News report | | 25/03/2021 | ±6 minutes reading time

Are you planning a trip to Egypt? An important way to prepare for your trip is to find out what kind of weather you can expect at your destination, for instance so that you can pack appropriate clothing. Apart from booking your flight, possibly unblocking your bank card for use outside Europe and applying for an Egypt visa before you leave, it is also wise to ask yourself what the best period for your trip is.

Desert climate in most of the country

The desert climate
Due to the fact that Egypt consists of no less than 96% desert, the dry desert determines the climate in most parts of the country. The desert climate is characterised by low rainfall and extreme dryness. Areas with this climate have a large temperature difference between day and night (sometimes as much as 20℃), and Egypt is no different in that regard. This especially applies to Egypt’s interior, where the temperature differences between day and night can be fairly large. On the Mediterranean coast, these differences are less severe. Vegetation is limited because of the drought. Only cacti, other succulents and in some places palms grow in the country. In addition, there is only 26 millimetres of precipitation annually, mostly in the form of rain. The south of the country is the driest: it hardly ever rains there.

The table below shows the average temperatures of Hurghada, a popular holiday destination among tourists. Since the climate in resorts like Hurghada is not only determined by the desert but also by the sea, which makes the temperatures slightly milder, it is sometimes said that such resorts have a subtropical desert climate.

Climate table Red Sea (Hurghada)

Month Average min. temperature in °CAvg. min. temp. in °CAverage max. temperature in °CAvg. max. temp. in °CAverage number of days rainAvg. number days rain
January 11 24 1
February 10 24 0
March 12 25 0
April 17 28 1
May 20 32 1
June 24 34 0
July 24 38 0
August 26 37 0
September 24 36 0
October 20 33 1
November 17 28 1
December 12 26 1

The Mediterranean climate
A narrow strip on the Mediterranean Sea in the north of the country is an exception to the dry desert climate. Here, a Mediterranean climate can be found. This climate is characterised by hot and dry summers. Winters are mild, but wetter than in the rest of Egypt, allowing for more natural vegetation. Temperatures here are somewhat lower than in the rest of Egypt, even in summer, and there is about 200 millimetres of rainfall annually.

Climate table Mediterranean (Alexandria)

Month Average min. temperature in °CAvg. min. temp. in °CAverage max. temperature in °CAvg. max. temp. in °CAverage number of days rainAvg. number days rain
January 10 19 8
February 10 20 5
March 12 22 3
April 14 24 1
May 19 26 0-1
June 21 29 0
July 23 30 0
August 22 31 0-1
September 19 30 0-1
October 19 28 2
November 16 25 4
December 12 21 8

The Seasons in Egypt

There are two distinct seasons in Egypt: summer and winter. Summer lasts from May to October and winter from November to April. In summer, it gets very hot in Egypt, and egularly applying sun cream with a high factor is strongly advised. Apart from the high temperatures, the sun's strength in the summer months can exceed 10. Remember to carry plenty of drinking water with you when you go outdoors. Sunglasses and a cap for protection against the sun are also a necessity.

Even in winter, temperatures of 21 to 27℃ can be reached in Hurghada. However, it can cool down considerably in the evening. For a trip in the winter months, it is therefore advised packing not only short-sleeved t-shirts and shorts, but also some warmer clothing. From March to May, there is a chance of the so-called khamsin or sirocco, a hot and dry south wind that can reach speeds of up to 140 km/hour. This hot wind can cause temperatures to rise rapidly by up to 20℃.

Best time to travel to Egypt

When you go on holiday, you naturally want good weather. What the ideal weather is for your trip to Egypt depends largely on your travel plans. Egypt is warm throughout the year and there is hardly any precipitation in most parts of the country. For those who like to enjoy the sun and for whom high temperatures (which can reach 40 °C in the shade in Egypt) are not an issue, the months from July to September are the ideal time for a trip.

The sun is guaranteed to shine in the country, whatever month you travel. Egypt is therefore very popular with holidaymakers who want to get away for the summer holidays to a country where the weather is nice. The months of September to March are very suitable for travellers who do not like extreme heat and prolonged drought. The area around the Mediterranean Sea, where the Mediterranean climate prevails, has pleasant temperatures all year round and has a higher humidity than the rest of the country. However, it is mainly the seaside resorts at the Red Sea that are especially popular among holidaymakers.

Egypt visa application

You can apply for an Egypt visa online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can even apply for your visa before you have booked your holiday and/or flight, but you have to fill in an expected arrival date in the application form. The visa is valid for ninety days During these 90 days, you can stay in Egypt for up to 30 days. The Egypt visa can be applied for in a single-entry variant and in a multiple-entry variant. Both visa types have a total validity of ninety days, but the single-entry type allows you to travel to Egypt once, while the multiple-entry variant allows you to make an unlimited number of trips to Egypt. For both variants, the maximum length of stay in Egypt is 30 days. Before applying for a visa and booking your trip, it is advised determining the most suitable period for your visit to Egypt.

Take note: this news article about the visa for Egypt is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Egypt.

e-Visa.co.uk is a commercial and professional visa agency, and supports travellers in obtaining, among others, the Egypt visa. e-Visa.co.uk acts as an intermediary and is in no way part of any government. You can also apply for a visa directly with the immigration service (25 USD per visa, via visa2egypt.gov.eg). However, not with our level of support. If you submit your application via e-Visa.co.uk, our support centre is available to you 24/7. In addition, we manually check your application and all the documents you provide before submitting it to the immigration authorities on your behalf. If we suspect any errors or omissions while doing so, we will personally contact you to ensure that your application can still be processed quickly and correctly. To use our services, you pay us 25 USD in consular fees, which we pay to the immigration service on your behalf, as well as £35.14 in service fees as compensation for our services, including VAT. Our services have saved many travellers from major problems during their trip. Should an application be rejected despite our support and verification, we will refund the full purchase price (unless an application for a previous Egypt visa was rejected for the same traveller). Read more about our services here.