Totality near Tangier
Four minutes and fifty-one seconds from Achakar Beach, with live commentary from a Cornell astrophysicist.
Tangier, Morocco
The 2027 Total Solar Eclipse in Morocco: Totality on the Atlantic Coast.
On 2 August 2027 the moon's shadow crosses the Strait of Gibraltar and comes ashore in Africa at Tangier, with a Cornell astrophysicist beside you calling each stage as it happens. Then eight more days through Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara and Marrakech.
Eclipse Day
2 Aug 2027
Location
Tangier, Morocco
Duration
11 Days / 10 Nights
Group Size
Max 20 Guests
Guides
Local Guides and a Cornell Astrophysicist
One Group Departure Only. 31 July to 10 August 2027.
Why This Tour
Why you will never forget the 2027 eclipse in Morocco
Morocco is where this eclipse first reaches Africa, and Tangier sits on the coast directly beneath it.
It is also the only one of our eclipse departures travelling with an astronomer.
Dr Gordon Stacey, Professor of Astronomy at Cornell, opens the trip with a talk on the science and what to watch for at each stage, then gives live commentary through totality itself.
It will be his fourth.
The eclipse falls on day three, which means you see it early and have eight days of Morocco ahead of you rather than behind you.
One departure, 11 days, a maximum of 20 travellers.
Small Groups
One departure only, minimum 10 and maximum 20
A Cornell Astrophysicist
Dr Gordon Stacey gives live commentary through totality itself
What You Will See
Totality at Tangier, then the medinas, the Sahara and Marrakech
The eclipse is on day three, near the top of the trip. Everything after it runs the length of the country, from the northern coast to the dunes and over the High Atlas.
Chefchaouen
The blue-washed medina in the Rif Mountains, and the kasbah at its centre.
Fes el-Bali
A medina of some 9,000 alleys, with the Karaouine, the tanneries and a pottery workshop.
Erg Chebbi
A sunset camel trek into the dunes and a night in a Berber camp under the Sahara sky.
Ait Benhaddou
The UNESCO-listed ksar above the Ounila River, then the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech.
Plus the unmissable moments
- Dr Gordon Stacey's talk on the science of eclipses at the start of the trip
- The Hassan II Mosque on the Casablanca shoreline
- Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V in Rabat
- Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules on the Atlantic headland
- Barbary macaques in the cedar forest of the Middle Atlas
- Todra Gorge, the Atlas Film Studios and Djemaa el-Fna
The Tour
11 days. 10 nights. The eclipse on day three, then all of Morocco.
Casablanca to Marrakech, 31 July to 10 August 2027. One group departure only, a maximum of 20 travellers, and a Cornell astronomer with the group for the eclipse.
Day by day itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Casablanca
Met at the airport and transferred into the city, with the rest of the day free to rest or take a first look around.
Day 2
Casablanca to Tangier via Rabat
The Hassan II Mosque on the Atlantic shoreline, then Rabat for the Royal Palace Gates, Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, and north to Tangier.
Day 3
Eclipse day
Out early to Achakar Beach on the Atlantic coast. The partial eclipse begins at 08:40, totality runs from 09:44 to 09:49, and the partial phase ends at 11:00. Then the Old Medina and Petit Socco on foot, Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules.
Day 4
Tangier to Fes via Chefchaouen
The blue-painted medina, the kasbah and Plaza Uta el-Hammam, then on through the Rif Mountains to Fes.
Day 5
A full day in Fes
Fes el-Bali, the Karaouine Mosque and University, the Attarine Medersa, Nejjarine Square and the tanneries, with a pottery workshop to finish.
Day 6
Fes to the Sahara
Ifrane and the cedar forest macaques, then south to Erfoud and Merzouga for a camel trek into Erg Chebbi and a night at the Berber camp.
Day 7
Merzouga to Boumalne Dades
Out of the desert to Todra Gorge and a walk beneath its cliffs, then a quiet evening in the Dades valley.
