Egypt in December gives you what summer can’t: temples you can walk at noon, desert sunsets without the furnace, and Nile evenings cool enough for a sweater. It is also the heart of the high season, with the heaviest crowds and highest prices landing in the Christmas and New Year weeks. This guide gives you the real weather for each region, the Red Sea water temperature, how to plan Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Aswan and a Nile cruise, and which December weeks to book or skip.
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Yes, Egypt in December is one of the best times to visit. Cairo averages about 20 °C (69 °F) by day and 12 °C (53 °F) at night, Luxor and Aswan reach about 24 °C (76 °F) with cold nights near 9–11 °C (48–53 °F), and the Red Sea is around 23–24 °C (73–76 °F). It rarely rains. Early December is calmer; the Christmas–New Year weeks are the busiest and most expensive.
✅ Key takeaways
- ✓Plan sightseeing for the warm middle of the day: December afternoons in Luxor and Aswan are pleasant, but dawn balloon flights and evening felucca rides are genuinely cold.
- ✓Book Nile cruises and Christmas–New Year hotels early; holiday weeks are the busiest and most expensive of the season.
- ✓Buy Grand Egyptian Museum tickets online for a set day and time, because on-site sales are suspended.
- ✓The Red Sea is still swimmable at about 23–24 °C, but it feels fresh in the wind, so pack a light wetsuit or rash vest if you snorkel for long.
- ✓For the best balance of weather and space, travel between roughly 1 and 18 December.
Is Egypt in December a Good Idea? The Answer by Region
For history, Egypt in December is a yes, without hesitation. For a pure beach holiday, it’s good rather than perfect. December is cool-season Egypt: dry, sunny and mild in the Nile Valley, with the summer heat long gone. Rough Guides calls it peak season, with the heaviest crowds around Christmas and New Year, so the main trade-off is people and price, not weather.
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| Region | Egypt in December verdict | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo and Giza | Very good | Mild days around 20 °C, cool evenings, occasional haze |
| Luxor | Excellent | Warm, very sunny days around 24 °C, cold nights and dawns |
| Aswan | Excellent | The warmest of the Nile cities, about 24–25 °C by day |
| Nile cruise | Excellent, but book early | Comfortable shore visits, cool evenings on deck |
| Red Sea (Hurghada, Sharm) | Good | Sunny, 23–24 °C sea, breezy, fresher than autumn |
| Western Desert (Siwa, Bahariya) | Good for hardy travellers | Mild days, nights near 4–10 °C |
| Alexandria | Fair | Mediterranean winter: cooler, a chance of rain |
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Egypt Weather in December: Real Numbers for Every Region
Egypt in December means sunshine almost everywhere, with a big gap between day and night. Long-term climate normals on Wikipedia (drawn from the World Meteorological Organization and national records) give these December averages, and the overall pattern matches Rough Guides’ December guide.
20 °C
Cairo high (69 °F) · low 12 °C
24 °C
Luxor high (76 °F) · low 9 °C
23–24 °C
Red Sea water (73–76 °F)
~10.5 hrs
daylight across the country
| Place | Average high | Average low | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo | 20.5 °C (69 °F) | 11.7 °C (53 °F) | Under 1 rainy day on average |
| Luxor | 24.2 °C (76 °F) | 8.6 °C (47 °F) | About 280 hours of sun in the month |
| Aswan | 24.5 °C (76 °F) | 11.4 °C (53 °F) | Practically rainless |
| Hurghada | 23.8 °C (75 °F) | 13.4 °C (56 °F) | Sea about 23 °C (73 °F) |
| Sharm El Sheikh | about 23–24 °C (74–75 °F) | about 15 °C (59 °F) | Sea about 24 °C (76 °F) |
The number that matters most is the low. A Luxor night at 8–9 °C feels cold when you’ve spent the afternoon in a T-shirt, and the 5 a.m. start for a balloon flight or Abu Simbel is colder still. Cairo is a little different: milder, sometimes hazy, and the most likely place to see a passing cloud. Rough Guides also flags that desert nights in Siwa and Bahariya drop to around 4–10 °C.
