Cairo, Egypt’s capital city is known for the Great Pyramids of Giza, The Sahara Desert, The Nile River, many huge and amazing mosques ancient civilization, and its rich history. Cairo has been around since around 969 BC and is still a popular tourist attraction.
Cairo translates to “The Victorious City”. The metropolis has an extremely large population with over 21,000,000 people living there and is the third largest city in Africa. People from around the world visit Egypt to immerse themselves in the rich culture.
The best month to visit Cairo is during the later winter months like February and March since tourists have typically left and it isn’t too hot yet.
Cairo is the largest metropolitan in Africa, Arab countries, and The Middle East. Cairo is also the 15th largest capital area in the world and is sprawling. Visiting Cairo as a tourist can be relatively inexpensive which is another reason it is popular among tourist from around the globe.
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Average Temperature In Cairo
If you have decided to visit Cairo – during your planning stage, you are probably wondering what the best time is to visit for great weather. Cairo has a desert climate meaning low precipitation, hot and dry weather.
Desert climates consist of low vegetation and greenery since many plants cannot survive in this type of environment. Desert climates are typically in Saharan Africa, the Southwestern United States/ Mexico, and some parts of Australia.
Cairo’s weather is typically hot, and the summers are long. About 96% of Egypt is covered in desert. Desertification is swallowing Egypt and most of the Saharan countries in northern Africa. The other 4% of the country is where most of the 21,000,000 people live.
Egypt is not a particularly safe country, but it still draws a variety of tourists from around the world. Wondering when the best time to visit is? The best time to visit for hot weather activities are from May to October.
If you aren’t looking for hot weather an amazing time to visit is from November to April. The average high temperature in the summer months is in the mid 90’s and at nighttime the lows are in the 70’s.
The middle of the day in Summers are considered sweltering hot so be prepared with fans and cooler clothing. Average temperatures the other half of the year (From November to April) are highs around 70° with lows dropping around 50°.
At nighttime it definitely gets cold so be prepared for chilly nights and moderate days. Egypt does not really have seasons – the only “seasons” are as mentioned above. Summer or a mild winter.
Parts of Egypt are near the Mediterranean Sea which push off a wind. January is the coldest month in Cairo with the high averaging about 67° and low 50°. The hottest months are tied in July and August with average highs 95° and low 75°.
There are few clouds in the sky, and it is mostly clear the entire year. You can expect the most cloud coverage in the winter months.
Cairo has a relatively high UV index. Keep this in mind when planning your travel as well. The summer season UV index ranges from 9-11.5. This is in the months that you will encounter the hot weather.
High UV index means that the sun’s rays have a high strength and getting skin gets burnt faster. This is the off season – which you can find more information out below. The UV index on the peak season is relatively low from about 4-5 so still bring sun protection if you plan on visiting during this time.
Many people like to visit Cairo during the winter months because they cannot handle the extreme heat in the summer months making this the peak season to visit.
Daily Chance Of Precipitation In Cairo
It rarely rains in Cairo. There is not a “wet” season in Cairo, or any of Egypt. It does not snow in Egypt, and you can expect the most rain during January. January is the coldest and wettest month – though outdoor activities can still be achieved in January.
The probability of rain in January is only about 3%. If/when it does rain the rain is evaporated almost immediately due to the dry climate. There is no chance of rain May, June, July, or August. The majority of rain in Egypt is on the coast.
The most rainfall that any month in Cairo sees is about 2 inches from December to March. If you are searching for rain in Egypt – visit the city of Alexandria. Alexandria is about 2.5 hours away from Cairo and sees about 7 inches of rain annually.
If you visit Cairo and are lucky enough to get an ounce of rain that is not a mirage don’t expect the rain to actually touch the ground. Rain is typically light, but it is evaporated before it touches the ground.
Humidity Comfort Levels In Cairo
Just like rain, you won’t really encounter too many humid times in Cairo. Cairo often experiences seasonal variation in humidity. The season that experiences the most humidity is during the summer season between May – October.
August has the most humid days with humidity levels at 65%. About 19 days in August are humid. January has the least humid days with on average 0 days being humid. Many people believe that visiting Egypt during the slightly more humid months find it more comfortable than visiting during the dry months. Most desert climates have no humidity and Cairo is no exception.
Best Time Of Year To Visit Cairo For Great Weather
There are no bad weather months in Cairo. You might experience that some months are cooler than others. Visiting during the Summer months it is scorching hot. Because of this, you will find the most tourists between October and April since temperatures are on the mild side.
