Short answer: Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February and end around 8 March, with Eid al-Fitr about 9 March, depending on the moon sighting. Major sites and Nile cruises keep running, but local restaurants close in daylight, public eating is discouraged, and ministry hours for sites were shorter in 2024. Mornings work best for sightseeing.
Key facts
- Ramadan 2027, expected start
- 8 February 2027 (Egyptian astronomy institute, via La Presse; Wikipedia, Umm al-Qura calendar)
- Government of Canada wording
- Expected to begin "on or around February 7" 2027
- Ramadan 2028, expected start
- 28 January 2028, ending 25 February (Wikipedia)
- Yearly shift
- About 10 to 11 days earlier each Gregorian year (Wikipedia)
- Ministry hours in 2024
- Most sites 9 am to 4 pm; Pyramids, Saqqara and the Citadel 9 am to 4:30 pm (Egypt Independent)
- Luxor mean daily high
- 25.1 °C in February, 29.5 °C in March (WMO World Weather Information Service, 1981-2010)
- Public behaviour
- Be discreet about eating, drinking and smoking from sunrise to sunset (Government of Canada)
When is Ramadan in 2027 and 2028?
Ramadan 2027 is expected to start on Monday 8 February and end around 8 March. Wikipedia’s table, which follows the Umm al-Qura calendar, gives 8 February to 8 March 2027. La Presse reports that Egypt’s national astronomy institute projects the same start and that a 29-day month would put Eid al-Fitr on Tuesday 9 March. Wikivoyage’s Egypt page lists the same 2027 and 2028 dates.
The official start is announced by Dar al-Ifta after the crescent is observed, so the date can move by a day. Dar al-Ifta says seven committees attempt sightings from locations across Egypt on the 29th of each lunar month, and the Grand Mufti then announces the start of the new month. The Government of Canada says Ramadan is expected to begin on or around 7 February 2027, a day earlier. Wikipedia lists 28 January to 25 February for 2028, and it notes that the month starts about 10 to 11 days earlier each Gregorian year.
| Year | Expected start | Expected end | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 February | 19 March | Wikipedia (Umm al-Qura) |
| 2027 | 8 February | 8 March | Wikipedia; Egyptian astronomy institute via La Presse |
| 2028 | 28 January | 25 February | Wikipedia (Umm al-Qura) |
Treat every date as provisional until the announcement. If you book flights and a Nile cruise months ahead, build in a day either side.
Related tripsEgypt tour packages63 private trips from 2 to 15 days.What changes for visitors during Ramadan?
Daytime public life slows down, and the evening takes over. Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, and the sunset meal is iftar. Wikipedia describes the pre-dawn meal as suhur, and adds that people who are travelling, ill, elderly, pregnant or breastfeeding are exempt from fasting.
For visitors, the rules are about courtesy. The Government of Canada says to be discreet when eating, drinking or smoking in public between sunrise and sunset. The UK government goes further and calls it culturally insensitive to do so in public during daylight hours, and also asks visitors to avoid loud music, dancing or swearing in public.
TravelHealthPro adds that non-fasting travellers should be respectful of those fasting, avoiding eating, drinking, chewing gum or smoking in public during the daytime. It advises drinking plenty of water when you are not fasting, so do that inside the car, hotel or a restaurant.
Do the main sites keep their opening hours?
Usually, with shorter days. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities set the following Ramadan hours in 2024, according to Egypt Independent on 10 March 2024. We found no 2027 announcement yet, so use these as a pattern, not a promise.
| Place | Ramadan 2024 hours |
|---|---|
| Most museums | 9 am to 3 pm |
| Egyptian Museum in Tahrir; Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria | 9 am to 4 pm |
| Most archaeological sites | 9 am to 4 pm |
| Pyramids, Saqqara, Saladin Citadel | 9 am to 4:30 pm |
| Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh museums | 10 am to 2 pm and 8 pm to 11 pm |
For Qena, Luxor and Aswan, the same article says hours continue through the day, but its wording is unclear, so confirm those times locally. The Ministry’s ticketing page for the Egyptian Museum lists Ramadan hours from 9 am with last entry at 3 pm.
The ministry said normal hours would resume right after Ramadan ends. Last entry is often earlier than closing, so aim to be at a site within its first two hours.
What happens to restaurants, shops and alcohol?
Many restaurants close in daylight. Wikivoyage says most restaurants stay closed until the fast breaks at dusk, and that many restaurants and cafes do not open until after sundown. It says non-Muslims should still refrain from eating or drinking in public, because this is considered very impolite. The UK government adds that hotels and restaurants may separate non-fasting guests, for example with screens, so ask your hotel which of its restaurants serve lunch.
Alcohol stays available in hotel bars and restaurants. The UK government says drinking anywhere other than restaurants, bars, private homes or certain tourist resorts is illegal, and warns this can lead to arrest. Canada says open consumption outside facilities such as hotels and restaurants is prohibited. Ask your hotel before you plan an evening, because venue hours can change during the month.
Shops and markets follow the evening rhythm. Wikivoyage says working hours are reduced in the corporate world and shops close earlier before sunset. Experience Egypt describes Khan el-Khalili Bazaar as especially lively in the evenings, with locals and tourists gathering, and recommends it for souvenirs, spices and Ramadan decorations.
Do Nile cruises still run in Ramadan?
