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How to Dress Comfortably Yet Stylishly for the Heat in Luxor, Egypt

A woman wearing a long orange dress with an all-over floral pattern poses facing away from the camera. She is in Egypt, standing on sandy ground next to ancient building ruins with tall stone pillars.

It has taken me far too long to figure out to dress appropriately for the heat. Fortunately, by the time I traveled to Luxor, Egypt…I had FINALLY figured out the formula for dressing comfortably yet stylishly for a day of suffocating heat.

The summer heat in Luxor is no joke. We were there during SPRING, and most days were already soaring above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and without a cloud in the sky! (For this day we were specifically exploring the Valley of the Kings and the surrounding area.)

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A panoramic landscape shit of Luxor, Egypt with clear, sunny skies, hills, building ruins, and tourists walking around.
A sunny, cloudless day in Luxor, Egypt!

*Disclosure: some of these links are affiliate links. Meaning, if you click a link and make a purchase, Have Clothes, Will Travel gets a very small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!

How to Dress Comfortably for Heat in Luxor, Egypt

When you’re going to spend a day exploring in that kind of weather, the key is to cover yourself as much as possible with loose clothing and breathable fabrics. I know that sounds ridiculous…”It’s 100+ degrees Fahrenheit, Lindsey! I want to be naked! Not putting on more clothing…” And that used to be my thoughts too. I was all about wearing tank tops and short shorts when the temps were sky-high. However, I almost always didn’t feel well by the end of the day and would inevitably be sunburned, too. (I never remember to reapply sunscreen when I’m out exploring!)

  • Note: if you are visiting in winter, the temps are far more comfortable. You may even need a cardigan or jacket!
A woman with short brown hair wears a long orange dress with a floral pattern, linen scarf, hat, and sunglasses. She poses next to tall stone pillars that are part of ancient ruins in Luxor, Egypt.

So, being covered and protected from the sun will not only help you to prevent a nasty sunburn, you’ll likely feel better at the end of the day too. Not exposing yourself to the harsh rays for a day of exploration can certainly have its benefits. Wearing light-colored clothing reflects sunlight and lessens skin temperature as well.

Have you ever noticed when you’re visiting places like this, that many of the locals are completely covered? Or when you watch a movie about people in the desert they’re always covered up? They’re all on to something! Not to mention, Egypt is a country where dressing modestly is appreciated anyways.

Now, if you’re not a dress person, you can check out my hiking pants + linen shirt outfit for the heat. For everyone else, please proceed.

What I Wore to Stay Comfortable & Stylish in the Heat of Luxor, Egypt

A woman poses in front of tall stone pillars in Luxor, Egypt. She's wearing a long orange dress with an all-over floral pattern, linen scarf, hat, sunglasses, and white shoes.

Dress

This marigold floral print maxi dress turned out to be the most comfortable one I packed for my trip through Egypt and Jordan! It covered me appropriately, and it breathed really well. I rolled out of bed at 4 a.m. that day and was already sweating. So, by the time these photos were taken, I was drenched! However, this dress let the sweat evaporate quickly and didn’t make me any warmer than I already was.

I had also been a bit worried that this dress would be too sheer, but it wasn’t too bad. (So, I didn’t have to wear a cami or anything underneath.) I did have to make sure to wear light-colored undergarments, though – without any prints or patterns on them! You will be able to see that under the dress! (I made that mistake last weekend in Baku when I wore this dress again – I saw myself in my hotel’s elevator mirror and had to run back to my hotel room to change my undergarments to something lighter! Haha.)

This dress also received the most compliments out of anything I had packed for this trip! I was getting messages from family and friends who had seen me wearing it on my husband’s Snapchat story and wanted to know where they could buy it, haha. (You can buy a similar version of this dress on Amazon.) I even received compliments from some of the older gentlemen I was touring with who kept remarking what a nicely dressed tour group we were that day, especially with this yellow dress, haha. It was a hit with just about everybody!

A woman poses next to tall stone pillars in Luxor, Egypt. She's wearing an orange dress with a floral pattern, hat and sunglasses, and is smiling at the camera.

Scarf

I also found that wearing a lightweight scarf proved to be a good way to look more modest while in Egypt. It also prevented the sun from hitting my chest and burning me to a crisp, too. I actually brought along 2 other scarves identical to this lightweight shawl scarf, just in different colors. They were perfect for this trip! (It’s also good to have a scarf along with you while in Egypt as you’ll be required to cover your head if you want to enter any mosques.)

