I leave on Sunday for my first visit to Egypt. I'll be in Cairo for 3 days and then a cruise on the Nile. Looking at weather forecasts, it appears I can expect daytime highs in the mid to upper 90s. Low humidity at least, but that's still awfully hot.
If you've visited Egypt, can you give me some tips for clothes to stay relatively comfortable? Any issue with men wearing shorts and t-shirts (with a hat and sunscreen of course)? What about bringing an umbrella for shade?
Hi Lane, following this thread with interest. We are planning a similar trip next September. Hope you will report back on your experiences. We are especially interested in any excursions you might recommend. Have a wonderful trip!
You'll find all kinds of You Tube videos on what to pack for tours in Egypt. Natural fibers like cotton and linen will breathe and be more comfortable in the heat than synthetics. Leave your jeans at home. Its too hot this time of year. There isn't an issue with t-shirts and shorts on men except in houses of worship, but loose long sleeve shirts and pants will provide better sun protection and shield the skin from blowing sand.
I'm not visiting in Egypt until January, but on our trips to other parts of the Middle East I've seen some women using parasols or umbrellas as extra sun protection when it isn't too windy and not in a crowd of people. I have a travel umbrella that I've used in the past for that reason. But I also wear a large brimmed Tilley hat every time I'm out in the sun. The chin strap comes in handy when it's windy.
We went in October of 2021. The best thing I brought was a small spray bottle that I could use to mist myself anytime. It felt so good and even our Nubian guide wanted me to spray him. Yes, I was the envy!
If it’s not too late, you could het a smaller microfiber towel that you get wet and put around you neck to stay cool. It works better if you can refrigerate the towel first but it’s better than nothing. Amazon (naturally)!sells them as cool towels or some such name.
Light colors, definitely. Being familiar with Phoenix, I do not understand how people in the desert can wear black.
Linen button down shirts. Although we're on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, we're still wearing linen to stay cool this week.
Thank you all for the excellent suggestions!
I was in Egypt in October a couple of years ago. It wasn't as hot in October as in September, but it was still warm. I wore a lot of loose linen, and a lot of sun protection (hats, sunscreen, etc). T-shirts are fine. Shorts are are a no-no.
Even though it is hot during the day, it gets cool at night, and so a very light jacket might be useful.
