Dunedin prepares for 2028 total solar eclipse as hotels sell out

Hotels in Dunedin, New Zealand, have already sold out for the total solar eclipse on 22 July 2028, with the city estimating 35,000‑50,000 visitors for the event. The eclipse will cast a 100‑km‑wide shadow across the South Island, giving about 2 minutes 51 seconds of daytime darkness over Dunedin, Queenstown and other communities.

Tourism officials highlight the Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark as another prime viewing location, noting its dramatic limestone formations, the Elephant Rocks, Moeraki Boulders and Oamaru coast. The park lies within the path of totality, offering up to 2 minutes 45 seconds of total darkness and scenic foregrounds for photography. Dr Ian Griffin, director of Tūhura Otago Museum, emphasizes the rarity of the eclipse, the first visible from Dunedin since 1163, and the opportunity to combine Māori cultural celebrations with astronomy.