4 daysfrom $1,949
Sun festival month
Egypt Tours in February
February keeps January's comfortable weather but adds one of the few genuinely unmissable dates in the Egyptian calendar: the sun alignment at Abu Simbel on 22 February.
Last updated: October 2026·Reviewed by the Cairo planning team
At a glance
- Cairo temperature
- 10-21 C (50-70 F)
- Luxor & Aswan
- 7-26 C (45-79 F)
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- Peak
- Rain
- Rare
- Daylight
- About 11 hours
- Sea temperature
- About 22 C
- Best for
- Abu Simbel, cruises, first visits
Temperatures are a degree or two above January and the light is just as clean. It is still high season, but the very peak has passed and availability is a little easier than over the New Year.
The 22nd is the reason many people choose this month. Twice a year the rising sun reaches through the temple at Abu Simbel to light the statues in the inner sanctuary. It is worth the very early start from Aswan, and it needs booking well ahead.
The Red Sea is swimmable by February without being warm. If you want beach time as well as temples, plan the coast for the end of the trip when you are ready to stop walking.
Cruises for the Sun Festival
Cruises that reach Aswan in time for the 22nd. If the Sun Festival is the point of the trip, the boat has to be booked around that date.
4 daysfrom $899
4 daysfrom $749
4 daysfrom $549
Aswan & Abu Simbel Day Tours
Abu Simbel runs from Aswan as a pre-dawn trip. These are the Aswan days worth adding either side of it.
Day tourfrom $100
Day tourfrom $30
Day tourfrom $15
Longer Egypt Packages
Longer trips that take in both the Sun Festival and the Red Sea, which is swimmable by February without being warm.
10 daysfrom $3,849
11 daysfrom $2,399
8 daysfrom $1,999
5 daysfrom $799
What February is actually like
- The Abu Simbel sun alignment on 22 February, one of only two dates a year.
- Peak cruise season with the fullest sailing schedules.
- Warm enough for the Red Sea, cool enough for full days of sightseeing.
- Slightly easier to book than the Christmas and New Year fortnight.
- Aswan afternoons are already warm; mornings are still cold.
What to pack for February
- Layers, with a jacket for evenings and cruise decks.
- Sun hat and high-factor sunscreen for Aswan.
- Swimwear if the Red Sea is on your route.
- A head-torch - genuinely useful inside tombs.
- Something warm for a pre-dawn start at Abu Simbel.
Frequently asked
What is the Abu Simbel Sun Festival?
On 22 February and 22 October the rising sun reaches through the temple to light the statues in the inner sanctuary. It draws a large crowd and needs a very early start from Aswan, which we arrange as part of February itineraries.
Is February warm enough for the Red Sea?
For most people, yes. Hurghada and Sharm sit in the mid-twenties by day and the water is swimmable, though noticeably cooler than in autumn.
Should I book February far in advance?
Yes, particularly around the Sun Festival. Aswan hotels and Abu Simbel transfers fill weeks ahead of the date.
Is February less crowded than January?
Slightly, outside the Sun Festival dates. It is still high season everywhere.