If you’re not sure what to bring to Egypt, you’ve come to the right place. Along with a detailed packing list for Egypt, there are recommendations for what to wear there. We’ll talk about Cairo’s dress code, what men (and women) should pack for Egypt, and essentials you might have overlooked.
We learned about traditional but contemporary Egypt during our tour. Egypt’s dress code is quite straightforward, but there are differences between men’s and women’s styles. Following these straightforward packing suggestions will ensure that you have a safe trip to Egypt. A comprehensive checklist with items you should leave at home and travel necessities is provided at the bottom.
Table of Contents
Weather and The Best Time to Visit Egypt
Despite the majority of the year’s temperatures being fairly high, you should take Egypt’s weather into account. Winter is the peak travel season and is when most people travel. Warm daytime temperatures and chilly evenings are typical of December through February.
Between October and November and March and April is shoulder season. It is best to schedule activities for the morning and evening because it can get very hot during the day at this time of year. Things start to warm up in April, and Egypt begins to experience truly warm temperatures in May. Although highs can reach 32 degrees Celsius, the average temperature is 25 degrees. You’ll long for constant heat relief in July and August. The average temperature is 28 degrees Celsius, but it can easily reach 34 degrees. The months of May through September can be excruciatingly hot, so I don’t advise traveling then.
What Should Female Travelers Wear in Egypt?
In Egypt, women are expected to dress more traditionally than men. You will draw less attention (and have a more immersive trip) if you pack clothes that cover from at least the shoulder to below the knee, even though the expectations for tourists are less strict than for local women.
Better clothing sizing is looser clothing. Just as much as exposed skin, form-fitting clothing can be offensive. It’s also a good idea to bring a few tunics and long sleeve shirts that you can easily layer over your clothes in more formal settings.
Female visitors should cover their decolletage and hair, as well as their ankles and elbows, when visiting mosques. It’s more important to be perceived as making an effort, so don’t worry if a few stray strands are visible underneath the head scarf. Female travelers are not expected to cover their heads except when visiting mosques.
So what if you want to swim? The good news is that you can bring your regular swimsuit to Egypt. There are no dress codes at hotels that have pools and cater to tourists.
What Should Male Travelers Wear in Egypt?
Men dress well in Egypt. They dress in pants and either a long or short-sleeved shirt. Some women dress in the more conventional abaya, which is ironically referred to as Egyptian air conditioning. Despite assurances from others that it was acceptable, no Egyptian men were seen wearing shorts when my husband wore them. In Egypt, men can typically dress however they please.
- The Madda Fella collection of shirts, shorts, polos, and swimwear has a variety of fashionable and functional beachwear options.
- However, save your shorts for the beach and resort areas. Long pants and a shirt are preferred elsewhere.
- Long-sleeved shirts or t-shirts made of cotton or another natural fiber will help you stay cooler.
Can I Carry a Cross-Body Purse in Egypt?
Any woman with a larger chest will be aware that wearing a cross-body handbag requires the strap to heavily emphasize The Girls. No matter how heavy the bag is, if you have boobs, they will stand out when wearing it cross-body.
Naturally, a cross-body bag is my go-to travel accessory (they’re much more secure because they’re harder to steal while you’re wearing them), but I wasn’t sure I would feel comfortable wearing one in Egypt. Instead, I chose a pickpocket-resistant backpack, which gave me greater security while I was out sightseeing.
Although I did bring a small cross-body bag with me, I only used it when I was going out to dinner or in other situations where I didn’t need to carry a heavy object like a water bottle or camera. Even though I frequently wore it with a jacket or scarf, I didn’t encounter any harassment while carrying this bag.
Egypt: How Conservative Is It?
It is best to conduct some research before deciding how to dress in Egypt. Egypt is a predominantly Muslim nation. In Egypt, I encountered every conceivable dress code. Although most people dress conservatively in Giza and other areas, Cairo seemed to be more liberal in the younger neighborhoods.
At the tourist attractions, visitors appeared to have a dress code. Shorts, tight pants, high heels, and short dresses were worn in locations such as the Temple of Karnack, the Great Pyramids, and the Temple of Philae. You will see men wearing traditional thobes and women wearing hijabs and abayas, though, as soon as you leave these tourist attractions and enter the streets.
As a visitor in their country, it is advised that you dress appropriately. It’s a display of deference in our eyes. No cleavage, short dresses, or short shorts are permitted. You’ll feel more out of place if you choose to dress provocatively than if you don’t.
What Should I Wear in Egypt?
Egypt is a country that takes great pride in its traditions and culture. This means that visitors from other nations who enter Egypt using an Egyptian eVisa are expected to respect local traditions on a variety of occasions, such as by dressing appropriately and respecting (but not necessarily observing) the holy month of Ramadan in Egypt.
Egypt is a conservative nation overall, even though many of the rules regarding clothing are unwritten. Egyptians take pride in their appearance and frequently wear fashionable attire, but these clothes always lean modest and refrain from exposing too much skin.
The majority of Egypt’s land is desert. The summer months can bring highs of well over 40 degrees. As a result, it’s imperative that tourists always dress in airy, light clothing. They should also cover their heads with hats or scarves during the hottest parts of the day, especially if they plan to do a lot of walking and sightseeing.
Do I Need to Cover My Hair in Egypt?
I was extremely concerned about this query as well, but the response is no. Visitors who are female are not expected to cover their hair. So, yes, you can, if you so choose. Just be sure to conduct yourself in a respectful manner, not just to look good.
In Egypt, I personally opted to go bare-headed and didn’t experience any significant problems. After all, concealing my light hair won’t hide the fact that I’m a tourist, which is obvious. I did make sure to wear my hair up, either in a braid, bun, or ponytail, as opposed to letting it hang loose. Maybe it’s just me, but I felt that was a little more respectful.
I do want to mention that I did meet a few women who were very blonde, which attracted a lot of extra unwelcome attention to the point where some people just reached out to touch their hair. For your own comfort if this is the case, you might want to cover your hair.
More Things You Should Pack For Egypt
Now that we’ve gone over what not to wear in Egypt and what you can wear instead, here’s an extension of that Egypt packing guide we started in the above paragraphs:
Comfy Shoes
You probably traveled to Egypt to see the Great Pyramids and explore the historic temples, so you’ll probably be walking a lot while there.
When you’re in a city and don’t want dusty feet, closed-toed footwear is the best choice.
Something practical will be more important than something fashionable because there are a lot of uneven steps and walkways at the locations.
If you intend to spend any time in the water, I’d also advise bringing a pair of sandals with you to Egypt.
Socks
Although this might seem like a no-brainer to pack, I bring it up because you’ll need to remove your shoes to enter the mosques, so you’ll likely want to wear socks when you go.
Swimsuit
On their trip to Egypt, many tourists enjoy spending time swimming and engaging in other water sports. Don’t forget to pack a swimsuit if you want to go swimming at any of the many hotel pools, beach resorts, or Nile River cruises.
Conclusion
Being accompanied by a tour guide at the temples or on the crowded Nile River cruise was less demanding than aimlessly wandering through the local streets and neighborhoods. Even though I didn’t carry anything particularly restrictive, I felt more conscious of covering myself during these times, so I picked the loosest of my tops to wear when I was exploring cities.
