Longest Total Full Eclipse of the Sun in this Century
One of our great educators, Michael Wilcox, witnessed a total eclipse of the sun in April of 2024. It had such a profound impact on him that he immediately called our Fun For Less Tours owners. Michael told them he was so moved witnessing a full solar eclipse, he wanted to do it again in 2027. He asked if Fun For Less Tours could put together a tour that would include the Solar Eclipse in 2027 AND he wanted to be the educator. The 2027 Solar Eclipse will be the longest total Eclipse in this Century. It will be 84 years before there is another one that will be as long as the total Solar Eclipse in 2027.

Why Egypt is the BEST Place to Experience the 2027 Solar Eclipse

• The longest duration of the eclipse on August 2 will take place over Luxor Egypt.
• You need clear skies to witness a Solar Eclipse. When Michael went to Texas to experience the 2024 Solar Eclipse, he was met with rain and clouds. They drove several hours before finding an area clear enough to witness the eclipse. Because of the clouds and rain, most of those that went to Texas never had a chance to experience the solar eclipse. In July and August, Luxor, Egypt, receives virtually no rain, with average precipitation being 0 inches. Nothing is for sure, but at this time of year it would be EXTREMELY RARE to have clouds and rain in Luxor, Egypt.

Why Fun For Less Tours will deliver the BEST Solar Eclipse Experience

• Our owners have a very close friendship with a very influential family in Egypt. Through them they were able to make special arrangements not given to others.
• There have been more requests for hotel rooms that coincide with the solar eclipse than there are hotel rooms in Luxor! The same for the Nile cruise ships, there have been more requests for reservations than there are cabins on all the Nile cruise ships put together. With our connections we were able to move up the list of requests and secure the space we need for our passengers.
• We had choices: We could buy a 3 or 4-night Luxor hotel package OR we could buy a 3 or 4-night cruise on the Nile that would have the ship in Luxor the day of the Solar Eclipse. We chose a three night cruise down stream from Aswan to Luxor for group 1 and a four night cruise upstream from Luxor to Aswan for group 2. Both will be in Luxor on August 2 for the Solar Eclipse. Here is why we chose a cruise package instead of a hotel package.
  • We decided the most important thing to consider: Where are our passengers going to stand to watch this special total eclipse. The location could make or break their experience.
• Staying in a Hotel:
  • If you are staying in a hotel you will have to join the tens of thousands of others in the CROWDED streets of Luxor trying to find where you can have an unobstructed view between the tall hotels and buildings to witness the eclipse.
  • Staying 3 to 4 days in Luxor, after visiting the Luxor sites and witnessing the eclipse, you will run out of things to do during the additional days you are in Luxor. Because you are on a 3 to 4 night package, staying in a hotel gives you little to do after you have seen the local sites in Luxor.
• Sailing on a Nile Cruise:
  • No crowded streets or buildings to look through. You can experience the total eclipse from the spacious top deck of your cruise ship out and away from the tall buildings and huge crowds.
  • You are not going to run out of things to do. In addition to the tours in Luxor and the solar eclipse, you will be sailing the Nile with new ports of call to explore.
• Getting Airfare is going to be a logistical nightmare!!
  • With tens of thousands trying to get airfare between Cairo and Luxor, all near the same dates and times, it is going to be logistically impossible to fill the needs. The airlines are suggesting they won’t take groups but rather sell on a first come first serve basis, at much higher rates around these dates. With so many needing seats, the second they are open the flights will sell out. Few groups will be able to get all their passengers on the same flights, ending up instead having to drive the 10 hours each way between Cairo and Luxor.
  • THAT WON’T BE US: As far as we know at this time, we are the only ones that have contracts in hand with deposits paid for our private chartered flights. We have chartered a jet to fly both of our groups into the Luxor area and back to Cairo. The jets are only for our group, there will only be our passengers on board.
• Educator: Dr. S. Michael Wilcox will spend time with both of our two groups.
  • Group 1 will cruise with the Luxury AmaWaterways River Cruise in Europe before going to Egypt to experience the Solar Eclipse. Michael will be with Group 1 on the River cruise in Europe and with them in Egypt through to the end of the Nile Cruise. Group 2 will join group 1 on the ship in time to experience the Solar Eclipse. Then after the eclipse they will fly to Cairo and back home. Michael will stay on the ship to join group 2 after the solar eclipse.
  • Group 2 will go first to Egypt. They will join group 1 on the ship for the Total Solar Eclipse. After the eclipse, group 1 will leave and group 2 will continue with their Nile cruise with Michael. Afterwards, they will head to Europe with Michael for their Amawaterways Cruise.

Because of its location, Abu Simbel is rarely part of tours in Egypt. There are only a few flights that fly to Abu Simbel. The few that visit Abu Simbel, usually drive by bus for many hours each way. Because the drive takes all day by bus, very few tours ever include Abu Simbel. The few who get the opportunity to explore Abu Simbel always rate it at the top of the experiences they have had in Egypt. Both of our Groups will visit Abu Simbel. Group 1 will fly from Cairo on our private chartered Jet to Abu Simbel. Our private charted jet will wait just off the runway, while our group visits Abu Simbel. After our visit, the group will return to the airport reboard our private chartered jet that has waited for us and it will then fly us to Aswan where we will board our Nile Cruise ship. Group 2, after their Nile cruise will fly by private chartered jet to Abu Simbel, where our jet will again wait at the airport while group 2 tours. After, our private charted Jet will fly everyone to Cairo. Abu Simbel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Grand Egyptian Museum nicknamed the GEM really is a GEM!! With over 5 million square feet, it has twice the area of the Louvre Museum and two and half times the size of the British Museum. It houses an unparalleled collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the complete treasures of King Tutankhamun. It has become one of the world’s largest and most prominent museums. It houses over 100,000 artifacts including 5,340 of King Tutankhamun’s treasures. It will fully open in late 2025. This will be a gigantic highlight and a huge part of our Solar Eclipse Egypt portion.

