Best time to visit the pyramids

From November to March, daytime highs in Cairo average 19 to 25 °C, and the plateau is pleasant from opening time until late afternoon. From May to September the averages climb past 31 °C, so the early hours count.

Pyramids of Giza in warm hazy light under soft clouds, two distant riders on camels in the sand — The Giza pyramids in soft, hazy light. Photo: hayriyenur . / Pexels

6 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

The plateau keeps the same hours in summer and winter, and tours run in every month. What changes is the heat, the length of the day and, for a few weeks, the opening hours. The figures below come from the World Meteorological Organization's long-term averages for the station at Cairo Airport, about 35 km north-east of the plateau, and from the US Naval Observatory for sunrise and sunset at Giza.

Cairo month by month

WMO averages 1981 to 2010, station Cairo Airport. A rain day counts from 0.01 mm.
Month	Average high	Average low	Rain days
January	19.0 °C	9.7 °C	3.7
February	20.3 °C	10.3 °C	3.8
March	23.4 °C	12.3 °C	2.5
April	28.2 °C	15.4 °C	1.2
May	31.9 °C	18.4 °C	0.5
June	34.6 °C	21.4 °C	0
July	34.8 °C	22.9 °C	0
August	34.5 °C	23.3 °C	0
September	33.1 °C	21.7 °C	0.1
October	29.7 °C	19.0 °C	0.6
November	24.7 °C	14.6 °C	1.5
December	20.4 °C	11.0 °C	2.5

November to March

These are the comfortable months for walking around the plateau. Highs average 19 to 25 °C, and the few rain days fall mostly between December and March. Mornings are cool: lows of 10 to 12 °C from December to February mean a jacket at 7 am and a T-shirt by noon. The price is a short day. On 21 December the sun rises at 6:47 and sets at 5:00 pm, which leaves just over ten hours of light, and the plateau's last entry at 4 pm comes only an hour before dusk.

A fixed date in this window is the Pyramids Half Marathon, which starts and finishes at the visitor centre on the plateau: the 5 km race is on Friday 11 December 2026 and the 10 km and half marathon on Saturday 12 December. How far it affects normal visits on those mornings has not been published.

April and October

Averages of 28 to 30 °C make these shoulder months workable if you start early. April brings two complications. The khamsin, a hot, dusty wind, typically blows between March and May; on 30 April 2025 the Egyptian Meteorological Authority issued a high-impact warning with gusts up to 80 km/h and very poor visibility, and Cairo closed its schools. Egypt also moves its clocks forward on the last Friday of April, on 30 April in 2027, and back at the end of October.

May to September

Average highs pass 31 °C in May and stay around 35 °C through the summer, with no rain at all from June to August. The days are long, with the sun up from about 5:55 am to 8 pm in June, but the plateau still opens at 7 am and closes to new visitors at 4 pm, so you cannot use the cooler evening there. A workable plan is the plateau from opening time until late morning and the Grand Egyptian Museum in the afternoon. On Wednesday and Saturday its galleries stay open until 9 pm.

The Giza pyramids in a row across the desert under a clear sky, one person standing at the far left — The pyramids under a clear sky. Photo: Alexey K. / Pexels

Ramadan

During Ramadan the official portal gives shorter hours: the plateau opens at 8 am and the last entry is at 3:30 pm. Ramadan 2027 is expected to start on Monday 8 February and end with Eid al-Fitr on about 9 March, according to astronomical projections; the final dates follow the sighting of the moon. The museum's Ramadan hours are not on its ticket page, so check them before you book a slot.

The best time of day

Opening time is the quiet hour. When the new entrance opened in April 2025, the press reported 12,000 to 15,000 visitors a day on the plateau. Reviews of the sunrise tour on this page mention the plateau feeling almost empty for the first group through the gate. The sun rises before the 7 am opening in every month, between about 5:45 and 6:51 am, so sunrise tours begin with a ride from a stable outside the plateau and enter the site once it opens.

In winter an afternoon visit is the alternative, as long as you are through the gate before the 4 pm last entry. For what to pack in each season, see weather and what to wear.

All tours side by side

An early start that puts you on a camel or horse near the plateau at sunrise, then on the plateau with a guide before the heat builds.

Tour	Format	Duration	Age	Rating	From
Sunrise camel ride and breakfast at GizaEgypt Excursions OnlineWith the 5am pickup you ride a camel or horse for an hour from a stable outside the plateau at sunrise, eat an Egyptian breakfast, then spend two hours touring the pyramids and Sphinx with an Egyptologist.	Sunrise or 8am start, camel or horseTransport, guide, 1-hour ride, breakfast; plateau ticket with some options	5 hoursHotel pickup at 5am or 8am	–	4.7 (997 reviews)	From $67Free cancellationBook on GetYourGuide

Prices and ratings come from the booking platform and are shown in US dollars per person. If you book through these links we earn a commission. Your price stays the same. Sorted by number of reviews.

Questions travellers ask

Which month is best for the Giza pyramids?

For temperature, November to March: Cairo averages highs of 19 to 25 °C in those months. October and April are warmer at 28 to 30 °C but still manageable in the morning. December and January have the shortest days, with sunset around 5 pm.

Is summer too hot to visit?

It is hot rather than impossible. Average highs at Cairo Airport are about 35 °C from June to August, and it practically never rains. Go at 7 am when the plateau opens, leave by late morning and spend the afternoon in the air-conditioned Grand Egyptian Museum.

Can I see the sunrise from inside the plateau?

Not on a normal ticket. The official opening time is 7 am, and the sun rises before that in every month of the year. Sunrise tours start from stables outside the plateau and move onto the site after it opens.

What changes during Ramadan?

The plateau opens at 8 am and the last entry is at 3:30 pm instead of 4 pm. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on about 8 February, depending on the sighting of the moon.

When are dust storms most likely?

The khamsin wind typically blows between March and May. In April 2025 the Egyptian Meteorological Authority warned of winds up to 60 km/h with gusts of 80 km/h and poor visibility, and advised wearing masks outdoors.

Where these facts come from

Dates, opening hours and rules change. We checked these pages in November 2026; the official source has the final word.