Jordan & Egypt in 2023
Hi everyone,
We are looking to go on the JE trip sometime in 2023 hoping that the tour’s regular itinerary/amenities will be fully operational. Any thoughts on what months would be best to go (or best to avoid)?
Thank you.
Tony
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Tony — Unless you love the heat I’d avoid April - September as being too hot in Egypt. Recent travelers on that tour have reported temperatures in the 120s on one occasion and over 110 on several while in Egypt.
Smiling Sam, Thank you. We’re in south Florida so there’s no need to experience even more heat when away.
Will plan and schedule accordingly.
and while many claim it is a "dry heat" I'm not so sure- maybe I mis-heard- a "fry heat!"
You've got two vastly different climes- Jordan then Egypt so take that into account. Check out weathersparkdotcom. I like March.
Thank you AlanS. Will check it!👍🏻
I would strongly advise against going in the August/September timeframe. One day it was 122 degrees, several days at 120 and always over 110 degrees on our recent trip. There were few tourists so at least the sites weren't crowded. I can't fathom how uncomfortable it would have been if it was wall to wall people.
Thank you Loves2travel2! August/September definitely not happening. Leaning towards March. 👍🏻
More about the difference between the weather in the two countries-
Amman (including further north in Jerash can be quite cool in Jan, Feb and early Mar. It may be 5 - 10 degrees warmer in the Dead Sea depression. Morning temps in Petra in Jan can be the 30's and snow is not unheard of!! It can be quite cool with lows in the 40's in Petra in Jan & Feb, with high temps at that time mostly in the 50's and 60's. In Mar they climb the high 60's and low 70's, but like Egypt the highs occur between 2:00 - 3:00 pm daily, so mornings are much cooler than afternoons. Temps in Mar in Egypt vary from Aswan to Cairo. In Aswan they run in the mid to high 80's which should be fine for someone from south Florida unless you are the type who spends summers inside air conditioned spaces. Temps in Cairo will be in the low to mid 70's.
Bottom line it depends on how you body handles heat of lack of so it is a personal decision- you must decide which will govern you trip- if low temps (in Jordan) are least desirable to you, go later. If high temps (in Egypt) are least desire, go earlier. Unfortunately, there is no time where temps are are moderate everywhere.
Funny. I spent two years working for Saudia, and I know it gets cool in the winter. But, all I remember is the heat. I probably had a jacket for the winter, but I don’t remember that … just the heat.
I was in the Gulf, mostly Bahrain, during Desert Shield. It sure got hot there in the summer, and it wasn't a dry heat! During winter, like most desert climes, the temps dropped like a rock when the sun went down. In Petra, the wind comes from the west, from the Med. It is not warmed by still warm desert sands like the winds in southern Egypt and the Gulf states.
In Nov-Dec we always wore long pants and a jacket in the evening. The rec pool at ASU Bahrain had a BIG heat pump- to cool the water in summer (it barely kept up). But, they reversed the cycle during the winter months to heat the water which could get quite cool due the effects of evaporative cooling and nighttime air temps in the low 60's!!
Just for geographic references, the latitude of Jerash, Jordan (32.27° N ) is about the same as Savannah, GA (32.08° N) and latitude of Petra, Jordan (30.33°) is about the same latitude as Jacksonville, FL (30.33° N)
So, based upon all the helpful comments and some outside research, we placed a deposit for the April 7, 2023 tour, arriving a day earlier in Amman to explore the city on our own. Done! We are so excited. Thank you all!
Antonio, that time should be fine- a good trade-off that only leans bit towards high temps in Egypt. It should be no problem for someone from south Florida.
One thing I didn't mention that everyone should consider- in addition to their ability to acclimate and personal tolerance to hot or cool weather, if you disregard early arrivals and late departures, they will spend only 11 days actually touring (Day 1 and Day 13 are travel days) - only 4 days in Jordan and 7 days in Egypt.
If you continue to follow the forums, in few days you should start seeing J&E posts by mil whose tour ends Friday. Hopefully, by 2023, you won't need to worry about any COVID-based adjustments that current travelers may have experienced. Also, you can expect your schedule in Cairo to be slightly different because the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) should be open. Many of us are hoping it will open much sooner and that it lives up to all the hype!
Thank you Alan! Our reason to go in 2023 was to avoid any significant Covid-based adjustments, and to see the much-hyped GEM. I’ll BOLO for mil’s posts. 👍🏻
Tony
AntonioR, Hola!
I came back from this trip 2 days ago, it was hot, but it won't kill you... it's dry heat so not as horrible as Fla.
I've a house in Fla., so I can relate.
Do avoid the month of July- Oct. for a more pleasant temp. but I do want you to know... from Oct. - end of Mach,, what they call winter time, there is a small fly specially in Jordan by the dead sea , that can make you go LOCA! most annoying creatures... las odio! I hate them... they follow you and fly into your ears. nose etc.... They showed up on our last day at the Kempinski and I was hysterical. They are little ones... not guasasas but actual tiny baby flies... they look clean too.. just very annoying.
other than that even the heat felt good, specially as I can back to Seattle which is at the lower 50's.
What I would recommend for those that might still have them ... from the Australian tours ,to take the nets given to us during the visit to Ayer's Rock (Urulu) . the funny looking head covers , they would solve the flies issue.
Mil I still have my net from the Grand AU-NZ tour. Great tip. I'll be sure to pack it! I only used it in AU to take a photo. It's still in its packaging. Awesome...thanks!
MIL - Just added the fly net to my packing list!
MIL - did you encounter these flies in Egypt too?
FWIW, I didn't encounter any flies in Jordan during my I/J tour of Nov 2019. For any warm climate trips I take, I always bring spray-on insect repellent (DEET). Some trips I use it; others I don't.
Ditto BKMD's comments on the flies in Jordan during our visit in September 2019. We stayed at the Movenpick, not the Kempinski at the Dead Sea. I don't know if the property would make any difference for the flies. Perhaps the flies are a very short duration issue or seasonal, varying year to year based on weather. I didn't have then in September 2019, Mil had them in October 2021, and BKMD didn't have then in November 2019.
Also for areas where flies/insects can be an issue the Tauck hotels often provide bug spray or bug wipes.
AlanS - This fly issue seems like a research project for our Tauck forum Professor of all things in Jordan/Egypt. Are the flies at the Dead Sea only present during certain short periods of the year?
The flies where only in Amman, Jordan- mostly by the dead sea.- and they told me is only the winter time.. which starts Mid-Oct. till end March- they come out and it's not due to garbage... because everything in this resort is impeccable- There are just annoying... the spray-on insect repellent (DEET) doesn't work- I try it.
Google is your friend
Evidently, despite the government's efforts to convince the farmers to switch from "natural organic" to commercial fertilizer, the problem still exists.
From 3 years ago on TripAdvisor:
"The flies start visiting the dead sea area by end of summer time , when the farmers in neighboring ghor start their preparations for the winter seeding and because they are using organic fertilizers.
Anyway, by late September the temperature will start getting lower and in the past few years the authorities made a very big success in fighting flies at dead sea, especially at the resorts."
Antonio, my wife and I, along with another couple with whom we frequently travel, will be on the April 7 tour also. This tour has a max of 25 with 20 booked as of a few days ago. We’ll be doing the alternate itinerary sailing from Luxor to Aswan instead of the reverse. I’ll look forward to meeting you.
I believe we’ll miss a night at the Cataract Hotel.