Luxor weather, Egypt: temperatures and best months to go

There’s no gentle spring or autumn to aim for. Winter turns to summer abruptly in Luxor, so don’t count on mild shoulder months.

Best months for what you want

• Temples and tombs in comfort: November to early March³. Egypt’s tourist traffic peaks in December and January⁴, so book rooms early for those months.
• A Nile cruise: Egypt Tours Plus puts the peak cruise season at November to March⁵, while dahabiyat.com stretches it to October to April⁶.
• Fewer people without the worst heat: dahabiyat.com calls May and September⁶ hot but manageable, with noticeably fewer people at the temples.
• Cheaper rooms: some hotels cut rates up to 50%³ or more in the summer low season, while others keep the same prices. Compare both seasons when choosing a Luxor place to stay.
• Quieter roads: in summer the roads around the West Bank are fairly empty.
• A balloon flight: tours run at sunrise or at sunset, and a sunrise balloon ride with hotel transfers gets you airborne early.

Months to avoid, and why

• June to August: average highs sit above 40 °C¹, and some dahabiya cruises stop⁷ for the season (more under closures).
• Any day from March to June: the khamsin, a hot, dry and dusty wind from the south or southwest, blows across Egypt at some point between March and June⁸.

What is the hottest month in Luxor?

July is the hottest month in Luxor, averaging a high of 41.4 °C², with June and August close behind. The hottest day on record hit 50 °C on 15 May 1991¹.

Luxor runs far hotter than Cairo, where the July average high is 34.8 °C⁹. Aswan and Luxor have the hottest summer days of any city in Egypt.

How to handle the heat:

• Get to the sites early in the morning, especially in summer.
• Eat a hearty breakfast, drink lots of water and snack often through the day.
• Wear light-coloured cotton clothing, as Egypt’s Meteorological Authority advises.
• Walk the tourist district in the cooler parts of the day.

If the heat does get to you, El-Karnak International Hospital has an emergency department¹². The UK FCDO’s list of English-speaking medical facilities names Luxor International Hospital, a government hospital; the FCDO says its lists are not recommendations¹³.

Cold winter nights

Pack a warm layer for winter: Luxor’s days are warm, but nights can get cool. Average lows stay above 5 °C, yet the record low is −1 °C, set on 6 February 1989¹.

What that means for your trip:

• Big day-night swings: Luxor, Qena and a few other Upper Egypt cities have the widest day-night temperature difference in Egypt.
• Chilly budget rooms: rooms without reversible air conditioning or insulation can feel decidedly cold, Wikivoyage warns.
• Easier day trips: cool, clear winter days suit longer outings; the Dendera Temple visitor guide covers a trip from Luxor.

Luxor’s main temples rarely, if ever, close³, so the weather decides how you visit rather than whether you can. The daily hours on Egypt’s official monuments site:

• Karnak: 6AM to 5PM²⁰ (checked October 2026)
• Luxor Temple: 6AM to 8PM²¹
• Valley of the Kings: 6AM to 5PM²²

For the city’s two banks and what sits on each, read the about Luxor guide.