Best time to visit Egypt

2 min summary Best time to visit Map & highlights Things to do Families Luxor & the Valley of the Kings The pyramids & the Sphinx Egypt & Jordan Nile cruises Egypt & Nile cruise Advice Responsible Tourism

Best time to visit Egypt

It doesn't rain often in Egypt. One of my friends down in Aswan was in his 30s before he experienced rain for the first time – he'd literally never seen it before

It rarely rains in Egypt and neither does it get very cold – visiting in winter can get chilly at night, but nothing a few extra layers can’t conquer. The best time to visit Egypt is in two seasons: spring (Feb-Apr) and autumn (Oct-Nov); it’s cooler then than in high summer, when Egypt really hot – we’re talking 40°C-plus. Of course ‘cooler’ here is a relative concept when you're talking about Egypt’s weather. During spring and autumn daytime temperatures will still hit 25-30°C, but you’ll get relief in the evenings.

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When to visit Egypt & when not to

March until November are the best months for seeing dolphins off the Dahab coral reef. The diving in Egypt is good all year round. Peak season for giant cruise ships is October to May, when it is cooler. Visiting the main tourist sites early in the morning or late in the day during these months is better, as the coach groups head back to port. May until August are steaming, but not humid, so it is still manageable, if you drink lots of water and plaster on the eco friendly sun screen. August is the peak month being, in the words of Stevie Wonder, hotter than July. 30th June is now a public holiday in Egypt, celebrating the Uprising of 2011. In September, temperatures start to dip a little and tourist numbers go down at the major sites as school holidays end. 15th August is Flooding of the Nile Day, or Leylet en Nuktah, based on the ancient traditions of the Nile waters coming back, and young girls were sacrificed. The only things sacrificed nowadays are diets, as people feast in picnics along the banks. We'd recommend avoiding Egypt tours during July and August unless you're headed for the coast. It's simply uncomfortably hot, and as the climate crisis continues, that will only get worse. The lack of rain also puts great strain on water supplies, which are often prioritised for tourists over local people. Winter in Egypt is October to February, which means a jacket or long sleeved top. It is warmer in the south, however, but evenings can be cool. There is a lot of hot air around towards the end March and into April, when the 'Khamsin' wind blows from the desert in the south. Christmas isn’t celebrated on 25th December by Coptic Christians, who make up 15 percent of people in Egypt, but sometime around 7th January. The festivities are a wonderful sight to behold. Ramadan is a 30 day religious observance period, and the start date varies each year. A period of fasting, many sites and shops close early. However, when the fast breaks at sunset, and the special feast of ‘Eftar’ begins, things liven up somewhat.

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Cairo & Dahab Weather Chart

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Responsible Travel recommends

Ralph Foulds from our partner, Encounters Travel:
“Generally spring and autumn are ideal for nice warm weather that isn't too hot, so from February to April and from mid September to November. The summer season from May to September is generally cheaper for trips through the Nile Valley. So, early May and late September gets you good prices and it will be hot but not as intensely hot as July and August. Visiting Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival is really special. Twice a year, on the 22nd February and 22nd October, the rising sun shines in through the entrance corridor of the Abu Simbel temple and illuminates three of the four statues at the end of the passage, leaving Ptah, the God of Darkness or the Underworld, in shadow.”

Danniell Saunders, also from our partner, Encounters Travel:
“What we often do, especially in the summer months if we’ve got a set itinerary and it’s really hot, is adapt the itinerary accordingly, so perhaps not visit the Valley of the Kings during the day when the temp peaks, but get everyone up two hours earlier and have them visit when it’s cooler and there’s no crowds. Things are subject to change, so be flexible.”

Festivals & events in Egypt

Sham al-Naseem

It may sound like it should be the name of a novel, or a cocktail, but “Sham al-Naseem” meaning “sniffing the breeze” is celebrated by all Egyptians the day after Coptic Christian Easter, to mark the beginning of spring. People picnic on the banks of the Nile, there is music and dancing, shisha puffing and lots of shooting rather than sniffing the breeze.