February Holidays in Egypt
February is a busy month with holidays in Egypt as the weather is suitable to visit most of the cities and the sites away from the sun heat, so even the locals seize the opportunity to spend their holidays of the month away from home as this time of the year offers a great chance to explore the Egyptian heritage.
What’s The Weather Like In Egypt In February?
Egypt is situated in North Africa and overlooks the Red Sea from the Middle East. The Sahara Desert in Egypt is more than 60% of the total land space of the country, which brings the warm weather most of the year with almost no rain, so you will find February is a cool month to visit Egypt and enjoy a blend of relaxation and exploring the country, from the breathtaking Red Sea beaches to the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Celebrating The Feast Of The Prophet
One of the most famous holidays in Egypt is Mawlid al-Nabi, when Muslims all over the Arab world celebrate the birth of the Prophet Mohammed. The Islamic year is based on a lunar system, which makes this holiday’s date change accordingly every year.
Egyptian Traditional Desserts for the Feast of the Prophet
Traditions and Activities:
- Sharing Egyptian Sweets: Egyptians usually tend to contribute their traditional desserts to their families and friends on every occasion, so that also applies in the feast of the prophet, as there is a special traditional desert for this event called “Halwet El-Mowoled,” and you will find it viral all over the markets in Egypt through the whole month.
- Praying: Most Egyptians are religious, whether Muslims or Christians, so you will see in most of their events the praying and the religious rituals are taking part. Inevitably, in the feast of the prophet, many Muslims go to the mosques to pray and follow the Sunnah of the prophet Mohammed to commemorate his birth. Some Muslims also like to book a trip on this holiday to Saudi Arabia to make “Ummra,” which is a religious ritual in Islam.
- Festivals and Celebration: Some Muslims in the countryside of Egypt like to go out to the streets on this day to make traditional shows, and public processions, in addition to decorating the streets and playing songs praising the prophet Mohammed. Also, children go out to play in the streets and eat the traditional dessert of the event.
Valentine’s Day in Egypt
It’s a well-known holiday worldwide. However, the Egyptians actually celebrated it twice a year, as they have a national day for Valentine as well. This Valentine’s Day is on February 14, and it’s more popular and celebrated than the other Valentine’s Day in Egypt, which is on November 4th. This event is mostly celebrated by the new generations and in big cities like Cairo and Alexandria, as they are more influenced by Western culture.
Travelers Enjoy Their February Holiday in Egypt
Traditions and Activities:
- Exchanging Gifts: Couples usually tend to make surprises and exchange gifts to express their love and gratitude, especially with providing flowers and chocolate.
- Going Out and Making Tours: Most couples like to go out for dinner or to make some activities together. Also, some married couples like to book a trip or tour to spend this day.
Mid-Year Vacation
The mid-year vacation for students in Egypt is usually 15 days, most of them in February, which enables the locals to enjoy the weather of February during their holiday. At this time of the year, you will find the Egyptians are more spread in the touristic sites and the entertainment places, so you can immerse yourself in the Egyptian culture and get to know more about the locals and their traditions.
Egypt Family Holiday in February
What Activities Do the Egyptians Usually Do On This Holiday?
- Student Camps: Some students like to spend their vacation in student camps to learn new things and make activities to enjoy their time.
- Booking Tours: Most families tend to travel with their children on this vacation to spend some time together; also, most of the youth students like to travel to Luxor and Aswan at this time of the year as the weather is suitable to enjoy the Nile cruises and visiting the ancient temples.
- Family Gathering: The Egyptian families usually like the gatherings in the holidays, so this vacation is an opportunity as well to make family meetings and tours.
The Abu Simbel Sun Festival
Abu Simbel temples were built by King Ramses II, carved in the mountain on the west bank of the Nile to represent him in four giant colossal statues. These temples are symbols of his power and to honor the gods. As the great temple was dedicated to god Ra-Horakhty, Amun, and Ptah and the smaller temple was dedicated to his wife, queen Nefertari, and the goddess Hathor.
Abu Simbel Sun Festival in February
Who Is King Ramses II?
King Ramses II was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt; he is well-known as one of the greatest and most powerful kings that ruled Egypt in history. He was born in 1303 BC and died in 1213 BC, and his father is king Seti I, as he inherited the throne after him in his twenties from 1279 BC to 1213 BC. He was mainly obsessed with military work and building up great temples such as Abu Simbel.
Abu Simbel Temples:
The temples are located in the south of Aswan, where it takes a few hours driving to get there from Aswan and about 30 minutes by plane. The great temple consists of a massive façade with giant colossi statues for the king guarding the entrance, accompanied by smaller statues of his mother, wife, and some of his children, then a large hall that has a depiction of the famous Battle of Kadesh on the north wall. After that, we find the four-columned vestibule where the king and his wife are dedicated in front of the gods and the solar barques, and finally there is the sacred sanctuary where King Ramses II set on the throne along with the triad gods of the temple.
