Cairo · Month comparison
March vs November
November ranks #1 overall vs March at #6. The single best month — perfect weather, peak culture, and the city at its most alive.
March
#6 of 12 months
Strong option
Warming fast and Khamsin sandstorms can arrive — a month of variable conditions.
- ↑Temperature is ideal in early-to-mid March before the heat accelerates — 22–25°C makes long site visits comfortable. The Giza Plateau, Dahshur, and the medieval mosques of Islamic Cairo are all workable with appropriate clothing. Ramadan scheduling varies by year; if Ramadan falls in March, the city takes on a unique nocturnal atmosphere that is remarkable to witness.
- ↑Spring in Cairo means longer daylight hours (sunset around 6pm by late March) and more time for the light-intensive photography on the plateau. The east-facing Sphinx is best photographed in the morning light of March and April.
November
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The single best month — perfect weather, peak culture, and the city at its most alive.
- ↑November is Cairo at its finest. Days of 24–26°C with crystal-clear blue skies, cool comfortable evenings, and essentially zero rainfall create the definitive conditions for sightseeing. The Giza Plateau is beautiful from sunrise to sunset. The light on the Pyramids and Sphinx in the afternoon — warm golden desert light at a low angle — is the photograph that ends up on every Cairo travel feature.
- ↑The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF, typically late November, established in 1976, one of the most prestigious on the African continent) brings international filmmakers and a vibrant atmosphere to the downtown cinemas around Tahrir Square. Tickets are affordable and queues are long in a way that suggests genuine local enthusiasm.
| Factor | March | November |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 7 | 10 |
| Value score | 6 | 5 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 5 |
| Events score | 6 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 25.1°C | 25.3°C |
| Monthly rain | 3mm | 4mm |
| Daily sunshine | 8.9hrs | 8.3hrs |
March trade-offs
- ↓Khamsin sandstorms — hot, dust-laden winds from the Sahara — are most likely between late March and mid-May. A Khamsin can reduce Cairo's visibility from kilometres to metres within an hour, cover every surface in fine orange dust, and make outdoor activities genuinely unpleasant for 1–3 days. They arrive with some forecast warning but are unpredictable in their intensity.
- ↓Tourism peaks for European spring holidays in late March, driving hotel rates to their annual high. Well-located Nile-view properties and boutique hotels in Garden City can be fully booked 6–8 weeks in advance.
November trade-offs
- ↓Peak season pricing is fully in effect. Top-tier Nile-view hotels (Four Seasons at the First Residence, the Kempinski Nile Hotel) run $350–$600/night. Mid-range boutique properties in Zamalek and Garden City are $150–$250. Book 6–8 weeks ahead or lose the best options.
- ↓The most popular sites — the Giza Plateau on a morning tour, Tutankhamun's gallery at the GEM, and the Al-Muizz Street in Islamic Cairo on a Friday afternoon — see their annual peak visitor numbers. Arrive early and plan logistically.
Scores compare months within Cairo. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →