Here is our Egypt weather January briefing for 2026, built for British travellers deciding when to book: the mildest temperatures of the entire year, clear skies on almost every day of the month, a low winter sun that flatters every photograph, and a Red Sea that is still warm enough for a wetsuit swim. Our Cairo based SEV team has put together bespoke Egyptian holidays since 2020, working with English speaking guides, hotels we have inspected in person, and itineraries that pair the capital with a Nile cruise and a few days on the coast. Below is the full city by city breakdown, what the month is good and less good for, what to pack, and what a January holiday tends to cost.
Egypt Weather January 2026: The Quick Answer
Cairo runs roughly 10 to 19°C, Luxor 7 to 23°C, Aswan 10 to 23°C, Hurghada 11 to 22°C with the sea at 22°C, and Sharm el-Sheikh 14 to 22°C with the sea also at 22°C. Rain is negligible everywhere, skies stay clear on almost every day, and this is the busiest and most expensive month of the year to visit, so book three to four months ahead for the boats and hotels you actually want.
January Temperatures in Egypt, City by City
These figures are averages for 1991 to 2026, cross checked against Weather Spark's long run station data for each city, and they answer the weather in Egypt in January question more precisely than a single national average ever could. Daytime highs sit close together across the country in January; the real spread is at night, when Upper Egypt and the desert cool a good deal faster than the coast.
| City | Night (min) | Day (max) | Sea | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo | 10°C | 19°C | not coastal | 7 hrs/day |
| Luxor | 7°C | 23°C | not coastal | 7 hrs/day |
| Aswan | 10°C | 23°C | not coastal | 9.5 hrs/day |
| Hurghada | 11°C | 22°C | 22°C | 8.5 hrs/day |
| Sharm el-Sheikh | 14°C | 22°C | 22°C | 8 hrs/day |
One exception worth flagging: out at Bahariya and the White Desert, overnight readings regularly drop under 5°C, so a proper fleece matters if you are sleeping under canvas there.
What the Weather Is Like in Egypt in January
January sits at the coolest point of Egypt's calendar, though British visitors will find very little here that reads as genuinely cold. Clear or near clear skies are the rule on around 28 of the month's 31 days, rainfall averages under a single day across the whole country, and humidity stays low outside the coastal towns. This is exactly the combination that makes open air archaeological sites a pleasure rather than an ordeal: the sun at Giza, Karnak or Abu Simbel warms you gently through the morning without ever tipping into the exhausting heat of a Cairo summer.
The Nile Valley (Luxor and Aswan) runs slightly warmer by day than Cairo but noticeably colder at night, because desert air loses heat fast once the sun goes down. The Red Sea coast (Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh) is the mildest at night thanks to the sea's moderating effect, which is why the coast is where most people head if cold evenings are a concern.
Temperature in Egypt in January: Day and Night
By day, expect 19 to 23°C almost everywhere south of Cairo, and a touch cooler in the capital itself. That is comfortable walking weather for hours at a stretch, whether you are climbing around Saqqara or standing on a cruise boat's sun deck. By night the picture changes: Luxor and Aswan can fall to 7 or 10°C, Cairo to around 10°C, and the coast holds a little higher at 11 to 14°C. Out in the open desert, expect the coldest nights of anywhere in the country, sometimes close to freezing before dawn.
Pack accordingly: layers you can add and remove through the day work far better than a single heavy coat. A fleece or a warm jumper for the evening, plus a scarf for early starts, covers almost every scenario.
Sunshine, Rain and Sea Conditions in January
Sunshine hours climb steadily as you move south and east: Cairo and Luxor average around 7 hours of bright sunshine a day, Hurghada about 8.5 hours, and Aswan, the driest and clearest city in the country, close to 9.5 hours. Rain is a non event: Cairo sees perhaps a single wet day across the whole month, and Luxor and Aswan see essentially none at all.
The Red Sea itself sits at 22°C off both Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. That is a few degrees below the 28°C of high summer, and it reads as bracing rather than warm to most British swimmers, but with a 3mm shorty wetsuit it is entirely comfortable for diving and snorkelling, and underwater visibility often runs to 30 or 40 metres, among the best conditions of the year.
What to Do in Egypt in January
Nile cruise, Luxor to Aswan (4 to 7 nights): January is one of the two or three best months of the year for the Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, with cool evenings on the upper deck and temple visits at Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae done in soft winter light. We generally steer clients towards a small dahabeya (8 to 12 cabins) rather than a large liner (60 to 100 cabins) for a quieter, more personal week on the water.