Cairo and Giza in December: Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Old Cairo
Cairo is at its most walkable in Egypt in December. The Giza plateau is comfortable at midday, the old Islamic quarter is pleasant for wandering, and the evening sound-and-light show at the pyramids is a cool-weather treat rather than a sweaty one.
The big addition to any Cairo plan is the Grand Egyptian Museum, about 2 km from the Giza pyramids, home to the Tutankhamun galleries. Tickets are sold online only, for a specific day and time slot, through the official Grand Egyptian Museum ticketing site, which warns against buying elsewhere. Galleries open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with late opening to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and last entry an hour before closing.
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Morning: Giza plateau
Arrive at opening for the pyramids and the Sphinx before the tour coaches peak.
Afternoon: Grand Egyptian Museum
Use your timed ticket; give the Tutankhamun galleries at least two hours.
Evening: a late museum night or the pyramids show
On Wednesday or Saturday, the museum’s late opening lets you swap the order.
Luxor, Aswan and the Nile Cruise in December
This is where Egypt in December really shines. Luxor’s temples and the Valley of the Kings are comfortable all day, and Aswan, the warmest of the Nile cities, is ideal for slow afternoons on the river. Cruises run between the two in either direction, typically three to seven nights, with stops at Edfu’s Temple of Horus and the double temple at Kom Ombo.
| Option | Length | Best for | December note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short cruise | 3–4 nights | First-timers on a one-week trip | Book early for Christmas–New Year sailings |
| Long cruise | 7 nights | A slower pace, more time per site | Holiday departures sell out first |
| Dahabiya (small sailing boat) | Varies by boat | Couples, small groups, quieter mooring spots | Wind-assisted, so timings flex |
| Lake Nasser cruise | Varies | Abu Simbel and Nubian monuments | Fewer departures; plan well ahead |
In Your Pocket’s Nile cruise guide names Christmas, New Year and Easter as the busiest and most expensive times to book, and recommends packing layers because evenings on deck can be cool in winter. We’d add: choose a cabin with a proper blanket, and don’t skip the sunset sail on a felucca in Aswan. Just wear the fleece.
When to Go: Egypt
Still choosing between December and another month? This month-by-month timing guide helps you weigh the cool season, the shoulder months and the hot summer, so you can match your dates to the sites, the sea and the crowds you’re happy with.
See the Egypt guide · $19 →The Red Sea in December: Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and the Sea Temperature
For beach time, Egypt in December means a winter-sun Red Sea, not a tropical one. Days are sunny and around 23–24 °C, nights are mild, and the water sits around 23–24 °C (73–76 °F), with Sharm El Sheikh usually a touch warmer than Hurghada. Rough Guides notes good visibility and fewer boats than in the busier months, but says it isn’t peak beach weather.
- Snorkelling and diving: very good. Clear water and quieter reefs; bring or rent a wetsuit for longer sessions.
- Lazy beach days: good in sheltered bays and resort lagoons; the wind can make open beaches feel cool.
- Families: great for a mix of beach mornings and pool afternoons, as long as the pool is heated.
- Combining with Luxor: Hurghada is the usual pairing by road, so a Nile Valley plus Red Sea week works well.
Want to compare sea temperatures with other winter-sun beaches? The Beach Water Picker lines them up by month. Divers can also read our Red Sea scuba diving guide and our wider list of top diving and snorkelling destinations.
Cool Desert Nights: Siwa, the White Desert and Camping in December
The deserts in Egypt in December are beautiful and kind to hikers by day, but the nights are the coldest you’ll meet in Egypt. Rough Guides gives Western Desert nights of around 4–10 °C, and an open camp under a clear sky feels colder than the number suggests. If you plan a White Desert overnight from Bahariya or a stay in Siwa, ask the operator about sleeping bags and blankets, and pack a hat and gloves. They’ll feel ridiculous in your suitcase and essential at 2 a.m.
Christmas and New Year in Egypt in December
Egypt in December is festive in a low-key way. Resorts and big hotels run Christmas dinners and New Year’s Eve parties, especially on the Red Sea, and Rough Guides mentions Christmas services at the Hanging Church in Old Cairo. Egypt’s Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on 7 January, so the local holiday mood carries on after New Year.
