Best months for Egypt travel
May 9th, 2005, 10:05 AM
#2
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I travelled there in September for a Cairo/Nile cruise trip. This time of year is considered relatively off-peak probably due to the summer temperatures. It was hot but by no means unbearable (certainly compared to June-August which are hotter still). However the bonus was that a lot of the tourist sites were less crowded than they probably would be over the winter/spring months when the heat is less strong. The Pyramids will be busy at all times of year but visits to some of the lesser visited temples/tombs etc would be a much better experience with fewer people.
I'd say therefore that September/October would probably be a good compromise.
I'd say therefore that September/October would probably be a good compromise.
May 9th, 2005, 12:52 PM
#3
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I'd say October or beginning November. Believe the hi-season starts mid-November thru February, when the temps cool (over the oppressive heat of the summer months) and before the possible sand storms in April. And October, like September is a kind of "shoulder" season... prices often a bit lower then hi-season.
Also in the hi-season, Egyptians themselves travel, so more crowded at sights.
It's always hot, hot the further south you travel - Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel.
As to avoiding, I can only say the summer months from June-Sept, when it's very hot, but tourists still seem to visit regardless.
Also in the hi-season, Egyptians themselves travel, so more crowded at sights.
It's always hot, hot the further south you travel - Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel.
As to avoiding, I can only say the summer months from June-Sept, when it's very hot, but tourists still seem to visit regardless.
May 10th, 2005, 02:08 AM
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Only issue with fall is it is often Ramadan - several posts here on traveling during Ramadan - I would do a search. Have not traveled during that time, but from posts here it seems to present only minor issues.
We went in mid-April and it was really hot - I would not want to go any later in spring/summer than that.
We went in mid-April and it was really hot - I would not want to go any later in spring/summer than that.
May 10th, 2005, 09:35 AM
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We visited Cairo, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh over a 2 week period at the end of March/beginning April this year. I'd been really worried about sandstorms and whether they would spoil our trip (search sandstorms on this site)- the weather, however, was absolutely perfect for the whole trip : endless sunshine and not overpoweringly hot because there was always a pleasant breeze. We didn't experience any sandstorms at all. We visited most major sites and found them busy, but not overcrowded. We loved Egypt, especially Luxor, and would have no hesitation in going back March/April.
May 10th, 2005, 10:32 AM
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We've been in March, May and December. I wouldn't go any later than March or earlier than October. May was extremely hot.
As for crowds, there will always be many tourists at the sites. In the summer there are lots of south Europeans.
As for crowds, there will always be many tourists at the sites. In the summer there are lots of south Europeans.
May 11th, 2005, 10:23 PM
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I, like most everyone else here vote for the fall over the spring. October and November, for me, are by far the best two months of the entire year in Egypt, weather wise.
About the sand storms... they do come in the spring and they are annoying and can ruin an otherwise fun day outside, but contrary to popular belief, they are NOTHING like what you are seeing on recent movies out of Hollywood. I have yet to see a cloud of dust come rolling across the desert at me like a wall of dirt. What happens instead is you wake up one morning, the sky is sort of yellowish colored and visibility of everything is low, and you immediately close all your windows and doors to avoid having things like your stereo and anything else in your flat eaten alive by dust that will get into everything. It can get worse and give people with respiratory problems more problems, but you won't be buried in a cloud of dust.
Regarding Ramadan... this year it will be pretty much during the entire month of October. Seems it should start close to Oct 2nd and end around Nov 2nd. Next year it will move 20 days forward, so it won't be in the "fall" for much longer...before we know it, Ramadan will be falling in the middle of summer.
If you have any more specific questions, please feel free to contact me personally at my email.
About the sand storms... they do come in the spring and they are annoying and can ruin an otherwise fun day outside, but contrary to popular belief, they are NOTHING like what you are seeing on recent movies out of Hollywood. I have yet to see a cloud of dust come rolling across the desert at me like a wall of dirt. What happens instead is you wake up one morning, the sky is sort of yellowish colored and visibility of everything is low, and you immediately close all your windows and doors to avoid having things like your stereo and anything else in your flat eaten alive by dust that will get into everything. It can get worse and give people with respiratory problems more problems, but you won't be buried in a cloud of dust.
Regarding Ramadan... this year it will be pretty much during the entire month of October. Seems it should start close to Oct 2nd and end around Nov 2nd. Next year it will move 20 days forward, so it won't be in the "fall" for much longer...before we know it, Ramadan will be falling in the middle of summer.
If you have any more specific questions, please feel free to contact me personally at my email.
