Best time to visit Egypt
Rain is not an issue 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![]()
Rain may not be a problem in Egypt and neither is the 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 it’s really very hot – we’re talking 40°C-plus. Of course ‘cooler’ here is a relative concept in terms of Egypt’s weather, during spring and autumn daytime temperatures will still hit 25-30°C, but you’ll get relief in the evenings.
When to visit Egypt & when not to
Cairo & Dahab Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
8
19
5
FEB
9
21
3
MAR
11
24
2
APR
14
29
1
MAY
17
32
1
JUN
20
35
0
JUL
21
35
0
AUG
21
35
0
SEP
20
33
0
OCT
17
30
1
NOV
13
25
3
DEC
10
21
4
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Travel Team
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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.”
“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.”
“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.
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