17 things to pack for your Egypt trip that you might not have thought about
All packed and ready to head to Cairo!
Picture this: You have been planning your Egypt adventure for six months, and days before your trip, you start to pack. You throw in all of the essentials: phone charger, passport, clothes, etc. Then on the first day of your trip when your group is going to head to the Pyramids, you realize that you should probably put on sunscreen before spending a few hours in the desert. You didn’t pack any, figuring you could pick some up easily in Egypt. However, there are no shops close to your hotel that carry sunscreen. Finally you find a pharmacy a 15 minute walk away, but the only sunscreen they have is off-brand, expired, and double what it would cost in the U.S.
There are good essentials to pack on any trip, and for a trip to Egypt, you probably know the basics of what to bring. The above sunscreen example might have got you thinking, though, “What are some things that I wouldn’t think to pack, but would be great to have during my trip to Egypt?”
Here are 17 things that may not be on the “must-pack” list for other trips, but for a sojourn in Egypt will almost definitely come in handy.
The 17 essential things:
Sunscreen: the above example illustrates perfectly why sunscreen should be in your suitcase--it is hard to find good quality, not-expired sunscreen in Egypt, and when you do, it is sometimes double what it would cost in the U.S. Just bring your own, even if it means needing to check your bag. It will be worth it.
Outlet converter/adapter: you may or may not have known, but you can’t just bring your iPhone charger to Egypt and expect to plug it into a standard wall outlet. In Egypt they use the electrical outlet types “C”, and “F”, whereas we use types “A” and “B” in the United States (you can read more here). In other words, your plugs won’t fit. I use a Conair Travel Smart adapter that I bought from Target for $20 (here it is on Amazon for a little less than that). What I love about this adapter is that it contains the plugs needed for travel to anywhere in the world, has multiple outlets (you can plug in all your gadgets into this one adapter), and it also has a USB port.
My TravelSmart Conair adapter. With it you can plug in three different gadgets and plug in a fourth via the USB slot. With this adapter, I can use one “local” outlet and easily plug in my laptop, iPhone, Apple Watch, and a friend’s device if they forgot to pack their own adapter 😉.
Unlocked cell phone: everybody brings their phone when they go on a trip, but the best way to travel with your phone in Egypt is to use a local SIM card (I always use Vodafone) and buy a cheap data and phone plan for your time there. In order to do this, your phone needs to be unlocked so it can be used on any carrier. Weeks before your trip, get in touch with your cell phone provider in the states to figure out:
If your phone is already unlocked (you don’t need to do anything, yay!)
If you phone is locked, what you need to do to unlock it (pay off your installment plan, fill out some paperwork, etc.)
My local Vodafone SIM when I was in Egypt. The SIM card was popped out because it was currently in my iPhone, allowing me to post to Facebook, use Whatsapp, and access Google Maps during my stay.
4. Earplugs: Egypt, especially Cairo, can be noisy. If you need quiet to sleep, earplugs are a must. They also can help on overnight bus/train rides.
5. Tissues: Egyptian people do not typically use toilet paper, and you often will not find it in bathrooms. Instead, they use a bidet, which is much more hygienic, and in my opinion, far superior to toilet paper! More on bidets will come in a future blog post.. That being said, having a travel pack of tissues in your pocket can save your life if you find yourself in a public restroom with no toilet paper, and you have not quite taken the plunge to begin using just a bidet to clean yourself. Tissues can often be bought in Cairo from people on the street, since Egyptians use them for everything from wiping sweat off their forehead in the hot summer months to drying their hands after washing them.
6. Cash: Unlike in the U.S., Egypt is almost entirely a cash-based society. Having some USD with you will help in many situations, like when needing to buy a visa upon arrival at the airport, to quickly exchanging some money if you are having trouble with your debit card at an ATM. Egyptian people will often ask to be paid in USD when they are working with tourists, but politely refuse, and insist that you will pay in local currency, even if you need to convert your USD first.
7. Copies (pictures on your phone) of Passport, ID, and credit cards: Having copies on your phone of your essential documents can save you in a pinch, like if you lose your passport and have to prove to a tourist police officer that you are U.S. American. Having copies on your phone can also come in handy in instances like needing to write down numbers from travel documents when at a hotel, and instead of digging through your luggage to pull out a passport, you can just write the information from a picture on your phone.
