Season guide · Cairo · Egypt
Cairo in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:Berthold Werner, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Very hot and dry, with highs around 35°C; low season for Western visitors, with lower hotel prices and quieter sites. Expect highs up to 35°C (95°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F), with about 0 rainy days across June–August.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 21°C (70°F) to 35°C (95°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 0
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 34°C (93°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 0 | 14.1 h | 2/5 |
| July | 35°C (95°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 0 | 13.9 h | 2/5 |
| August | 35°C (95°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 0 | 13.2 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 35°C (95°F) against a yearly 28°C (82°F), and 0 of the year's roughly 5 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
Make the most of the weather
Experience · Nile Corniche
Felucca ride on the Nile
Traditional wooden sailboats with tall triangular sails wait at landings along the Corniche in Garden City and Downtown.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
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Viewpoint · Zamalek
Cairo Tower
Go about an hour before sunset; haze often hides the pyramids, but the evening city lights are dependable.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
- Photo spot
Historic site · Islamic Cairo
Bab Zuweila
The southern gate of the Fatimid city, built in 1092, is crowned by the twin minarets of the neighbouring Al-Mu'ayyad Mosque, which you can climb for views across the domes and rooftops of medieval Cairo.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Giza
Pyramids of Giza
Arrive at opening to beat the heat and the tour buses, and agree the price, route and length of any camel or horse ride before you get on.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Views
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Castle · Citadel
Citadel of Saladin and Muhammad Ali Mosque
Saladin began this hilltop fortress in the 1170s, and it was the seat of Egypt's rulers for some 700 years.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Architecture
Day trips in summer
- 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.
- Alexandria (About 2.5–3 hours by train) — Egypt's Mediterranean city has a long seafront Corniche, the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Citadel of Qaitbay on the site of the ancient Pharos lighthouse, Roman catacombs and seafood restaurants.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Cairo?
It is a trade-off: Very hot and dry, with highs around 35°C; low season for Western visitors, with lower hotel prices and quieter sites. The best months overall are October–March.
+What is the weather like in Cairo in summer?
Highs of up to 35°C (95°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F), with about 0 rainy days over the season.