Packing for Egypt

By the Explora Egipto teamUpdated:

The practical rule for Egypt is shoulders and knees covered in cities, towns and at monuments. That is it. You do not need to cover your hair, there is no color you are forbidden to wear, and nobody expects a visitor to dress as a local does.
The kiosk of Trajan on Philae island at Aswan

Egypt is a majority-Muslim country and dress outside the beach resorts is conservative by
the standards many visitors are used to. That is worth knowing plainly, without it becoming a warning. Following the
local norm is a courtesy rather than a requirement, and the practical reward is that you attract
less attention and stay cooler, which are the same thing on a hot day at an open site.

What women actually wear

Loose, light, covering. In practice that means:

  • Tops that cover the shoulders. A t-shirt is fine. Sleeveless is the one thing
    that draws attention in a city or at a monument.
  • Trousers, long skirts or dresses that reach the knee or below. Linen trousers
    are the single most useful thing to pack.
  • A light scarf, which does more work than anything else you bring. It covers
    your head for a mosque, your shoulders when the sun is brutal, and your face when there is dust.

Loose is genuinely better than tight, and not only for modesty. Air moving between fabric and
skin is what keeps you cool. Tight clothing in dry heat is worse in every way. Men have their own list of questions, covered in our guide to what men should wear in Egypt.

Do you have to cover your hair in Egypt?
No. Visitors are not expected to cover their hair anywhere in Egypt except
inside a working mosque, where a scarf over the head is required as it would be at many religious
sites worldwide. Many Egyptian women cover, many do not, and no one expects a foreign visitor
to.
Are there any colors to avoid wearing in Egypt?
No, and the question itself is a myth worth putting down. There is no color that
is offensive, unlucky or forbidden. Wear what you like.

The only sensible color advice is about physics rather than culture: light colors reflect heat
and dark colors absorb it, and fine dust shows less on mid tones than on black or white.

The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari straight down the ramp with the Theban cliffs behind

Can I wear shorts to the pyramids

You can. Nobody will stop you at the gate and you will see visitors in shorts on the Giza
plateau every day of the year.

Whether you will enjoy it is a different question. Giza is open desert with almost no shade, and
bare legs there means more sun on more skin for several hours. You will also draw more looks than
someone in loose trousers, particularly away from the main tourist path. Most people who visit twice
wear long and light the second time, for comfort as much as anything.

Knee length shorts are a reasonable middle ground. Very short shorts in a city street, away from
a tourist site, are the version that feels uncomfortable.

What men wear

Shorts on men are common and unremarkable in tourist areas. In a city street, at a mosque, or in
a smaller town, long trousers read as more respectful and are barely warmer if the fabric is light.
Shoulders covered applies to men too at religious sites.

Luxor Temple lit at night, the seated colossi of Ramesses II and the great columns floodlit orange against a deep blue evening sky, with visitors in silhouette below

Visiting a mosque

Egypt has some of the most beautiful mosque architecture anywhere and most are welcoming to
visitors outside prayer times. What is expected:

  • Shoes off at the entrance. Slip-on shoes make this painless and socks are worth having.
  • Hair covered for women. Your scarf handles it.
  • Shoulders and knees covered, for everyone.
  • Some mosques lend a robe at the door if you arrive without the right clothing.

Coptic churches and monasteries expect the same modesty, minus the hair covering.

Red Sea resorts are a different country

At Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, Marsa Alam and similar resorts, normal swimwear is entirely normal
on the beach and around the pool. Bikinis are unremarkable there.

The line is the resort gate. Walking into a local town for a meal or a market, cover up the way
you would anywhere else in the country. The two worlds sit a few minutes apart and the switch is
easy once you expect it.

The first pylon of Luxor Temple with the standing obelisk, the seated colossi of Ramesses II and the standing statues along the front, in strong daylight

Shoes, which people underpack

Bring closed shoes you can walk several miles in. Temple floors are uneven stone, tomb entrances
are ramped and often slippery from dust, and the Giza plateau is sand. Sandals are pleasant in the
evening and a poor choice for the Valley of the Kings.

Everything you own will get a fine layer of dust. That is normal and it brushes off.

Winter is colder than people expect

Between December and February the desert loses its heat fast after sunset, and a Nile cruise puts
you on an open deck in the evening. A fleece or light jacket is not optional in midwinter even
though you spent the afternoon in short sleeves. Timing is covered on
the best time to visit Egypt.

Traveling solo as a woman

Plenty of women travel Egypt alone and have an excellent time. Attention, in the form of comments
and persistent shopkeepers, is more common than you may be used to and is usually more tiresome
than threatening.

What helps: dressing to the local norm, sunglasses, walking with purpose, and a flat "la,
shukran" without breaking stride. What is not your job is being polite to someone who will not
leave you alone. Being with a guide removes almost all of it, because the interaction stops before
it starts.

A short packing list

  • Linen or cotton trousers, more than one pair
  • T-shirts and long sleeved shirts that cover the shoulders
  • A large light scarf
  • Closed walking shoes, plus sandals for the evening
  • A brimmed hat and real sunglasses
  • A fleece or light jacket, essential in winter, useful any time on a boat at night
  • Swimwear if there is a pool, a boat or the Red Sea on your itinerary

Common questions

Can I wear a dress in Egypt?
Yes, if it covers the shoulders and reaches around the knee. Long loose dresses are one of the
most comfortable things to wear in the heat.
Do I need to dress differently on a Nile cruise?
On board is relaxed and swimwear is fine by the pool. Stepping ashore to visit a temple means
the same shoulders and knees rule as everywhere else.
What about leggings?
Fine with a top that covers the hips. Leggings alone read as tight in a way that draws
attention.
Will I be turned away for wearing the wrong thing?
Not at the monuments. At a mosque, yes, and most will lend you a robe rather than refuse you.
Is it different in Cairo compared to Luxor?
Cairo is a large city and you will see a wide range. Smaller towns and rural areas along the Nile
are more conservative, so the same outfit reads differently in each.
What should I wear in Egypt in November?

November days are warm, often in the high 70s to mid 80s °F (25 to 30 °C) in Luxor and Aswan and milder in Cairo, while mornings and evenings turn cool. Pack light, loose layers that cover shoulders and knees, a warm sweater or light jacket for early starts and the cruise deck, a sun hat and comfortable closed shoes for the temples.

Ask before you pack

If your itinerary includes a mosque, a desert night, a cruise or Red Sea time, the packing answer
changes. Tell us your route and we will tell you what it actually calls for.
Message us on WhatsApp.

Related reading: is Egypt safe for travelers,
can you drink the water in Egypt,
the best time to visit Egypt, and
tipping in Egypt.