Things to Do in Cairo in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Cairo
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Near-perfect temperatures for outdoor exploration - mornings start cool at 13°C (55°F), warming to comfortable 23°C (74°F) by afternoon. You can walk the Giza Plateau for 3-4 hours without the brutal heat that makes summer visits genuinely miserable. Locals actually venture out during midday in March, which tells you everything.
- Minimal rainfall with only 5 mm (0.2 inches) total and scattered showers on roughly 10 days means your plans stay intact. Those occasional rainy days typically see brief morning drizzle rather than day-ruining downpours. The Nile felucca rides and open-air markets remain enjoyable throughout the month.
- Shoulder season pricing saves you 30-40% compared to December-February peak winter rates. Hotels in Zamalek and Downtown that charge $200+ in January drop to $120-150 range. Domestic flights from Aswan or Luxor run about 800-1200 EGP instead of 1500-2000 EGP, and tour operators have more flexibility for last-minute bookings.
- Spring vegetation makes the Nile Valley actually green - the berseem clover fields along the riverbanks are vibrant, and the jacaranda trees start blooming in Heliopolis and Maadi by late March. The desert edge gardens at Al-Azhar Park look their best before the summer heat scorches everything brown by May.
Considerations
- Khamsin winds kick in unpredictably during March, bringing sudden sandstorms that reduce visibility and coat everything in fine dust. These hot desert winds can raise temperatures 10-15°C (18-27°F) in hours and make outdoor activities unpleasant for 1-3 days at a stretch. You might lose a planned desert excursion to white-out conditions with zero warning.
- Humidity at 70% feels surprisingly muggy for a desert city, especially in the mornings before the sun burns it off. That 13°C (55°F) dawn temperature feels colder than the number suggests when combined with dampness. You'll want layers for early starts at Saqqara or Abu Simbel, then strip down by 10am as it warms up.
- Spring break crowds from European schools overlap with late March, particularly at the Egyptian Museum and Khan el-Khalili. The major sites aren't overwhelmingly packed like December-January, but you'll notice tour groups clustering at the Sphinx and Valley Temple between 10am-2pm. Book Sound and Light shows at the Pyramids 5-7 days ahead during the last two weeks of March.
Best Activities in March
Giza Plateau and Pyramid Complex Walking Tours
March temperatures make the 2-3 hour walking circuits around the Great Pyramid, Sphinx, and Valley Temple actually comfortable. Start at 8am when it's still 15°C (59°F) and you'll have the best light for photography with fewer heat waves distorting your shots. The 70% humidity drops significantly by mid-morning, and you can explore the Solar Boat Museum without feeling like you're in an oven. Mid-March timing means you avoid both the winter peak crowds and the punishing April heat that makes climbing into the pyramid chambers genuinely unpleasant.
Nile Felucca Sailing and Sunset Cruises
The March winds are steady enough for proper sailing without the harsh gusts that make winter felucca rides choppy. Late afternoon departures around 4pm catch the temperature dropping from day's high to pleasant 18-20°C (64-68°F) by sunset. The spring humidity creates spectacular pink and orange sunset colors over the Cairo skyline that you don't get in drier months. The Nile water levels are stable after winter without the summer algae blooms that make the river less appealing visually.
Islamic Cairo Walking Districts and Mosque Visits
The narrow medieval streets of Al-Muizz and around Al-Azhar Mosque stay naturally cooler in March, with the humidity actually making the shade feel refreshing rather than sticky. You can walk the 1.5 km (0.9 miles) from Bab Zuweila to Bab al-Futuh without needing constant water breaks. The spring light filtering through mashrabiya screens creates the best interior photography conditions. Ramadan occasionally falls in March depending on the lunar calendar - if it does in 2026, the pre-dawn and post-sunset energy in this district becomes extraordinary, though daytime visiting requires more cultural sensitivity.
Saqqara and Memphis Archaeological Site Explorations
March conditions make the open desert sites at Saqqara genuinely enjoyable, which isn't true from May through September. The Step Pyramid complex requires 2-3 hours of outdoor walking across sand, and the 23°C (74°F) highs with occasional cloud cover create ideal conditions. Fewer tour groups visit Saqqara compared to Giza, and in March you might have entire tomb complexes to yourself mid-afternoon. The recently reopened tombs with intact painted reliefs need good natural light to appreciate properly - the spring sun angle works better than winter's low light.
Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square Cultural Tours
The museum's lack of climate control makes March visiting much more comfortable than summer when upper floors become stifling. You can spend 3-4 hours examining the Tutankhamun galleries and Royal Mummy rooms without heat exhaustion. Spring 2026 timing is significant because the gradual collection transfer to the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza continues - some pieces may have moved, but the Tahrir location still houses the majority of the essential collection. The surrounding Tahrir area and nearby Abdeen Palace become walkable in March weather for a full cultural day.
White Desert and Bahariya Oasis Camping Expeditions
March offers the last comfortable window for overnight desert camping before April heat makes sleeping outdoors genuinely unpleasant. Night temperatures drop to 8-10°C (46-50°F), cool enough for proper sleep in Bedouin-style camps but not the freezing conditions of January-February. The spring wildflowers bloom briefly in the oasis areas after winter rains, and the desert light in March creates dramatic shadows on the white chalk formations. Sandstorms remain possible but less frequent than April-May. The 4-5 hour drive from Cairo becomes more bearable when you're not arriving into 40°C (104°F) afternoon heat.
March Events & Festivals
Sham el-Nessim Spring Festival
Ancient Egyptian spring celebration that falls the day after Coptic Easter, typically in late March or early April. Egyptians head to parks, gardens, and the Nile Corniche for massive family picnics featuring traditional foods like feseekh salted fish, colored eggs, and spring onions. Al-Azhar Park and the Orman Botanical Garden become packed with locals celebrating. It's not a tourist event but offers genuine cultural immersion if you're in Cairo during the right weekend. The smell of feseekh is intense and polarizing - locals either love it or avoid it entirely.