When to visit Egypt, month by month

People ask me this more than anything else, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you want to do, and how much heat you can take.

October to April: the classic season

Days are warm and dry, nights in the desert get cold, and Luxor and Aswan are at their most comfortable — around 22–26°C at midday in winter. This is also when everyone else comes, so December, January and the Easter holidays are the busiest weeks of the year. Book guides, Nile cruises and domestic flights early.

March and April: beautiful, with a catch

Spring brings long, bright days, but also the khamaseen — hot, sandy winds from the Western Desert that can blow for a day or two at a time. They rarely ruin a trip; they just mean a hazy sky and a scarf over your nose.

May to September: hot, quiet and cheaper

Cairo reaches the mid-30s; Luxor and Aswan regularly pass 40°C. If you come in summer, start at dawn, rest at midday and go out again late in the afternoon. In return you get emptier sites and lower prices.

Ramadan

The holy month moves about 11 days earlier every year. Sites stay open, though often with shorter hours, and the evenings are wonderful: lanterns, iftar tables in the street and the old city full of life until late. Just be discreet about eating and drinking in public during the day.

My favourite months? November and February — the weather of winter, without the crowds of Christmas.