- Overview of Egypt’s winter temperature
- Why Egypt for the Christmas holidays?
- What to Pack for Your Trip to Egypt?
- Top Places to Visit in Winter Holidays in Egypt
- Tips for Saving Money on Egypt Christmas Holiday
- Conclusion
Packing your Egypt Christmas tour can be a challenging task, and if you scheduled it wrongly, you might find yourself regretting it at all!
Thus, to save you the hassle and hours of searching, Magic Carpet Travel will help you pack your bags like a pro in five minutes as we gather all that you need to consider for a rich, fun, and relaxing Egypt Christmas holiday in one page!
Overview of Egypt Winter Temperature
Egypt winter tours -especially in December- is considered the best time to visit Egypt embark on your trip to unlock and witness the majestic treasures crafted by ancient Egypt civilization, because as a northerner, you crave even the slightest rays of sunshine as the northern hemisphere gets colder and colder.
Thus, Egypt Christmas holiday become not an option but a necessity for the pleasant and very mild December temperatures in Egypt, unlike the freezing temperatures in both North America and Europe.
Temperatures in Egypt in Winter and December range between:
- 48°F – 68°F in northern cities like Cairo & Nile Delta cities and Alexandria along with the coastal cities.
- 45°F – 77°F in both Luxor and Aswan in the South.
- 55°F – 72°F in the Red Sea and Sinai peninsula.
In general, during the day times, the weather is warm making it perfect for exploring the many attractions and historical locations without the fear of the hot weather. But at night, things change a little bit by dropping to less than 45°F, making it more suitable for local markets like Khan El Khalili and Al Muizz Streets, or Dinner onboard a Nile Cruise.
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Why Egypt for the Christmas holidays?
Your Egypt Christmas holiday should not only be a matter of getting the advantage of mild weather but in fact, December and winter months have many features that make us situate it of the Best times to visit Egypt, such as:
1- Egyptian Street Food
Egyptian food is one of the magical things you should try in general, especially during Egypt winter temperature. And as extra clothes gain you more warmth, Egyptian food does this job for you with different varieties and options like:
- Hommos El Sham: A special mixture of onion, garlic, chickpeas, chili, lemon, and spicy tomatoes found at local restaurants and Nile Corniche street vendors.
- Lentil Soup: A famous dish served along with lemon and crunchy bread.
- Sweet Potato “Batata”: Smokey-sweet potatoes right from the oven from street vendors.
- Belila: Either for breakfast or dinner meal and is of soaked wheat grains in sweetened milk with the topping of your choice.
2- Nile Cruises
Your Egypt Christmas holiday aren’t complete without trying the Nile Cruise ship trip either to witness the southern jewels in Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan or even dinner nights onboard.
Winter is the Nile Cruise ships’ peak season, as the beautiful weather makes it perfect for relaxation while enjoying the mesmerizing natural views.
3- Participating in Hard Physical Activities
For adrenaline-pumping lovers, Egypt’s winter temperatures are the most suitable for sports related to hard physical activities without the fear of hot weather.
In Egypt, you can participate in:
- Sandboarding
- Horseback riding
- Paintball
- Golf
- Hiking & Camping
- Rock climbing
- Kayaking
- Dirt Biking
What to Pack for Your Egypt Christmas Holiday Trip?
Packing your bags for such a trip to Egypt can be a little confusing regarding many points to consider like the cultural differences, weather, accessories, and other things to bear in mind and should ease your trip.
Clothing
For the many sites you might visit, it’ll be more suited to put on a proper corresponding outfit:
- Temples and historical sites: Consider light clothes made of cotton and soft fabrics to ensure a more comfortable visit.
- Desert trips and Safari: As we mentioned earlier, Egypt winter temperature in deserts at night can drop to less than 45°F, thus we suggest you leave room for pants and long-sleeved clothes in general which will be beneficial even during day times from the heat.
- Religious sites: Religious sites generally require long sleeves, long pants, and a scarf for women to cover their heads and shoulders.
- Nile Cruise Dinner: You might consider a shirt or a nice dress for such an occasion.
- Swimming: In cases of beach visits or pools, make sure to pack your swimwear, and lightweight clothing in general to opt for relaxation.
- Comfortable Shoes: A comfortable shoe is the secret to a comfortable trip! As you wander the streets or stone paths to visit historical sites, make sure to put on comfortable shoes to ease your pace.
Traveling Accessories
- Backpack: Your backpack is like your personal repository for most scenarios, so you might consider including a reusable water bottle, snacks, tissues, sunscreen, and your personal belongings kept to a minimum to ensure lightweight and avoid exhaustion.
- Chargers & Power banks: Most Electrical plugs in Egypt are either Type F or Type C, so you might take into account both of these options besides a power bank in case you are outside your residence for long periods.
- Camera: Make sure to record your glorious moments during your trip to Egypt with either a smartphone or a camera.
- Medical Kit & First Aid: In case of any essential medications, make sure to pack them with you and a basic first aid kit that contains sterilized wipes, pain relievers, digestive medications, and bandaids.
