Essential Egypt Packing Guide: What to Wear & Pack for Your Adventure
- Emma Hamrick
- Dec 31, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 10, 2024
WHAT TO WEAR IN EGYPT
I visited Egypt in October, and the temperatures were warmer than I anticipated. Temperatures settled in the mid-80s Fahrenheit in Cairo. It was a bit cooler (low 80s Fahrenheit) along the coast in Alexandria. Luxor was exceptionally hot in the mid-90s Fahrenheit. Dress in layers!
Women are encouraged to dress modestly, as it's a part of the culture in Egypt. I wore long skirts and dresses with sleeved T-shirts or scarves to cover my shoulders. I also wore long linen pants for the more active tours, which I found incredibly helpful for riding camels and climbing inside the pyramids.
I did see women wearing shorts or sleeveless short dresses around the pyramids and temples in Luxor. While I found their outfits cute looking, the clothes didn’t look practical for some explorations. I did notice these women also received more unwanted attention from men than I received.
Egypt is a primarily Muslim country, so most of the women wear hijabs or other coverings. I had a scarf on hand but only wore it for sun protection and modesty with a dinner dress. If you plan to visit any mosques, note that hair coverings are required to enter, and you may feel more comfortable wearing your own as opposed to one of the communal hijabs that they offer. I read testimonies of female tourists saying they felt more comfortable wearing hijabs in public than having their hair out. I never felt pressure to wear one and never felt out of place in the locations I visited.
As for footwear, I highly recommend good walking shoes. I wore my Hoka Clifton 9’s nearly every day, and they were super comfortable despite walking several miles daily in the same shoes. I wore sandals out to dinner, but wouldn’t recommend sandals around the tourist sites due to the dusty conditions and crowded walkways.
EGYPT PACKING ESSENTIALS
Passport - Duh!
Cash (And Lots of Small Bills!) - I brought around $700 including $50 in $1’s, $50 in $5’s and $100 in $10’s. I may have brought too much cash in total and would recommend about $75 per day, with an emphasis on small bills, to be safe. I was able to use credit cards or debit for many transactions, but my American Express card was not usually accepted.
Sturdy Walking Shoes or Hiking Boots - I wore my Hoka Clifton 9’s and LOVED them for this trip
Linen Pants - I wore linen pants almost every day and can’t imagine this trip otherwise! My favorites are from Abercrombie & Fitch.
Pocket Kleenex - For when you inevitably end up in a public bathroom without toilet paper… I bought THIS three-pack.
Head Scarf - Needed if you’re visiting the mosques and helpful to keep outfits modest and the sun off during the middle of the day. I bought two but preferred THIS ONE due to its lightweight fabric.
Portable Charger - International roaming drains batteries FAST and you know you’ll be taking ALL the pictures. I love THIS ONE that plugs into the wall from Amazon.
Belt Bag - My tried and true Lululemon belt bag strikes again! This held all of my essentials and made me feel safe from pick-pocketing when worn across my chest.
DON'T FORGET (LIKE I DID)!
Power Adapter - Okay, I didn’t forget this, but I regretted the adapter I picked! Next trip, I’ll be investing in an adapter with USB ports like THIS ONE to charge multiple devices at once.
Night Time Outfits - I brought one midi-length black dress figuring I’d need it for a dinner or two and ended up wearing it every night! I noticed people were very dressed up for dinner wherever we went, so I’d recommend having at least two nicer evening outfits for a week’s worth of travel.
Workout Shorts - I packed incredibly modest clothing (My ankles were ALWAYS covered). But at the hotel, I wish I would’ve had a pair of shorts for lounging by the pool to help get a bit of airflow in the heat.
LEAVE THIS AT HOME
Jeans - It was way too hot for jeans and they were extremely bulky in my bag. I knew this while I was packing, but tossed them last-minute “just in case” and immediately regretted it when I was lugging my bag through the airport.
Bikini - This might just have been a “me” issue, but I felt incredibly self-conscious going into the pool at our hotel. The only other woman I saw in the pool was in a swimdress with a head covering. A one-piece might be a better option here unless you’re going to the coast where swimwear is more acceptable.
MY (UNFILTERED) PACKING LIST AND OUTFIT SCHEDULE
DAY 1: Travel from Los Angeles to Detroit
Lululemon Align Leggings
White T-Shirt
Taylor Swift Eras Tour Crewneck
Hoka Clifton 9’s
DAY 2: Travel from Detroit to Amman, Jordan
Cozy, lightweight sweats
Bodysuit Tank Top
Taylor Swift Eras Tour Crewneck
Hoka Clifton 9’s
DAY 3: Travel from Amman, Jordan to Cairo and see the Sound & Light Show at the Great Pyramids
ON THE PLANE
Cozy, lightweight sweats
Bodysuit Tank Top
Taylor Swift Eras Tour Crewneck
Hoka Clifton 9’s
AROUND THE HOTEL & AT DINNER
Black midi dress
Simple black duster sweater
Brown sandals
DAY 4: Tour of the Great Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo
ON THE TOUR
Green Linen Pants
Grey Shell Tank Top
Lightweight Scarf
Hoka Clifton 9’s
AROUND THE HOTEL & AT DINNER
Black midi dress
Lightweight Scarf
Brown sandals
DAY 5: Day trip to Alexandria
White T-Shirt
Long White Skirt
Hoka Clifton 9’s
DAY 6: Day trip to Luxor
Brown linen pants
Black T-Shirt
Hoka Clifton 9’s
DAY 7: Tour of the Great Pyramids, Sakkara and Dasher
ON THE TOUR
Black linen pants
White T-Shirt bodysuit
Hoka Clifton 9’s
AROUND THE HOTEL & AT DINNER
Black midi dress
Lightweight Scarf
Brown sandals
Day 8: Travel from Cairo, through Paris, to Los Angeles
Alo Yoga Sweatpants
Comfy tank top
Taylor Swift Eras Tour Blue Crew Neck
Hoka Clifton 9’s
Egypt Packing Checklist
