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Travel guide · Pyramids and the Nile

Travelling to Egypt

Pyramids, pharaonic temples, the Nile by felucca and a coral-filled Red Sea. We tell you when to go, what not to miss in each city, what to eat and what’s worth knowing before you land.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: April and from October to January
  • Where to eat: a koshari joint
Photo: Unsplash

Egypt in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Egypt are April and from October to January. If you can, avoid from May to September (extreme heat).
  • Official guide at the pyramids.
  • To eat like a local: a koshari joint. Don’t leave without trying: Koshari, Ful medames, Ta'ameya.

Egypt in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Egypt. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Egypt

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Egypt are April and from October to January. If you can, avoid from May to September (extreme heat).

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May with strong warnings
  6. Jun with strong warnings
  7. Jul with strong warnings
  8. Aug with strong warnings
  9. Sep with strong warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in January · where to travel in April · where to travel in October · where to travel in November

  • February, March

    Ramadan (approximate dates)

    During the day many restaurants close or open less and museum and shop hours change. The evenings, with iftar, are very special.

    What to do: Out of respect, don’t eat or drink in the street during the day; book dinner for after sunset.

  • from May to September

    Extreme heat

    From May to September temperatures top 40 °C; there’s no shade in the Valley of the Kings.

    What to do: Visits at 6 in the morning, a rest from noon to 5 pm and a Nile cruise with air conditioning.

    Best time: October to April

What to see in Egypt

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Cairo
    Cairo and Luxor

    Cairo

    The largest city in the Arab world: the Giza pyramids on the outskirts, Islamic Cairo, the Khan el-Khalili bazaar and the Nile by night.

    • Pyramids of Giza
    • Sphinx
    • Khan el-Khalili
    • Citadel
    Cairo guide
  • Luxor
    Cairo and Luxor

    Luxor

    Ancient Thebes: Karnak and Luxor Temple on the east bank, and on the west the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Hatshepsut.

    • Karnak
    • Valley of the Kings
    • Hatshepsut
    • Luxor Temple
    Luxor guide
  • Aswan

    Aswan

    The most beautiful stretch of the Nile, among granite rocks, colourful Nubian villages and feluccas: the starting point for Abu Simbel.

    • Philae Temple
    • Aswan High Dam
    • Unfinished Obelisk
    • Elephantine Island
    Aswan guide
  • Hurghada
    Red Sea

    Hurghada

    Beach, coral reefs and boat trips on the Red Sea, a few hours by road from Luxor.

    • Giftun
    • Marina
    • Desert safari
    • El Gouna
    Hurghada guide
  • Sharm el-Sheikh

    Sharm el-Sheikh

    At the southern tip of Sinai, between desert and some of the best reefs in the Red Sea.

    • Ras Mohammed National Park
    • Straits of Tiran
    • Naama Bay
    • Old Market (Sharm el-Maya)
    Sharm el-Sheikh guide
  • Alexandria

    Alexandria

    The city founded by Alexander the Great, open to the Mediterranean: a seafront promenade, Roman catacombs and the heir to its great library.

    • Bibliotheca Alexandrina
    • Citadel of Qaitbay
    • Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
    • Pompey’s Pillar
    Alexandria guide
  • Abu Simbel

    Abu Simbel

    The temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari, carved into the rock beside Lake Nasser, close to the border with Sudan.

    • Great Temple of Ramesses II
    • Temple of Nefertari
    • The relocation of the temples
    • The sanctuary
    Abu Simbel guide
  • Dahab

    Dahab

    A laid-back Sinai town on the Gulf of Aqaba, home to divers, kitesurfers and cushions by the water.

    • Blue Hole
    • The lagoon
    • The seafront
    • Ras Abu Galum
    Dahab guide
  • Marsa Alam

    Marsa Alam

    The wildest Red Sea: bays with turtles, dugongs and dolphins, and far less concrete than in the north.

    • Abu Dabbab Bay
    • Elphinstone Reef
    • Sataya Reef
    • Wadi el Gemal National Park
    Marsa Alam guide
  • Edfu

    Edfu

    The Temple of Horus, the best preserved in Egypt, a classic cruise stop between Luxor and Aswan.

