A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking the sun from view.

During a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun. For a short period, the sky becomes dramatically darker, and the Sun’s outer atmosphere can be seen around the silhouette of the Moon.

The total eclipse itself can last anywhere between a few seconds to a few minutes. The wider eclipse lasts much longer, but it is those few moments of totality that people travel thousands of miles to see.

If you’re thinking about planning an eclipse holiday, there are several spectacular opportunities coming up over the next few years.

Here are some of the most exciting dates to look out for:

2 August 2027: Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

22 July 2028: Australia and New Zealand.

25 November 2030: Australia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.

14 November 2031: North America and northern South America.

20 March 2033: Parts of Europe, Asia and North America.

20 March 2034: Europe, Asia and Africa.

1 September 2035: Europe, Asia and North America.

NASA confirms the dates and broad visibility paths for all these upcoming solar eclipses.

For travellers from the UK and Ireland, the 2027 and 2028 eclipses are particularly exciting. Both offer the opportunity to combine the eclipse with a fantastic long-haul or multi centre holiday!

If you’re looking to start planning an eclipse holiday now, then this is probably the one!

On 2 August 2027, a total solar eclipse will pass through Southern Spain and across North Africa, including Morocco and Egypt, before continuing towards Saudi Arabia. There’s a lot of different holiday options you could plan around this!

Eclipse holidays in Spain

Southern Spain is one of the easiest options for travellers from the UK and Ireland. The path of totality includes destinations around Andalucia, including Cadiz, Marbella and Malaga, which makes it possible to combine the eclipse with a classic Southern Spain holiday!

You could spend a few nights in Seville, explore the white villages of Andalucia and finish on the Costa del Sol, positioning yourself in the eclipse path for the big event.

We recommend our Classic Andalucia & Beach with Malaga Extension itinerary – it’s a particularly good option if you want the eclipse holiday experience without committing to a long-haul journey.

Eclipse holidays in Morocco

For something a little more adventurous, Morocco could be an incredible option for witnessing the 2027 eclipse.

The eclipse crosses paths with parts of Morocco, including areas around Tangier, Chefchaouen and Oujda. We recommend combining a city break in Marrakech with a side trip to Chefchaouen. Doing this over the eclipse would be an amazing experience!

Eclipse holidays in Egypt

Egypt is arguably one of the most exciting options of them all! The 2 August 2027 eclipse will pass across Egypt, including Luxor.

This is where an eclipse holiday can become something truly special; imagine exploring the temples and tombs of ancient Luxor, cruising the Nile and then watching the sky darken over one of the worlds most iconic landscapes?

In addition, Luxor is likely to experience around six minutes of totality, making it one of the standout locations for this eclipse.

We recommend our Enchanting Egypt & Classic Nile Cruise itinerary - for a once-in-a-lifetime trip this would be hard to beat.

The next big opportunity is on 22 July 2028, when a solar eclipse crosses over parts of Australia and New Zealand.

The eclipse path crosses New South Wales in Australia, including Sydney, as well as parts of New Zealand’s South Island.

Eclipse holidays in Sydney

In Sydney, totality will last almost four minutes, with the maximum eclipse occurring at approximately 2pm local time. Just imagine watching the sky go dark over Sydney Harbour!

Sydney is perhaps the easiest option for those who want a spectacular eclipse experience without heading somewhere remote. You could spend several days exploring the Opera House, the harbour and the beaches before watching the eclipse. This would work really well as part of a two or three week Australia itinerary, combining the eclipse in Sydney with some of the country’s other major attractions.

We recommend our City, Rock & Reef itinerary to include the eclipse with the best of Australia.

Eclipse holidays in Australia and New Zealand

If you’re travelling all that way to the other side of the world, why stop at just one country?!

The 2028 eclipse offers an excellent opportunity to combine Australia and New Zealand into one epic multi centre holiday.

We recommend our Australia & New Zealand Extravaganza holiday to really make the most of both countries. Or speak to one of our travel consultants to tailormake your ideal itinerary.

Looking further ahead still, 25 November 2030 brings another fascinating total solar eclipse.

The path of totality will cross parts of Australia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, among other areas. So this one is a particularly exciting opportunity for safari holidays!

In Southern Africa, totality will be visible in destinations including Windhoek in Namibia, parts of Botswana and South Africa. Imagine combining a safari with the eclipse; perhaps watching wildlife on the plains one day and experiencing the sky falling dark the next!

We recommend combining a stay in Kruger National Park with our Chobe Riverfront & Victoria Falls Discovery itinerary for the ultimate Southern Africa eclipse experience!

Planning is especially important if you’re travelling to experience a solar eclipse.

Choose your viewing location carefully; being in the general region isn’t enough if you want to experience totality. The path of totality can be relatively narrow, so the exact location matters. For the 2027 eclipse, for example, cities including Malaga, Tangier and Luxor are within the totality path, while other nearby locations will only experience a partial eclipse.

Allow plenty of time for the eclipse, and don’t travel in the morning of the event and leave that same evening! Giving yourself several days around it makes the holiday much more enjoyable and gives you some flexibility if travel plans change.

Think about the weather. Clear skies are obviously important, but unfortunately no one can guarantee the weather months or years in advance. This is another reason to choose your destination carefully.

And finally, book early! Eclipse holidays can be extremely popular, particularly in locations offering excellent viewing conditions or limited accommodation options. The 2027 eclipse is already an obvious candidate for strong demand, with the path crossing several major tourist destinations. Booking early means you’ll also have more choice of flights and hotels, and prices will be lower.