Day tourfrom $400
Low season begins
Egypt Tours in May
May marks the turn into low season. Upper Egypt gets seriously hot, but prices drop, the sites empty out, and the Red Sea is at its most inviting.
Last updated: October 2026·Reviewed by the Cairo planning team
At a glance
- Cairo temperature
- 19-33 C (66-91 F)
- Luxor & Aswan
- 20-40 C (68-104 F)
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low season begins
- Sea temperature
- About 26 C
- Daylight
- About 13.5 hours
- Rain
- None
- Best for
- Value, Red Sea, quiet sites
This is where the calculation changes. Forty degrees is possible in Aswan, so a May itinerary starts at dawn and gives the afternoon back to you. In exchange you get temples that are close to empty and prices that have fallen off the winter peak.
The Red Sea is the other half of the argument. The water is around 26 degrees, visibility is excellent, and the coast is not yet in its European school-holiday rush.
Cruises still run, and their cabins and lounges are air-conditioned. Plenty of travellers take the cruise precisely in this window because the same boat costs substantially less than in February.
Red Sea & Coast Day Tours
May is when the Red Sea starts to be the reason to come rather than the afterthought. Water around 26 degrees and excellent visibility.
Day tourfrom $170
Day tourfrom $90
Day tourfrom $35
Value Egypt Packages
Low-season pricing begins here. The same itineraries cost noticeably less than they did six weeks earlier.
11 daysfrom $2,449
8 daysfrom $1,899
6 daysfrom $1,599
6 daysfrom $1,499
Air-Conditioned Nile Cruises
Cabins and lounges are air-conditioned and excursions run at dawn, which is what makes a May cruise work.
4 daysfrom $1,549
4 daysfrom $799
4 daysfrom $549
What May is actually like
- Low-season pricing begins across hotels and cruises.
- Red Sea water is warm and visibility is excellent.
- Temples are quiet - dawn starts make Upper Egypt very manageable.
- Forty degrees is possible in Aswan. This is not a month for midday sightseeing.
- The longest useful daylight of the year so far, which buys you early mornings.
What to pack for May
- Genuinely lightweight clothing and a wide-brim hat.
- High-factor sunscreen and after-sun.
- Swimwear and reef-safe sunscreen for the Red Sea.
- A cooling towel is not a gimmick this month.
- Rehydration salts for Upper Egypt days.
Frequently asked
Is May too hot for Egypt?
For the Red Sea and Cairo, no. For Luxor and Aswan it is hot - forty degrees is possible - so itineraries start at dawn and keep afternoons free. Many travellers find the empty temples worth it.
Is May cheaper?
Noticeably. This is where low-season pricing starts, and the same cruise can cost substantially less than in February.
Can I still do a Nile cruise in May?
Yes. Cabins and lounges are air-conditioned and sightseeing is scheduled early. It is a common choice for people who want the cruise without the peak-season price.
How warm is the sea in May?
Around 26 C - comfortable for long snorkelling sessions without a wetsuit.