What to pack for Egypt in February
February is one of the best months to visit Egypt. Cairo is mild and sunny, Luxor and Aswan are warm enough for short sleeves by late morning, and the heat that makes summer sightseeing so hard is still months away. Nights are cool, though, especially on the deck of a Nile boat or at a sunrise balloon launch.
So the list is built from loose, breathable layers that cover your shoulders and knees. Egypt is conservative, and modest clothes are respectful in the cities and villages and required in mosques. They also keep off the sun and dust at the temples. Bring a warm layer for early mornings and evenings.
Checked
The weather
- Cairo
- 70°F
- 21°C high, 50°F (10°C) at night.
- Luxor and Aswan
- 79°F
- 26°C high. Cold at dawn, around 50°F.
- Wet days
- ~1
- Almost no rain, but dusty wind is possible.
- Daylight
- 11 h
- Sunset around 5:45pm. Temples open early.
The capsule
Ten days, one traveler, Ranch palette. Chocolate, camel and washed denim that hide the dust and cover up for the temples. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.
Layers
Denim jacket
Shirt jacket
Tops
Chambray shirt
Linen shirt
Loose tunic
Bottoms
Wide-leg linen pants
Maxi skirt
Drawstring linen pants
Shoes
Closed sneakers
Leather sandals
Three days from this capsule
Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.
The full list
Clothes
- Four or five loose tops that cover your shoulders
- Loose pants or long skirts
- Light jacket for cool mornings and evenings
- Warm sweater for the boat deck and sunrise trips
- Large scarf, for mosques, sun and dust
- Swimsuit for the hotel or cruise pool
- Something a little smarter for dinner on the boat
Shoes
- Closed sneakers for temples, tombs and sand
- Sandals for the boat and hotel
Day bag
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- Refillable water bottle
- Tissues and hand sanitizer
- Small notes for tips and restroom attendants
- Small flashlight for dark tombs
Documents and tech
- Passport, valid for six months
- E-visa, or US dollars in cash for a visa on arrival
- Travel insurance details
- Card for hotels and larger shops
- Type C/F plug adapter (220V)
- Power bank
Health and toiletries
- Stomach remedies and rehydration salts
- Moisturizer, lip balm and eye drops for the dry air
- Any prescriptions, in your carry-on
Gear worth the space
A large, light scarf
Headscarf in a mosque, sunshade at Karnak, dust mask at the pyramids and a wrap on a cold boat deck.
Loose linen pants
Cool, modest and easy to wash in a hotel sink. Two pairs cover a whole trip.
Closed sneakers
Comfortable over long days on stone and sand, and they keep the grit out.
A small flashlight
Some tombs are dimly lit, and a light helps you see the painted details and find your footing.
Dawn in Luxor sits near 50°F, and the mosques want covered arms and legs. Packlier packs your dates around both.
Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.
One email at launch, nothing else.