Cairo and the Giza pyramids (3 to 4 days): a morning visit to the Giza plateau, timed for around 7am to beat both the crowds and the coach traffic, followed by the Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara and Memphis. The Coptic quarter and the souk at Khan el Khalili are pleasant to walk in the afternoon, when temperatures sit around 18 to 19°C. See our guide to visiting Cairo.
Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh on the coast (4 to 7 days): diving and snorkelling on the reefs with excellent visibility, day trips out to Mahmya, Giftun or Ras Mohammed, and warm enough afternoons for lounging by the pool between dives. See our Hurghada guide.
Bahariya and the White Desert (3 days): January's daytime warmth is close to ideal for a 4x4 safari through the chalk formations, even though the nights in a Bedouin camp run cold (5 to 8°C). The reward is some of the clearest starry skies anywhere in Egypt, with none of the summer haze that dulls the view over the desert in the hotter months. See our White Desert guide for how we typically build this in alongside Cairo or a shorter Nile stretch.
What to Pack for Egypt in January
Short sleeved tops for daytime, a fleece or warm jumper for evenings and desert nights, lightweight trousers, a scarf to cover shoulders and knees at religious sites, sunglasses, sun cream at SPF 30 or higher, and closed walking shoes that can cope with uneven temple floors. If diving or snorkelling, bring or hire a 3mm wetsuit; the hotels and dive centres on the coast stock them, but your own will fit better. For our complete list, see what to pack for Egypt.
Crowds in Egypt in January
Alongside December and February, January is when visitor numbers run at their highest across the whole country. Giza, the Valley of the Kings and Karnak all fill up from around ten in the morning until roughly two in the afternoon, when tour buses and cruise groups converge on the same handful of sites. We work around that by scheduling your visits early, with departures at six or seven, when the air is still cool, the light is softer for photographs, and the ruins are close to empty.
Prices in Egypt in January
Hotels and cruise boats charge their annual peak in January, typically around 40% above the same room in a quiet month such as May or September. Securing the ships and hotels you actually want means booking three to four months out. As a rough guide, an 8 day holiday on half board in 4 star properties, with four nights afloat and internal travel inside Egypt included (though not your flight from the UK), runs from about £1,200 to £1,390 a head. Step up to 5 star throughout across 12 to 15 days and the figure moves to roughly £2,500 to £2,920. Send us your dates and preferences on WhatsApp and we will sharpen those numbers for your specific trip.
January Compared with December and February
All three of these months sit within Egypt's cool, dry season, and the differences between them are smaller than most travellers expect. December carries the Christmas and New Year premium and is the busiest fortnight of the entire year at the big sites; by mid January that particular crush eases, though general visitor numbers stay high right through the month. February brings a few degrees more warmth by day, the UK's half term school holiday, and the twice yearly Abu Simbel solar alignment on the 22nd, which pulls a dedicated crowd to Aswan for that single week.
For weather alone, January and February are close enough that the choice usually comes down to your own calendar rather than the climate: expect Cairo two or three degrees warmer in February, the Nile Valley slightly milder at night, and the Red Sea a touch cooler in the water even as the air warms up. If your dates are flexible, see our companion guide to Egypt in February for the full breakdown, or our December guide if the festive period suits your plans better.
Suggested January 2026 Itineraries
The Essential (8 days): four days in Cairo (pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Khan el Khalili) plus four days cruising Luxor to Aswan. A sound choice for a first visit. See our short Cairo getaway as a starting point.
The Complete (12 to 15 days): three days in the capital, five on the river, four on the Hurghada coast, then back to Cairo to close the loop. Pharaohs and the sea in one trip, the classic pairing for British families over the Christmas and New Year school break.
The Adventurer (10 days): three days in Cairo, three more out in Bahariya and the White Desert, then four aboard a dahabeya from Luxor to Aswan. Built for travellers who want something well away from the standard coach tour route.
Practical Notes for Your January 2026 Trip
Flights: British Airways and EGYPTAIR fly direct from London to Cairo, typically five to six hours in the air, with seasonal direct services from London and Manchester to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh that suit a coast only January break. If you are combining Cairo with the coast or the Nile, we route most clients through Cairo first, using a short internal flight or the new high speed rail line onward to Luxor and Aswan, which keeps the whole trip inside one coherent loop rather than doubling back on yourself.
Safety: the established tourist circuit (Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh) sits well within the areas the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office rates as safe for travel; the FCDO's cautions are concentrated on North Sinai, the Libyan border area and parts of the Western Desert, none of which feature on a standard SEV itinerary. See our 2026 Egypt safety guide for the full picture.
