Egypt in December
Peak season — the best weather, the highest prices, and Christmas on the Nile.
Typical daytime highs, rounded. A planning aid, not a forecast — crowd and price levels are relative to Egypt's own year rather than to anywhere else.
December is Egypt's showpiece month. The weather is as good as it gets for walking ruins, the light is clean and low, and the country is at its most international. It is also the most expensive and most crowded time of the year, and the last ten days are in a category of their own — New Year's Eve on a Nile boat is a fixture people book twelve months out.
What December is good for
- The best sightseeing weather of the year, with comfortable temperatures at any hour
- Christmas and New Year on the Nile — a genuine tradition for European travellers
- Coptic Christmas preparations in Old Cairo, ahead of 7 January
What to be realistic about
- Peak pricing across every category, and it is not a small premium — the same suite can double over New Year
- The Valley of the Kings and the Giza plateau are at their busiest; early starts matter again, for crowds rather than heat
- Cold evenings — the desert and Aswan drop sharply after dark
Occasions this month
Christmas and New Year. Coptic Christmas follows on 7 January, so the festive season in Egypt runs longer than most visitors expect.
Seasonal collectionsOur honest verdict
If you want Egypt at its most comfortable and the budget allows, December is unmatched. If value matters, the first week of December or the second half of March gives you nearly the same weather for considerably less.
Egypt in December — questions
Is December a good time to visit Egypt?
It is the most comfortable month for sightseeing — mid-twenties in Upper Egypt, low twenties in Cairo, dry and clear. It is also the most expensive and most crowded. The trade-off is real but many travellers judge it worth paying.
What is Christmas like in Egypt?
Two Christmases, three weeks apart. The 25th is marked in hotels and by Egypt's international community; Coptic Christmas on 7 January is the significant religious date for Egypt's own Christians, celebrated with midnight liturgy in churches across the country. New Year's Eve on a Nile boat is the single most contested booking of the Egyptian year.
How far in advance should I book for Christmas in Egypt?
Six to twelve months. Nile boats over Christmas and New Year, and the landmark hotel rooms, are taken up to a year ahead — and the small dahabiyas, of which there are very few, go first.
Built around your dates
Private throughout, led by a licensed Egyptologist. Tell us your month and the itinerary is shaped to it — the hours, the order and the pace all change with the season.
The Grand Tour of Egypt
Our most complete journey: two capitals, a Nile cruise, Ramesses II's mountain temple at Abu Simbel, and four Red Sea days to absorb it all.
Egypt Icons & Nile Cruise
Our most complete journey: Cairo, Alexandria, a sleeper train south, and a three-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor — every layer of Egypt in one arc.
Honeymoon on the Nile
Egypt as a honeymoon should be — private sunrise at the pyramids, a felucca at golden hour, three nights on the Nile and suites chosen for the view.
Thinking about December?
Send us your dates and who is travelling. We will tell you honestly whether that month suits what you want — and if it doesn't, which one does.