Egypt spans fourteen degrees of latitude from Mediterranean coast to Sudanese border. The Nile Delta receives winter precipitation that Luxor does not. Sinai Peninsula elevations exceed 2600 meters while Qattara Depression sits 133 meters below sea level. Red Sea resorts reach forty degrees Celsius in August while Cairo winter mornings drop to ten. A single packing list cannot address these ranges.
Cairo air quality averaged 156 on the US AQI scale in 2023 according to IQAir monitoring. That places the city in the unhealthy category on most measurement days. Particulate matter comes from vehicle exhaust, construction dust, desert sand, and biomass burning in agricultural regions of the Nile Delta. N95 or FFP2 masks filter particles below 2.5 microns. Cloth masks do not. Traffic police and street vendors in central Cairo wear filtration masks during winter months when inversions trap pollutants. Visitors with respiratory conditions carry multiple rated masks for outdoor site visits.
The Egyptian sun crosses directly overhead at summer solstice in Aswan. UV index measurements at Luxor and the Red Sea coast regularly exceed eleven between May and August. A rating of eleven means unprotected skin burns in ten to fifteen minutes. Dermatology studies from the Egyptian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology document increased melanoma rates in foreign residents who do not adjust sun protection. SPF 50 sunscreen requires reapplication every ninety minutes during Nile cruises where reflected water light intensifies exposure. Long-sleeve linen shirts reduce sunscreen volume needed and eliminate application gaps. Wide-brim hats shade ears and neck which cotton keffiyeh scarves also accomplish. Sunglasses need UV400 rating minimum. Desert tours to White Desert or Siwa Oasis require this same protection year-round because sand reflects seventy to eighty percent of UV radiation upward.
Dress codes apply at every mosque and at Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai. Mosques require covered shoulders and legs extending below the knee for both genders. Women cover hair with scarves. Saint Catherine's enforces identical rules. The Coptic churches in Old Cairo request covered shoulders but not head covering. These are not cultural suggestions but entrance requirements. Guards at Al-Azhar Mosque and Mosque of Muhammad Ali turn away visitors in shorts or sleeveless shirts. Carrying a large cotton scarf solves shoulder and hair coverage. Lightweight palazzo pants or long skirts meet leg coverage requirements while remaining cooler than jeans in forty-degree heat. Some mosques provide loaner robes at entrances but others do not. The robe quality and cleanliness varies.
Egyptian tourism sites spread across distances Americans typically underestimate. Cairo to Aswan measures 675 kilometers by rail. Abu Simbel sits 280 kilometers south of Aswan. Sharm el-Sheikh lies 490 kilometers from Cairo across Sinai. Long-distance buses use varying air conditioning standards and roads deteriorate outside main highways. Domestic Egypt Air flights connect major cities but baggage weight limits drop to twenty kilograms on Cairo-Aswan routes using smaller aircraft. Wheeled luggage handles badly on unpaved sections around archaeological sites. The path from Luxor Temple parking to the first pylon crosses compacted dirt and stone. A daypack carries water, sun protection, and documentation while leaving hands free for cameras and navigation through crowds at Valley of the Kings where paths narrow between tomb entrances.
The Egyptian pound floated in 2016 and devalued multiple times since. Official exchange rates in January 2024 exceeded thirty pounds per US dollar but rates shift monthly. Credit cards work in Cairo hotels and major restaurants but most transactions outside tourist zones require cash. ATMs in Alexandria and tourist cities dispense pounds. Some limit withdrawals to 5000 pounds per transaction. Rural areas between Luxor and Aswan or in the Western Desert oases may have no functioning ATMs. A money belt worn under clothing protects larger bills during multi-day desert trips. Receipts and ticket stubs matter for exit documentation at some sites so a zippered pouch prevents loss.
Tap water in Egypt requires treatment before drinking. The Egyptian Ministry of Health confirms municipal treatment in Cairo and Alexandria but aging pipe infrastructure introduces contamination between plant and tap. Bottled water costs three to eight Egyptian pounds per liter at shops. Hotels provide complimentary bottles but daily drinking needs exceed those quantities in summer heat. Water purification tablets weigh almost nothing and treat suspect sources. Pump filters or ultraviolet sterilizers work but add weight and bulk. Most Egypt visitors carry a one-liter bottle refilled from purchased multi-liter jugs. Brushing teeth with tap water causes gastric problems for many foreign visitors so treated water extends to all oral contact.