- Emergency Contacts: In cases of emergencies, make sure to have a list of your close family members and your country’s local embassy.
Money and Currency
- Credit Cards: Essential for large payments.
- Currency exchange: we suggest you become more familiarized with Egypt’s local currency (Egyptian Pound) which will be handy in many cases like tipping at restaurants & shops and when buying souvenirs from local markets.
Top Places to Visit During Egypt Christmas Holidays
Egypt is a country abundant in all traveling winter destinations, whether you‘re looking for historical locations, simplicity, romance, coastal lifestyle, lavish lifestyle, or even disconnecting and tranquility.
For the many places you may head to during your winter holiday in Egypt, we give you a list of top cities and where to go to each of them.
1. Cairo
Cairo is the capital of Egypt and a historical city with a wide variety of Egypt winter tours for both cultural and religious attractions to head to. Among the top Cairo attractions:
- Great Pyramids of Giza & The Sphinx
- Egyptian Museum
- Grand Egyptian Museum
- The Citadel
- Ibn Tulun Mosque
- The Hanging Church
2. Alexandria
Alexandria, or “The pearl of the Mediterranean” is a coastal city that you might consider for a day trip from Cairo to visit:
- Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- Serapeum of Alexandria
- Qaitbay Fort
- Greco-Roman Museum
- Kom El Dikka
- Ras El Tin Palace
3. Luxor
In the far south, Luxor is a main Egypt winter tours destination that resides as a jewel in all aspects and the ancient capital of Egypt and fosters pharaonic sites such as:
- Luxor Temple
- Karnak Temple
- Valley of the Kings
- Valley of the Queens
- Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
- Mummification Museum
- Luxor Museum
4. Aswan
Gathering both history and relaxational felucca rides and Nile Cruises, Aswan is considered a great destination for Winter holidays in Egypt – even for local Egyptians – for places like
- Abu Simbel Temples
- Philae Temple
- Elephantine Island
- The Unfinished Obelisk
- Nubian Museum
- The High Dam
- Aswan Botanical Garden
- Kitchener’s Island
5. Dahab
A romantic Egypt winter tours coastal city resides south of the Sinai peninsula that offers you a great relaxational atmosphere with many sites to enjoy the beauty of the different activities and coral reefs in spots like:
- Three Pools
- Blue hole
- Blue Lagoon
- Safari Trips
- Desert Camping
6. Sharm El Sheikh
Another coastal gem that offers you meeting the beauty of the Red Sea at spots like:
- Ras Mohamed Nature Reserve and Naama Bay for water sports like Scuba diving and snorkeling.
- Visit main Sharm el Sheikh attractions like The Heavenly Cathedral and Sahaba Mosque
- Climb Mount Sinai “Jabal Mousa” and enter Saint Catherine’s Monastery.
7. White Desert
Escape the city noises and head to the western desert for a special Egypt winter tours destination where you’ll witness one of the few most beautiful rocky formations in the world, varying between crystal formations, green oases, and hot springs that attract visitors from all over the world for camping under the stars at night or sandboarding sports.
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Tips for Saving Money on Egypt Christmas Holiday
Egypt Christmas holiday are considered the peak of the tourism season in Egypt, thus prices can soar up in the sky, but no worries! for Magic Carpet Travel gives you a backstage insight on how to save your money even in peak seasons.
Always look for local transportation
- Local in-cities transportation like microbuses and buses might be a little crowded but will save you a whole budget that you might spend on either taxis or riding apps like Uber.
- In large cities like Cairo, Cairo Metro becomes a need, not an option as it gets you wherever you want at a very low budget. You’ll just need to know the Metro station near the place you’re visiting and follow your GPS
- Take the second-class train between cities which is a cost-effective way to save money much cheaper than a flight ticket.
Eat like Egyptians
Egyptian kitchen is known for being one of the richest and most delicious in the world with a wide variety of sweet and salty dishes that you should try.
Thus, we suggest you get off the track of lavish restaurants and cafes and aim for local and modest restaurants between the streets to enjoy delicious Egyptian Shwarma, Falafel, or Fava bean sandwiches from a street vendor that you can try without hesitation, especially if it is crowded!
Also, you can get a cheap and energizing Koshari plate at a very low price (less than $1).
Accommodate without breaking the bank
Wallet-friendly accommodation options in Egypt are available everywhere, and reach out to save your budget from the edge of bankruptcy!
While visiting Egypt in winter, you might try low-budget hostels that offer what’s necessary for staying without lavish options or other fancy features that hotels include.
Conclusion
Egypt winter temperature is the best for Europeans and North Americans who wish to enjoy the majestic Egyptian attractions without getting sunburned from the regular high temperatures.
And even if it’s the peak season and prices soar in at everything, a budget-friendly trip to Egypt can be tailored by cutting off some features and secrets that pump all budgets with multiple discounts.
Don’t miss the winter times and book your Egypt Christmas holiday with us!
Tailor your trip to the best prices in the market with Magic Carpet!
