The best time to visit Egypt depends on three things: the temperature you can handle, the light you want to photograph, and whether you care about crowds. This guide is the honest version — month by month — from a team that guides the Giza Plateau year-round and knows exactly what each season feels like on the ground.
The short answer
October to April is the sweet spot. Daytime temperatures 20–28°C, clear skies, comfortable sightseeing, and the best light for photographs. Within that window, October, November, February and March are the very best — warm but not hot, and the biggest crowds (Christmas, New Year) haven't arrived yet. May to September is genuinely hot (35–42°C), best reserved for the Red Sea and hotel pools rather than the Pyramids at noon.
Month-by-month
- January: cool, 14–22°C, occasional rain. The Pyramids at golden hour are glorious. Christmas crowds have left.
- February: excellent. 16–24°C, clear skies, quieter than December.
- March: warm and clear, 20–28°C. Sometimes khamsin (sandstorm) winds in late March — brief, usually a day.
- April: 25–32°C, the last comfortable month before summer. Fewer crowds than October.
- May: 30–36°C. Early mornings are fine, midday is draining. Our recommendation: start tours at 7am and finish by noon.
- June–August: 35–42°C. Serious heat. The Pyramids at 8am are tolerable; midday is not. Resorts and Nile cruises are fine if you have AC.
- September: still hot, 33–38°C, but starting to break. Late September is a soft shoulder season — reasonable prices, quieter sites.
- October: the very best month. 26–32°C, clear light, and the crowds haven't fully arrived.
- November: 22–28°C, best light of the year for photography. Book early — it's the peak month.
- December: 16–22°C, cool evenings, and the busiest weeks of the year around Christmas and New Year.
Best light for photography
Whatever month you choose, the magic hours are the same: the first 90 minutes after gate opening (8am) and the last 60 minutes before sunset. Our private Pyramids photoshoot schedules around these windows — with the added benefit of entry before the general crowds. October, November and February give the warmest, most consistent light. July and August give hard, high-contrast midday sun — great for dramatic silhouettes, less good for portraits.
Crowds and prices
Prices track crowds. Christmas, New Year and Easter are the most expensive weeks — hotel rates in Giza can double. Shoulder seasons (October–November, February–March) offer the best balance. June–August is the cheapest for hotels but hot. Book your 7-day Egypt tour at least 6 weeks in advance for peak months.
Special considerations
Ramadan shifts dates each year and moves everything — restaurant hours, site opening times, and the mood of the country. It is a beautiful time to visit if you respect the fasting culture; the evenings are lively, but daytime services are reduced. Our team advises on the specific dates each year. Nile cruises run October through April on the Luxor–Aswan route; the best value is late October and early March — see our Nile cruise tour.
What we recommend
For a first visit: late October or early November. For honeymooners who want perfect light: February — see our honeymoon tour. For a budget trip with bearable heat: late September. For luxury travellers who want the best experience with minimum compromise: November, our luxury Egypt tours book out 3 months ahead for that month. Browse all Egypt tours to match your dates.
