What to Wear in Egypt as a Tourist: Dress Code & Packing Tips

If you’re planning a trip, knowing what to wear in Egypt as a tourist is essential for a comfortable and respectful experience. 

From the bustling streets of Cairo to the majestic temples of Luxor, dressing appropriately helps you stay cool, blend in, and honor local customs.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Egyptian dress code and share tips for packing for every season and activity.

What to Wear in Egypt as a Tourist

When most people think of what to wear in Egypt as a tourist, they automatically think women need to be covered from head to toe 24/7. 

While Egypt is in fact a Muslim country and can be strict in certain places, women actually do not always need to cover up extensively.

This came as a huge relief to me, as I find having to cover up so much does impact my time while traveling. There are certain locations and situations where women will have to dress very conservatively, while other times they can relax and wear what they please.  

🧕🏻 How Do Female Tourists Dress in Egypt?

When it comes to what to wear as a tourist in Egypt as a female, you'll have to evaluate where you are. Generally, I think of it as three categories:

• Ultra conservative dress: this is when we need to cover EVERYTHING, including our hair.
• Semi-conservative dress: this is when we don't NEED to dress a certain way, but being more conservative will be more respectful/more comfortable for the tourist.
• Casual dress: this is for situations when women can wear whatever they want without having to worry about offending anyone.

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👗 How to Dress in Egypt as a Woman at Religious Sites

Religious sites are truly the only place you'll have to be ultra conservative with what to wear in Egypt as a tourist.

Women will need to be covered from head to toe, and that includes not having any kind of sheer material, or anything that can blow with the wind an expose you such as a slit in the side of your dress.

Think long dresses or skirts to your ankle, sleeved tops that cover your shoulders, and your hair completely covered. Basically no skin should show at all other than your face.

🚸 How to Dress on the Streets of Egypt

When it comes to what to wear as a tourist on the streets, you'll actually be surprised that it's not as conservative as you'd think! 

In crowded streets like Cairo or Luxor for example, you'll want to dress on the semi-conservative side. There are no rules for what to wear in Egypt as a tourist, but you'll certainly get some weird looks if you're very exposed.

The good thing is the younger generations are not as conservative, so it's not completely wild to not be covered up completely.

That being said, we'd recommend either a long flowy dress or skirt, or at least to stay away from super short shorts or very low cut tops.

🛖 How to Dress in Villages of Egypt

Big cities typically are used to tourists, therefore it isn't the craziest thing to see women not covered up a ton. However, going to the smaller villages is a bit of a different story.

Small towns like Siwa for example aren't used to having a ton of tourists, and while in town you might want to have something to cover your legs and shoulders. It's a sign of respect, and if you're heading really off the beaten path, then it's always good to just rethink what you're wearing around the locals.

❣️ What Do You Wear to the Pyramids in Egypt?

Despite female tourists needing to cover up at religious sites, there actually is no dress code for visiting the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt!

That being said, its always nice to be respectful, so you shouldn't be super exposed. We suggest wearing light and fashionable clothing that is somewhat modest, that way you can be comfortable, take pretty photos, and not make anyone locals feel really uncomfortable.

Something to note is that I brought a flying dress with me, and it was highly frowned upon by one random local woman that was visiting. Security did not care at all, but she made a massive deal about it.

While you technically can wear anything, the different police impose random rules of what they do and do not like, so we suggest being more subtle if you do have any fancier dresses.

🏜 What to Wear in Egypt as a Tourist Out in Nature

While visiting the nature around Egypt you are free to wear whatever you'd like! We suggest light and comfortable clothing, and carrying something with you to cover up in case you end up somewhere with more locals.

Places like out in the White Desert or the springs of the Siwa Oasis are completely safe and open when it comes to what to wear in Egypt as a tourist.

⭐️ Top Tip for What to Wear in Egypt as a Female Tourist 

One of my top tips for visiting Egypt is to do a bit of shopping as soon as you arrive.

There are so many shops that have thin scarves and shawls in every color you could imagine! They are super affordable, very light, and great to keep on you for when you do need to cover up.

👳🏻‍♂️ How Do Male Tourists Dress in Egypt?

Male tourists really don't have to worry about what to wear in Egypt as a tourist.

Fede typically wore t-shirts or light, casual button-ups on top. He stuck to jeans or casual pants at night, and wore mostly shorts when it was really hot.

👠 What Shoes to Wear in Egypt

Since there isn't a ton of fancy nightlife you really won't need to worry about bringing heels or overly dressy shoes with you to Egypt.

We had so many fun bucket list experiences that revolved around nature (and a lot of sand), so we'd recommend having comfortable sandals, and maybe one nice pair of sandals for fancier restaurants.

☀️ What to Wear in Egypt as a Tourist According to Seasons

Other than being culturally respectful, you'll also want to know what to wear in Egypt as a tourist as far as weather goes!

There is a common misconception that Egypt is always hot, and that actually isn't the case.

Winters get pretty cold, and in the spring and fall nights get chilly, especially out in the desert.

❄️ What to Wear in Egypt as a Tourist in the Winter

Winter has pretty mild weather during the days, and you can dress pretty much how you would dress for spring or fall in most of the US or Europe.

Nights do get chilly, and can go as low as forties or fifties, so we'd recommend a light jacket and some closed-toed shoes.

🌸 What to Wear in Egypt as a Tourist in the Spring & Fall

Spring and Fall in Egypt are pretty similar to summers in Scandinavia. Days are pleasantly hot and sunny, and nights tend to cool off a bit. For this reason, it's super important to bring some layers so you can stay warm!

Another thing to keep in mind is that even in spring and fall you can probably go to the beach (maybe just not swim), and there are also a lot of hot springs in Siwa, so don't forget to bring a bathing suit! (Yes, at beaches and springs you can wear a bathing suit without any issue).

🌞 What to Wear in Egypt as a Tourist in the Summer

Summers are scorching hot in Egypt! We'd honestly not recommend visiting at this time. However, if you do, we'd recommend bringing light fabrics and colors to stay as cool as possible.

Now you know what to wear to Egypt as a tourist, and can properly prepared to pack your bags. 

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