When to go
Ramadan in Egypt: what changes for visitors
In short: you can travel in Egypt during Ramadan as normal. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February and to end with Eid al-Fitr around 10 March, depending on the sighting of the moon. Museums and temples are open, but in recent years they closed earlier, and the hours for 2027 have not been announced yet. Hotels and Nile cruises serve meals as always, while in public during the day it is wise to be discreet about eating, drinking and smoking. Below you will find the dates, the opening hours of earlier years, what official advice says about food and alcohol, and how we plan a trip around Ramadan.
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You can travel as normal: museums and temples are open, sometimes with shorter opening hours.
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February and to end with Eid al-Fitr around 10 March.
In hotels and on the Nile cruise you eat as always; in public during the day, be discreet about eating, drinking and smoking.
When is Ramadan in 2027, and how is the date set?
Ramadan is the month in which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. It ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr. The Islamic calendar follows the moon, so Ramadan begins about ten or eleven days earlier every year. For 2027 a press report of 28 September 2026, quoting Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, expects it to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, with Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday 10 March 2027. The official start is announced by Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta on the evening of the moon sighting, so the first day can fall on 8 or 9 February. For comparison, in 2026 Ramadan in Egypt ran from 19 February to 19 March (29 days) and Eid al-Fitr fell on Friday 20 March. Ramadan 2028 is tentatively expected around the end of January 2028.
What changes at the sites and museums
Museums and temples are open in Ramadan, sometimes with shorter opening hours. In recent years sites and museums closed earlier, typically between 15:00 and 16:30, and the exact hours are announced shortly before the month begins. The table below shows the hours of 2024 and 2026. At the Grand Egyptian Museum the galleries were reported to close at 16:00 in 2026, against 18:00 on a regular day. Nothing has been announced for Ramadan 2027 yet, so we do not give you a 2027 timetable here. The practical effect is simple: with earlier closing times, your sightseeing day starts earlier.
Eating, drinking and smoking in public
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says in its Egypt travel advice, updated on 27 October 2026: “During this time, it is culturally insensitive to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours.” The same advice says it is advisable not to play loud music, dance or swear in public, and that dress “may cause more offence at this time”. In the hotels and on the Nile cruise you eat as always, and tourist-focused restaurants are reported to keep serving too. In local areas away from the tourist routes it was reported in March 2026 that it can be hard to find a restaurant open in the middle of the day. Your private Egyptologist can tell you what feels right in each place.
Alcohol during Ramadan
All year round, the FCDO advice says that drinking alcohol anywhere other than licensed restaurants, bars, private homes or certain tourist resorts is illegal. During Ramadan, alcohol is reported to be served in licensed hotels and resorts, but less openly than usual. We have no confirmed rules for individual venues in Ramadan 2027, so if a drink with dinner matters to you, ask your hotel in advance.
How the day runs: iftar, evenings and banks
Iftar is the evening meal that breaks the fast at sunset. In Cairo the sun sets at 17:37 on 8 February 2027, at 17:47 on 20 February and at 17:53 on 28 February. Outside the hotels, restaurants are quieter during the day and lively after sunset. Banks worked shorter hours in Ramadan 2026: according to the Central Bank of Egypt they were open to customers from 09:30 to 13:30, so if you need a branch, go in the morning.
Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan
Eid al-Fitr is the festival that ends Ramadan. It is a national holiday, and many Egyptians travel at that time, which we take into account when we plan a route. In 2026 the public holiday for Eid al-Fitr ran from Thursday 19 March to Monday 23 March, by cabinet decree. The length of the 2027 holiday has not been announced yet. Eid al-Fitr 2027 is expected around Wednesday 10 March, depending on the moon sighting.
Visiting Egypt during Ramadan: is it a good idea?
It can be, if you accept the trade-offs. In its favour is the weather: in our guide to the best time to visit Egypt the average afternoon temperature in February is 21°C in Cairo and 26°C in Luxor and Aswan, and in March 24°C in Cairo and 30°C in Luxor and Aswan, with the evenings lively after sunset. Against it are the shorter opening hours at the sites, which call for earlier starts, a quieter daytime outside the hotels and the need to be discreet about eating, drinking and smoking in public. In 2027 the usual mid-February school break falls inside Ramadan, so check your own school’s dates; our guide to Egypt with kids covers what that means for a family trip.
How we plan a trip in Ramadan
On a private tour your guide and driver adjust the day to the shorter opening hours, and we plan the visits in the morning. For every trip we check the opening hours that apply to your dates. Your private, English-speaking Egyptologist explains the customs of the month as you go. In the hotels and on a Nile cruise you eat as always.
