Season guide · Cairo · Egypt
Cairo in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Warming quickly, with occasional hot, dusty khamsin winds; March is pleasant, while May is already hot. Expect highs up to 32°C (90°F) and lows around 12°C (54°F), with about 1 rainy days across March–May. March is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 12°C (54°F) to 32°C (90°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 1
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 24°C (75°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 1 | 11.9 h | 4/5 |
| April | 28°C (82°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 0 | 12.9 h | 3/5 |
| May | 32°C (90°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 0 | 13.7 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 28°C (82°F) against a yearly 28°C (82°F), and 1 of the year's roughly 5 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- April: Sham el-Nessim — spring festival on the Monday after Coptic Easter (usually April)
Make the most of the weather
Park · Islamic Cairo
Al-Azhar Park
Come in the late afternoon for sunset, when families picnic and the minarets glow, and stay for dinner at one of the park restaurants.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Religious site · Sayyida Zeinab
Mosque of Ibn Tulun and Gayer-Anderson Museum
Completed in 879, the Mosque of Ibn Tulun is the oldest mosque in Cairo to survive largely in its original form, with a huge courtyard and a minaret wrapped by an external spiral staircase.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Nile Corniche
Felucca ride on the Nile
Agree the price for the boat and the length of the trip before boarding, and bring your own drinks and snacks.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
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Viewpoint · Zamalek
Cairo Tower
Completed in 1961 on Gezira Island, the 187-metre concrete tower is shaped like a lotus plant and has an open-air observation deck with 360-degree views over the Nile and, on clear days, the pyramids.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
- Photo spot
Historic site · Islamic Cairo
Bab Zuweila
Climb the minarets in the late afternoon, then walk south to the tentmakers' covered market.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in spring
- Dahshur (About 1–1.5 hours by car) — Two of Egypt's earliest true pyramids stand in the desert at Dahshur: the Bent Pyramid, whose angle changes partway up, and the Red Pyramid, which visitors can enter by a long sloping passage.
- Memphis (About 45 minutes by car) — Little remains of Egypt's first capital, but the open-air museum at Mit Rahina displays a colossal fallen limestone statue of Ramesses II and an alabaster sphinx among palm groves.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Cairo?
Yes: March is among the best months. Warming quickly, with occasional hot, dusty khamsin winds; March is pleasant, while May is already hot.
+What is the weather like in Cairo in spring?
Highs of up to 32°C (90°F) and lows around 12°C (54°F), with about 1 rainy days over the season.