8. One set of warm clothes: We wrote about this one on our blog post about common pitfalls travelers run into in Egypt. Long story short, Egypt can get cold sometimes, especially out in the desert at night. Having one pair of warm clothes can potentially save you lots of discomfort, and if the clothes take up space in your luggage, they can always be the clothes you wear when transferring from place to place so you do not need to pack them.
The set of warm clothes I used during my last trip to Egypt. I wore them on each flight to cut down on space in my suitcase.
9. Small set of toiletries: If you are staying at four or five-star hotels during your time in Egypt this will not be essential, but if you plan on staying at other types of properties, having a small bottle of shampoo/conditioner and body wash will come in handy. Hotels and homestays will always provide towels, but often the toiletries they supply are lacking (some places only offer bar soap). Having your own set can help in those situations.
10. Powerbank: Check with all airlines you are flying to see their restrictions regarding bringing a powerbank on the flight, as many have dimension restrictions or have banned them outright. But, if your airline is ok with it, bringing a powerbank is a great idea, especially if you are doing things like taking a safari in the desert. It’s a shame when your phone runs out of battery overnight, and you wake up after a night of camping in the desert, unable to take pictures of the beautiful sunrise!
Here is the powerbank I have been able to take on flights, although once I had a little trouble with British Airways before they finally let me take it on board. This powerbank is extra handy because it has two USB ports to charge multiple devices at once.
11. Sunglasses: Egypt can be very sunny. Enough said.
12. Wallet: Remember what we said above about Egypt being a cash-based society? You will need a spot to put all that cash! A wallet (if you do not already carry one) will help.
13. Scarf: A scarf is a versatile way to cover up when entering a more conservative place, cover your face if strong winds start to stir up a sandstorm, or give you a bit more warmth when temperatures drop at night. It is acceptable and normal for both men and women to wear scarves in Egypt.
14. Sturdy (but fashionable) shoes: An Egyptian once said to me, “Cairo is the eater of shoes”, and he couldn’t be more right. During your trip to Egypt, your shoes will be keeping you safe, helping you cross the street amongst speeding motorists, and saving you from stepping directly on all sorts of trash that litters the streets in certain areas.. A dependable and sturdy pair of shoes is a must. That being said, Egyptians (especially Alexandrians and Cairenes) are also style-conscious and love dressing to impress when they are out and about. If you have a sturdy but also fashionable pair of shoes, you’ll fit right in, at least footwear-wise.
My go-to pair of shoes during my last trip to Egypt. Even though they’re Skechers (what used to be the dorkiest brand of shoe out there), they look great, are sturdy and comfortable, and—bonus points—match the color of all the dust that any shoe will get coated with when walking around Egypt.
15. Flip flops: Affectionately called shib shib by Egyptians, flip flops are a must to bring on your trip. You may use them during a day on the beach, they will be all you wear in a city like Dahab or Hurghada, and if you end up staying at an Egyptian’s house, flip flops are what are worn inside to keep the floors clean (you wouldn’t wear a pair of flip flops you just wore outside on the street inside someone’s home, however).
16. Paperclip: Stay with me here--when you bring an unlocked phone to Egypt and put in a local SIM card, you may need to quickly swap your Egyptian SIM for your American one, like if you need to receive a text message verification from your bank that only gets sent to your American number. A paperclip is essential to open up the tiny SIM compartment on all modern phones. Another option if you do not have a paperclip is to go into any cell phone store--they will most likely have the tool you will need.
17. Daybag and weekender bag: You will want to carry some essentials with you (water, sunscreen, powerbank) when you are out and about during the day, so packing an empty lightweight bag in your suitcase you can fill with those essentials before heading out for the day is a great idea. Similarly, if you end up making a home base in Cairo (like if you are doing a homestay) and do small trips to other parts of Egypt like Luxor, Alexandria, or Siwa, it is nice to have a small backpack that can be loaded up with a couple changes of clothes and all the essentials you need for one/two nights on the road. Leave the huge suitcase behind for the couple days you will be somewhere else, and then swap out the clothes when you are back in Cairo.
There you have it--17 things you may not have thought of packing for your Egypt adventure, but things that at the least will come in handy, and maybe will even save you a major headache during your trip.
What are your essentials that you bring on every trip? If you have already been to Egypt, do you have anything to add to our list? What of the 17 things listed surprised you the most? Leave us a question or comment!
