January in Cairo averages highs of 20 °C (67 °F) and lows of 9 °C (47 °F), with about 1 rainy day and 10 h 24 min of daylight.
January weather in Cairo at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is January a good time to visit Cairo?
Great time to go: comfortably warm and fairly dry. January is usually high season in Cairo: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in January 2026
- Wed 7 Jan: Christmas Day (Orthodox) (عيد الميلاد المجيد) public holiday
- Thu 29 Jan: Revolution Day 2011 / National Police Day (عيد الثورة 25 يناير) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Cairo in January
January's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx — go at opening outdoors
- Islamic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili outdoors
- Saqqara and Dahshur — older pyramids, fewer people outdoors
- Nile felucca at sunset outdoors
- Grand Egyptian Museum — near the pyramids indoors
- Coptic Cairo indoors
Where to stay: Downtown or Zamalek for central bases; Giza for pyramid views.
What to pack for Cairo in January
- Light layers for the day and a jumper for evenings, which cool to 9 °C (47 °F).
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for mosques and temples.
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Cairo costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €25–65 | €80–200 |
Excluding flights. January is usually high season in Cairo: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest.
January in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petra | 13° / 6° | 6 | Tough month |
| Santorini | 13° / 10° | 8 | Tough month |
| Athens | 12° / 5° | 7 | Tough month |
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is January a good time to visit Cairo?
By the numbers, January is a great time to go: comfortably warm and fairly dry, with average highs of 20 °C (67 °F) and about 1 rainy day. January is usually high season in Cairo: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest. The best months for weather are January, February, March, November, December.
How warm is Cairo in January?
Average highs are 20 °C (67 °F) and lows 9 °C (47 °F) (2015–2024 averages).
Does it rain a lot in Cairo in January?
Very little: about 1 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 4 mm in total.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.