DRESS CODE
While Egypt is a predominantly Muslim country there are no restrictions in terms of a dress code for tourists. Furthermore, females are not required to cover their hair. It is only asked that women dress conservatively as a respect to Egyptians and their culture; however, this is only a suggestion and I have come across plenty of female tourists in Egypt that dressed very much the opposite of conservative.
The only time you will be asked to observe a dress code is if you visit a mosque. In my first trip to Egypt, our tour guide asked the females to wear longer shorts and to cover the shoulders while on my second trip, the men were asked to not wear shorts. I do remember that on my first trip females that were wearing short shorts, short or sleeveless dresses, or tank tops were given a robe to cover up. Also, guests are asked to remove their shoes but there is the option of opting for shoe covers, similar to what surgeons wear at hospitals, if you wish to keep them on. I do recommend that if you plan on removing your shoes that you wear thick socks. During my last trip, the carpet in the mosque had several sections covered with fresh pigeon poop and it was not fun stepping on that with very thin socks!
As for the cruise, the two M/S ships I have sailed on did not have any dress requirements. When I did some research on Nile cruise ships, I noticed that the more luxurious ships did have a dress code for dinner hour but it was more along the lines of “business casual” not “tuxedos and evening gowns”.
EGYPT...HOT OR COLD?
Both!! While summers are incredibly hot in Egypt, winters can be considerably cold.
During my recent trip, January 8th through 21st, it was rather cold in the mornings and evenings. Most days, the lows reached the mid-40s while the warmest temperature was in the low 70s. When I was in Aswan and Abu Simbel, the winds were pretty strong which made it feel a lot colder than the 40s. The worst was the evening when my tour group went to the Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids in Giza. It was in the low 40s and extremely windy which was not pleasant when one had to sit outside for an hour. This may be why they were renting blankets! Also, the cold weather forced me indoors in the Nile cruise; it was too cold most evenings to sit in the upper deck.
My first trip to Egypt was between October 30th and November 8th and the weather was perfect. The mornings and evenings were cool while afternoons were warm and sunny. Also, during this trip, there was hardly any wind except for a light breeze some evenings. I packed a light jacket for this journey and that was sufficient.
Based on my experience, and discussions with my tour guide, spring and late fall seem to be the best times to visit Egypt. During the summer, temperatures can reach 110 Fahrenheit which can make sightseeing a bit of an unpleasant experience given the minimal shade at the temples and tombs. These hot summer months are best if one plans on partaking in water activities, such as diving and parasailing, either in Hurghada or Sharm El-Sheikh.
NOTE I suggest warm sleepwear for winter trips since the heaters may not be functional at the hotels. When I stayed at the Le Meridien Pyramids in January of 2018, my room was rather cold and the heater was not working well. Even though the bed had a thick comforter, I was still cold most of the night. Fortunately, the room temperature was a bit better on the Nile cruise but definitely come prepared with warm clothes in the event your room feels like an igloo.
CLOTHES AND EGYPTIAN AIRPORTS
When in Egypt, if you plan on taking any internal flights, I highly recommend you wear coats and shoes that can be removed easily and quickly. I went through 4 airports in Egypt - Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel - with each having two security checkpoints that required one to remove their coats, belts, and shoes. I noticed that men were asked to remove their hats; however, the security agents allowed me keep on my knitted cap. Also, some of these check points do not have tables so it is definitely a balancing act of holding your carry-on with one hand while the other holds the bin filled with your shoes, coat, etc.
SHOES FOR SIGHTSEEING
I recommend sturdy, closed-toed walking shoes especially when visiting Giza, Saqqara, and Valley of the Kings. These three sites require considerable walking over sandy, rocky, uneven terrain with the occasional mound of animal poop. The sturdy shoes are especially needed in the Valley of the Kings where one encounters uneven ground and steep climbs and descents inside the tombs. I have been inside 9 tombs and 5 required climbing narrow, steep stairs and inclines.* Another site where I highly suggest sturdy shoes is the area of the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan since one has to walk and climb very rocky and uneven terrain. As for the temples, most have even terrain and do not require much climbing, either stairs or inclines.
*In a future post, I will provide more detailed information about visiting the Valley of the Kings.
LESSONS LEARNED IN PACKING
Toiletries and Over-the-Counter Medicines:
On my first trip, I seriously went overboard when packing these items and in the end, I barely used most of them. For my recent journey to Egypt, I learned my lesson and only took bandaids, medicine for headaches and upset stomach, sanitary napkins, and water purification tablets. I used all except the water purification tablets since we were provided water bottles on the tour bus/shuttle and on the Nile cruise. Also, there is no need to overpack since most hotels in Egypt have a store where one can purchase basic toiletries and tour guides can take you to a pharmacy as needed for over-the-counter medicines.
Hats and Sunglasses:
The sun is really bright in Egypt and most sites provide minimal shade. A knitted cap is a great idea for those cooler months since they provide warmth and protection against the wind.
Glasses:
I wear contacts and had issues with them when the winds were really strong. I can assure you that cold winds and Saharan sand are not a good combination for contacts even when wearing sunglasses.
Earplugs:
If you are a light sleeper, I suggest some earplugs for nights spent in a hotel. During both trips, I either had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because of the constant honking and other street noises. I generally had no issues falling asleep in the Nile cruises but it is definitely more of a challenge trying to get a great night sleep in the hotels, especially if your room fronts a busy street.
Blow Dryer:
In my recent trip, neither hotel had a blow dryer and while the Nile cruise did have one, it was not too powerful. And it should be noted the hotels did not have an outlet in the bathroom so you will need to dry your hair in the room.
Adapters:
The voltage in Egypt is 220 V so one needs adapters. I also recommend taking a power strip given the shortage of outlets; my hotel and Nile cruise rooms only had two outlets which posed a problem with the number of chargers one uses (phone, camera, tablet, etc.) plus the blow dryer and hair straightener in the mornings.
Extra Memory Cards:
This may seem obvious but during my first trip to Egypt, I took only one memory card and really had to limit my picture taking towards the end of the trip. On this recent journey, I took additional memory cards and between my camera and phone I captured 1,300 pictures plus videos!!
Baby Wipes:
The public bathrooms at the sites may not have toilet paper, or it may not be up to your standards, so I highly suggest packing some baby wipes. Furthermore, the baby wipes are great for cleaning your shoes after stepping on camel/donkey/horse poop!*
*Fortunately I did not have any poop incidents during my 2nd trip to Egypt but on my first journey, I managed to step on camel poop and then fall on donkey poop while trying to board a cart.
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