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Nile Cruises Luxor to Aswan: Routes, Boats and Prices
Classic Egypt Tours: Cairo, Luxor and Aswan Itineraries
Nile Cruise and Red Sea Holidays: Two-Week Egypt Trips
White Desert Tours from Cairo: Oases and Desert Camping
Short Breaks in Egypt: Three and Four Day Cairo Trips
Tailor-made Egypt Tours: Private Trips Built Around You
Weather · Siwa
Siwa weather is dry and sunny, with big swings between day and night. Daytime highs run from 19C in January to 38C in June and July. Winter nights fall to 6C or 7C. Rain is close to zero all year. October to April is the time to go, when the days are warm and the dunes are comfortable. Here are the numbers by month, when the salt pools and springs work best, and what to pack.
Siwa is a desert oasis near the Libyan border, about ten hours by road from Cairo. Its days go from 19C in January to 38C in June and July. Nights are much cooler, from 6C in January to 22C in July. These are long-term averages from the Siwa weather station, shown in the chart below.
Siwa weather by month
Typical daytime highs, with night lows, sea, sunshine and rain below.
| Daytime high | Night low | Sunshine, hours a day | Rain days a month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C | 6°C | 7.5 | 0.3 |
| February | 22°C | 7°C | 8.8 | 0.1 |
| March | 25°C | 10°C | 8.7 | 0.1 |
| April | 30°C | 14°C | 9.6 | 0.2 |
| May | 34°C | 18°C | 10.3 | 0 |
| June | 38°C | 20°C | 11.3 | 0 |
| July | 38°C | 22°C | 11.4 | 0 |
| August | 37°C | 21°C | 11.7 | 0 |
| September | 35°C | 20°C | 10.5 | 0 |
| October | 31°C | 16°C | 9.5 | 0 |
| November | 25°C | 10°C | 8.9 | 0.1 |
| December | 21°C | 7°C | 8.2 | 0.2 |
Winter, December to February, has mild days and cold nights. Highs are 21C in December, 19C in January and 22C in February. Nights drop to 6C or 7C. Sun runs at seven and a half to nine hours a day.
Spring warms up steadily. March reaches 25C, April 30C and May 34C. Nights go from 10C to 18C. Late March and April can bring the khamsin, a hot wind that carries sand for a day or two.
Summer is hot. June and July average 38C and August 37C. Nights stay at 20C to 22C. August has the most sun, at almost 12 hours a day.
Autumn cools down nicely. September is 35C, October 31C and November 25C. Nights fall from 20C in September to 10C in November.
Most of a Siwa day is spent outside, cycling between the old town, the springs and the ruins. From November to March, with highs of 19C to 25C, that works at any hour.
In April, May, September and October, keep the walking for the morning and late afternoon. The climb up the old fortress of Shali and the Oracle of Amun are both in the open.
From June to August, highs of 37C to 38C make the middle of the day hard work. Plan the day around early mornings, a long midday rest and the evening.
Swimming changes with the season. The salt pools are old quarry workings, and the water is so salty you float. In spring and autumn they are a pleasure on a warm afternoon. In winter the air is cool once you get out, so swim around midday. Rinse the salt off with fresh water afterwards.
The desert afternoon by 4x4 in the Great Sand Sea ends at a hot spring and a cold pool. In winter the hot spring is the reason to bring a swimsuit.
Hardly ever. Even the wettest month, January, averages under one day with a millimetre of rain. From May to October there is none in the averages.
Rain still shapes Siwa. The old town of Shali was built of salt and mud brick, and heavy rain in the 1920s dissolved much of it. It is a reminder of how rare a real downpour is here.
Wind matters more than rain. In spring the khamsin can bring sand and haze. The dunes trip is the part most affected, so keep a spare day if you travel in late March or April.
For November to February, pack a fleece or warm jacket. Nights drop to 6C to 10C, and guesthouse rooms are often unheated. Warm socks and a hat to sleep in help too.
For March, April, October and November, pack light clothes for the day and one warm layer for the evening. Add a scarf for wind and sand on the dunes.
For May to September, pack loose, long, light clothes, a brimmed hat and plenty of sunscreen. Sun protection matters more here than in Cairo, because you are outside most of the day.
All year, bring sandals you can wear into salt water, a bottle of fresh water to rinse off, and a head torch for the unlit lanes. Siwa is conservative, so cover shoulders and knees in town.
For sightseeing and cycling, choose November to March, when the days sit between 19C and 25C.
For swimming in the salt pools, choose April, May, September or October. The days are 30C to 35C, warm enough to enjoy the water and still bearable on land.
For the date harvest, choose October. It is the busiest and liveliest time in the oasis, and the high is a comfortable 31C.
For the Great Sand Sea afternoon, choose a cool month from November to March, when the dunes are comfortable. Bring a warm layer for the drive back.
Siwa needs three nights at least, so pick a month you will enjoy for a few days. Summer is possible, but it makes the long drive a hard trade.
October to April. Days run from 19C to 31C in those months. October is date harvest season, and November to March is best for cycling and walking.
June and July average highs of 38C, and August 37C. Summer nights stay at 20C to 22C. Single days can be hotter than the average.
In January nights average 6C, and in December and February 7C. Rooms are often unheated, so pack a fleece and warm socks.
Almost never. The wettest months average less than one day of rain. From May to October there is none in the long-term averages.
Yes, on a sunny afternoon. January highs are 19C, so the air feels cool once you get out. The hot spring at the end of the dunes trip is the warmest swim in winter.
In summer, yes. Siwa reaches 38C in June and July, Cairo 34C to 35C. In winter Siwa is about the same by day but colder at night, at 6C against Cairo's 10C in January.
Close. The Bahariya station near the White Desert shows 20C in January and 37C in summer, with similar cold nights. Siwa runs a degree or so warmer in midsummer.
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Written and checked by the Nile Trip Guide editorial team · Last reviewed . Entry rules, prices and opening hours change — check anything critical against the official sources linked on this page.
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