What to Wear in Egypt — A Simple Packing List for Temples, Beaches and the Desert

Egypt is relaxed about what visitors wear, but a little planning makes the trip more comfortable and more respectful. The short version: light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees for cities and temples, a swimsuit for the Red Sea, and a warm layer for early mornings and desert nights.

In cities and at temples

Cairo, Luxor and Aswan are conservative cities, and you will feel more at ease, and be stared at less, in modest clothes.

• Light, loose trousers, long skirts or knee-length shorts in linen or cotton.
• T-shirts and shirts that cover the shoulders. A long-sleeved shirt is also the best sun protection.
• A scarf or shawl. Useful for women in mosques, against the sun and for cool air-conditioning.
• Comfortable closed shoes or good sandals. Temples mean a lot of walking on uneven stone and sand.

Visiting mosques

Shoulders and knees should be covered for everyone, and women should cover their hair. Shoes come off at the door. Many famous mosques lend robes or scarves at the entrance, but carrying your own scarf is easier.

At the Red Sea resorts

Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, El Gouna and Marsa Alam are beach resorts used to international visitors. Swimwear is normal at the hotel, on the beach and on boats. Put on a cover-up or clothes when you go into town, to a restaurant or on a day trip.

• Swimwear, and a rash guard for snorkelling, which also protects against the sun.
• Water shoes for rocky and coral beaches.
• A hat and polarised sunglasses.

In the desert

For a quad or jeep safari, think dust and sun.

• Long, light trousers and a long-sleeved top.
• A scarf or buff to cover your face from dust.
• Closed shoes, not sandals.
• A warm layer if you stay for sunset; the desert cools fast after dark.

What to pack by season

• Summer (June to September): the lightest, breathable clothes; the sun is strong everywhere.
• Spring and autumn: warm days, pleasant evenings; one light jacket is enough.
• Winter (December to February): warm days in the south and by the sea, but cool mornings and evenings. Bring a sweater and a proper jacket, especially for Cairo, balloon flights and Mount Sinai.

Don't forget

• High-factor, reef-safe sunscreen and lip balm
• A refillable water bottle
• A small day bag for tours
• A power bank and an adapter (Egypt uses two-pin C and F sockets)
• Light medication for stomach upsets

Plan the rest

Read our first-time tips for Egypt and the best time to visit, then compare the best-rated things to do in Hurghada.

Photos: Sandy Gamal (CC BY-SA 4.0); David Dennis from Scotts Valley, CA, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.