Getting around: every transfer runs in a private, air conditioned vehicle, with an English speaking driver where you would like one. Longer hops between cities are handled by internal flights or rail, booked and coordinated by our team alongside the rest of your itinerary. For the bigger picture across the whole year, see our month by month guide to when to go and our full year round temperature table.
Egypt Weather in January: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the weather like in Egypt in January?
Dry, mild and largely cloudless. Daytime temperatures run from about 19°C in Cairo to 23°C in Luxor and Aswan, with the Red Sea coast a touch cooler by day but milder at night. Rain is close to non existent everywhere in the country.
What is the temperature in Egypt in January?
By day: roughly 19°C in Cairo, 22 to 23°C in Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. By night: 7 to 11°C on the Nile and in Cairo, 11 to 14°C on the coast, and closer to freezing out in the open desert.
Does Egypt get cold in January?
Not by British standards during the day. Once the sun sets, though, the drop is real: expect single figures in Luxor and Aswan after dark, and colder again in the desert. A fleece or warm jumper is essential for evenings on a cruise boat's deck or an early morning departure.
Is Egypt hot or cold in January?
Neither extreme. January is Egypt's coolest month, but daytime readings of 19 to 23°C sit comfortably in the "pleasantly warm" range for most visitors, which is exactly why it is also the busiest month of the year to travel.
Is it warm enough to swim in the Red Sea in January?
It is, if you are not expecting a summer bath. Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh both hold at 22°C through the month. Most people swim happily without a wetsuit for short periods, and a 3mm shorty makes longer dives or snorkelling sessions comfortable, with underwater visibility often reaching 30 to 40 metres.
How much does a January trip to Egypt cost?
Budget roughly £1,200 to £1,390 a head for 8 days in 4 star hotels with a Nile cruise included, rising to about £2,500 to £2,920 for a 5 star version over 12 to 15 days. January and February are the most expensive months of the year, so book three to four months ahead to lock in rates before they climb further.
Is January a good month for a Nile cruise?
Yes, arguably the best alongside February and March. Luxor swings between 7 and 23°C and Aswan between 10 and 23°C, which suits both cool mornings at the temples and long, comfortable afternoons on the sun deck. Because it is peak season, reserve your boat around three months ahead.
How busy are the pyramids and temples in January?
Very busy: this is one of the three peak months of the year, alongside December and February. The pressure at Giza, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings builds from around ten in the morning and eases off by mid afternoon, when the large coach groups from the Red Sea resorts and the bigger cruise boats tend to arrive in a wave. We schedule departures at six or seven to give you quiet sites, softer light for photographs and cooler air before the coaches arrive, and we time your Nile cruise stops to avoid the same handful of temples that everyone else visits at midday.
What should I pack for Egypt in January?
Layer for a swing of 10 to 15°C between day and night: short sleeved tops, a fleece or jumper, lightweight trousers, a scarf for religious sites, sun cream, sunglasses and closed shoes for temple floors. Add a warmer layer again if you are spending a night in the desert.
Does it rain in Egypt in January?
Barely. Cairo sees perhaps a single wet day across the whole month, and further south in Luxor and Aswan meaningful rainfall is close to unheard of. Occasional showers are more likely along the Mediterranean coast near Alexandria than anywhere on a typical SEV itinerary. Bring sun protection rather than an umbrella, and pack accordingly for a country that runs dry almost every day of the year.
Is Egypt safe to visit in January 2026?
The full tourist circuit, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, the Nile cruise route and the Red Sea resorts, sits within the areas the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office considers safe for travel. Current FCDO advice concentrates its cautions on North Sinai, the area near the Libyan border and parts of the Western Desert, well away from any SEV itinerary. See our full safety guide for the detail behind that advice.
How many hours of sunshine does Egypt get in January?
Around 7 hours a day in Cairo and Luxor, climbing to 8.5 hours in Hurghada and 9.5 hours in Aswan, which is typically the sunniest city in the country in any given month, winter or summer, thanks to its position deep in the desert south of the Nile Valley's cloudier stretches.
Reserve Your January 2026 Trip to Egypt
Our English speaking team based in Cairo has been organising tailor made holidays to Egypt since 2020. Free quote in less than 24 hours: contact us on WhatsApp or by telephone on +20 10 96569859. We speak English, French and Arabic.
See also: Egypt in February | All our tour packages | Egypt Safety Guide 2026