The 2027 calendar
Egypt public holidays 2027, for travellers
Egypt's public holidays rarely close the temples or stop the boats; what they change is how busy things are. The weeks that matter in 2027 are Eid al-Fitr (expected about 9 to 11 March) and above all Eid al-Adha (expected about 16 to 19 May), when Egyptian families travel and hotels in Luxor, Aswan and on the Red Sea fill up. Ramadan, expected from about 8 February to 8 March, changes the rhythm of the day but not the sightseeing. Islamic dates depend on the moon and can move by a day.
Every holiday
Every public holiday in 2027
| Date | Day | Holiday | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 January | Thursday | Coptic Christmas | Churches busy on the eve; sites open. Inside the Nile's peak winter season. |
| 25 January | Monday | Revolution Day and Police Day | A day off for Egyptians; little effect on visitors. |
| About 8 February to 8 March | Ramadan (expected) | Not a public holiday, but daily life changes: quieter days, busy evenings. Boats and sites run as normal. | |
| About 9 to 11 March | Tue to Thu | Eid al-Fitr (expected) | Three days off. Egyptian families travel; Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea get busier. |
| 25 April | Sunday | Sinai Liberation Day | A day off; Sinai resorts busier on the weekend around it. |
| 1 May | Saturday | Labour Day | A day off. |
| 2 May | Sunday | Coptic Easter | Orthodox Easter, five weeks after Western Easter on 28 March. |
| 3 May | Monday | Sham el-Nessim | Spring festival. Parks, the Nile corniche and gardens are packed with families picnicking. |
| About 15 May | Saturday | Arafat Day (expected) | The eve of Eid al-Adha. |
| About 16 to 19 May | Sun to Wed | Eid al-Adha (expected) | The biggest holiday of the year for domestic travel. Expect full hotels and busy sites. |
| About 6 June | Sunday | Islamic New Year (expected) | A day off. |
| 30 June | Wednesday | 30 June Revolution Day | A day off, often moved to a Thursday. |
| 23 July | Friday | Revolution Day | A day off. |
| About 14 August | Saturday | The Prophet's Birthday (expected) | Sweets and street celebrations, especially in the evenings. |
| 6 October | Wednesday | Armed Forces Day | A day off, often moved to the nearest Thursday. |
Egypt often moves a midweek holiday to a Thursday or Sunday to make a long weekend, and announces it only shortly before. Banks and government offices close on public holidays; temples, museums, boats and most shops stay open.
Crowds
The weeks that get busy
- 1Late December and early January. Christmas, New Year and Coptic Christmas together: the peak of the foreign tourist season. See Christmas and New Year 2027/28.
- 2Eid al-Fitr, about 9 to 11 March. Spring weather and Eid together. Domestic travel to Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea peaks.
- 3Easter, 28 March, and Sham el-Nessim, 3 May. European Easter crowds in late March; Egyptian families outdoors on Sham el-Nessim.
- 4Eid al-Adha, about 16 to 19 May. The busiest domestic holiday. Already hot in Upper Egypt, but hotels and the Red Sea resorts fill.
- 52 August, the total eclipse. Not a holiday, but the single busiest date of the year in Luxor. See the 2027 eclipse.
What stays open
What stays open
Archaeological sites and museums generally open on public holidays, sometimes with shorter hours during Ramadan. Nile cruise ships and dahabiyas sail their normal schedules through every holiday. What changes is demand: on Eid, a Friday or a long weekend, Karnak, the Corniche and the felucca landings are full of Egyptian families, which is lively rather than a problem. Go to the big sites early.
Booking
Planning a Nile cruise around the holidays
For the quietest trip in spring, avoid the Eid weeks and Easter. For atmosphere, Ramadan evenings and Eid are memorable. Prices on the river follow the foreign tourist season more than Egyptian holidays, so Christmas, New Year and Easter cost the most; Eid mainly affects hotels. Nile cruise ships run about US$120 to US$1,500 per person per night and dahabiyas about US$140 to US$1,500 across the year. See Ramadan 2027 on the Nile, Eid 2027 on the Nile, Easter 2027, Christmas and New Year 2027/28 and the 2027 eclipse.
Asked often
Egypt's 2027 holidays, answered
- What are the public holidays in Egypt in 2027?
- Coptic Christmas (7 January), Revolution Day (25 January), Eid al-Fitr (about 9 to 11 March), Sinai Liberation Day (25 April), Labour Day (1 May), Coptic Easter (2 May), Sham el-Nessim (3 May), Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha (about 15 to 19 May), Islamic New Year (about 6 June), 30 June Revolution Day, Revolution Day (23 July), the Prophet's Birthday (about 14 August) and Armed Forces Day (6 October).
- When is Eid al-Adha 2027 in Egypt?
- Expected around Sunday 16 May 2027, with Arafat Day on the 15th and the holiday running to about 19 May. The exact date depends on the moon sighting.
- When is Ramadan 2027?
- Expected from about 8 February to 8 March 2027, followed by Eid al-Fitr on about 9 to 11 March.
- Are temples open on public holidays in Egypt?
- Generally yes. Sites and museums open on public holidays, though hours can be shorter in Ramadan. Banks and government offices close.
- When is Sham el-Nessim 2027?
- Monday 3 May 2027, the day after Coptic Easter.