Photography equipment faces two main threats in Egypt: dust and theft. The Western Desert generates fine sand particles that penetrate camera seals. The Khan el-Khalili bazaar crowds and Cairo Metro crush provide cover for pickpockets. Dust protection requires sealable plastic bags or dedicated camera covers. Bringing lens cleaning supplies proves necessary because dust appears on sensors within days of arrival. Tripods draw attention at archaeological sites where guards may demand additional fees to permit their use or prohibit them entirely. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo allows cameras but prohibits flash. The Grand Egyptian Museum that opened in 2023 prohibits photography in Tutankhamun galleries. A crossbody camera strap prevents snatch theft more effectively than neck straps. Some tourists use dummy cameras as decoys while keeping actual equipment concealed until reaching less crowded locations.
Temperature differentials between day and night exceed twenty Celsius degrees in desert regions. White Desert camping trips experience afternoon heat above thirty-five degrees and pre-dawn cold below ten. Layering systems work better than single heavy jackets. Merino wool base layers dry faster than cotton and resist odor during multi-day trips where laundry is impossible. A lightweight down jacket compresses to fist size and provides adequate warmth for desert nights. Siwa Oasis winter nights between December and February drop below five degrees. The high desert terrain around Saint Catherine's Monastery receives snow some winters and sits at 1600 meters elevation where temperatures run ten degrees below coastal readings.
Red Sea diving and snorkeling at Ras Muhammad National Park or near Hurghada requires specific equipment or rental decisions. Dahab dive shops rent full equipment sets for approximately $25 to $40 USD daily. Masks and snorkels develop leaks and fog from prior use. Bringing a personal mask guarantees proper seal and familiarity. Prescription mask lenses cost $75 to $150 from US suppliers before departure. Renting wetsuits introduces sizing problems because Egyptian rental stock optimizes for European body proportions. A 3mm wetsuit works for Red Sea water temperatures between 21 and 28 degrees Celsius year-round. Reef-safe sunscreen protects areas wetsuits do not cover and prevents chemical damage to coral systems where Egyptian environmental law prohibits harmful formulations.
Egyptian trains and buses maintain cold air conditioning that passengers cannot control individually. The overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan runs air conditioning at levels that require sweaters in July. A packable fleece or hoodie addresses this gap. Nile cruise ships between Luxor and Aswan similarly over-cool cabins. Bus rides from Cairo to Sharm el-Sheikh last approximately seven hours and operate AC at uncomfortable levels based on driver preference.
Electrical outlets in Egypt use European-style two-pin round plugs at 220 volts and 50 Hz frequency. North American devices need plug adapters and voltage converters unless labeled for universal voltage. Phone and laptop chargers typically handle 110-240 volts but hair dryers and curling irons often do not. The Egyptian electrical grid experiences brief outages in summer during peak demand hours. Hotels in Cairo and tourist cities maintain generator backup but rural guesthouses may not. Portable battery banks maintain phone charge during day trips to Valley of the Kings or Abu Simbel where no charging access exists. A 20,000 mAh battery bank recharges a typical smartphone four to five times.
Hiking in Sinai Peninsula to Mount Sinai summit or through Saint Catherine Protectorate requires ankle support and traction. The traditional overnight ascent to watch sunrise from Mount Sinai covers approximately 3750 meters of uneven stone steps and scree paths in darkness. Tennis shoes or casual sneakers lack sufficient ankle support and tread depth. The path includes loose rock sections where slipping occurs. Lightweight hiking boots or approach shoes provide needed stability. The summit temperature at dawn runs fifteen to twenty degrees below base temperatures at the monastery. Most hikers start around 2 AM and reach the summit by 5 AM. Headlamps with red light settings preserve night vision better than white light and reduce disturbance to other hikers. Trekking poles reduce knee stress on the descent though their bulk complicates packing for travelers visiting only this one hiking objective.
Medical supplies require careful selection because Egyptian pharmacies stock different formulations than Western markets. Antibiotics available over-the-counter in Egypt may not match familiar brands or dosages. Bringing a personal supply of prescription medications in original labeled bottles prevents customs problems and ensures continuity. The Egyptian heat degrades some medications so cooler storage in hotel safes protects efficacy. Imodium or loperamide addresses common traveler's diarrhea that results from food preparation differences or new bacterial exposure. Oral rehydration salts replace electrolytes lost to heat and digestive problems. Egyptian pharmacies sell rehydration formulations but reading Arabic labels introduces error risk. Bringing pre-measured packets from home eliminates guesswork. Basic first aid supplies include adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment, and blister treatment because extended walking at Karnak Temple Complex or Saqqara generates foot friction. Digital thermometers identify fever that could indicate serious illness requiring physician evaluation.
