Timing
The best time to visit Egypt
October to April for the temples. The Red Sea works all year. Here is the detail.
The short answer
The best time to visit Egypt: March, October and November
The best time to visit Egypt runs from October to April. Within that, March, October and November give you warm days without the December crowds or the January prices.
Summer is genuinely difficult in Luxor and Aswan — 40°C or more, with almost no shade in the Valley of the Kings. It is also considerably cheaper, and the Red Sea stays comfortable, so a beach-weighted trip in June works where a temple-weighted one does not.
Month by month
| Month | Cairo | Luxor | Red Sea | Crowds | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C | 23°C | 22°C | Very busy | The coolest month, and the busiest. Excellent for the temples, poor for the beach. | |
| February | 21°C | 25°C | 22°C | Busy | Almost as good as January for temperature, with slightly thinner crowds. | |
| March | 24°C | 29°C | 23°C | Busy | Arguably the best month in Egypt. Warm, not hot, and the light is good. | |
| April | 28°C | 35°C | 25°C | Moderate | The last comfortable month for Upper Egypt, and the first good one for the sea. | |
| May | 32°C | 39°C | 27°C | Quiet | Getting hard work inland. Very good on the coast, and cheap. | |
| June | 34°C | 41°C | 29°C | Very quiet | Cheapest month. The sea is superb; the Nile valley is brutal. | |
| July | 35°C | 41°C | 30°C | Very quiet | Avoid the Nile valley unless you tolerate real heat. The coast is fine. | |
| August | 35°C | 41°C | 31°C | Quiet | European holiday traffic on the coast, near-empty temples inland. | |
| September | 32°C | 38°C | 30°C | Moderate | Cooling down, and prices have not caught up yet. Quietly one of the best value months. | |
| October | 29°C | 34°C | 28°C | Busy | The other best month. Everything works at once. | |
| November | 24°C | 28°C | 26°C | Busy | Comfortable everywhere, and the sea is still warm enough to swim. | |
| December | 20°C | 24°C | 23°C | Very busy | The best weather for the temples and the worst prices of the year. |
Typical daytime highs. Sea temperature is Hurghada. Select any month for the full breakdown.
Read next
- Egypt itinerariesOnce you have a month, here is the route.
- Nile cruisesSailing season runs differently from the land tours.
- Red Sea holidaysThe coast has its own calendar.
- Egypt tour packagesWhat a full trip looks like.
Official sources
Entry rules, opening hours, security advice and exchange rates all move. Check them at the source, not here.
- UK FCDO travel advice for Egypt ↗It updates continuously, and most UK travel insurance follows it.