Quick answer
December brings Egypt's most comfortable sightseeing weather, around 21°C in Cairo and 24–25°C in Luxor and Aswan, and its busiest, priciest fortnight over Christmas and New Year. The first half of December offers the same weather with far fewer crowds; for the festive period, book cruises and hotels 9–12 months ahead.
Is December a good time to visit Egypt?
December is an excellent time to visit Egypt for weather, and a challenging one for crowds and cost; which side wins depends almost entirely on whether you travel before or after about 18 December.
In the first two and a half weeks, you get mild sunny days, comfortable temples and high-season but not festive prices. From around 20 December to the first days of January, Australians on summer holidays, Europeans escaping winter and Egyptians on their own breaks all converge on Giza, Luxor and the Nile, and rates for cruises and the best hotels reach their annual peak. The best time to visit Egypt guide explains how December compares with the rest of winter.
What is the weather like in December?
December days are warm and clear across Egypt, but mornings, evenings and desert nights are genuinely cold, so pack layers.
| Place | Typical high / low | Pack for |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo and Giza | 21°C / 10°C | A warm jacket for early starts and evenings |
| Luxor | 24°C / 8°C | A fleece or down jacket for dawn balloon flights |
| Aswan | 25°C / 10°C | Light layers; the warmest Nile stop |
| Hurghada | 23°C / 14°C | A wetsuit or rash vest; water around 22–23°C |
| Alexandria | 20°C / 12°C | A rain jacket; occasional winter storms |
| White Desert | Low 20s / near 0–5°C | A proper sleeping bag and beanie |
Days are short, with about ten hours of daylight and sunset just before 5pm in Cairo. Plan the big sites for the morning, and use evenings for sound and light shows, Khan el-Khalili or dinner on board. Pack for a 15-degree swing between a 7am start and mid-afternoon.
Why is early December the sweet spot?
The first two and a half weeks of December give you full winter weather with far fewer people than the festive fortnight, and for travellers without school-age children they are one of the best windows of the year.
Australian school summer holidays generally begin around mid-December and European Christmas travel builds from about the 20th, so a trip from roughly 1 to 18 December misses both waves. In practice that means shorter queues at Tutankhamun's tomb, room to breathe on the Giza panorama terrace at 8am, and a choice of decks on your Nile ship. Rates are high-season, but without the gala-dinner supplements and minimum-stay rules that some properties apply over Christmas and New Year.
Early December weather is, if anything, slightly kinder than late December: Luxor is still around 25–26°C by day and nights are a degree or two milder. Fly home just before Christmas and you will also miss the most expensive flights from the Gulf to Australia. Travellers flexible enough to start in late November get the best of both months. Book early-December trips by around the middle of the year: less pressured than Christmas, but still firmly high season on the Nile.
What are Christmas and New Year like in Egypt?
Christmas Day is a normal working day in Egypt, because most Egyptian Christians are Copts who celebrate on 7 January, but tourist hotels and Nile ships mark 25 December with trees, carols and gala dinners.
New Year's Eve is the bigger event, with parties in Cairo hotels, on Nile ships and in Red Sea resorts. Many cruise ships and hotels add a compulsory gala dinner supplement for 24, 25 and 31 December, which can be significant; ask for it to be included in your quote so there are no surprises. Cairo's Catholic and Anglican churches hold Christmas services for those who would like to attend. Our Christmas and New Year in Egypt guide covers the festive season in detail.
December is also when Coptic families prepare for their own Christmas: many are midway through the 43-day Nativity Fast, so you'll find meat-free versions of dishes everywhere, and churches in Coptic Cairo are busy with evening services.
When should you book a December trip?
For Christmas and New Year, start booking about 12 months out; for early December, six to nine months is usually enough. A realistic timeline for the festive fortnight:
- 12 months ahead: choose your Nile ship or dahabiya and confirm cabins. Small luxury vessels and the best suites sell out first.
- 9–12 months: book flights. Christmas departures from Australia via Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are among the most expensive of the year, and seats on preferred flights disappear.
- 9 months: secure signature hotels such as the Marriott Mena House at Giza or the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract in Aswan.
- 6 months: add Red Sea nights, a balloon flight and any Abu Simbel flights.
- 3 months: confirm restaurant bookings for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve if you're not dining on board, and check visa and travel advice on Smartraveller.
Booked late and finding the Nile full? A Luxor hotel stay with a short Aswan add-on can work when cruise cabins have gone.
What else happens in Egypt in December?
Around the winter solstice on 21 December, the sunrise lines up with the main axis of Karnak Temple, and in recent years crowds have gathered to watch it; it's a quieter, local counterpart to the Abu Simbel sun festivals.
On clear mornings around the solstice, the first light rises over the eastern hills and shines through the temple's gateways along its east-west axis, a reminder of how deliberately the temples were aligned to the sky. Viewing arrangements vary, so ask your guide whether early access is possible. See our Karnak Temple guide.
A similar solstice alignment is often noted at Qasr Qarun in the Fayoum Oasis. Looking further ahead, Ramadan is moving earlier by about 11 days a year and is expected to begin in late December 2030, so festive-season travellers in that year will want to read travelling Egypt during Ramadan.
Which itineraries work best in December?
December suits classic, sightseeing-heavy itineraries, long walks around Luxor and Aswan, desert trips and Abu Simbel, but it is less suited to a beach-focused holiday.
- First visit: Cairo, the GEM, Saqqara and a four-night Nile cruise, as in our Classic Egypt and Nile Cruise.
- Grand tour: the cool weather opens up Siwa and the White Desert, making December ideal for the Ultimate Egypt 21-day journey.
- Red Sea: sunny and pleasant for walking and diving in a wetsuit, but the water at 22–23°C and the breezy evenings make it a short add-on rather than the main event.
Families travelling over the Australian summer holidays should expect the busiest sites at their fullest; build in early starts and quieter alternatives such as Dahshur instead of a midday visit to Giza.
Another way around the festive crowds is a dahabiya. These sailing boats usually carry no more than about 20 guests and moor at small sites and island landings away from the big cruise-ship berths, so even at Christmas the pace feels unhurried. Abu Simbel at dawn is cold in December, often around 10–12°C, but the low winter light on the four colossi is superb; take a jacket for the early start.
Frequently asked questions
Is December a good time to visit Egypt?
Yes for weather: days are around 21°C in Cairo and 24–25°C in Luxor and Aswan. It is also the busiest and most expensive month, especially from about 20 December to early January.
Is Christmas a holiday in Egypt?
25 December is not a public holiday in Egypt, but tourist hotels and Nile cruise ships celebrate it. Coptic Christmas on 7 January is the national Christmas holiday.
How cold is Egypt in December?
Days are mild, but nights drop to around 10°C in Cairo and 8°C in Luxor, and close to freezing in the White Desert. Bring a warm jacket for early mornings and evenings.
How far ahead should I book Egypt for Christmas?
About 12 months ahead for the best Nile cruise cabins and signature hotels, and 9–12 months ahead for flights from Australia.
Can you swim in the Red Sea in December?
Yes, but the water is around 22–23°C, so many people wear a wetsuit or rash vest for snorkelling. Days are sunny but evenings are breezy and cool.
Do cruise ships charge extra for Christmas and New Year?
Many do. A compulsory gala dinner supplement for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve is common; check whether it is included in your quote.
