Egypt is a very large country - when it is chilly and wet in Alexandria, it can already be ravishingly hot in Awan.

The best time to visit the majority of sights, including the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, is from February to April and October to November, when it is hot enough to know it's the ‘Land of the Sun', but not too hot to be enjoyable. At this time, the skies and sea are a perfect blue. The downside is that the weather is a poorly kept secret and these are the most popular times of the year for visitors.

In April, the hot, dusty Khamsin wind blows from the Sahara, making the touring of sights troublesome: during an intense sand storm, vision may be reduced to a few meters.

The intensely hot, dry summers carry the threat of dehydration and heat exhaustion, confining the visitor indoors for much of the day. The winter, on the other hand, is mild and often overcast, leaving the desert and its ancient monuments looking lacklustre. Rainfall is negligible except on the coast.

Loose, lightweight, modest cottons and linens with warmer clothes for winter and cooler evenings are culturally and climatically suitable.