Earlier years
Opening hours in Ramadan: what happened before
These are the hours of earlier Ramadans, not a timetable for 2027. The hours for 2027 have not been announced yet; they are normally announced shortly before the month begins.
| Where | Ramadan hours | Year and source |
|---|---|---|
| Museums | 09:00 to 15:00 | 2024, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, reported by Egypt Independent |
| Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square | 09:00 to 16:00 | 2024, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, reported by Egypt Independent |
| Archaeological sites | 09:00 to 16:00 | 2024, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, reported by Egypt Independent |
| Giza pyramids, Saqqara and the Citadel | 09:00 to 16:30 | 2024, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, reported by Egypt Independent |
| Grand Egyptian Museum | Complex 08:30 to 17:00, galleries 09:00 to 16:00, last ticket 15:00 | 2026, press report attributed to the museum |
Outside Ramadan the galleries of the Grand Egyptian Museum are open from 09:00 to 18:00 (to 21:00 on Wednesday and Saturday). We have no confirmed hours for 2027, so we check them for every trip.
Practical
Dates
Expected to begin around 8 February 2027, with Eid al-Fitr around 10 March. The sighting of the moon decides the exact days, and Ramadan moves about ten or eleven days earlier every year.
Opening hours
The hours for 2027 are not announced yet. In 2024 the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced 09:00 to 16:30 for the Giza pyramids, Saqqara and the Citadel. We check the current hours for every trip.
Food and drink
Hotels and tourist-focused restaurants are reported to keep serving. UK government advice calls it culturally insensitive to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours.
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Frequently asked questions
When is Ramadan 2027 in Egypt?
Ramadan 2027 in Egypt is expected to begin around Monday 8 February 2027 and to end with Eid al-Fitr around Wednesday 10 March 2027. The official start is announced on the evening of the moon sighting, so the first day can fall on 8 or 9 February. The expectation comes from a press report of 28 September 2026 quoting Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics.
Can you travel to Egypt during Ramadan?
Yes, you can travel as normal: museums and temples are open, sometimes with shorter opening hours, and in the hotels and on the Nile cruise you eat as always. In public during the day it is wise to be discreet about eating, drinking and smoking.
Are the pyramids and temples open during Ramadan?
Yes, sites and museums are open in Ramadan, but in recent years they closed earlier. In 2024 the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced 09:00 to 16:30 for the Giza pyramids, Saqqara and the Citadel, and 09:00 to 16:00 for archaeological sites in general. The hours for 2027 have not been announced yet, and we check them for every trip.
Can tourists eat and drink during Ramadan in Egypt?
In your hotel and on your Nile cruise you eat and drink as always, but in public it is wise to be discreet. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says in its Egypt travel advice, updated on 27 October 2026: “During this time, it is culturally insensitive to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours.” Your guide can tell you what feels right in each place.
Can you drink alcohol in Egypt during Ramadan?
Alcohol is reported to be served in licensed hotels and resorts during Ramadan, though less openly than usual. All year round the FCDO advice says that drinking alcohol anywhere other than licensed restaurants, bars, private homes or certain tourist resorts is illegal. We have no confirmed rules for individual venues in Ramadan 2027, so ask your hotel if it matters to you.
What time is iftar in Cairo?
Iftar, the meal that breaks the fast, is at sunset: in Cairo at 17:37 on 8 February 2027, at 17:47 on 20 February and at 17:53 on 28 February. The time moves a little later through the month.
When is Eid al-Fitr 2027?
Eid al-Fitr 2027 is expected around Wednesday 10 March 2027, depending on the sighting of the moon. In 2026 the public holiday for Eid al-Fitr ran from 19 March to 23 March, and the length of the 2027 holiday has not been announced yet.
Is Ramadan a good time to visit Egypt?
It can be, if you accept shorter opening hours at the sites and plan your sightseeing for the morning. In our guide to the best time to visit Egypt the average afternoon temperature in February is 21°C in Cairo and 26°C in Luxor and Aswan, and in March 24°C and 30°C. Outside the hotels the daytime is quieter, and the evenings are lively after sunset.
Do Nile cruises run during Ramadan?
Yes, you can travel as normal in Ramadan, and on the Nile cruise you eat as always. We have found no official announcement that changes sailings in Ramadan, and we confirm the sailing schedule of the ship for your dates when we plan your route.
When is Ramadan 2028?
Ramadan 2028 is tentatively expected around the end of January 2028. Ramadan moves about ten or eleven days earlier every year, and the exact dates follow the sighting of the moon.
Read on
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