Navigation in Cairo and Alexandria depends on Arabic script recognition or digital tools. Street signs use Arabic primarily with occasional English transliterations that vary in accuracy. Offline maps downloaded before arrival maintain functionality when data connections fail. Google Maps coverage of Egypt includes most tourist sites but rural roads in Western Desert may not appear. Buying a local SIM card at Cairo International Airport costs approximately 100 Egyptian pounds and provides data for map access and ride-hailing apps. Vodafone Egypt and Orange Egypt maintain coverage in cities and along main highways but signals disappear in desert regions between oases. Paper maps of Cairo and the archaeological sites provide backup when batteries die or signals drop. The Lonely Planet Egypt map shows major roads and sites at 1:1,800,000 scale.
Document organization prevents problems at archaeological sites and checkpoints. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities requires ticket purchase for each major site with separate fees for cameras in some locations. Tickets are paper and must be shown at multiple checkpoints within large complexes like Karnak. Losing a ticket may require exit and repurchase. A waterproof document holder protects tickets from sweat and accidental water exposure. Passport photocopies satisfy most checkpoint requirements while keeping the original secure in hotel safes. Tourist police at Valley of the Kings and other sites sometimes request passport display. Egypt maintains security checkpoints on highways where guards verify passenger identity. Keeping passport photocopies accessible speeds these interactions.
Insect protection becomes necessary in Nile Delta regions and around Lake Nasser during warm months. Mosquitoes near Aswan and in Delta agricultural areas carry low malaria risk according to Egyptian Ministry of Health data but transmit other illnesses. DEET concentrations of twenty-five to thirty percent provide protection for four to six hours. Permethrin treatment of clothing adds another barrier and survives multiple wash cycles. The treatment binds to fabric fibers and remains effective through approximately six launderings. Nile cruise cabins sometimes allow mosquito entry through ventilation systems. Small battery-powered fans create airflow that disrupts mosquito flight capability near beds. Sleeping under treated bed nets provides certainty but adds bulk that most short-term travelers avoid.
Sand and dust create problems for contact lens wearers throughout Egypt. The particulate levels in Cairo air and the constant dust at archaeological sites introduce irritation and infection risk. Bringing backup glasses allows switching when irritation occurs. Daily disposable contact lenses reduce infection risk compared to monthly lenses that accumulate deposits. Rewetting drops formulated for contacts provide temporary relief but dust exposure often overwhelms their capacity. Some ophthalmologists recommend against contact lens use during Egypt visits because infrastructure for emergency eye care outside Cairo remains limited.
Conservative dress extends beyond religious site requirements to general comfort in Egyptian society. Foreign women attract less attention when covering shoulders and avoiding shorts in public spaces. This is not law but reflects cultural norms that affect daily interactions. Men in tank tops or short shorts receive critical stares and occasional comments. Loose-fitting cotton or linen clothing provides better air circulation than tight synthetic fabrics in Egyptian heat. Light colors reflect sunlight while dark colors absorb and trap heat. The practical advantages align with cultural expectations in this case.
Hydration needs in Egyptian summer heat exceed typical consumption patterns. The dry air wicks moisture from skin before perspiration becomes visible so dehydration develops without obvious warning. An adult requires approximately three to four liters of water daily during summer archaeological site visits. Carrying two one-liter bottles allows extended touring without seeking refills. The bottles need insulation or cooler bags because water left in sun reaches undrinkable temperatures within thirty minutes. Some tourists freeze half-filled bottles overnight and top them with cool water in morning so melting ice maintains cold temperature through afternoon. Electrolyte additives prevent hyponatremia that occurs when heavy water consumption dilutes blood sodium levels.
Security conditions in Egypt require monitoring but do not justify excessive fear. The Sinai Peninsula experienced terrorism incidents between 2011 and 2017 primarily targeting security forces. The Egyptian military established checkpoints and restricted access to parts of North Sinai. South Sinai tourist areas including Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab maintain separate security status. Most Western governments publish travel advisories specific to Egyptian regions. The US State Department maintains updated assessments at travel.state.gov/Egypt. Registering travel plans with embassy systems enables communication during emergencies.