At a glance
When is the best time to visit Egypt?
From October to April. Egypt's State Information Service describes two seasons: a hot summer from May to October and a mild winter from November to April. For the temples of Luxor and Aswan in the south, the winter months are the comfortable ones; in Cairo, spring and autumn are warm without the summer heat.
Egypt is almost rainless, so its seasons are about heat. In January, the State Information Service says, temperatures range from about 9–11 °C at night to 20–24 °C by day; in July and August, from 21–25 °C at night to 37–42 °C by day[2]. The thirty-year records show how much hotter the south is: Luxor and Aswan average July highs of 41.4 °C and 41.9 °C, against 35.0 °C at Cairo airport[1].
The south also cools more at night in winter. Luxor averages a January low of 7.1 °C, colder than Cairo's 10.1 °C[1]: a desert climate that is warm by day and cool after dark, so pack a jacket for early starts at the temples.
How hot is Egypt each month?
Cairo's average high runs from 18.9 °C in January to 35.0 °C in July; Luxor's from 22.8 °C to 41.4 °C; Aswan's from 23.2 °C to 41.9 °C. Rain barely registers: Cairo airport averages 25 mm a year, Luxor 8 mm and Aswan 2 mm.
Average daily high and low by month (°C), 1991–2020
| Month | Cairo (airport) | Luxor | Aswan |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18.9 / 10.1 | 22.8 / 7.1 | 23.2 / 10.0 |
| February | 20.5 / 11.0 | 25.3 / 8.9 | 25.9 / 11.7 |
| March | 23.8 / 13.2 | 29.7 / 12.8 | 30.3 / 15.5 |
| April | 28.1 / 15.9 | 35.0 / 17.5 | 35.5 / 20.1 |
| May | 32.2 / 19.3 | 39.1 / 22.1 | 39.5 / 24.6 |
| June | 34.6 / 22.2 | 41.2 / 24.6 | 41.6 / 26.7 |
| July | 35.0 / 23.8 | 41.4 / 25.7 | 41.9 / 27.8 |
| August | 34.9 / 24.3 | 41.2 / 25.6 | 41.9 / 27.9 |
| September | 33.4 / 22.7 | 39.3 / 23.3 | 40.0 / 25.5 |
| October | 30.0 / 20.0 | 35.5 / 19.6 | 36.4 / 22.3 |
| November | 24.9 / 15.6 | 29.1 / 13.4 | 29.8 / 16.2 |
| December | 20.5 / 11.7 | 24.2 / 8.6 | 24.5 / 11.4 |
Mean daily maximum / mean daily minimum, 1991–2020, rounded. WMO climatological normals for Cairo airport, Luxor and Aswan, submitted by Egypt[1]. Averages, not forecasts: any week can be hotter or cooler.
Rain is a footnote. Cairo airport averages 24.8 mm in a whole year, most of it between November and March, Luxor 8.3 mm and Aswan 2.0 mm[1]. The State Information Service notes that the little rain Egypt gets increases towards the coast[2].
The shoulder months differ by place. In April and October, Cairo averages highs of 28–30 °C, pleasant for the city and the pyramids, while Luxor and Aswan already reach 35–36 °C[1]. For a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, November to February keeps the average high between 23 °C and 30 °C[1].
When does the sun light the statues at Abu Simbel?
Twice a year, on 22 February and 22 October, according to Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. At dawn on those days sunlight falls on statues inside the temple of Ramses II, leaving the figure of Ptah, the ministry notes, in shadow.
The ministry describes the event as a phenomenon that happens twice every year, on 22 October and 22 February[3]. In 2026, 22 October falls four days after the end of the UAE's October mid-term; in 2027, 22 February is a Monday in term time[8].
When is Egypt busiest?
Egypt does not publish monthly arrival figures we could find, but its visitor numbers are rising fast: on 15 October 2025 the State Information Service reported 15 million tourists in the first nine months of that year, 21% more than a year earlier, with a target of 18 million for 2025.
