Eclipse 2027 Egypt's Ancient Luxor Odyssey

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Arrival in Egypt & Luxor
  We fly to Cairo International Airport and take an onward flight to Luxor. On arrival, we are met by our local airport representative who assists us through passport control and accompanies us to the hotel. After check-in, we enjoy dinner at our hotel.
• Day 2 - Valley of the Kings & Queens Tour
  After an early breakfast we embark on a highlight of the trip, a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Valley of the Queens. For nearly 500 years in Luxor, Egypt, from the Eighteenth Dynasty to the Twentieth, this area was the principal burial place for royal figures and Pharaohs. The vast area is divided into sections – the East Valley, where we find most of the royal tombs, and the West Valley, also known as the Valley of the Monkeys. Archaeologists have excavated many tombs over the years, and arguably the most famous was the tomb of the young Tutankhamun. In the afternoon, we return to the hotel for time at leisure to relax by the hotel pool. In the evening, we enjoy a welcome presentation by renowned astronomer Pete Lawrence, followed by dinner.
• Day 3 - Great Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple Explora
  We start the day with an early breakfast and then head out for a tour of the impressive Great Karnak Temple. This huge site was the main religious place of worship for the god Amun-Re and consists of temples, chapels, and a variety of other buildings, constructed by one Pharaoh after the other, each adding more and more structures to create one massive temple complex. Our guided tour explores the Hypostyle Hall – which features 134 massive columns, arranged in 16 rows. In the afternoon we return to the hotel for time at leisure. Then, before sunset, we embark on a special night tour of the illuminated Luxor Temple, dating back to 1400 BC and one of the most significant sites of the ancient world. Afterwards, we enjoy dinner at our hotel.
• Day 4 - Esna Temple Excursion
  After an early breakfast, we depart for the magnificent Esna Temple, south of Luxor. Built over 3000 years ago, the Esna Temple, which means ‘the city of the Fish,’ was dedicated to the god of creation, Khnum, and was considered to be the source of the River Nile. Inside we find many symbols of this fascinating civilisation, including carved hieroglyphs and sculptures. We enjoy a guided tour of the Temple before returning to our hotel for a presentation with Pete Lawrence followed by dinner.
• Day 5 - Eclipse Viewing Day
  After breakfast, we head to our eclipse viewing site near Luxor Temple. Pete Lawrence is on hand to provide photography tips and insight. Expert Astronomer; Pete Lawrence Pete Lawrence has been a presenter on the long running BBC Sky at Night television programme since 2005. He has been an astronomical consultant for the popular BBC Stargazing Live television series since it began, and appeared on the programme in 2014 as an aurora expert. Pete also writes many of the guides used by the BBC to support the programme. He compiles and writes the monthly Star Guide for the Sky at Night Magazine as well as carrying out equipment reviews on their behalf and acting as their resident imaging expert. Every 18 years and 11 days, the Saros Cycle series 136 occurs and has up until now produced some of the longest eclipses, notably an incredible 6 minute 38.86 seconds in 2009 – and eclipse chasers are expecting the 2027 phenomenon to be a truly awesome spectacle. Afterwards, we return to our hotel for dinner and much discussion about the eclipse!
• Day 6 - Luxor
  After breakfast, we spend time at leisure in Luxor. There is much to see and admire around the bustling metropolis, from the stunning architecture that reflects the city’s ancient history to various historic buildings. Later, we enjoy an evening cruise on the Nile River on a traditional felucca. This Egyptian sailboat has been used for thousands of years to traverse the Nile, and we should be treated to the most spectacular sunset views of the city from the relaxing comfort of our boat. After our cruise on the Nile, we return to our hotel for dinner.
• Day 7 - Visit to Dendera Temple
  We start the day with an early breakfast and then head to the impressively large Dendera Temple. Here we discover many historic structures such as a basilica, a sacred lake and many temples and shrines. The site also contains the Temple of Hathor, one of ancient Egypt’s best-preserved sites. We enjoy a post eclipse presentation, recapping the events and sharing images of the day of the Eclipse.
• Day 8 - Departure
  We check out of our hotel and transfer to Luxor Airport for our flight to Cairo and onward flight home