Best time to visit Egypt: weather and seasons by month

Egypt has two travel seasons, not four. The Nile Valley and the desert work from October to April; the Red Sea coast and South Sinai work all year and become the sensible choice from May to September. Pick your region first, then your month.

Winter (December to February) is peak. Cairo days are mild and nights cool enough for a jacket after sunset. Luxor and Aswan are warmer and dry, which is why this is the classic temple window. Prices and crowds peak around Christmas and New Year, when cruises and Luxor hotels sell out weeks ahead.

Spring (March to May) warms quickly. March is still comfortable; by May Luxor is hitting 40 °C and sightseeing shifts to early morning. Khamsin winds can blow sand haze across Cairo and the Delta on some days in March, April and May. Easter and Sham el-Nessim bring domestic crowds to Alexandria and the Red Sea.

Summer (June to August) is the valley's off season: Aswan around 45 °C, Luxor close behind, and low prices on cruises and hotels. Inland sightseeing is best avoided; the Mediterranean coast and the Red Sea resorts fill with Egyptian and European holidaymakers instead. Autumn (September to November) cools slowly; late October marks the real start of the season, with Nile cruises restarting in full and the second Abu Simbel sun festival on 22 October.

Egypt's weather depends far more on where you are than on the month. Cairo and the Delta have mild winters and hot, dusty summers around 35 °C. Upper Egypt, from Luxor to Abu Simbel, is dry all year but passes 40 °C from May to September. The Mediterranean coast is the only part of Egypt with real winter rain, so December to February is wet rather than a season to rule out; the coast is also the summer escape for Cairenes. The Red Sea and South Sinai are diveable in every month: winter is rated okay rather than best, with water around 21–22 °C and wind, and summer air above 38 °C. The Western Desert oases swing hardest: cold nights in winter, unbearable days in summer.

Practical effect: in winter, pack layers for Cairo and the desert and light clothes for Aswan. In summer, if you insist on the valley, plan two sights before 9am, rest through the afternoon, and go out again after sunset. On the coast, summer is normal beach weather, not a hardship.

Prices follow the monthly bands on the Egypt country page: low in June and July, medium in May, August and September, and high in November, December, January and February. The most expensive stretch is late December to early January. Shoulder months — March, April, October — give you decent weather at medium prices, with the trade-off of dust in spring and rising heat in April.

Religious and national dates move the market more than the weather does. Ramadan (about 8 February to 9 March in 2027 — lunar dates are approximate, check) shortens site hours and slows afternoons, but evenings are lively and traffic jams build before iftar. Eid al-Fitr right after it is a domestic travel peak: Red Sea resorts and Alexandria fill up. Eid al-Adha, about 16 May 2027, does the same for transport. Coptic Christmas on 7 January and Revolution Day on 25 January are low-impact public holidays. Sham el-Nessim, the Coptic Easter Monday picnic day, packs parks and Nile banks in April or May.

Two fixed dates matter for Abu Simbel: 22 February and 22 October, when sunlight reaches the inner sanctuary at dawn. Both draw crowds, so book transport and tickets early if you want them.

This page is built from the site's Egypt country facts, which follow Egyptian government tourism information and standard seasonal patterns. Lunar holiday dates for 2027 are approximate and should be confirmed closer to travel. Nothing here is a booking quote; verify prices and opening hours with operators directly.