December is high season in Egypt and, for temple weather, one of the two best months of the year. Cairo runs at about 22°C by day, Luxor and Aswan are warm and dry, and the sites are comfortable from opening to closing. The nights get genuinely cold, the Christmas and New Year fortnight is the most expensive of the year, and Coptic Christmas does not arrive until 7 January.
The best temple weather
Everything that makes Egypt hard in summer is resolved in December. Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel and the Giza plateau can all be visited across a full day rather than in a dawn window, and the unventilated tombs are pleasant rather than punishing.
The trade-off is crowds. December, January and February are the peak months at every headline site, so the usual tactics apply: arrive at opening, add the quieter alternatives – Dahshur, Saqqara, Dendera, Abydos – and book Abu Simbel and Nile cruises well ahead.
Weather by region
- Cairo and the Delta – about 22°C by day and 12°C at night, with a few millimetres of rain. Pleasant days, cold evenings, and morning haze.
- Luxor and Aswan – low-to-mid twenties by day, dropping to single figures at night. Dry and bright; ideal.
- The Red Sea – around 24°C with the sea near 24°C. Comfortable, and divers return to wetsuits.
- Alexandria and the north coast – mild but this is the wet corner of Egypt, and December is one of its rainiest months, with Mediterranean storms.
- The Western Desert – excellent by day and close to freezing at night; the White Desert needs a proper sleeping bag.
Christmas and New Year
Two things surprise visitors. First, 25 December is not a public holiday in Egypt – the Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on 7 January, which is the national holiday. Hotels and tourist areas mark 25 December for international guests, but the country works normally.
Second, the Christmas-to-New-Year fortnight is the most expensive period of the entire Egyptian year. Nile cruises, Luxor hotels and Red Sea resorts all charge peak rates, minimum-stay requirements appear, and New Year’s Eve gala dinners are often compulsory and separately charged. Book months ahead or travel in the first three weeks of December instead, which are much better value with identical weather.
The Red Sea in winter
December is the start of the cooler Red Sea season. The water drops to about 24°C, which most divers handle with a 5 mm wetsuit, and visibility is excellent. Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh and Marsa Alam are busy with European winter-sun visitors, and the wind on the Gulf of Aqaba picks up – good for Dahab’s kitesurfing, less good for small-boat days.
What December is good for
- Full-day temple visiting, which is only really possible from November to February.
- Nile cruises, at their most comfortable.
- The Western Desert, with clear skies and cold, star-heavy nights.
- Cairo, where 22°C makes Islamic Cairo and the Giza plateau genuinely walkable.
Prices and crowds
High throughout and extreme from about 20 December. The first three weeks are expensive but not absurd; the final ten days are the annual peak. If your dates are flexible, early December delivers the same weather at a fraction of the price.
See the cost of travelling Egypt.
What to pack
Layers, and more warmth than you expect. Days are shirt-sleeve weather; evenings on a cruise deck, in the desert or in Cairo need a real jacket, and desert nights approach freezing. Keep the hat and sunscreen – the winter sun is still strong – and bring modest clothing for mosques and churches. See what to pack for Egypt.
The December 2027 calendar
- 1–19 December – high season but the best value of the month, with identical weather to the peak.
- Through December – ideal temple weather; full-day sightseeing possible.
- Through December – the Western Desert at its best by day and near freezing at night.
- Saturday 25 December – not a public holiday in Egypt; the country works normally.
- From about 20 December – the annual price peak; minimum stays and compulsory gala dinners appear.
- Friday 31 December – New Year’s Eve; gala dinners on cruises and at resorts.
- Friday 7 January – Coptic Christmas, the national holiday.
Read alongside
- Egypt in November – arguably the best month of the year.
- Egypt in January – peak season and Coptic Christmas.
- Best time to visit Egypt – all twelve months compared.
- Egypt 10-day itinerary – a route built for this weather.
- Cost of travelling Egypt – peak-season numbers.
- What to pack for Egypt – the winter list.
- Egypt travel guide – regions and how to combine them.
Frequently asked
Is December a good time to visit Egypt?
For weather, yes – it is one of the two best months, with full-day temple visiting possible and dry, bright conditions everywhere except the Mediterranean coast. The costs are peak crowds and, in the final ten days, the highest prices of the year.
Is Christmas a holiday in Egypt?
Not on 25 December. The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on 7 January, which is the national public holiday. Hotels mark 25 December for international guests, but Egypt works normally that day.
How cold does Egypt get in December?
Colder than most visitors expect at night. Cairo drops to around 12°C, Luxor and Aswan into single figures, and the Western Desert approaches freezing. Days are warm and comfortable.
Why is late December so expensive?
Because the Christmas-to-New-Year fortnight is the annual peak. Nile cruises, Luxor hotels and Red Sea resorts charge top rates, minimum-stay rules appear, and New Year gala dinners are often compulsory and charged separately.
When is the cheapest week in December?
The first three weeks, and particularly the first two. The weather is identical to the peak fortnight and the price difference is large.
Can you swim in the Red Sea in December?
Yes. The sea is around 24°C, which is comfortable for swimming and needs a 5 mm wetsuit for diving. Visibility is excellent and the resorts are busy with European winter-sun visitors.
Is December good for the Western Desert?
By day it is ideal – clear, dry and warm. At night it approaches freezing, so a proper sleeping bag and genuine warm layers are essential for White Desert camping.
Does it rain in Egypt in December?
Hardly anywhere. Cairo gets a few millimetres and Luxor and Aswan essentially none, but Alexandria and the Mediterranean coast have one of their wettest months, with occasional storms.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