The practical point is demand. The weeks around Christmas and New Year are the busiest and most expensive of the cool season, for flights, hotels, cruises and guides alike. If you want a New Year’s Eve with a party atmosphere, the Red Sea resorts are the obvious choice; for other ideas, see our New Year’s Eve destinations by trip style.
In Egypt in December, the weather is the easy part. The real planning is people: book early, start early, and the sites are yours.
Egypt in December Crowds and Prices: Early December vs the Holiday Peak
| Week | Crowds | Prices | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–18 December | Moderate | High season, but below the holiday peak | The sweet spot for Egypt in December |
| 19–26 December | High | High | Book cruises and hotels months ahead |
| 27 December–early January | Peak | Peak | Only if the holidays are fixed for you |
Rough Guides notes that early December in Egypt is quieter than the holiday weeks, and In Your Pocket points to Christmas and New Year as the most expensive cruise departures. For the booking tactics, see our December tips to avoid crowds and save money, and for quieter alternatives, where to avoid crowds in December.
When Not to Go to Egypt in December
There’s no weather reason to avoid Egypt in December. Still, if you dislike crowds and high prices, skip roughly 20 December to the first days of January, when holiday demand peaks at the big sites and on the Nile. And if your heart is set on long, warm swims, the Red Sea is noticeably warmer in October and November. Not sure about another month? Check whether your month is a bad one with our free checker.
The complete kit
Every country guide, every timing tool
All 24 When to Go country guides, the six Smart Timing tools and every 12-Month Map, with a Start Here that tells you what to open first.
See the kit · $127The five bundles cost $225 separately · Digital download · All sales final
Holiday flights are full, so give yourself a buffer. Our guide on how to prepare for flight delays in December is worth five minutes before you leave.
What to Pack for Egypt in December
- Packing for Egypt in December starts with light, loose day clothes that cover shoulders and knees, for temples, mosques and respect in conservative areas
- A fleece or warm jacket, plus a hat and gloves for dawn trips, balloon flights and desert nights
- A scarf (useful for mosques and for dusty roads)
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a sun hat: the sun is strong even in winter
- Comfortable walking shoes for uneven temple floors and tomb stairs
- Swimwear and a rash vest or light wetsuit for the Red Sea
Need the full list? See our December travel packing list, or generate one for your dates with the Packing by Season Generator.
A 9-Day Egypt in December Itinerary
Days 1–2: Cairo and Giza
Pyramids at opening, the Grand Egyptian Museum on a timed ticket, Old Cairo and the Islamic quarter.
Day 3: Fly to Aswan
Afternoon felucca to the islands; bring a fleece for the sunset sail.
Day 4: Abu Simbel (optional)
An early start from Aswan; it’s cold before dawn.
Days 5–7: Nile cruise to Luxor
Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way; Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank on arrival.
Days 8–9: Red Sea
Transfer to Hurghada for snorkelling and a lazy pool day before you fly home.
For more December ideas, browse our December destinations, our Egypt travel planning guide and the Egypt articles, or compare Egypt with the best warm-weather destinations in December.
Common Mistakes People Make in Egypt in December
- Packing for summer. Afternoons are warm, but nights in Luxor and the desert are cold. Bring real warm layers.
- Leaving the Nile cruise to the last minute. Holiday departures are the first to sell out and the most expensive.
- Turning up at the Grand Egyptian Museum without a ticket. Sales are online only, for a specific time slot.
- Expecting a warm-bath Red Sea. At about 23–24 °C it’s pleasant but fresh in the wind. A rash vest or shorty wetsuit makes long snorkels comfortable.
- Starting sightseeing late. With about ten and a half hours of daylight and coach crowds by mid-morning, the first hour after opening is the best of the day.
Egypt in December: Frequently Asked Questions
Egypt in December is about as good as the country gets for sightseeing, and the only thing you really have to manage is the crowd. Pick your week, book the cruise and museum early, pack for cold nights, and the temples will do the rest.
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