Egypt is a country that requires quite a bit of planning before you visit. In addition to obtaining a visa, packing appropriately is essential for your trip to be a success. Egypt is a very conservative country which means that visitors to the country should cover up, especially women. We’re firm believers in ahering to local customs and dressing appropriately when we travel. We travelled during Summer which meant we had the heat to contend with as well, with sweltering temperatures around 40-50°C everyday. Here is our list of what to pack for Egypt travel.
Clothing: Egypt has no strict dress code, but the more conservatively that you dress, the less attention you’ll attract. I made sure my shoulders, knees and chest were always covered. Maxi dresses, linen pants, long skirts and t-shirts were my outfits of choice and I found that linen was definitely the best fabric to keep covered yet cool (ish). Dan mostly wore t-shirts and shorts (ensuring shoulders and knees were covered) and avoided singlet tops.
Definitely avoid revealing, tight-fitting clothing and workout style clothing. We both packed some light and white clothes, but these were filthy after a few hours due to the dirty and dusty conditions so I would avoid bringing your best whites!
Shoes: We both took joggers, thongs (flip-flops) and I also took my birkenstocks. The majority of Egyptian travel involves walking around ancient sites where the ground is sandy, dusty and uneven. You’ll definitely want to be wearing closed-toe walking shoes the majority of the time.
Sunglasses, Hat & Scarf: Walking around ancient sites all day in the hot hot hot sun will leave you very exposed. Pack sunglasses and a decent hat, ideally a wide-brimmed one! A scarf will come in handy for extra sun protection or for covering up if you visit a mosque or feel you need to cover up that bit further!
Swimmers: Pack a swimsuit for your hotel or resort pool (or the Red Sea if you’re planning a trip there). Just don’t swim in the Nile!
Toiletries & Medication: All of the usual toiletries & medications that we pack can be seen here: Our Packing List: Medicines & Toiletries.
Sunscreen: The Egyptian sun is SO strong! A high SPF sunscreen is essential to ensure you don’t get fried!
Bug Spray: Bug Spray is an essential when travelling in Egypt in Summer, especially along the Nile where the mosquitos can be relentless.
Electrolytes: I’m so glad I packed a few tubes of hydralyte tablets as we were putting hydrayte in our water bottles everyday as it was so bloody hot and it definitely helped us to avoid heat stoke/dehydration!
Day bag: I like to take a cross-body bag to use during the day for essentials. You can get whatever type of bags online that you need!
Phone: We purchased a sim card at Cairo airport when we arrived and I am so glad that we did as the wifi in the hotels was average, and often only worked in the lobby/reception areas. We like to learn a few useful and friendly phrases when we visit new countries, so it may also be worth downloading a language app.
Camera: Egypt has endless photo ops so be sure to pack plenty of memory cards & make sure your camera is always charged.
Hand Sanitiser: I always travel with hand sanitiser but used it constantly throughout my time in Egypt, especially after using bathrooms and when eating street food.
Toilet Paper & Wet Wipes: Not necessarily something to pack in your luggage, but definitely something to take out each day with you. Wet wipes are great if you are going on an overnight felucca trip with no showers. A ‘wet wipe’ shower won’t leave you feeling as fresh as a daisy but will definitely help you to feel more human!
Travel adapter: Egypt’s powerpoints are the same as European ones so you’ll be able to use your Europe travel adapter in Egypt.
Hopefully this will help you to pack for Egypt adventures! You can read more on Egypt here: A Review of Egypt Adventure Intrepid Tour | I swam in the Nile and got schistosomiasis | 5 Must Visit Sites in Egypt | What it is like to take an Egyptian Night Train | The Cost of Travelling in Egypt
This post was written in collaboration with Dynamic Gift.
