, with maximum-duration totality, exceptionally favorable clear-sky prospects and some of the world’s most famous ancient monuments — but expect huge crowds.
Siwa Oasis (5 mins 31 secs).
Deep in Egypt’s Western Desert near the Libyan border, Siwa offers palm groves, salt lakes, dunes and desert landscapes beneath more than five minutes of totality — a compelling alternative to the crowds of the Nile Valley.
Edfu (about 5 mins 40 secs).
South of Luxor and home to the remarkably well-preserved Temple of Horus, Edfu combines a long totality with an extraordinary ancient Egyptian setting.
Plan to experience the eclipse
A total solar eclipse is one of photography’s most alluring subjects because the most memorable image may not be the technically perfect close-up of the corona. It could be a wide-angle frame showing the landscape plunged into twilight, a photograph of someone’s reaction, a 360-degree recording of the moon’s shadow arriving, or a creative composition yet to be dreamed up.
Whatever destination you choose, arrive with a plan – and preferably a simple one. Know exactly where the sun will be, scout your location, endlessly rehearse your equipment, and automate as much as you can. Always have a Plan B in case of cloud.
Plan the photographs now, then book your flights and accommodation as soon as possible. But the priority always has to be the same – when the moon’s shadow arrives on August 2, 2027, you should spend as little time as possible operating cameras and as much as possible looking up. However, with such a long totality to play with this time, savvy eclipse photographers could be in for the eclipse of a lifetime.
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