Why this guide: about 5,400 people a month search Google for “best time to visit egypt” (US, DataForSEO Labs, September 2026). This is the answer we would give a client, written to be booked from.
The short answer
- Best overallOctober–November and February–April
- CheapestJune–August in Cairo and Luxor (very hot); January is peak for Nile cruises
- AvoidJune–August in Luxor and Aswan (40°C+); the Christmas–New Year and Easter cruise peaks if price matters
The cool season (October–April)
Cairo sits at 20–25°C by day from November to March, Luxor and Aswan a few degrees warmer, with cold desert nights in December–January. This is the season for the Giza plateau, the Valley of the Kings and a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan. It is also peak: December to February has the highest cruise and hotel rates, and Christmas–New Year is the most expensive week. October–November and March–April are the balance of warmth and price.
Summer (May–September)
Cairo reaches 35–38°C; Luxor and Aswan regularly exceed 42°C, and sightseeing is confined to dawn and dusk. Prices in Upper Egypt drop sharply and the sites are almost empty — a trade some travellers take gladly. The Mediterranean coast (Alexandria, the North Coast) is where Egyptians go in summer.
The Red Sea
Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada and Marsa Alam are warm year-round; the sea is 22°C in February and 28°C in August, visibility is excellent in all months, and winter is the European package-holiday peak. April–May and September–October are the sweet spots for diving (Ras Mohammed, the Brothers, Elphinstone) with warm water and lighter crowds.
Dates that matter
Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier each year (in 2027 it begins in mid-February): sites stay open with shorter hours, daytime restaurants outside hotels close, and the evenings are wonderful. The Abu Simbel Sun Festival, when dawn light reaches the inner sanctuary, falls on 22 February and 22 October.
Booking from the engine
Cairo (CAI) is the international hub with domestic flights to Luxor (LXR), Aswan (ASW) and the Red Sea airports. Use the engine's flights tab and hotels tab; a pre-booked chauffeur from CAI to Giza or Zamalek is the sane way to meet Cairo traffic for the first time.
Three things to get right
- October–November: warm enough for the Red Sea, cool enough for Luxor.
- Nile cruises for January book out by autumn.
- Check the Ramadan dates — evenings are the highlight, daytime is quieter.
