Paulie

Hi folks!
I'm trying to plan a my very first trip to Egypt for next year but I'm not really sure which month is best in terms of weather (the coolest the better) and rates of tours and airfare. I was planning to book a tour that includes aswan, luxor, edfu, esna and cairo.
Which month do you recommend??

Any help is very much appreciated!
Paulie.

heymo

Paulie- Just returned from a 2 week trip to all the above mentioned places...October was a good month to go. Weather is warm but not oppressive, crowds were manageable and the prices were good.

Just my thoughts, but when you are planning- stay the minimum amount of time in Cairo, and spend a couple days in Aswan. I am assuming you are taking a Nile Cruise to visit Edfu & Esna? We enjoyed our time on the cruise with the exception that we were the only people who spoke English- the rest of the passengers were all Dutch.

I'll be happy to answer any other questions you have...and trust me, as you begin to plan you'll have hundreds!

Grcxx3

heymo - can't believe you're back already!! How was your trip??

heymo

It was good...but I think I need another week to get back into the swing of things! Going to attempt a trip report today...we'll see how that goes!

evecolorado

Look forward very much to reading your trip report. When we first started planning our trip almost a year ago, it seemed such a long time away--now it's just a couple of weeks!

twilightzone

Hi Paulie - what's there to see in Edfu & Esna - not heard of them...

And what's in Aswan? Sorry for being dumb!

Paulie

Thanks for your reply Heymo. The tour I'm considering includes a night train (Abela) from Cairo to Aswan, a Nile Cruise to Luxor, Edfu and Esna and ending in Cairo.

The itinerary goes like this:

It is only one day in Cairo on arrival to visit the museum and pyramids and afterwards the train to Aswan where we would stay for one whole day to visit the Dam and the unfinished obelisc. The next day the cruise leaves for Kom Ombo (visit the Temple of Sobek and Haroeris) and Edfu (visit the Temple of Horus). After that comes Luxor to visit the Necropolis of Thebes , the temple of Amon and the valley of the kings, later the temple of Hatshepsut and the colossus of Memnon. The last day is in Cairo before leaving for home..
what do you think about this trip? Is it appropiate for 8 days in Egypt? (can't afford a longer stay)

What other months would you suggest besides October? just to broaden my options..

Thank you!!!
Paulie.

sandi

We also visited in mid-October. Ideal weather in Cairo (though evenings did get a bit chilly... only need a blazer or shawl or sweater). Once you travel to Upper Egypt (that's south to Luxor and Aswan) expect higher temps, especially in the Valley or Kings/Queens. By 9am, the temps were 100-degrees. Mid-day is the time to relax at hotel pool or the deck of Nile boat. Being a true desert, though and with hot temps during the day it's not unusual for the evenings to get chilly; temps can drop 30-degrees, so a blazer, shawl or sweater is recommended.

On the day you arrive Aswan, the dam the obelique are very short visits. You should visit Philae island, if possible. But, check with your tour operator about going to Abu Simbel; quite fascinating and only need a few hours if you fly to/from Aswan.

Egypt is fascinating with warm people. You'll enjoy.

PamR

I'm glad to read these comments. I just booked a tour for February. I've been there 3 times before, twice in Fall and once in Spring. From those experiences, I agree that October is a great time to go -- quite hot in the Valley of the Kings, but that's part of the experience. I think your tour itinerary sounds good. IMHO you don't need an extra day for Aswan. I don't find the dam that interesting, but I am more interested in the ancient sights. A side trip to Philae (an island near Aswan) is wonderful, though, if you can do that -- you go by felucca and it's a temple on an island. I was glad to see Abu Simbel once, but I do think it's skippable. It bothers me a little that it is only a facade of the real thing (shaved off the original hill and transported to a spot that won't get flooded). It's great that they did it for people to enjoy, but feels rather fake when you go behind the structure and see the machinery and supports for it. I'm sure this is a minority opinion, though. For me, the real treasures are the sites along the Nile and the cruise itself. If it's an option for you to take a side trip to Abydos and Dendera, do consider that. The cruises don't all go there now, and those two ancient temples are amazing. I find Cairo fascinating, but it can be overwhelming so it's up to an individual about whether they'd enjoy it. It really is a medieval city, not an ancient one. I think your itinerary sounds fine.

Paulie

Thank you for your replies and your recommendations!
I think October will be a good time of the year to visit Egypt.

Paulie.