Summer travel in Egypt
 

I am thinking of going to Egypt in August but I am concerned about how hot it will be. Is it really that bad along the Nile and in Cairo during the summer?

When we were there in 2001 the end of April it was the hottest place I had ever been to. Cruise boat had iced towels waiting for us after each shore trip. We traveled in an air conditioned bus between sites. Still, walking Valley of Kings, Abu Simbel, etc. was like walking thru a pizza oven. Even at that time of year we started out each day by 6 AM to avoid heat. Tour adopted the mid-day siesta pattern, with activity level picking up again late afternoon.

That said, people do live there all year round - so heat will not actually kill you if you stay hydrated and don't have any significant medical condition. Just imagine it would not be that pleasant.

Last year I was there in early September. Most local people said the worst of the summer heat was over by then and that July and August were hotter. I found it hot but by no means unbearable. Gail is right in that a lot of sightseeing is done early in the morning to beat the heat.

It gets much hotter the further south you travel. You will find Cairo to be a few degrees cooler than Luxor and Aswan and much more bearlable throughout the day. I actually found the West Bank of Luxor to be the hottest but that is possible because there are few places to get in the shade.

Heat tolerance is very much an individual thing. Personally, I tend not to like it too hot but I was prepared for the heat in the knowledge that I wasn't travelling in the peak season and so places wouldn't be quite so busy.

We were there in May 2004 and temps ranged from 114 to 125 and rising. Most sightseeing was done in the forenoon due to the heat.

My husband and I went in early August, 2000. It was hot. We visited Cairo, Sharm El Sheik, and Luxor. Luxor, by far, was the hottest - about 110-120 degrees. Terribly hot. I think after you reach the 100 degree mark, you quit noticing the additional heat. =)

Thankfully, because of the heat, it was acceptable for women to dress for the heat (shorts, t-shirts, etc). I also took one of those little water spray bottles that has the battery-operated fans attached (you can find them at Wal-Mart usually with the suntan lotion). It was a lifesaver and all the Egyptians wanted it, calleng it "air conditioning."

I would have to say that Cairo was the worst in the heat - Cairo is not a super clean city and the stench of urine and ??? overwhelmed me while walking to the museum. As a result, I did nto fair well the rest of the day. The museum is NOT air-conditioned and while they open the windows, it is still hot.

I don't want to discourage you - August was the only time we could go. If you can go another time, then change your plans; otherwise, plan accordingly.

We also went into the Cheops pyramid EARLY EARLY in the morning (the morning fog had not even fully lifted yet) and while it was not super hot inside, there is not much air circulation, so again, my little fan was a godsend!

Email me if you wish to discuss your plans further.