January Holidays in Egypt
January Holidays and Tours in Egypt; January is the best time to experience Egypt and its great history with its rich culture. While most travelers around the world usually make their journeys in the summer. January in Egypt offers you the ideal opportunity to explore the ancient sites and the local festivals as the weather is almost mild. So, here are various holidays and events that happen in Egypt in January and how the Egyptians celebrate them to seize the opportunity while you are in Egypt to enjoy your time through your winter tours to Egypt.
Egypt Festivals in the History
The rich history of Egypt surely has impacted the traditions that Egyptians still use nowadays during their rituals in most of the festivals that happen in Egypt, especially the ones that have historical roots. So, it may be an attractive purpose to visit Egypt during the official holidays to witness different cultural aspects. As Egypt is an ancient country, it has various holidays that you may see more than usual holidays in most countries. However, you will find each holiday in Egypt interesting and has long stories to tell.
The Climate in January
Before listing the holidays, you need to know that January falls within the winter season in Egypt. However, the weather is almost pleasant, and the range of the temperature during the daytime is from 15 to 20 Celsius, which offers the opportunity for outdoor tours, activities, and exploring the local life of the Egyptians without worrying about the sun heat. Also, wandering through the coastal cities and the ancient temples is the best you can do in Egypt at this time.
New Year’s Day (January 1)
It’s a universal day for all over the world. Egypt may not be celebrating this day as Western countries. However, it is still the time for people to gather with families, going out for dinner, and sometimes people book trips to spend this holiday. Also, it is common to witness fireworks in big cities like Cairo and Alexandria.
Traditions and Activities for the New Year’s Day;
- Gathering with The Family: Egyptians usually like to spend any holiday with their families and enjoy their meals with them, especially traditional dishes like Molokhyia and Mahshi. Also, sometimes they go out for dinner at restaurants or make a family trip.
- Celebrations and Fireworks: In big cities like Cairo, especially along the Nile, people usually like to light up the sky by fireworks.
- Visiting Religious Places: Some people tend to visit mosques and churches to pray to have good luck in the coming year.
Top New Year’s Tour Packages
Coptic Christmas (January 7)
Christians in Egypt are a huge part of society, and the Coptic Christmas is one of the most prominent holidays in January in Egypt. As the Coptic Church in Egypt is Orthodox, it is taken place on this date, as they follow the calendar of Julian (dating system established by Julius Caesar as a reform of the Roman republican calendar), which makes it different from the usual Christmas date.
This holiday is an annual event to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth, and it shares a huge part of the beliefs and traditions in the community.
Traditions and Activities for Coptic Christmas;
- Fasting: It is a religious tradition for Christians in Egypt to keep their fast for 43 days in a row, and when they reach Christmas Eve, they gather with their families to break their fast with traditional meals and dishes such as Mahsi and Turkey.
- Midnight Mass: Christians in Egypt start to decorate the churches to attend the midnight mass, which is a huge part of the celebration on the 6th of January as they also dress properly for this event.
- Going Out for Dinner with Friends: Christmas day is full of joy, and the streets are usually full of people who are going out to share meals with their friends and exchange gifts with each other.
- Local Events: Some people tend to celebrate by playing music and dancing in various neighborhoods to feature this feast.
Best Christmas Tour Packages
The Feast of the Epiphany (January 19)
Another Coptic feast in January, celebrated by Christians on 11 Tobe of the Coptic year, which makes it an important religious event to dedicate the baptism of Jesus in the Nile River in the Coptic history.
What do people usually do on this day?
- Ceremony of Baptism: Most families like to bless their children through baptizing them on this day.
- Celebrations and Processions: Some people in rural areas make processions to the Nile to start praying and blessing the water.
- Family Gathering: Most people tend to gather with their families to share traditional meals and celebrate.
Why do Coptic Christians in Egypt Eat Taro on Feast of the Epiphany?