We found no allowed source that says how Ramadan changes a Nile cruise, so we do not describe it. The Ministry hours above apply to the temples a cruise visits, and the UK and Canadian pages do not say that river travel stops. Ask the cruise seller for the day-by-day timetable for your dates, and for what the ship serves at lunch and in the evening.
One practical point follows from the site hours above: shore excursions need to fit sites that close by 4 pm, so a morning visit is the better plan. You can see the cruise options on our Nile cruises page.
Is the weather better in Ramadan 2027 and 2028?
Yes, because both years fall in the cooler season. The 1981-2010 normals for Luxor, published by the World Meteorological Organization’s World Weather Information Service from Egyptian Meteorological Authority data, show mean daily highs of 23.0 °C in January, 25.1 °C in February and 29.5 °C in March, with mean lows of 5.9, 7.8 and 11.8 °C. The same service gives Cairo a mean daily high of 19.0 °C in January, and Luxor’s January mean low of 5.9 °C shows that winter nights inland can be cold.
That is far from the 41.4 °C mean daily high that Luxor records in July. Because Ramadan moves earlier each year, the weather advantage depends on the year you travel, so check the dates for your own trip. Our month-by-month weather guide gives the rest of the year.
What are the pros and cons of travelling in Ramadan?
The main trade is a quieter daytime against fewer open local places. The table compares what the sources say.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Major sites stay open (ministry hours in 2024) | Shorter site hours, with last entry earlier |
| Streets decorated with lanterns and lights in the evenings (Experience Egypt, Wikivoyage) | Most restaurants closed until dusk (Wikivoyage) |
| Iftar is a shared meal, and Cairo is very active an hour or two after sunset (Experience Egypt, Wikivoyage) | Public transport runs less frequently, and rush hours continue until early morning (Wikivoyage) |
| Cool-season weather in 2027 and 2028 | Alcohol hours may be reduced in some venues |
| Quieter daytime pace in business districts (Wikivoyage) | Banks, shops and businesses close for Eid al-Fitr (Wikivoyage) |
Prices are not clear. We found no allowed source on how Ramadan affects hotel or cruise prices, so we give no number. Ask for a written quote for your exact dates.
What is iftar like for a visitor?
It is a good reason to go out after dark. Experience Egypt calls iftar a grand affair shared with family and friends, with Egyptian delicacies and desserts, and describes colourful lanterns and lights in the streets. It suggests a stroll along El Moez Street in Cairo, with mosques such as Al-Hakim and Al-Azhar, and an evening in Khan el-Khalili.
Wikivoyage adds that at sunset the country quiets down for iftar, and that some wealthy people set up long tables in Cairo’s streets serving free meals to passers-by and workers who could not leave their shifts. About an hour or two after sunset, it says, cities become very active. If an invitation comes from a family, accept it politely and arrive hungry, because iftar begins at sunset.
What happens at Eid al-Fitr?
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fast and is a public holiday. Wikipedia’s list of Egyptian public holidays gives it as 1 to 3 Shawwal, three days. Wikivoyage says banks, shops and businesses close for Eid and public transport may run only limited services. With Ramadan 2027 expected to end around 8 March, Eid would begin around 9 March, depending on the moon.
The Government of Canada says risks to women increase around public holidays, when more men are in the streets. Plan transport and cash in advance if your trip overlaps with Eid, and confirm site hours for those days.
What should you know about health while fasting around you?
Your own routine needs a few adjustments even if you are not fasting. TravelHealthPro advises eating well-balanced meals at suhoor and iftar if you are fasting, and keeping hydrated between iftar and suhoor. If you are not fasting, it says to drink plenty of water, wash your hands often, avoid insect bites and use sun protection.
The same page asks all travellers to follow food and water hygiene advice, which matters if you try street food at an iftar market.
Keep readingEntry visa to Egypt: who needs one, what it costs and how to get itBritish and Canadian travellers need a visa for most of Egypt. The official e-visa portal listed...How should you plan the days?
Do the big sites in the morning, rest in the afternoon and eat out after sunset. Wikivoyage says rush hours continue until early morning after iftar, so leave extra time if you must cross a city in the evening.
- Start site visits as soon as they open, since hours run only to 3 or 4:30 pm.
- Eat lunch in a hotel or a tourist-area restaurant.
- Rest in the afternoon, then go out at sunset for the festive hours.
- Withdraw cash before you need it. Experience Egypt says commercial banks offer ATMs with currency exchange 24 hours a day.
- Leave extra time for taxis in the hour before iftar, and expect fewer public transport services.
Your guide is likely to be fasting while working, so a long lunch stop or a midday break at the hotel suits everyone.
What about dress and behaviour?
Dress more conservatively than you would in a resort. The Government of Canada recommends knee-length or longer dresses and long sleeves for women, and says men should not wear shorts outside tourist areas. The UK government adds that clothing that breaks local dress codes may cause more offence during Ramadan.
It also says behaviour accepted in tourist resort areas may not be accepted elsewhere, and that hotels and restaurants may separate non-fasting guests, for example with screens. Affection between couples is frowned upon, though holding hands is generally fine.
Is Ramadan a good time for you?
It suits travellers who like quieter days, cool weather and evening atmosphere, and who can accept an early start and a dull lunch. It suits less well anyone who wants late-morning market browsing with open street cafes, or who needs to be certain of full hours at a specific museum.
Travellers who fast should note TravelHealthPro’s advice that it may be best to plan the trip so you arrive before Ramadan begins. If you are comparing dates, the Egypt tour packages page shows routes of different lengths, and the trip planning form lets you send us your Ramadan dates.
