What to wear in Egypt as a tourist

Why what you wear in Egypt matters

Egypt is a predominantly Muslim country where conservative dress is expected in public places like the ancient monuments and museums. You don’t need to cover yourself from neck to ankle, but if you bare too much flesh it will be seen as disrespectful and, for women, might draw unwelcome attention.

I dressed modestly during our holiday and, even so, felt uncomfortable with the amount of eyes on me when we spent an evening in a less touristy part of Luxor. Staring and cat calls are sadly common away from tourist attractions, even if you are just walking down a main road with your husband and children.

If you’re a female visiting Egypt and would prefer to minimise unwanted attention, this guide will be particularly useful to you.

However, if you’re just planning a stop and flop holiday on the Red Sea coast you can pack like you would for a beach holiday in Europe. Add plenty of sun cream and check your hotel’s clothing policy for its restaurants.

Clothes to pack for your Egypt holiday

Planning your holiday wardrobe is very similar to other north African and more conservative Arabian countries like Oman. Planning a trip to Marrakesh or Casablanca? Here’s what to wear in Morocco.

Here’s what I’d recommend you wear for different activities and in different places in Egypt:

What to wear in Egypt for sightseeing and museums

Covering shoulders and knees is expected of ladies when out in public in Egypt. Men also wear trousers and T-shirts rather than shorts and a vest, but male tourists can get way with more (or less, as is the case).

Children (pre-puberty) are also exempt from stricter expectations about clothing. Dress them comfortably for the activity you are doing. My girls wore T-shirts and leggings or loose trousers for much of our trip, giving them freedom of movement and protection from the sun.

Teenage girls may protest, but dressing conservatively applies to them too.

Cropped trousers, t-shirts and shirts made from linen or cotton with robust sandals or trainers are the ideal clothes for exploring in Egypt. The looser the better for your comfort.

Don’t forget your hat and sun glasses too.

But can you wear shorts as a tourist in Egypt?

Guys, you’re free to get those hairy legs out, but long shorts that sit on the knee are better than short ones.

Ladies will attract negative attention if wearing shorts. And honestly, they don’t make you feel cooler if your legs are sweating and you’re jumping in and out of leather-seated taxis or tour buses.

What to wear in mosques and churches

We didn’t go to any religious buildings during our trip. But we know from visiting other Muslim and devoutly Christian countries that shoulders and knees should be covered in mosques and churches.

Woman should also bring a scarf to cover their hair.

What should children wear in Egypt?

Children under the age of puberty can pretty much wear what they like. Just make sure it’s practical.

We packed short sleeved t-shirts and long cotton trousers to keep our girls comfortable in the heat. They lived in their hiking sandals which were comfy for walking.

Hats and sun glasses are also a must. If you are going to be swimming at hotel pools or at the beach on the Red Sea, bring rash vests or long sleeved swimsuits to protect their shoulders and arms.

At your hotel

You can wear what you like in your hotel. Your normal swimwear is fine by the pool. Just check the dress code for hotel restaurants.

At our final hotel on the Red Sea, bikinis, thongs and speedos were standard lounging attire at the beach, but tops/shirts were required in the buffet and restaurants.

What not to wear in Egypt

We saw lots of people in strappy tops and bum skimming shorts at the ancient monuments, even during Ramadan.

These skimpy outfits made me cringe at these people’s lack of cultural awareness.

And, I know I’ve banged on about it already but, unless ladies want a negative experience, outfits that show off cleavage, shoulders and legs will draw negative attention.

Truth bomb: I’d also not recommend not wearing floaty dresses for sightseeing.

A lot of people do as they look dreamy in photos. But you will get sweaty legs.

I saw one poor lady at Hatshepsut’s temple who had gathered up her long skirt and pulled it back up through her legs and into her neck line to stop her legs chaffing.

It’s also difficult to climb inside a pyramid or down into a tomb in the Valley of the Kings if you are tripping over your skirt.

Egypt packing list: clothes

Here’s what we each packed for sightseeing and hanging out at our hotels:

• Two pairs of cotton/light trousers 
• 10 cotton t-shirts or shirts for day time 
• 3 evening outfits – longer is more versatile for using inside and outside your hotel
• 1 light jumper
• 12 pairs of underwear 
• 2 swimsuits with long sleeves or separate rash vest
• Sarong or beach shirt/dress
• Hat
• Sunglasses 
• Walking sandals or trainers 
• Flip flops
• Evening shoes or sandals

Packing note: if you want to travel super light you can cut back on some of the changes of tops and underwear and wash them as you go.

We moved every two nights and had long days of sightseeing so didn’t have time do any hand washing during our holiday. We also found that, less than 48 hours wasn’t long enough for the hotel laundry to turn around our dirty washing. So we made sure we had enough clothes for our whole trip.

Here’s the other essentials we packed:

• Toiletaries
• Factor 50 sun cream and after sun
• Small first aid kit including travel sickness and Imodium tablets
• Wet wipes for freshening up on the go
• Packets of tissues (you’ll need these at public toilets)
• Phone and tablet charger leads
• Battery packs
• Power adaptors

Final thoughts on what to wear in Egypt

Egypt is a holiday destination which demands a bit of cultural awareness when packing. Think conservatively and practically about what you wear for seeing the historic sites, religious places and souqs. Reserve your fleshiest holiday fits for your hotel and beside the pool.

Find more tips on what to pack including travel documents and first aid kit in my full Egypt travel guide and to see where we went read my 10 day Egypt itinerary.

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