    • Temple of Horus
    • Pylon
    • Mammisi
    • Granite falcons
    Edfu guide
  • Kom Ombo

    Kom Ombo

    A double temple beside the Nile, dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and to Horus.

    • Double temple
    • Crocodile Museum
    • Calendar
    • Medical instruments
    Kom Ombo guide
  • El Gouna

    El Gouna

    A town of lagoons and canals on the Red Sea, with diving, kitesurfing and a laid-back feel, north of Hurghada.

    • Lagoons
    • Abu Tig Marina
    • Kitesurfing
    • Red Sea reefs
    El Gouna guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Cairo

From Luxor

From Aswan

From Hurghada

From Sharm el-Sheikh

From Alexandria

From Abu Simbel

From Dahab

From Marsa Alam

From Edfu

From Kom Ombo

From El Gouna

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What to eat in Egypt

To eat like a local: a koshari joint, and order koshari or ful medames. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Koshari

    Lentils, rice, pasta and chickpeas with spiced tomato sauce and fried onions: the national dish, cheap and filling.

  • Ful medames

    Fava beans slow-cooked with oil, cumin and lemon: half the country’s breakfast.

  • Ta'ameya

    Egyptian falafel, made with fava beans instead of chickpeas, green inside from all the herbs.

  • Molokhia

    A thick soup of jute leaves with garlic and coriander, eaten with rice and chicken or rabbit.

  • Hamam mahshi

    Pigeon stuffed with rice or green wheat, a classic at celebration meals.

  • Om Ali

    A hot dessert of puff pastry with milk, nuts and raisins, baked until golden.

The typical dish of Egypt, at home

Koshari
Photo: Dina Said · CC BY-SA 4.0

Koshari

Egypt’s national dish and Cairo’s street food: rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas, with spiced tomato sauce, a garlic-vinegar sauce and crispy fried onions.

  • Serves 6
  • 1 h 15 min

Ingredients

  • 200 g brown lentils
  • 200 g rice
  • 200 g small macaroni
  • 200 g cooked chickpeas
  • 3 onions
  • Sauce: 400 g crushed tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of cumin, chilli, 2 tablespoons of vinegar
  • Dakka: 4 garlic cloves, 100 ml vinegar, cumin and water
  • Oil and salt

How to make it at home

  1. Slice the onions very thinly and fry them until deep golden and crisp. Keep the oil.
  2. Cook the lentils for 15 minutes, add the rice with a little of the onion oil and water, and cook covered until done.
  3. Cook the pasta separately.
  4. For the sauce, fry the garlic, add the tomato, cumin, chilli, vinegar and salt, and simmer for 15 minutes. Mix the dakka ingredients.
  5. Serve in layers: rice with lentils, pasta, chickpeas, tomato sauce, dakka and fried onions.

The trick: The fried onions are what make it addictive: make plenty.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Egypt

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • More than 90% of Egyptians live in the Nile valley and delta, a narrow strip of the country: the rest is desert.
  • Egypt gave temples to countries that helped save the Nubian monuments from Lake Nasser: the Temple of Dendur is in New York’s Met and the Temple of Debod in Madrid.
  • The Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure in the world for almost four thousand years.
  • Tipping (baksheesh) is part of daily life: toilets, porters, the guard who opens a tomb for you… Always carry small notes.
  • Friday is the weekly day of rest: many offices close and the mosques fill up at midday.
  • Egyptian Arabic is understood almost everywhere in the Arab world thanks to films and TV made in Cairo.

Traditions of Egypt

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • Date varies (lunar calendar) Ramadan

    A month of fasting from sunrise to sunset. At nightfall the fast is broken with iftar and the streets fill with lanterns (fanous) and life until late.

  • Monday after Coptic Easter Sham el-Nessim

    The spring festival, of pharaonic origin: family picnics in parks and on the banks of the Nile, salted fish (fesikh) and painted eggs.

