Magnificent Explorers launch Egypt tours for the longest eclipse until 2114, with astrophysicist Dr Kirsten Banks

From the Pyramids and the Sphinx to the Valley of the Kings, travellers visit Egypt's greatest sites on the way to a front-row seat in Luxor

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, October 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Australian tour operator Magnificent Explorers has launched two nine-day tours of Egypt built around the solar eclipse on 2 August 2027. Guided by Wiradjuri astrophysicist Dr Kirsten Banks, travellers will watch from Luxor, where totality will last more than six minutes, the longest total solar eclipse visible from land until 2114, with time to see both stars and planets appear in the middle of the day.

Both tours start in Cairo, visiting the recently opened Grand Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids and the Sphinx, before heading south by overnight sleeper train to Aswan. There, travellers visit Philae Temple and sail the Nile in a traditional felucca, with an optional trip to Abu Simbel. From Aswan they follow the river north, stopping at Kom Ombo and Esna, exploring the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut, and visiting Karnak Temple on the morning of the eclipse.

On the day of the eclipse, both tours gather at a private viewing site in the Luxor countryside for a festive lunch, with Dr Banks on hand and specialist equipment set up for the best possible view.

Dr Banks (also known as @AstroKirsten to her 800,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram) is a lecturer at Swinburne University and will guide the travellers as the eclipse unfolds.

"Experiencing the 2027 eclipse is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. People who've seen a total eclipse tend to say the same thing afterwards: it was over too quickly. Usually it only lasts two minutes - but in Luxor we’ll get more than six, and that's what makes this one worth travelling for," Dr Banks shared.

Justin Kelaher, General Manager at Magnificent Explorers said: “Our goal is to design adventures bursting with culture, and Egypt is set to deliver on the ground and in the sky. During the day, our Egyptologist will lead travellers through temples and tombs, deep diving into who built them and why the sun was worshipped. Dr Banks will be there to bring the skies into the limelight, and share how Egyptians have followed the stars.”

Both tours are designed for curious travellers over 50. Where they differ is in the size of the group, where travellers stay in Cairo and Aswan, and how they sail the Nile.

The Great Bucket List Adventure
After the overnight train from Cairo, with dinner served in each two-person cabin, travellers spend a night at Nub Inn, a family-run hotel in a Nubian village across the river from Aswan. From Aswan, the group boards the MS Tia, a small Nile cruise ship with a pool, for three nights sailing north to Luxor, with temple stops along the way. In the evenings, Dr Banks will run a stargazing session on deck, projecting the telescope's view onto a screen so everyone can see it at once. In Cairo, travellers stay at the four-star Novotel. Solo travellers can pay a private room supplement or be paired with a roommate.

The Boutique Adventure
It begins with a welcome dinner in Cairo with Dr Banks, and travellers stay at the five-star Hilton Cairo Nile Maadi. On the sleeper train, Boutique guests eat dinner and breakfast in the dining car. In Aswan, they board El Hanem, a six-cabin traditional sailing boat known as a dahabiya, for four nights on the Nile. With six cabins, the whole group eats at one table, and there are shaded decks, a sundeck and a whirlpool on board. Dr Banks joins the boat for an evening of dinner and stargazing. Double-bed suites are available as an upgrade, and solo travellers can be paired with a same-sex roommate.

To book, head to: https://book.egypteclipse.magnificentexplorers.com.au

ENDS

Images are available here.

About Magnificent Explorers
Magnificent Explorers is an Australian tour operator running cultural adventures for small groups of curious travellers over 50.


For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Ellee Lines, Senior Account Director, Roam Generation
ellee@roamgeneration.com | +61 4 34 264 858

Ellee Lines
Roam Generation
ellee@roamgeneration.com
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