If you missed this summer’s eclipse, don’t worry. There are still a handful of opportunities to catch the “eclipse of the century” next year.
Imagine standing beneath a blackened sun among the ancient Egyptian tombs in the Valley of the Kings or overlooking the Nile at the Hatshepsut Temple. The eerie darkness might fill you with a primeval mix of terror, awe and wonder. In other words, perfection.
In the midmorning and afternoon of Aug. 2, 10 countries (and a few territories) on the Mediterranean Sea and in the Middle East and Africa will find themselves in the 160-mile-wide, nearly 9,500-mile-long zone. In some places, darkness will last as long as an incredible six minutes and 23 seconds.
The strong likelihood of clear weather and a variety of spectacular destinations — the Rock of Gibraltar; the Caves of Hercules near Tangier, Morocco; the beaches of Oran, Algeria; the ancient temples around Luxor, Egypt; and the holy sites of Mecca, Saudi Arabia — add to the can’t-miss appeal.
To catch the eclipse in a prime spot, you’re going to need luck and determination, and you may have to pay a premium. Many spots in the top locations and on the choice expeditions have been snapped up. Waiting lists abound, and hotels are selling out.
But that doesn’t mean you’re too late. Here are some ways to see the show:
Spain, Gibraltar and the Mediterranean
The Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia near Tarifa, Spain, will be among the first locations to be shrouded in daytime darkness, which will last about four and a half minutes there. Gibraltar will enjoy a similar stint in totality, though if you plan to view the eclipse there, be sure not to climb to the top of the rock; it can get cloudy up high. New Scientist magazine is accepting registrations for a five-day tour that will visit both these destinations, but will observe the eclipse from a private terrace at a resort in Conil de la Frontera, Spain.
If you wish to combine travel around Spain and other nearby destinations with a cruise on the Mediterranean, where totality will last up to five minutes, you have options. Celebrity is offering two cruises: an 11-night Italy and Spain trip, with the eclipse falling on Day 8 (from $3,121 per person), and a seven-night Spain and Morocco journey, with the eclipse on Day 3 (from $4,883 per person). And there are still a few rooms left aboard Vacaya’s L.G.B.T.Q.-friendly 10-day eclipse cruise (from $18,963 double occupancy), which sails from Trieste, Italy, to Barcelona.
Morocco
Tangier, a popular destination for day-trippers from Europe, will have four minutes and 51 seconds of totality. While you’re there, stroll its historic casbah and visit cafes frequented by bohemians like William S. Burroughs.
Tours of Distinction will host an 11-day Magical Morocco trip, which starts in Casablanca, stops for the eclipse in Tangier, then heads to Fez and the Sahara (from $3,999). If you’d rather see the eclipse from the water, National Geographic has a 13-day voyage that starts in the Azores, stops to witness the eclipse off the coast of Tangier and ends in Barcelona ($27,181 per person).
Tunisia
Though the zone of totality passes south of Tunis, “Star Wars” fans may be pleased to find that if they act quickly, they still have a chance to spend a little over four minutes of totality in the place Obi-Wan Kenobi called home, thanks to Galaxy Tours. Its six-day journey in Tunisia takes visitors to the setting of the desert planet Tatooine as well as “Indiana Jones” filming locations ($3,295 per person).
Algeria
The city of Oran, one of The New York Times 52 Places to Go this year, offers beaches, a historic theater, an annual rai music festival and, during the eclipse, five minutes and eight seconds of darkness. To see other sites in the country, Algeria Travel & Tours has some spots left on its nine-day trip to UNESCO World Heritage sites and cultural institutions. Participants will witness the eclipse at Timgad, a well-preserved ancient Roman military colony near the rugged Aurès Mountains (price quotes available through the company’s website).
Egypt
If you’re lucky enough to see the spectacle in Egypt — whether from Luxor, the Siwa Oasis or the ancient port of Berenice Troglodytica — you’ll be rewarded with darkness of up to six minutes and 23 seconds. A handful of openings remain on tours offered by groups like Sirius Travel, Astro-Trails and Sky & Telescope (from $2,950 to $11,680). The luxury tour operator Kemetale has already booked one of its dahabiyas — traditional Egyptian sailboats — for an eclipse cruise on the Nile and is planning to make a second available later this year.
Whatever you do, try not to miss this one: The next eclipse with a totality this long won’t happen until June 3, 2114.
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