Egypt at Christmas is a winter-sun holiday with a festive layer, not a snowy-markets Christmas. The weather is excellent (approximately 20°C in Cairo, 25°C in Luxor, 23-25°C sea on the Red Sea), the sites are open, and the resorts put on trees, galas and Christmas dinners. The catch is price: 21 December-3 January is the most expensive fortnight of the Egyptian year. This guide covers what is open, where the festive atmosphere is real, what to pay and when to book. All prices are approximate and as of 2026; confirm menus and rates with the hotel before booking.
What Is Open on 24 and 25 December
Egypt does not treat 25 December as a public holiday, which works in your favour: everything runs normally. The Pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Karnak, Luxor’s West Bank and the Aswan temples all open on their usual hours, and tour operators run standard departures. Restaurants, markets and Khan el-Khalili trade as normal, and Uber and Careem work in Cairo as on any other day.
What does change is capacity. Over 24-26 December the big sites see more tour groups, so the sensible plan is the early slot: Valley of the Kings at 6am, the Pyramids at opening, Karnak before 9am. Our Valley of the Kings guide covers ticket timings.
Coptic Christmas falls on 7 January, with the main liturgy on the night of 6 January. Some Coptic shops and restaurants in Old Cairo close or run short hours on 6-7 January, and Christian Egyptians hold the festive meals then rather than on 25 December.
Where the Festive Atmosphere Actually Is
Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada resorts. These are the most overtly Christmas places in Egypt. Resorts aimed at the UK, German and Russian-speaking markets decorate lobbies, run kids’ clubs with Santa visits, and stage a Christmas Eve gala dinner and Christmas Day lunch. Naama Bay in Sharm has the most walkable evening scene, with lit-up restaurant terraces along the promenade. Our Sharm El Sheikh guide and Hurghada guide cover areas.
Cairo five-star hotels. The Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, Conrad Cairo and Marriott Mena House dress their lobbies and sell Christmas Eve and Christmas Day set menus and buffets. Mena House, with the Pyramids visible from the grounds, is the most photogenic place in Egypt to have a festive dinner.
Luxor and Aswan. The atmosphere is quieter and more about the setting: Christmas Day on the deck of a Nile cruise ship, or a Corniche walk at sunset (the historic Winter Palace hotel is closed for restoration until 2027). Cruise ships decorate the dining room and run a Christmas Eve dinner, usually with a modest supplement.
Old Cairo (Coptic quarter). For the local version, visit the Hanging Church and the Church of St Sergius around 6-7 January. Our Coptic Cairo guide explains the layout. Dress modestly and expect queues on the night of 6 January.
Hotels and Approximate Festive-Week Rates
Rates below are approximate for a double room, 21 December-3 January, as of 2026. Most Red Sea resorts sell Christmas and New Year as a fixed-night package with a mandatory gala dinner supplement, so compare the total, not the nightly rate.
| Hotel | Area | Approximate festive-week rate |
|---|---|---|
| Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel | Hurghada | from approximately EGP 7,000 per night, all-inclusive |
| Jaz Aquamarine Resort | Sahl Hasheesh | from approximately EGP 8,000 per night, all-inclusive |
| Rixos Premium Seagate | Sahl Hasheesh | from approximately EGP 10,000 per night, all-inclusive |
| Sheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna | El Gouna | from approximately EGP 9,000 per night |
| Marriott Mena House | Giza | from approximately EGP 12,000 per night |
All six are covered in our hotel guides; confirm the exact festive rate on Booking.com. Browse Hurghada hotels, Luxor hotels and Cairo hotels for budget and mid-range alternatives, or search Egypt stays for the live rate on your dates.
Christmas Dinner: Where to Book
The reliable options are the hotels that publish a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day menu each year:
- Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza has historically run several Christmas Eve options across its restaurants, from a buffet to a five-course dinner, typically from approximately EGP 900 per person plus taxes and service for the set menu (earlier years’ listings; expect 2026 to be higher).
- Marriott Mena House sells festive dinners with Pyramid views; expect approximately EGP 2,500-4,500 per person.
- Luxor: the Winter Palace is closed for restoration (reopening as a Mandarin Oriental is planned for 2027), so festive dinners in Luxor are mainly on Nile cruise ships and at other Nile-bank hotels. Ask the hotel for the 2026 price.
- Resort gala dinners in Hurghada, El Gouna and Sharm are usually included for all-inclusive guests or cost approximately EGP 1,500-3,500 per person for outside diners.
Reserve at least 4-6 weeks ahead for 24 December, and ask whether tax and service (often 22-27%) are included. Nile cruise ships on the Luxor-Aswan route include a Christmas Eve dinner within the cruise price or as a modest supplement.
Flights: Price Windows
Winter sun demand pushes fares up sharply for departures between about 18 December and 2 January.
- Cheapest window: travel 1-12 December or after 6 January; return fares from the UK and Europe are often from approximately 30-50% lower than Christmas week.
- Christmas week: from the UK, expect approximately GBP 350-600 return to Hurghada, Sharm or Cairo, and higher on 20-23 December, as of 2026.
- Book: 3-5 months ahead for charter-style packages, which is already tight for 2026. Compare flights to Egypt and read our flights to Egypt guide.
- Many Red Sea package flights run on fixed days, so check the flexible-date calendar before choosing a hotel.
Weather Numbers for Christmas Week
| Region | Daytime high | Night low | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo and Giza | approximately 20°C | approximately 10°C | n/a |
| Luxor and Aswan | approximately 24-26°C | approximately 9-12°C | n/a |
| Hurghada and El Gouna | approximately 22-23°C | approximately 12-14°C | approximately 23°C |
| Sharm El Sheikh | approximately 22-24°C | approximately 12-14°C | approximately 24-25°C |
| Marsa Alam | approximately 25-26°C | approximately 15°C | approximately 25°C |
Rain is rare and brief. The Red Sea wind can feel cool on a beach at 4pm, and the sea is comfortable with a shorty wetsuit for diving. For the warmest base, see our warmest place in Egypt in December ranking.
A Sample Christmas Week
- 22-24 December: fly into Cairo, see the Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum, and have Christmas Eve dinner at Mena House.
- 25 December: domestic flight to Luxor (see internal flights) and start a four-night Luxor-Aswan cruise.
- 29 December: Abu Simbel, then fly to Hurghada or Sharm for beach days.
- For New Year: see our New Year’s Eve in Egypt guide.
For tours on any of these days, browse Egypt tours. The wider picture is in Egypt in December, and the official Egypt Tourism Authority site lists national events.
Practical Tips
- Book rooms early: the best Red Sea rooms for 21 December-3 January sell out by September-October.
- Cash: carry small EGP notes for tips; our tipping guide has amounts.
- Insurance: peak-season flight disruptions happen; compare travel insurance.
- Dress: shorts are fine at resorts; cover shoulders and knees at churches and mosques.
- Alcohol: served in resorts and five-star hotels, less so in local restaurants.
- Ready to plan? Pair this with our 10-Day Egypt itinerary.