A Tourist Visits Abu Simbel Temple
Relocation:
The UNESCO supported the Egyptian government to relocate the temple in 1960, due to a submergence threat to Abu Simbel temple and other temples in the south caused by raising the water of the Nile after building the High Dam, so Abu Simbel temples were relocated to a higher location by professional engineers and Egyptian workers who ensured to preserve the temple as it was built.
The Sun Festival:
The Sun Festival happens twice a year on two fixed dates every year. The first festival occurs on 22nd February, which is the date of birth of King Ramses II, and the other one is on 22nd October, which is the coronation day of him. The special thing about this festival that attracts people from around the world to witness it and wonder on these specific days is that the sunlight penetrates the inner sanctum of Abu Simbel temple and illuminates the statue of King Ramses II and the gods of the temple seated in their thrones in the sacred sanctuary of the temple, except the statue of god Ptah, the god of darkness.
This event is a proof that the ancient Egyptians had great astronomical and architectural knowledge, as the alignment was perfectly calculated to happen on these specific days, allowing the sun rays to penetrate all the chambers in the temple to reach the inner sacred sanctuary.
Where To Go In Egypt During the February Holidays?
As February is full of interesting events that you can witness, in addition the weather is suitable to enjoy your experience and make great adventures in Egypt. Here are some tours that you can do in some of the highlighted cities in Egypt that will make your vacation breathtaking:
-
Cairo:
Cairo is the capital of Egypt, which makes it a must-see, as it has the Egyptian local vibes and interesting tours like Old Cairo to experience both the Islamic and Coptic cultures, the National Museums such as the Egyptian Museum and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to witness the outstanding antiques and the mummies of the ancient Egyptian kings and queens.
-
Giza:
It is almost impossible to find someone who visits Egypt without visiting Giza to see the Great Pyramids specifically; however, there are other gems that you can head to, in order to have a great experience if you are a history lover, such as the Saqqara Pyramid, the Red Pyramid , the Bent Pyramid, and the Grand Egyptian Museum.
-
Alexandria:
It is the pearl of the Mediterranean Sea, where you can enjoy the classic vibe of the city while experiencing the historical side as well, such as the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, QaitbayCitadel, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, as the city used to be under the Ptolemy occupation in ancient times when the famous queen Cleopatra used to rule Egypt.
-
Hurghada:
Here are some chilling times you can spend in Egypt among the nature where you will find crystal water and amazing beaches to relax and do some adventurous activities like diving, snorkeling, safari and other water activities.
-
Sharm El- Sheikh:
It has some similarity with Hurghada city in the activities as both are overlooking the Red Sea; however, Sharm el-Sheikh is different in the nature and the vibes as it is on the Sinai Peninsula, where you can see the beautiful mountains and desert, so you can do more activities like climbing Mosa Mountain, which is about 3 hours driving from there.
-
Luxor:
Luxor is the ancient capital of Egypt (Thebes) and considered a treasure city where you can see the ancient temples of Egypt, such as Karnak, Luxor, El Dair El-Bahari, and Habu Temples, along with ancient tombs like the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, and Valley of the Nobles that some of the ancient kings and queens of Egypt were buried in, such as the famous king Tutankhamun, in addition to national museums that include outstanding ancient artifacts.
-
Aswan:
It also has great temples and history that you can be acknowledged about; however, Aswan is well-known for its beautiful nature where you enjoy the outstanding Nile River, so it’s really recommended to book a Nile cruise tour when you are eager to visit Aswan and Luxor to have some relaxation time while you are exploring the history.
-
Fayoum:
It might be surprising for you, but this city has many great pyramids as well, such as the Hwara Pyramid, the Lahoun Pyramid, and the Meidum Pyramid. which are examples of the primitive pyramids the ancient Egyptians tried to build. Also, Fayoum has amazing nature and activities that you can enjoy, like Wadi El Rayan and Wadi El Hitan tours.
What Is The Most Famous Holiday In February?
Although Valentine’s Day is an international event, there are more famous holidays in February in Egypt, specifically the Abu Simbel Sun Festival, which is the most famous and attracts people from all around the world to witness it.
Conclusion:
February is one of the most desired months to go on tours and explore more about Egypt, as it is full of amazing events and holidays that any traveler would like experience them and enjoy the local vibes, especially when the weather is suitable for outdoor activates away from the extreme sun heat that you might experience in summer in Egypt.