Many activities in Cairo are exploring the bazaar, The Great Pyramids, and the ancient tombs. You will find temperatures to be in the 80’s. Visiting in Summer is scorching hot, but many people enjoy visiting during this time to get the full experience of what they assume Egypt to be like.
Visiting Egypt during the hot season is extremely dry so sweat will evaporate right off of the skin. Visiting during the Summer season also has a nice breeze off of the Nile. The winter part of the year begins in the summer season with May, June and July being the winter months.
Nile River cruises are very popular activities to do around Cairo. Visiting the Nile River during the cooler months help you get the most out of your trip by visiting some of Egypt’s other amazing culture rich cities like Luxor and Aswan.
When To Go To Cairo For The Best Prices
Peak Travel Season In Cairo
The peak season in Cairo is during the Winter months. For the average solo traveler, a trip to Egypt will cost around $1,500 USD. If you are traveling as a family of four you can expect to pay around $1,800 USD.
Planning to go to Egypt between October and March usually is the most expensive. If you are not a fan of queuing for different activities this might not be the time to visit for you. Cairo is one of the world’s largest metropolitans so while you won’t have a problem with flights or finding somewhere to stay – the more luxury places sell out and flights skyrocket around this time.
The city is typically extremely overcrowded so don’t expect to get into a mosque, bazaar, or pyramid without waiting for hours. Egypt Air is the country’s flag carrier and has many routes during the peak season at a reasonable price. You can expect 80-degree weather with no rain and a moderate amount of humidity.
Traveling during peak season gets very expensive around Christmas and New Year’s. Once the holidays are over the cheapest months to visit is January and February. These months will get you the most value for your money. If you are planning to visit during the peak season, be sure to plan your flights and hotels months in advance – they do tend to sell out.
Shoulder Travel Season In Cairo
One of the shoulder seasons of Cairo is between March to May. This is right before the summer months really begin to roll in with extreme temperatures and dry air. During the shoulder season there are often windstorms.
Windstorms happen often in Egypt but typically once a week during the late winter and early spring months. These sandstorms are called khamsin. Some of the sandstorms last a couple hours to a full day. Keep this in mind if you plan on flying in since dust storms can delay and even cancel flights on occasion.
Egypt has two shoulder season with the second being after summer is over. September and October see less tourists before the weather really starts cooling down and people start coming in. You will avoid crowds and the heat.
When people visit Cairo during the shoulder season they often venture out to other places like Alexandria and Luxor. These cities get cold so be prepared to pack warm. Traveling to Egypt during the peak season is the best since you get great weather and minimal tourists. Ramadan typically happens during the shoulder season of Egypt.
It is not expected for tourists to fast if you visit during this time, but expect shorter operating hours or even for some businesses and services to be closed for the day.
Low Travel Season In Cairo
Contrary to what people assume the off season is actually the summer months in Egypt. Many of the pyramids and tombs open early so you can beat the heat if you wake up early. This will save you a ton of money on flights, hotels, and excursions. Visiting during the off season is a great time to take a dip into The Red Sea.
The temperatures in the off season range from 95-100°. It is sweltering hot, so you have to decide if the extreme heat is worth the cost savings. You can expect clear skies the entire summer with very few cloud coverage.
This is when the UV and UVB rays are the highest. The hotels average about $75 USD / night in summer. Even during the hottest months, you can expect Cairo and most cities in Egypt to offer amazing weather, culture and even beach time!
There is beach not far from Cairo which is one of the nicest beaches in the world. If you do visit during the off season, you can expect luxury hotels for a cheap price. Many hotels have beautiful swimming pools for you to take a dip in to cool off from the sweltering hot and dry weather.
Bring sun protection with a high SPF if you are going to be doing any outdoor activity. Beach or pool not your thing but want to stay cool? If you go off the beaten path when visiting Cairo, there are plenty of air-conditioned private tour buses to visit around. Don’t think you have to get around by foot or camel.
Best Months For Travel To Cairo
No matter what time you visit Egypt there is something to do for everyone. Egypt has one of the best climates in the world with moderate temperatures most of the year. There are only two real seasons in the country of Egypt – a moderate winter or a blazing hot summer.
The average temperature of Cairo is 82°. Summer is about 95° and winter is 85°. The lows are typically not cold, but it can get chilly at nighttime even during the summer months.
Remember when visiting Egypt that even though it is hot for most of the year to dress respectfully with modest clothing. The most popular activities in Cairo no matter what the weather are the Pyramids of Giza, Nile River, Al-Azahar Mosque and Mosque of Muhammad Ali.