Taro is considered a sacred symbol for purity the Christians believe they get from baptism. As taro needs to be sunken in the water to be cleansed and cooked, which is a similar procession, and according to their beliefs that they were freed after the baptism from the sins they are born with. The taro also has a similarity as they need to be peeled from the muddy skin to be eaten.
Celebrating the Revolution (January 25)
The anniversary of this revolution is a pride for every Egyptian that they were able to break down a dictatorial regime. Also, this day is a national holiday for both events. The Revolution and the Police Day, to honor them for their role to protect the country.
The revaluation was initiated in December 2010 by the Egyptian youth in the social media to show their anger to suppression and corruption, which affected other Arab countries, to make movements as well, to be an Arab spring for the Middle East. At the end, it was a successful protest as they forced the pre-president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, to resign.
How do Egyptians commemorate this day?
They usually go on national museum tours to feel more proud of their country. Also, some people like to book trips to spend their holiday.
Local Events that Take Place in January:
- Cairo International Book Fair: It’s one of the largest and oldest book fairs in the Middle East, organized by the General Egyptian Book Organization. The fair attracts publishers, readers, and authors from all over the world every year in the last week of January when it is held. Also, it’s usually held at the Egypt International Center in New Cairo. The Fair displays materials in Arabic, English, and more languages. However, it appeals to the Egyptians mostly. As this event is the most important in the Arab world in publishing. The 55th version of the fair in 2025 is going to be with the participation of more than 1,000 publishers and 70 participating countries.
What does the Fair feature?
- Book Signing and Booths: Attendees can get their books signed by authors that they can find easily as the fair is designed to have separate booths for every section.
- Cultural Activities: Attendees can find various public events to spread cultural activities, such as workshops, retailers of videos, performances, and public speaking platforms.
- Sections for Children: Attendees will be able to find sections that promote reading for children.
- Alexandria International Film Festival: Alexandria is a Mediterranean port city and the second largest one in Egypt. The Alexandria Film Festival is annual and usually held in January. The festival is nonprofit, and it presents short films, art presentations, and documentaries. It also highlights the talents of the filmmakers and promotes cultural exchange.
What does the festival provide?
- Film Displaying: Attendees can enjoy film screenings and documentaries.
- Cultural Workshops: Attendees can enjoy workshops made by professionals in the industry giving briefings about filmmaking.
Top-rated packages that include Alexandria
These are The Top Destinations to Visit in January:
January in Egypt is full of celebrations and events, so this is an opportunity to make some unforgettable memories for a lifetime, and make sure to register for these tours to enjoy your trip.
- Nile Cruise Tour: The best way to enjoy the breeze of the air while sailing in the Nile river surrounded by the beautiful nature. In addition to visiting the ancient temples and museums of Luxor and Aswan cities to witness the great ancient Egyptian civilization. So this tour is a great choice for who wants a blend of relaxation and historical sightseeing.
- Coptic Cairo Tour: As this month is full of Coptic feats. This is an opportunity to witness the culture of the Christians in Egypt through the Coptic historical sites in Cairo, which are the most highlighted landmarks for Coptic history, such as the hanging and St. Sergius churches.
- Ancient Pyramids Tour: This would be the most suitable time to plan your Pyramids tour, as the sun heat would be easier to handle than any other time of the year. So visiting the Pyramids of Giza, Dahshur Pyramids, and Saqqara is one of the best things you can do in Egypt in January and a great adventure for a lifetime.
- Safari Desert Tours: Also, for the same reason as the Pyramids, to avoid the extreme sun heat. This is the best time for Safari tours in the desert to enjoy the beautiful nature of the desert in Egypt without being exhausted from sunstroke.
The Most Common Tour Packages Include These Destinations:
Conclusion:
January is a wonderful time to explore the wonders of Egypt. It eases for you the experience to make the best tours you desire, from the Great Pyramids of Giza to the Nile River calmness. Also, January holidays and tours in Egypt provide you with an opportunity for a great combination of rich history, relaxation, and adventure through your trip.