Day 8
The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
On to Ouarzazate and the Atlas Film Studios, then the short run out to Ait Benhaddou.
Day 9
Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech
The ksar in the morning, then over the High Atlas on the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres.
Day 10
Marrakech
Bahia Palace, the Medersa Ben Youssef, the Majorelle Garden, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Djemaa el-Fna after dark.
Day 11
Farewell to Marrakech
Free time before you depart. A private transfer to Casablanca airport is available for anyone flying from there.
The Bivouacs Xaluca camp, out in the dunes at Erg Chebbi.
Where You Stay
Four and five star, character properties, and one night in a tent.
Ten nights across seven properties, picked for where they put you rather than for uniformity: the Kenzi Tower in Casablanca, the Occidental in Tangier for the eclipse, the Marriott Jnan Palace in Fes, Hotel Xaluca in the Dades valley, Ksar Ighnda at Ait Benhaddou and the Kenzi Rose Garden in Marrakech. The exception is Erg Chebbi, where you sleep at the Bivouacs Xaluca among the dunes. That is not roughing it either: each tent has a proper bed with bedding provided and a private en suite bathroom with a shower. Given the demand across these dates, properties of an equivalent standard may have to be substituted.
- 4 and 5 star hotels and Moroccan character properties for ten nights
- One night at a Berber desert camp in Erg Chebbi, tents en suite with showers
- Twin, triple or double en suite rooms with air conditioning, couples always in a private double
- Equivalent properties may be substituted given demand on these dates
Traveller Reviews
What travellers say about Encounters Travel
This eclipse departure is brand new, so here is what travellers say about exploring the world with Encounters Travel, from reviews posted on TripAdvisor and TourRadar.
4.7 out of 5 from over 1,700 traveller reviews of Encounters Travel tours
Moroccan Mosaics with a Fez Extension
“It was a wonderful trip, extremely well organised and with a superb guide, friendly, thoughtful and knowledgeable with a driver to match. We were a small party of 13 different ages and types and from the start we got on well.”
Magical Morocco
“We are wrapping up our trip in Morocco now, and it has been a fantastic experience. I wanted to commend our tour guide Mohamed and our driver Nabeel. They went out of their way to make sure this trip was smooth and fun.”
Absolutely fantastic
“It was awhile ago that I took this tour but it was absolutely fantastic! Wonderful guide and driver. It was very well organized and I can't say anything but great things about it.”
Super knowledgeable, capable, and friendly
“Our guide was super knowledgeable, capable, and friendly. Everything ran to time and we were never left wondering what was happening next.”
The tour staff were so helpful
“The tour staff were so helpful from the first enquiry through to the last transfer. Nothing was too much trouble and everything was organised exactly as promised.”
Very organized trip
“A very organized trip with excellent guides. Transfers were on time, the hotels were comfortable and the itinerary was well paced.”
“This is the one I point people to when they want the eclipse explained to them while it is happening. Dr Stacey has seen three already. Having him on the coast at Tangier changes what you come away with.”
Mariska Knoesen, Sales Manager at Encounters Travel
Call or email me and I will talk you through the eclipse day arrangements as they stand, the payment schedule, and what to bring. Certified eclipse glasses are not included on this tour, so that is worth a conversation before you travel rather than after you land.
Cape Spartel, where the Atlantic meets the strait.
Practical Details
Everything you need to know.
- Event
- Total solar eclipse near Tangier, 2 August 2027
- Tour
- Morocco Eclipse Adventure
- Departure
- 31 July to 10 August 2027, one group departure only
- Duration
- 11 days and 10 nights
- Start and End
- Casablanca to Marrakech
- Group Size
- Small group, minimum 10 and maximum 20
- Accommodation
- 4 and 5 star hotels, character properties and one desert camp
- Deposit
- US$1,000 at booking, US$1,000 on 30 Nov 2026, balance by 31 Mar 2027
- Region
- Morocco: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara, Ouarzazate and Marrakech
About the 2027 Total Solar Eclipse
The mechanics behind the 2027 eclipse, and where Morocco sits on the path.