Those figures come from the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, as reported by the State Information Service on 15 October 2025[4]. We could not find monthly arrival figures on an official page, so we do not say which months are busiest.
How do the UAE school holidays line up with Egypt?
They line up well from October to April. The October mid-term, 12 to 18 October 2026, comes as the heat eases; winter break, 14 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, is the coolest time of year; spring break, 5 to 11 April 2027, is warm. The summer holidays meet the hottest months.
UAE school breaks in 2026–27, and Egypt at the same time
| UAE break | Dates | In Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-term | 12–18 October 2026 | Cairo averages 30.0 °C, Luxor 35.5 °C; Abu Simbel alignment follows on 22 October |
| Winter | 14 December 2026 – 3 January 2027 | Coolest weeks: Cairo 20.5 °C, Luxor 24.2 °C in December |
| Spring | 5–11 April 2027 | Cairo 28.1 °C, Luxor 35.0 °C in April |
| Summer | From 3 July 2027 (school ends on 2 July) | Hottest months: Luxor and Aswan above 41 °C in July and August |
UAE dates from the Ministry of Education's calendar for schools that follow it[8]; check your own school's dates. Egypt: WMO normals[1], Abu Simbel dates[3].
Egypt moves its clocks forward one hour from the last Friday of April to the last Thursday of October, under Law No. 24 of 2023; in 2026 the change came on 24 April, and summer time ends on Thursday 29 October[5][6]. The time difference with the UAE, which is four hours ahead of GMT all year[7], is therefore an hour smaller in summer than in winter.
Entry requirements for Egypt depend on your passport, and we do not restate them. The Egyptian government runs the official visa portal, and our visa desk can check your case.
Questions travellers ask
What is the best month to visit Egypt?
For Luxor and Aswan, December to February, when average highs are 23–26 °C[1]. For Cairo alone, March, April, October and November are warm but not hot, at 24–30 °C[1].
Is Egypt too hot in summer?
In the south, very hot: Luxor and Aswan average highs of 41–42 °C in July and August[1]. Cairo is milder, at 35 °C[1]. The State Information Service gives 37–42 °C by day in July and August[2].
Does it rain in Egypt?
Rarely. Cairo airport averages 24.8 mm in a year, Luxor 8.3 mm and Aswan 2.0 mm[1].
When is the Abu Simbel sun festival?
The alignment happens twice a year, on 22 February and 22 October, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities[3].
Do I need a visa for Egypt?
It depends on your passport, and we do not restate visa rules. See the Egyptian government's official visa portal, or ask our visa desk.
Sources
The desk opened each source on the date shown. Rules, fees and timetables change: check the official source before you travel.
- [1]WMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991–2020 (NCEI Accession 0253808), station files CairoAP_62366.csv, Luxor_62405.csv, Asswan_62414.csv — WMO Member Nations (Egypt), via NOAA NCEI. Accessed 29 September 2026
- [2]Basic Information — State Information Service, Egypt. Accessed 26 September 2026
- [3]The unique biannual solar alignment phenomenon at the temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel — Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Egypt. Accessed 26 September 2026
- [4]Egypt's tourism sector sees 21% surge in 2025 (15 October 2025) — State Information Service, Egypt. Accessed 26 September 2026
- [5]Egypt to begin Daylight Saving Time 2026 in April (27 March 2026) — Egypt Independent. Accessed 26 September 2026
- [6]When will daylight saving time end in Egypt? (5 October 2025) — Egypt Independent (Al-Masry Al-Youm). Accessed 26 September 2026
- [7]Fact sheet — The UAE Government portal (u.ae). Accessed 26 September 2026
- [8]MOE announces the academic calendar for the next three years — UAE Ministry of Education. Accessed 26 September 2026
- [9]Egypt e-Visa Portal — Government of Egypt. Accessed 26 September 2026
Corrections
- : The short answer called October to April Egypt's mild winter without saying that the State Information Service dates the winter from November. It now says so.
Published 26 September 2026 · Updated 29 September 2026
Seen something wrong or out of date? Write to trade@nwp.ae and the desk will check it against the source.
