The Best Time To Travel To Egypt:
The best time to visit Egypt is from October to May. Though it is the
peak travel season, when most travelers come, the temperatures are a lot
better for those not used to the heat. Within these 8 months there are 2
periods of what are known as “High Season” (the Christmas/New Year period and
the Easter Period) when hotels and cruises will put their prices up, though you
will find that special events like Gala Dinners are also laid on for their
customers. This can mean that some hotels become really expensive and so making
your reservations very early, even for the budget hotels, is strongly advised.
Cairo Picture
For the other 4 months, May to October, it is the Egyptian summer and
the temperatures can often be very high, especially in Upper Egypt (Luxor and
the southern parts of the country). However, this is a time in which you can
see Egypt in virtual peace and quite; the advantage of being able to see the
tourist sites without hassle from school children, or from the crowds of
tourists, can easily be seen. Just imagine the piece and quiet at the various
sites, allowing you to take photographs without strangers obscuring the view!
Pyramids Picture
Some Cairo hotels will fill up with many Arab visitors in the summer,
who are taking advantage of the slightly cooler conditions here compared to the
hotter weather in their own countries, and early reservations are very rarely
required; in fact many discounts are often on offer, to entice those who are
willing to brave the heat.
The Egyptian springtime is also another good time to visit. The weather
is fairly moderate at this time of year, but you are advised to try to avoid
the “The Khamsin wind” season that runs between March and April. It does only
last for a few days, which can easily be coped with. The Khamsin wind is a warm
wind that blows in from the desert, carrying sand and dust; it really is quite
an adventure, for those who wish to discover it.
Many travellers avoid travelling to Egypt during Ramadan, mainly because
they feel that alcohol and food are not available, but this is not always true.
Though Egypt is primarily a Muslim country, the people recognise that the majority
of their visitors do not follow Islam and so, whilst alcohol is not freely
available during the day, most of the restaurants and cafes are still open. To
be honest, the only thing that is really different during the Holy month is
that the sites close two hours earlier than normal, which is done to allow the
people that work there enough time to get home in time for the sun to set; when
they can break their fast. It can also be noticed that the local people are
generally slow during the daytime, but this changes after sunset when they
become very active after their fast is broken. Ramadan is a superb month in
Egypt; Ramadan is actually a month-long festival. All through the night coffee
shops remain open and they are often overfilled with people who stay up until
the early morning hours. This is one time of year when Cairo, as well as the
rest of the Muslim world, never sleeps; the time when all of the people go out
to have some fun.
The end of Ramadan is called “Eid Al Fitr”, or the Festival of Breaking
the Fast, and is a day which cannot be missed. It is a holiday, though
touristic sites still remain open, and it is a very festive and joyous one. In
the morning Muslims will wear their best clothes and perfumes to attend a
special congregation at their local Mosque (masjid). After the completion of
these special prayers, as well as a special sermon, they will rise, hug each
other, and exclaim “Eid Mubarak” which means “holiday blessings”; it is a
phrase will be heard many times during this day. This is a day when families
will travel miles to visit one another and have special meals together, and
some of these meals have treats which are not savoured at any other time of the
year. The houses, and streets, are lit with a huge variety of lamps, lights,
and other types of ornamentation, with the children being given sweets, money,
or gifts as a reward. If you ever get invited to one of these special parties,
it is an experience you will never forget.
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