The dreaded mosquito - am I fretting over nothing? Jan/Feb Cairo/Luxor/Nile
 

Those buggers just love me. Put me in a room with 10 people and one mosquito, and guess who gets the welts?

We're planning a January/February trip to Egypt. I've tried Google, Bing, Tripadvisor, and here. Can't really find much, if any, info on the pests in the January/February timeframe.

I live in Texas, so I'm familiar with their habits of coming out in greater numbers at sunset. But I really don't like the idea of walking around all day with DEET spread all over me.

My hubby thinks January/February won't be a problem as it's cooler.

Your thoughts?

It shouldn't be a major problem. If for no other reason than it is pretty cool those months and you should be wearing a fair amount of clothes to stay warm. Coming from Texas I think you will notice that it is cool and be happy in long pants, socks and shoes and long sleeves. That will keep them away if nothing else does.
Also, don't stay at hotels out near the pyramids. The canals out that way breed the little buggers so the tend to be a bit worse out there. They will bomb for them, but that doesn't get them all.
Enjoy Egypt.

Well, we were there in August (last year) and I don't remember a problem (Cairo, Aswan, Luxor) and we DID stay out near the pyramids.

Hi SwissHiker

I have 100% sympathy with you about those little blighters, they adore me too!! I once got a bite on my eyelid! and I looked like i had gone 10 rounds with Tyson!! Of course people in the street thought it was my other half had caused it haha which didnt please him too much :-))

I got a few bad bites on a nile cruise one year in July, but this was mainly because of my illogical logic. I decided that if I sat beside the ultra violet zapper machine then they wouldnt touch me they would get zapped!!! big mistake, the machine drew them to me and I ended up with 22 bites on my legs and arms haha!

So learning from that I made sure I bought a mosi spray from my local pharmacy, it was a light smelling spray and it worked a treat, nothing came near me.

I have been in Egypt many times and since that time I have had no bites at all. I think that the time of year you are planning to go would probably be better, both from a climate perspective and a mosi perspective.

Also, if you have a good hotel and a good cruise, if you do have any little friends in your room they will come up and exterminate them with a powerful spray while you are having dinner, or they will give you a spray.

If you dont have any guided tours or anything sorted out yet, or cruise / hotels etc email me at [email protected], as I have used a few and can recommend one that stands out.

Best regards, and good luck with the little angels

Scotsgirl

Thanks for your helpful replies.

Scotsgirl - I've seen those zappers for both flies and mosquitos. They are sort of a beacon to them, so your advice is wise to stay away from that contraption. ((y))

sf7307 - you went to the desert in August? You're a brave one, must love the heat.

CC - I'd never thought there were canals in the pyramid area. What would those be? Water recycling or retention ponds, or what? Very interesting.

I am a magnet as well and was told by my dr to take B12 vitamins as something about the smell your body makes when absorbing the vitamins offends mosquitos. It seems to work well.

<<CC - I'd never thought there were canals in the pyramid area. What would those be? Water recycling or retention ponds, or what? Very interesting.>>

Um......I think "or what" just about covers it!!!! :))

I think most of the canals out that way are irrigation ditches/canals, built off of distributary branches of the Nile. They are used for just about everything. My sons always liked looking to see how many dead animals (horses, mules, cows) they could find.....unfortunately, almost every trip resulted in at least 1 "sighting."

In addition to all the normal suggestions, I've got one other piece of advice that is just anecdotal, but can't hurt. When traveling to mosquito areas I use a eucalyptus bath gel (Bath and body works 'Stress Relief - Eucalyptus Spearmint' ). I always used to be the 'mosquito magnet', but when I use this bath gel I seem to get fewer bites than people around me. Maybe it's my imagination, but it has worked for 3 trips. Actually, I don't even care if it is a placebo effect, as long as it makes the mosquitos bite less!

Yes, the canals irrigated much of the desert that was only sand out by the pyramids and now the land is very lush with agriculture.
You'll see the stark difference as you enter Sakkara. One minute you are in lush mango and date orchards and the next you are in the sahara.