The packing list I have posted below is from our first trip with Overseas Adventure Travel, called Egypt and the Eternal Nile by Private Classic River Yacht. We were gone a total of 16 days in January 2025. Our trip included a three night stay in Cairo, a two night stay in Aswan, a one night stay in Abu Simbel, then a five night Nile River cruise, followed by a two night stay in Luxor, and one final night in Cairo before our flight home. The forecast called for the weather to be in the 70′ and 80’s F during the day, and as low as 40’s F at night. We expected it to feel quite a bit warmer in the Valley of the Kings, due to the location, the landscape, and the lack of any shade, and it definitely felt hot there.
The dress code for this trip is super casual. There are no formal or dressy nights aboard the ship, or dahabeya, which is the non motorized Nile vessel that accommodates 16 passengers. We received a packing list from OAT that explained the need for lightweight, quick dry clothing, and a couple of light layers for chilly evenings and the early morning balloon ride. We like Columbia or Eddie Bauer brand lightweight hiking pants, and we each packed a couple pair of these. We also love Merino wool clothing, and we packed several Merino tees, socks, undergarments, and jackets for this trip. All of these pieces were easily sink washed when needed and were dry in a few hours, or by the next morning. Most folks packed a similar wardrobe, and no one changed into anything fancy for our meals out or on the ship. You will definitely want a sun hat and sunscreen for all the sightseeing. I always pack at least one skirt or casual dress to wear when I want to get out of touring clothes for a bit. This trip I packed a black and white print Rip Skirt and wore it to dinner at a couple of the hotels, along with a black or white tee shirt and a cashmere sweater.
We each packed in a carry on and a backpack for this trip, so we were limited on the amount of liquids we could carry based on TSA regulations. We pared down our necessary liquids, brought some solid products, decanted liquids into smaller containers, and purchased sunscreen at the small gift shop at the Marriott on our first day. You can read more about packing hints for all trips here and my TSA liquid hints for all trips here. Since I use more liquid products than Steve, we share our 311 bag space. I used my 22″ Travelpro Maxlite 5 two wheel rolling bag, which actually measures 23″ tall, and an 18″ Lovevook backpack. We flew in United’s Premium Economy cabin, which has dedicated overhead bin space. I had no issue fitting the Travel Pro bag in the overheads. United does not have a weight maximum for cabin bags or personal items. When we fly together, we cross pack one outfit in each other’s bag to mitigate our possible losses if they make us gate check our bags and they lose one of them. We also pack one outfit in our backpacks.
What would I have done differently? I think I overpacked a bit for this trip. I could have taken one less pair of pants and just two long sleeve and two short sleeve tee shirts, instead of three each. I had plenty of variety, but could have done with a bit less overall. I was glad to have the skirt and cashmere sweaters, and I wore the cashmere tights with the skirt. One sweater would have been enough. We had no heat on the ship, so my PJs were a WoolX Blair tunic and Stella leggings. I was happy I packed some warm sleepwear. Definitely did not need the umbrella, as it never rains in Egypt in January. Could have used it for sun protection however, as many people do in the hotter months. I did not pack a swimsuit, but if you want to swim in the Nile or at the hotels, you will want to pack one.
Have you been on a trip to Egypt? If so, what did you pack and what would you have done differently now that you’ve been? Let me know in the comments. I love learning from you as well!
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