The Science
A large moon, a small sun, and a shadow moving slowly enough to linger.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes exactly between earth and sun and covers the disc completely. How long totality lasts comes down to two things: how large the moon appears from the ground, and how fast its shadow travels across the surface.
On 2 August 2027 the moon is near the closest point of its orbit and looks unusually large, while the earth is near its furthest point from the sun, which makes the sun look unusually small. The shadow also falls close to the equator, where it sweeps across the ground more slowly.
The result is a band of totality roughly 250km wide, running from the Atlantic across southern Spain and North Africa to the Red Sea and beyond. Morocco is where it first reaches Africa: the shadow crosses the Strait of Gibraltar and comes ashore on the northern coast, with Tangier directly underneath.
4 min 51 sec
of totality at Achakar Beach, near Tangier
Day 3
where the eclipse falls, at 09:44 on Monday 2 August 2027
Why Tangier
Landfall on the Atlantic coast, with someone there to explain it.
☀
Where the shadow reaches Africa
The path crosses the Strait of Gibraltar from southern Spain and makes landfall on Morocco's northern coast, putting Achakar Beach near Tangier beneath it from the moment it arrives.
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An astronomer in the group
Dr Gordon Stacey of Cornell gives a talk on the science at the start of the trip, then live commentary through each stage of the eclipse itself.
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Early in the trip, not at the end
Totality falls on day three. The eight days that follow are Morocco proper, rather than a long wait beforehand.
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Bring your own eclipse glasses
Certified viewing glasses are not included on this tour. Buy a reputable ISO-certified pair before you travel rather than counting on finding them locally.
Good To Know
Your 2027 eclipse questions, answered
Where will we watch the eclipse from?
From Achakar Beach, an open stretch of Atlantic coast just outside Tangier, reached from the Occidental Tangier hotel early on the morning of day three. Morocco is where the shadow first reaches Africa, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and coming ashore with Tangier directly underneath.
How long will totality last?
Four minutes and fifty-one seconds at Achakar Beach. The partial eclipse begins at 08:40, totality runs from 09:44 to 09:49 with maximum eclipse at 09:47, and the partial phase ends at 11:00.
Who is Dr Gordon Stacey?
Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University. He opens the trip with a talk on the science of eclipses and what to watch for at each stage, then gives live commentary through totality itself. It will be his fourth eclipse. This is the only Encounters Travel eclipse departure travelling with an astronomer.
Are eclipse glasses provided?
No. Certified viewing glasses are not included on this tour, so buy a reputable ISO-certified pair before you travel rather than counting on finding them locally. If you plan to use a solar filter on a camera or binoculars, make sure it is certified for direct solar viewing.
Why is the eclipse so early in the itinerary?
Totality falls on day three by design. You see it near the top of the trip and then have eight days of Morocco ahead of you, from Chefchaouen and Fes through the Sahara to Marrakech, rather than spending the trip waiting for it.
What does the payment schedule look like?
US$1,000 per person at the time of booking, a second payment of US$1,000 on 30 November 2026, and the balance by 31 March 2027.
How many places are there?
This is a single group departure with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 travellers, running 31 July to 10 August 2027 from Casablanca to Marrakech. There is no second Morocco departure timed to the eclipse.
What is the night in the desert like?
You sleep at the Bivouacs Xaluca camp among the dunes at Erg Chebbi, reached by camel trek at sunset. Each tent has a proper bed with bedding provided and a private en suite bathroom with a shower, so it is comfortable rather than basic.
The tour ends in Marrakech. What if I fly home from Casablanca?
A private transfer to Casablanca airport is available on the final day for anyone flying from there. Mention it when you enquire so it can be arranged in advance.
Still have a question? Our travel specialists are happy to help.