Is It Safe to Travel to Egypt in December? Safety, Weather and Crowds

Yes, it is safe to travel to Egypt in December for most visitors. The places almost every itinerary includes, Cairo and Giza, Luxor, Aswan, a Nile cruise and the Red Sea resorts, are busy, well policed and visited by large numbers of travellers in December, which is peak season. Government travel advice warns against North Sinai, the Libyan border zone and remote parts of the desert, not against the normal tourist route.

We run tours throughout December, including Christmas and New Year departures, so this guide is practical: what the official advice says right now, which areas to avoid, what the weather and crowds are like, and the everyday precautions that matter far more than headlines.

United Kingdom (FCDO)

The UK Foreign Office page for Egypt was last updated on 27 October 2026. It advises against all travel to North Sinai and to within 20 km of the Libyan border (except El Salloum, essential travel only), and against all but essential travel to:

• the northern part of South Sinai beyond the St Catherine-Nuweiba road, except the coastal areas on the west and east of the peninsula;
• Ismailiya governorate east of the Suez Canal;
• most of the Western Desert, with exceptions that include Luxor, Qena, Aswan, Abu Simbel, the Valley of the Kings, Fayoum, the coast to Marsa Matrouh, Siwa and the main oasis towns and roads;
• the Halaib Triangle and Bir Tawil.

Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, the Nile Valley, the Red Sea coast and the South Sinai resorts are outside these warnings.

United States

At the time of writing, reports and the US Overseas Security Advisory Council describe Egypt at Level 2, "Exercise increased caution", because of terrorism risk, with "do not travel" for North and Central Sinai, parts of the Western Desert and the border areas. In March 2026 a regional alert linked to the conflict involving Iran caused concern, and Egypt's rating should be checked on travel.state.gov before you book.

Advice changes with regional events, so read your own government's page a week before departure and again before you fly. Our article is Cairo safe for American tourists? covers Cairo in more detail.

For weather, it is one of the best months. Typical figures:

Days are sunny and comfortable for walking around temples; mornings in Upper Egypt and desert nights are cold, so pack layers. See Egypt temperatures in December and our guide to visiting Egypt in winter.

• 1-20 December: busy but manageable; good prices still available if you book a few months ahead.
• 20 December to 7 January: the peak of the year. Christmas, New Year and Coptic Christmas (7 January) fill hotels, cruises and domestic flights; prices rise and the big sites are crowded from mid-morning.

Book hotels, cruises and the Grand Egyptian Museum time slot well in advance, and start sightseeing at opening time. If you plan to celebrate, see Christmas in Egypt and New Year in Egypt.

Cairo is a huge city with low violent crime against visitors. The real risks are traffic, petty theft in crowds and overcharging. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket in Khan El Khalili and on the metro, use ride-hailing apps or a pre-booked driver, and cross roads with locals. The Giza plateau now has a new visitor centre and internal transport, which has reduced the hassle at the entrance; see is it safe to visit the pyramids of Giza?

Yes. Upper Egypt depends on tourism, the tourist and antiquities police are present at every site, and December is when the cruise ships are full. The main annoyance is persistent selling by carriage drivers, felucca captains and shop owners. Agree on every price before you start, and say "la, shukran" (no, thank you) firmly. Balloon flights in Luxor are regulated and are cancelled when wind is too strong; that is a safety rule, not bad service.

Yes. Sharm is a gated resort town with heavy security at the airport and checkpoints at its entrances. December weather is warm by day, sometimes windy, and fine for snorkelling with a light wetsuit. Trips to St Catherine and Ras Mohammed are on the excepted routes in current UK advice.

• "The site is closed, come with me": a stranger says the temple or museum is closed and offers an alternative, usually a shop. Check yourself.
• Unofficial guides and camel rides at Giza: a free ride that becomes expensive to get off. Agree on the full price, in which currency, before you mount.
• Taxis without meters: use apps or agree on the fare first.
• "Gifts": a scarf or a scarab placed in your hand, then a demand for money. Hand it back.
• Papyrus and perfume shops: visits added by drivers for a commission. Say no if you do not want to shop.
• Currency: check the notes you receive; the 50-piastre and EGP 50 notes look different but are easy to mix up in a hurry.

• Carry a copy of your passport and keep the original in the hotel safe when you can.
• Get travel insurance that covers medical care and cancellation in the holiday period.
• Drink bottled water and be careful with salads and ice in small restaurants.
• Use sunscreen even in winter; the sun is strong in Upper Egypt.
• Pack a warm layer for evenings, desert nights and early balloon flights.
• Keep small notes for tips and toilets.
• Book licensed guides and operators for desert trips; ask to see the licence.
• Save the tourist police number, 126, in your phone.

Women travelling alone or in pairs visit Egypt safely every day, but should expect unwanted attention in busy streets and markets. Dress loosely, covering shoulders and knees, sit in the back of taxis, ignore comments and walk on, and choose a guide for the busiest sites. Our guides what to wear in Egypt as a woman and Egypt as a solo traveller help.

December is an excellent month for families: no extreme heat, school holidays, and Egyptians are very welcoming to children. Plan shorter site visits, carry snacks and water, and keep an afternoon rest in the schedule.

When to book

• 3 to 6 months ahead: Nile cruise cabins and hotels for 20 December to 7 January; good ships sell out first.
• 2 to 3 months ahead: domestic flights between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea.
• A few days to two weeks ahead: your Grand Egyptian Museum time slot, which is sold online only.

A safe, simple December route

Every leg of this route is outside all government warnings, and each stage can be done with pre-booked transfers, so you never need to improvise transport late at night.

What to pack for December

• Layers: T-shirts for the day, a fleece or light down jacket for mornings, evenings and the desert.
• Comfortable closed shoes for temples and uneven ground.
• A scarf (useful for mosques, sun and cold wind).
• Sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen.
• Swimwear for the hotel pool and the Red Sea; pools are heated in some hotels only.
• A small first-aid kit with stomach medicine.

Travel to Egypt in December is safe for most visitors who stay on the main tourist routes, use licensed operators and take the same care they would in any big, busy destination. The weather is at its best, so the main thing to plan for is not safety but crowds: book early, start early and leave time to enjoy it.

Our Egypt Christmas tours and New Year tours are built for the December season, with guides, drivers and hotels arranged in advance. The 8 days Christmas Cairo and Nile cruise tour covers the classic route over the holidays.

Is Egypt safe to visit in December?

Yes for the main tourist areas: Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Aswan, Nile cruises and the Red Sea resorts. Government advice warns against North Sinai and remote border areas.

What is the weather like in Egypt in December?

Mild and sunny: about 19-20 °C by day in Cairo and 23-25 °C in Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea, with cool or cold nights.

Is December busy in Egypt?

Yes, it is peak season, especially from 20 December to 7 January. Book hotels, cruises and museum slots early.