Egypt Packing List: What to Bring for Every Trip Type

Egypt covers more ground than most travellers expect: a week might start in Cairo’s medieval mosques, continue on a Nile cruise through Luxor and Aswan, and end with three days snorkelling off a Red Sea reef. Each environment has different demands. A packing list that works for all of them is not long — it just needs to be deliberate.

This list is organised first by universal essentials, then by specific trip types.

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Universal Essentials (All Egypt Trips)

Clothing

Egypt’s dress culture and climate create consistent requirements regardless of your itinerary.

Modest layers for cities and sites. Lightweight trousers and long-sleeved shirts work in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Alexandria. Avoid shorts, vest tops, or anything sleeveless when outside beach resort zones. Cotton and linen breathe better than synthetics and dry quickly after hand-washing.

A large, lightweight scarf. This is the single most useful item you can pack. Use it as a head covering for mosque entry, a shoulder cover at conservative sites, a beach wrap, and sun protection during long outdoor days. Bring two — you will use both.

Comfortable walking shoes with closed toes. The sites are uneven stone, rubble, and sand. Sandals are fine for resort walks but inadequate for pyramid climbs, temple floors, and street markets. Trainers or lightweight hiking shoes handle everything.

A pair of slip-on sandals. Required for entering mosques (shoes come off at the door). Convenient for general heat during non-temple hours.

Sun Protection

Egypt’s UV index runs 8–11 for most of the year and peaks above 11 in June through August. This matters more than most travellers account for.

• SPF 50 sunscreen — bring enough from home; resort pricing is inflated
• Wide-brim hat — full brim, not a baseball cap; temple sites offer zero shade
• UV-protection sunglasses — wraparound style preferred; reflected light off sand and water is intense
• UPF 50+ long-sleeve sun shirt — more practical than relying on sunscreen for eight-hour outdoor days

Electronics and Adapters

• Type C/F plug adapter — Egypt uses two-round-pin sockets at 220V
• Portable power bank — long site visits, desert day trips, and Nile feluccas offer no charging points
• Waterproof phone case or dry bag — Red Sea snorkelling and felucca trips both involve splash risk
• Torch or headlamp — power cuts occur in smaller towns and rural sites; tombs in the Valley of the Kings are underlit

Documents

Carry physical copies of everything, separate from the originals.

• Passport (original) with at least 6 months validity from your departure date
• Egypt e-visa printout — available at visa2.egov.eg; 30-day single-entry as of 2026, most nationalities eligible
• Travel insurance certificate — with the emergency line number accessible offline
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate if entering from a listed country (check Egypt’s requirements before travel)
• Accommodation confirmations — customs occasionally asks for first-night address
• Emergency contacts card — keep one in your bag and one in your main luggage

Medications and Health

Egyptian pharmacies (marked with a green crescent) are well-stocked in cities, but availability in smaller towns is unpredictable. Bring your full supply of any prescription medication plus a buffer.

• Oral rehydration salts — heat and long walking days cause dehydration fast; ORS is more efficient than water alone
• Antidiarrheal and antinausea tablets — traveller’s stomach is common in the first 48–72 hours
• Prescription medications — bring more than you think you need; re-supply is not guaranteed
• Hand sanitiser — not always available at site entrances or street food stalls
• Insect repellent — DEET-based; mosquitoes are an issue around the Nile at dusk
• Any personal allergy medications

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By Trip Type

Cairo Cultural Trip

A Cairo-focused trip centres on mosques, markets, the Egyptian Museum, and the Giza plateau. The city is dense, loud, and dusty.

Add to your universal list:

• A second pair of comfortable walking shoes (feet take punishment on Cairo’s uneven pavements — alternating pairs helps)
• Small day pack (carry water and sun protection without looking like a target)
• Modest long dress or thobe for women — useful for Islamic Cairo visits to Al-Azhar, Ibn Tulun, and the Citadel mosques; practical and cooler than trousers in summer
• Dust mask or buff — Khan el-Khalili and the older quarters generate significant dust
• Cash in Egyptian pounds — many smaller shops, tea houses, and entrance booths are cash-only

Leave behind:

• Shorts and sleeveless tops (these will cause friction in Islamic Cairo regardless of temperature)
• Expensive jewellery (Bazaar areas attract attention)

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Red Sea Beach Trip

Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, and El Gouna all follow resort rules: beach and pool areas operate like any Mediterranean destination. Modesty applies only outside resort grounds.

