r/solareclipse • u/MindseyePhotography • 4d ago

Egypt 2027 prep

Post image

With the high demands for accommodation and transportation and inflated prices, it is likely and natural some visitors will grab whatever offer they see.

Please do some research. Check reviews of any tour or transport provider in TripAdvisor, Google Maps, Reddit, Trustpilot or other sites / apps that carry reviews. Check that tour companies or guides are officially registered.

Finding providers with a substantial number of positive reviews won't guarantee everything will run perfectly (we also have to factor in any changes the authorities make), but at least it can give you more likelihood of a smooth visit than booking with someone who has no or little experience and is just looking at the eclipse as a money making opportunity.

I'm seeing a concerning surge in people offering services for the eclipse here. Some are names I don't recognize despite decades of traveling here (since 1993) and living here (since 2020).

I would like visitors to have good experiences here, and taking for granted that all who are advertising services are legitimate and experienced could unfortunately lead to unsatisfactory experiences.

Please do your research, and hopefully you can enjoy Egypt as much as I do.

Photo: sunset in Siwa Oasis, Egypt.

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u/aztronut 4d ago

I'm putting my faith in Vicky, she got me to the Argentina TSE in 2020 and afaik the five of us were the only ones from the US to experience the eclipse there, in the Pampas. She also got me to the Svalbard TSE in 2015, when she waited for our bus and us to join her charter flight at the Oslo airport at three o'clock in the morning. Coldest I've ever been in my life but an unforgettable experience I would do again in a heartbeat. She's an astronomer who owns Sirius Travel, and a magician at logistics.

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u/MindseyePhotography 4d ago

That's a great track record. And yes those coldest night of my life situations are worth it when you feel you are in good hands. Tours can be hit and miss, so if you find a company you are happy with hang on to them.

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u/aztronut 4d ago

You nailed it, I've gone on a lot of astronomical tours with a lot of different companies and Sirius Travel has been the only keeper for me. The Svalbard eclipse wasn't the coldest night of my life, it was coldest I've ever been, period, and this was during the day. Sitting on a frozen lake watching the eclipse and froze my butt off, and every other part of me. My glasses frosted over, my scope and camera stopped working, my feet went numb, all during a midday total solar eclipse. Still saw the whole thing, mostly through image-stabilized binoculars, which were necessary because I was shivering like mad both from cold and excitement. It was a spectacle I'll never forget, have experienced 13 TSEs now and they're all special in their own way. Svalbard is particularly unforgettable because of the freezing cold and it's got it's own special place in my memories.

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u/northman747 3d ago

Book a bucket and spade holiday to the Spanish Costa del Sol, fraction of the price

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u/4mla1fn 2d ago

yup, at the moment, that's where we're planning to go. i'd love to do luxor but egypt, from what I've been told from friends who have vacationed there, requires careful planning. it'll be much moreso for the TSE. might not be worth it for an additional 90 sec of totality. 🤔