Thanksgiving 2026 falls on November 26. Here is what a one-week trip to Egypt from the USA actually fits, what the weather is like, and how spring break 2027 compares.
Yes. Thanksgiving week is one of the easiest times to see Egypt from the United States. In 2026 Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26. Fly out on Saturday the 21st and you get seven days on the ground, enough for Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor, in weather that averages 84°F in Luxor instead of October's 96°F.
Key Takeaways
- Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, November 26. A Saturday-to-Sunday break (November 21–29) gives you seven days in Egypt. A Wednesday-to-Sunday break gives you three.
- Late November is mild. Average highs are 76°F in Cairo and 84°F in Luxor and Aswan, and nights in Luxor drop to 54°F.
- The days are short. The sun sets at about 4:56 pm in Cairo on Thanksgiving Day, and the last entry to the Giza Plateau in winter is 4:00 pm, so sightseeing starts early.
- Egypt is 7 hours ahead of New York in November. EgyptAir flies nonstop to Cairo from New York JFK and Washington Dulles in about 10½ hours.
- Spring break 2027 needs more care. Ramadan is expected to run from about February 8 to March 9, 2027, and during Ramadan the last entry to the Giza Plateau moves to 3:30 pm.
Why Thanksgiving week works
The main reason is the weather. Egypt's south is still hot in October and noticeably colder at night by December. Late November sits between the two.
| Average high / low | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo | 85°F / 66°F | 76°F / 58°F | 69°F / 52°F |
| Luxor | 96°F / 65°F | 84°F / 54°F | 76°F / 46°F |
| Aswan | 96°F / 69°F | 84°F / 60°F | 76°F / 52°F |
These are long-term monthly averages from the World Meteorological Organization, supplied by Egypt's national weather service. They are not a forecast.
The second reason is the calendar. Most US schools close on Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, and many employers do too. A Saturday-to-Sunday trip then needs only three days of leave: Monday to Wednesday.
What fits into your Thanksgiving break
What you can see depends on how many days you actually spend in Egypt, not how long you are away. The overnight flight out takes one day.
| Your break | Days in Egypt | What fits | Trip to look at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 25 – Sun Nov 29 | 3 (Thu–Sat) | Cairo and Giza only: the pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and old Cairo | 4 Days in Cairo & Giza, from $310 per person |
| Sat Nov 21 – Sun Nov 29 | 7 | Cairo, then a flight south for Aswan, Abu Simbel, a Nile cruise and Luxor | 7 Days: Pyramids of Giza & Nile Cruise, from $1,230 per person |
| Sat Nov 21 – Tue Dec 1 | 10 | The same regions at a slower pace, with two extra nights in Aswan and a flight to Abu Simbel | 10-Day Egypt Package from the USA, from $1,499 per person |
All three prices are for the trip in Egypt. International flights from the US are not included.
The one plan that does not work is a Wednesday-to-Sunday break that tries to include Luxor. The flights to Luxor and back eat into three short days, which leaves about one day each in Cairo and Luxor. When we counted how long travelers actually stay in Egypt, the trips split the same way: short Cairo breaks, or longer trips of 9 to 11 days.
If you would rather have the cruise without the early Abu Simbel start, the 7-Day Cairo & Nile Cruise package also fits the Saturday-to-Sunday break.
Thanksgiving week, day by day
This is how the seven-day route lines up with the 2026 calendar if you fly out of the US on Saturday, November 21 and land in Cairo on Sunday.
| Date | Day | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Nov 22 | 1 | Land in Cairo, transfer to your hotel and rest |
| Mon Nov 23 | 2 | The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum |
| Tue Nov 24 | 3 | The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili |
| Wed Nov 25 | 4 | Fly to Aswan, visit Philae Temple and board the Nile cruise |
| Thu Nov 26 (Thanksgiving) | 5 | Abu Simbel in the early morning, Kom Ombo Temple at sunset and dinner on board as the boat sails to Edfu |
| Fri Nov 27 | 6 | Edfu Temple, the Esna lock, then Karnak and Luxor Temples |
| Sat Nov 28 | 7 | An optional sunrise balloon flight, the Valley of the Kings and a flight to Cairo for your trip home |
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Thanksgiving Thursday is the longest day of the trip. Abu Simbel is a three-hour drive from Aswan each way, so you leave before dawn and are back on the boat by the afternoon.
There are two things to plan for on the last day:
- The balloon flight is an optional extra. Pickup is at around 4 am, and Luxor averages 54°F at night in November, so bring a warm layer. Our guide to what to wear in Egypt covers the rest.
- The route ends with a flight from Luxor to Cairo, connecting to your international flight the same day. If your flight home leaves the next morning, a night in Cairo can be added. Flying west, you gain seven hours, so a morning departure still gets you home on Sunday, November 29.
Before you book
Book the transatlantic flights first. Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest travel weeks of the US year. EgyptAir is the only airline flying nonstop to Cairo from New York, and it also flies nonstop from Washington Dulles.
Sort out the visa before you fly. US citizens need a tourist visa for Egypt, and it can be bought online in advance. Our Egypt visa guide explains the options.
Plan each day around the daylight. In late November the sun sets just before 5 pm in both Cairo and Luxor. In winter, the last entry is 4:00 pm at the Giza Plateau, Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities advises arriving at least one hour before a site closes.
What about spring break?
Spring break works just as well for the weather. March averages 74°F in Cairo and 85°F in Luxor, almost the same as late November. The problem in 2027 is the calendar: if your break falls in the first ten days of March, it overlaps with the end of Ramadan and with Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that ends it.
| 2027 (expected) | What it means for your trip |
|---|---|
| Until about March 9: Ramadan | Shorter hours at some sites. The last entry at the Giza Plateau is 3:30 pm instead of 4:00 pm, and the Luxor Museum's last entry is 1:00 pm. Karnak and the Valley of the Kings keep their usual 4:00 pm last entry. |
| About March 9–10: Eid al-Fitr | A national holiday in Egypt. Expect local crowds at the most popular sights. |
| From March 14 | US clocks go forward, so Egypt is 6 hours ahead of New York instead of 7. |
| Mid to late March | Normal opening hours and some of the best weather of the year. |
Ramadan and Eid dates depend on the sighting of the new moon and are only confirmed a day or two before, so treat these dates as estimates.
A break in mid-to-late March is as good as Thanksgiving. A break in early March still works, because the temples stay open during Ramadan, but you will need earlier starts and will find Cairo's museums closing sooner. For the rest of the year, month by month, see our guide to the best time to visit Egypt.
Where to start
For a Saturday-to-Sunday Thanksgiving break, start with the seven-day route above. If you have only Wednesday to Sunday, stay in Cairo and Giza and do them properly.
Send us the dates of your flights, including the day you land and the day you leave, and we will tell you honestly which trip fits.