Add to your universal list:

• Rash guard — mandatory for long snorkelling sessions; coral and sun combined with immersion create burn risk even through clouds
• Water shoes — Red Sea entry points are often rocky or urchin-patched; shoes matter
• Reef-safe sunscreen — Egypt’s reef systems are protected; standard oxybenzone sunscreens contribute to bleaching and are banned by responsible operators
• Mask and snorkel — rental quality varies; if you’re particular about mask fit, bring your own
• Fins — optional if you’re a strong swimmer, but they transform what you can reach over a reef
• Lightweight cover-up for transfers — taxis between resort and town are not beach-appropriate without one
• Dry bag — for boat trips; camera, phone, and documents need waterproof protection

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Desert Safari (Western Desert, White Desert, Siwa)

Desert trips — particularly to the White Desert, Black Desert, and Siwa Oasis — require gear that handles extreme daytime heat and cold nights.

Add to your universal list:

• Warm fleece or down layer — desert temperatures drop sharply after sunset; the White Desert in winter regularly falls below 5°C overnight
• Headtorch with spare batteries — camps have no lighting; batteries drain faster in the cold
• Buff or face scarf — sandstorms arrive without warning and last hours
• Closed-toe shoes with ankle support — sand dune walking is hard on unsupported footwear
• High-SPF lip balm — desert air is extremely dry; lips crack within a day without protection
• Large-capacity water bottle (2+ litres) — rehydration in desert heat requires more water than instinct suggests; 4–5 litres per day is not unusual in summer
• Basic first aid kit — plasters, blister treatment, antiseptic; remote desert locations are far from medical facilities
• Portable solar charger — multi-day desert trips have no power; a small solar panel keeps phone and headtorch batteries up

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Nile Cruise (Luxor to Aswan)

Nile cruises alternate between air-conditioned ship cabins and outdoor temple visits in full sun. The dress requirements at pharaonic sites are cultural rather than religious — no head covering required — but sun protection is non-negotiable.

Add to your universal list:

• Smart-casual outfit for evenings — cruise ships serve dinner in a dining room with dress codes (collared shirts, no flip-flops); one or two nicer outfits are worth packing
• Lightweight cardigan or layer — ship air conditioning is aggressive; bring something warm for evenings on deck and for restaurants
• Binoculars — temple friezes and cliff tombs in the Valley of the Kings are better appreciated with magnification
• Sun hat with chin strap — Nile breezes catch brims; a standard wide brim blows off on deck
• Small backpack for shore excursions — the ship stays docked while you tour; carry water, sun protection, and camera for three-to-four-hour temple walks
• Motion sickness tablets — the Nile is calm but a small percentage of travellers experience nausea, particularly at the Esna Lock

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What Not to Pack

• Drone — commercial drones require prior permission from Egypt’s Civil Aviation Authority; enforced at airports and many heritage sites, and confiscated on discovery
• Pork or alcohol in large quantities — Egypt allows alcohol at licensed hotels and bars, but importing quantities through customs is restricted
• Revealing clothing for city use — not illegal, but practically creates friction and unwanted attention outside resort zones
• Expensive camera equipment without documentation — customs occasionally queries high-value electronics; carry purchase receipts or an equipment list

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Quick Packing Summary

Category	Must-Bring
Clothing	Modest layers, lightweight scarf x2, walking shoes, slip-on sandals
Sun	SPF 50, wide-brim hat, UV sunglasses, sun shirt
Electronics	Plug adapter (Type C/F), power bank, dry bag
Documents	Passport, e-visa printout, insurance, emergency contacts
Health	ORS, antidiarrheal, prescriptions, insect repellent
Red Sea	Rash guard, water shoes, reef-safe sunscreen, mask/snorkel
Desert	Warm layer, headtorch, buff, 2L+ water bottle
Nile cruise	Smart-casual outfit, binoculars, sun hat with chin strap

Prices and visa requirements above are as of 2026. Check Egypt’s official government sources before travel for current entry requirements. For attraction tickets in Egypt without queuing at the gate, browse Tiqets Egypt for pre-booked museum and site entry.