  • Around 22 February and 22 October Abu Simbel solar alignment

    The rising sun reaches the back of the great temple and lights up the statues in the sanctuary. It’s celebrated with music and big crowds.

  • Moulid

    Popular festivals in honour of local Muslim and Coptic saints, with music, dervishes and sweet stalls.

  • The ahwa

    The traditional café is the social hub: very sweet tea, dominoes, backgammon and shisha until the small hours.

What not to do in Egypt

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t photograph people, especially women, without asking permission; and no photos of soldiers, police or official buildings.
  • Don’t enter a mosque without covering your shoulders and knees (women should also cover their hair), and take your shoes off at the door.
  • Don’t accept “help” from people who offer unprompted to guide you or take you to a shop: it usually ends in a commission.
  • Don’t touch tomb paintings or climb on monuments, and respect the no-flash rule inside.
  • During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in the street during the day, out of respect for those fasting.
  • Don’t touch the coral or feed the fish in the Red Sea: the reefs are protected.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

  • Entering the country

    Visas, electronic authorisations and health requirements for Egypt depend on your nationality. Check your government’s official travel advice and the embassy before you book.

    UK: foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) US: travel advisories (travel.state.gov)
  • Traveller tips

    Official guide at the pyramids.

    Felucca Luxor–Aswan.

    Reef-safe sunscreen in the Red Sea.

    Carry small Egyptian pound notes for tips: you’ll use them every day.

    Drink bottled water and bring a cap and sunscreen, even in winter.

Frequently asked questions about Egypt

What people search for most before travelling to Egypt.

What’s the best time to travel to Egypt?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Egypt are April and from October to January. If you can, avoid from May to September (extreme heat).

What to eat in Egypt?

Koshari, Ful medames, Ta'ameya, Molokhia, Hamam mahshi, Om Ali. To eat like a local: a koshari joint.

What is the typical dish of Egypt?

Koshari. Egypt’s national dish and Cairo’s street food: rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas, with spiced tomato sauce, a garlic-vinegar sauce and crispy fried onions.

What should you not do in Egypt?

Don’t photograph people, especially women, without asking permission; and no photos of soldiers, police or official buildings. Don’t enter a mosque without covering your shoulders and knees (women should also cover their hair), and take your shoes off at the door. Don’t accept “help” from people who offer unprompted to guide you or take you to a shop: it usually ends in a commission.

Is it safe to travel to Egypt?

The tourist areas (Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea) receive millions of visitors every year and have a strong police presence. Official travel advice from most governments still warns against some areas, such as northern Sinai and certain border areas: check your government’s advice before you go and travel with medical insurance.

What’s the weather like in Egypt in November?

November is one of the best months: warm, sunny days in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, cool nights and the Red Sea still pleasant for swimming. Bring something warm for the evenings and for sunrise trips such as Abu Simbel or the balloon in Luxor.

How many days do you need to see Egypt?

For the essentials (Cairo with the pyramids, then Luxor and Aswan with the Nile in between) a week is the usual minimum. If you want to add Abu Simbel or a few beach days on the Red Sea, allow more. The app plans your route with the real travel times between cities.

Is a Nile cruise worth it?

It’s the most comfortable way to see the temples between Luxor and Aswan (Edfu and Kom Ombo are on the way) without packing and unpacking. You can also do it independently, by train or car with a driver, and by felucca if you want to go slowly.

Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh?

Both mean Red Sea, sunshine and coral. Sharm, in southern Sinai, has Ras Mohammed National Park and the Straits of Tiran close by; Hurghada is handier for Luxor if you want to combine beach and temples.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Unsplash. Cairo, Ricardo Liberato (CC BY-SA 2.0). Luxor, Marc Ryckaert (CC BY 3.0). Aswan, Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0). Hurghada, Karim (Public domain). Sharm el-Sheikh, cpadula (CC BY 2.0). Alexandria, Summering2018 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Abu Simbel, Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0). Dahab, SailorInTO (Public domain). Marsa Alam, Andrew A. Shenouda from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (CC BY 2.0). Edfu, Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0). Kom Ombo, Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States (CC0). El Gouna, Marc Ryckaert (CC BY 3.0).