On Saturday 22 July 2028 the moon's shadow will cross the entire Australian continent. In the Kimberley it will linger for over five minutes, longer than anywhere else on Earth for this eclipse.
22 July 2028 · The Kimberley
22 July 2028 · The Kimberley
On Saturday 22 July 2028 the moon's shadow will cross the entire Australian continent. In the Kimberley it will linger for over five minutes, longer than anywhere else on Earth for this eclipse.
A total solar eclipse is one of the few natural events that genuinely stops people in their tracks. The light turns silver, the temperature falls, birds go quiet and the horizon glows amber in every direction as if the sun were setting all around you. Then the corona appears: a pearl-white crown around a perfectly black sun.
The path of totality makes landfall in the Kimberley, then sweeps across the Northern Territory, south-west Queensland and New South Wales before passing directly over Sydney. Where you choose to stand determines how long totality lasts, how likely the sky is to be clear and what surrounds you when day turns to night.
| Location | Totality | Weather odds | The experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Kimberley, WA | Up to 5m 10s | Excellent (dry season) | Remote luxury lodges, ancient gorges, the longest totality on the planet |
| Kimberley coast | Over 5 minutes | Excellent | Expedition yachts reposition on the day to chase clear sky |
| Northern Territory outback | 4 to 5 minutes | Very good | Dramatic outback backdrops such as Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles), with fewer luxury options |
| Sydney | Up to 3m 45s | Moderate (winter cloud) | A once-in-a-millennium city event over the harbour, around 2pm |
| Uluru | Partial only | n/a | Outside the path of totality. Beautiful, but not on eclipse day |
For our clients, the East Kimberley is the clear choice. It offers the longest totality, the most dependable skies of anywhere on the path and some of Australia's finest wilderness lodges, in a region that is at its very best in July.
July is the heart of the dry season across northern Australia. The Kimberley enjoys warm, cloudless days and cool nights, while tropical Queensland offers its clearest water of the year on the Great Barrier Reef. That means an eclipse journey can combine the Kimberley with the reef and rainforest, all in ideal conditions.
A sample itinerary, designed from Sydney arrival to Cairns departure. Like every journey we create, it would be reshaped entirely around you.
Day 1 · Sunday 16 July
Private transfer to a harbourfront suite looking across to the Opera House. An evening at leisure to recover from the journey.
Day 2 · Monday 17 July
A private yacht on the harbour with lunch on board. That evening, a private briefing from an astronomer on what to expect from totality.
Day 3 · Tuesday 18 July
Fly north to Kununurra, then by light aircraft to Berkeley River Lodge on the Timor Sea coast. Sunset from your dune villa, with nothing but ocean and sandstone in view.
Day 4 · Wednesday 19 July
A private cruise into the river's sandstone gorges, ancient rock art and a scenic flight along one of the most remote coastlines on Earth.
Day 5 · Thursday 20 July
Charter to El Questro, one of the most celebrated eclipse viewing sites in Australia. Your suite sits above the Chamberlain River. Evening boat cruise through Chamberlain Gorge.
Day 6 · Friday 21 July
A private flight over the World Heritage-listed Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu. At dusk, a walk-through at your private viewing site so tomorrow runs perfectly.
Day 7 · Saturday 22 July
The partial phase begins mid-morning. Around 11am the moon's shadow arrives, the temperature drops, the stars appear and the corona blooms for close to five minutes. You watch from a private escarpment site with an astronomer, a photographer and certified eclipse glasses. Champagne at the return of the light. A long lunch, then a celebration dinner under the stars.
Day 8 · Sunday 23 July
The thermal pools of Zebedee Springs, a private gorge swim and a final Kimberley evening.
Day 9 · Monday 24 July
Fly to Cairns and transfer to a private lodge in the Daintree, the oldest rainforest on Earth.
Day 10 · Tuesday 25 July
A private helicopter over the reef, landing for a secluded snorkel away from the day-boat crowds. July brings the clearest water of the year.
Day 11 · Wednesday 26 July
A dawn walk with an Eastern Kuku Yalanji guide, sharing the rainforest's stories. A private farewell dinner.
Day 12 · Thursday 27 July
Private transfer to Cairns for your onward journey.
The finest lodges in the Kimberley have only a handful of suites each, and demand for this eclipse is global. Dedicated eclipse departures from international operators are already on sale, and private aircraft, helicopters and astronomers for eclipse day are finite. The clients who secure the best positions will be those who commit well ahead.
We recommend confirming accommodation at least 12 to 18 months before July 2028. A conversation now costs nothing and guarantees you the widest choice.
Saturday 22 July 2028. Totality reaches the Kimberley around 11am local time and Sydney around 2pm.
The East Kimberley in Western Australia. It has the longest totality anywhere on Earth for this eclipse, up to 5 minutes and 10 seconds, with the most reliable dry-season skies.
No. Uluru sits outside the path of totality, so it will only see a partial eclipse. It pairs well before or after the eclipse, but not on the day itself.
Yes. The path passes directly over Sydney, with around three and a half minutes of totality in parts of the city. In late July the chance of cloud is noticeably higher than in the Kimberley.
Now, ideally. Luxury lodges in the path of totality have very limited capacity, and dedicated eclipse departures are already on sale. We recommend securing accommodation at least 12 to 18 months ahead.
Never look directly at the sun during the partial phases of an eclipse. Certified eclipse glasses are provided for every guest on our eclipse journeys, and it is only safe to remove them during totality itself.
22 July 2028
Tell us your travel window and we'll hold the right lodge while availability remains.