If you’re already dreaming of viewing the rare eclipse event in North Africa next summer, it’s not too early to begin planning. Geographic Expeditions has organized a small group expedition promising an incomparable experience around this extraordinary astrological event.

Still undiscovered by many travelers, this 10-day journey will highlight some of Algeria’s most stunning locations and best-preserved archaeological sites, including the coastal ruins of Tipasa and Cherchell; the UNESCO-listed Roman city of Djemila; and the charming, whitewashed alleys and maze-like byways in the Casbah of Algiers.

Getting to know Algiers is the lead-up to the grand event: experiencing the total solar eclipse in the city of Oran. The Algeria Eclipse Itinerary will be led by a professional GeoEx Trip Leader and accompanied by astrophysicists and eclipse experts. These include astrophysics and planetary science expert Professor Zach Berta-Thompson from University of Colorado Boulder, whose area of expertise is the study of exoplanet atmospheres through planetary eclipses.

Djemila © Geographic Expeditions

“As a professional astronomer, I study the thousands of exoplanets orbiting other stars in the Milky Way,” said Professor Berta-Thompson. “We imagine many of those planets might have moons and eclipses. Yet, eclipses on Earth probably still stand out as particularly spectacular; the strange fact that our Moon appears almost exactly the same size as our much larger, much more distant Sun is likely a rare coincidence, even amongst the countless possible eclipses in the Universe.”

Also accompanying this expedition will be renowned astrophysicist, Professor Emerita Erica Ellingson, a veteran leader of eclipse expeditions; and Professor Nick Schneider, a planetary scientist who leads the Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph Team on NASA’s MAVEN mission to Mars. Professor Schneider is also known for his fascinating lectures at major eclipse events around the globe.

“Witnessing a total solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a rare celestial alignment you observe not with your eyes but viscerally with your entire body,” continued Professor Berta-Thompson. “When the Sun’s main disk is entirely hidden by the Moon, we as humans have an unusual and precious chance to directly observe the spectacular streams of the Sun’s outermost layers, the solar corona. The August 2027 [event] has an especially long totality, meaning it’s the best opportunity to see this remarkable but fleeting sight.”

Djemila © Geographic Expeditions

Prices begin at $11,850 (based on double occupancy), with a maximum of 22 guests able to participate. Rates include all hand-picked accommodations, ground transportation, airport transfers, guided sightseeing, itinerary events and experiences. Also included: all gratuities (excluding GeoEx Trip Leader), most meals, emergency evacuation services and secondary medical expense insurance, as well as dedicated support from GeoEx travel pros and in-house air reservations team.