We have two groups experiencing the Longest Total Solar Eclipse in this Century along with a tour and cruise. In addition to Egypt and the Eclipse, both groups will be doing a land tour combined with a luxury Amawaterways cruise in Europe. AmaWaterways year after year after year has won the award as being the BEST cruise line in Europe, even surpassing Viking! Michael Wilcox will not only be in Egypt with both groups, he will also be with both groups during their AmaWaterways Cruise.

Here are a FEW of the highlights:

• Your Luxury AmaWaterways ship travels on four different rivers and waterways. Nuremberg to Bamberg is on the Main-Danube Canal. From Bamberg to Rudesheim is on the Main River. From Rudesheim to Lehnstein is on the Rhine River and then from Lahnstein to Luxembourg you will be on the Moselle River.
• Ancient Walled Cities and Medieval Villages Include: Nuremberg Old town, Medieval Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany’s best preserved walled town. Wertheim, the old town still features ½ timbered houses. Oberammergau, home of the Passion Play since the mid 1600’s. Fairy-tale Cochem and Tier, Germany’s oldest town.
• Majestic Castles: Where possible, we plan to visit the following castles and Palaces inside: Neuschwanstein Castle, Disney’s inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle – The stunning Linderhof Palace – The Imperial Castle of Nuremberg – The Lahneck Castle – The Cochem Castle – The Eltze Castle AND the view of 40 castles in 40 miles as we sail through the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage area.

A few highlights of our 23 Day Castles & Rivers’ Cruise and tour, combined with Egypt’s Total Solar Eclipse:

• In Europe: Sailing on 4 different rivers, exploring many of the best of Europe’s Medieval villages and old towns, along with visiting inside of many of Europe’s most stunning castles.
• In Egypt: The NEW Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo – Abu Simbel – that few have the opportunity to see – Fly on our own chartered flights just for our group – Enjoy a 3 night luxury cruise on the Nile River AND most important – witness the Longest Full Solar Eclipse in this Century from the top of your Nile Cruise ship.

Note: Our Group 1 Castle & Rivers’ Cruise & Tour is a combination of 3 separate packages: Our Egypt and Nile Solar Eclipse package, PLUS our AmaWaterways Castle and River Cruise package, PLUS our special land tour package. Together they combine into an experience of a lifetime. Below is what is included in each package along with our combined total package price.

Here is what is INCLUDED in our Total Package:

• Egypt Solar Eclipse Portion of our Package Includes:
  • 4 Nights 5-Star Luxury Hotel Cairo Egypt.
  • 3 Night 5-Star Luxury Cruise on the Nile.
  • All shore excursions on the Nile cruise.
  • Total Solar Eclipse viewing from top of your Nile cruise ship in Luxor.
  • 3 special PRIVATE Charter flights for only our group
    • Cairo to Abu Simbel.
    • Abu Simbel to Aswan.
    • Luxor to Cairo.
  • Solar Eclipse viewing from the top of the Nile cruise ship.
  • Abu Simbel Temples.
  • The Massive Grand Museum with all of King Tut’s treasures.
  • All buses, Guides & Entrance fees in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Abu Simbel, Aswan and Cairo.
  • Educator on your Nile Cruise: Michael Wilcox.
  • Fun For Less Tours Staff throughout your time in Egypt.
• AmaWaterways Luxury Castle & Rivers’ Cruise Package Includes:
  • 8 day 7 Night Cruise on 5-Star Luxury River Cruise ship.
  • Cat D Cabin with large porthole window.
  • NOTE: AmaWaterways gave us charter pricing for this sailing which saves $1,000 per person over what the ship normally charges for the same cabin. We were also able to get additional discounts when you upgrade to balcony cabins. The savings have been figured into our total package price.
  • $280 in ship taxes.
  • All Shore Excursions.
  • Castles Visited from the ship: Lahneck Castle, Cochem Castle and 40 castles seen from the ship during the Rhine Gorge sailing.
  • Three quality meals each day while on the ship.
  • Free internet and free movies.
  • All bicycles on board are free to use.
  • Use of quality headset receivers.
  • Unlimited bottle water.
  • Michael Wilcox will be your educator on your River Cruise.
  • Fun For Less Tours Staff.
  • Option to upgrade to French sliding glass door balcony or double balcony.
• Our special land Package Includes:
  • 1 Nights 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Munich.
  • 2 Nights 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Oberammergau.
  • 2 Nights 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
  • 1 Night 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Nuremburg.
  • 1 Night 4-Star Deluxe Hotel Frankfurt.
  • Castles visited: Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace, Imperial Castle of Nuremberg and the Eltze Castle.
  • The BEST Medieval walled city in Europe: Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
  • All buses, guides and entrance fees throughout your land tour.
  • Fun For Less Tours staff throughout.
  • Michael will meet the group in Rothenburg and stay with you through the three rivers cruise along with Egypt the Nile Cruise and the Solar Eclipse for a total of 15 days.
  • Option to purchase international group airfare.