A woman stands inside the entry way of a tomb in Egypt. The walls are covered in ancient carvings and artwork. She's wearing a yellow floral dress, scarf, and a hat.
I never took this hat off, even when exploring inside ancient tombs!

Hat

This is the first trip in my life that I wore a hat for. I have always told myself “that I don’t look good in hats” and “they’re so uncomfortable to wear”…plus, they mess up my hair. But, boy oh boy, I am glad I finally embraced wearing a hat for this trip! I felt SO much better at the end of the day after wearing one. There was one day when I didn’t wear the hat (because it was insanely windy), and I felt awful and sunburned at the end of it. Fortunately, that was toward the end of our trip. I am now a sunhat person from here on out! (You can browse straw fedora hats similar to what I wore at Nordstrom.)

A woman wearing an orange floral dress poses with her back facing the camera. She's wearing a hat and white shoes, and stands on sandy ground next to ancient ruins with tall stone pillars.

Shoes

So, Luxor is not going to be hardcore hiking or anything. However, there are a lot of stairs and you’re going to be walking through a lot of gravely and sandy areas (specifically in the Valley of the Kings). You’re going to want to wear the most comfortable pair of shoes you have a long and nothing that would be easy to trip in. Our guide wanted us all to wear sneakers for this day of exploring the Valley of the Kings. So, I happily obliged with my Keds. (Which are always super comfortable for a day of walking!)

Now, I would say a comfortable pair of sandals that fit well would have sufficed for this day. However, I do see why he recommended sneakers (all of the stairs in the tombs mean it can be very easy to trip if you’re not wearing proper footwear). And hey, wearing sneakers means my feet were covered and not getting sunburned!

What Should Men Wear to Beat the Heat in Luxor, Egypt?

A man wearing a white long sleeve shirt, khaki pants, and a black hat poses with his hands on his hips. He's standing outside the entrance to the tomb of Tut Ankh Amun in Egypt.

My husband had followed a similar formula for this day and wore a long-sleeved linen shirt with his hiking pants. He also wore his Under Armour sneakers and his Indiana Jones hat for this entire trip. He LOVES this hat. (It also was perfect to wear when we got to Petra, haha.)

Check out my entire woman’s packing list for a trip to Egypt, and our full 7-day trip itinerary!

A man and woman pose together outside the entrance to King Tut's Tomb in Luxor, Egypt.

Do you try to cover up when you’re in the heat all day? Let me know in the comments!

Read more about the Valley of the Kings and The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (where these photos were taken), and also be sure to check out all my Egypt posts!

G Adventures is holding a cyber sale where group tour packages are up to $400 off. Explore their tour packages for Egypt

Where to Find my Luxor, Egypt Outfit:

A woman wearing an orange floral dress poses in front of ancient ruins in Luxor, Egypt. Text across the image says "How to Dress Comfortably and Stylishly for the Heat in Luxor, Egypt"
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17 Comments

  1. Just found your site, I am reading and taking notes…Egypt March 2024. Looking for dresses in advance. Thanks for your help!

  2. Besides the GORGEOUS scenery, you are totally right!!! I am not the type of person who forgets to reapply sunscreen so I do wear shorts, but when I’m out exploring I’d rather do it covered up for my tattoos 🙂

    Flor

  3. Hats and long dresses like this are perfect for Egypt! I went to Luxor years ago, but you’re making me want to go back!

  4. Your outfits are always so lovely! I love this post too, very informative! I love having a heads up so I can plan my wardrobe before visiting a place!

  5. First off…that dress is amazing. I even clicked over and had to stop myself from buying it (we are trying to get rid of things before we move, not add them…LOL)
    And I totally know what you mean about hats.I think once you get used to wearing them, they all start to look good!! And they are SO functional. I have a couple with a tie so the wind doesn’t blow them off!! And the packable ones are great!!
    OXOX
    Jodie

    1. Haha! Thank you so much, Jodie! I’m sure that dress will still be there next summer. Good luck with your move! Oh yes, I need to get a hat that has a tie…I nearly lost this one a couple times to the wind!

  6. You look so beautiful, I love your outfit. Also, this is such great advice. It’s so hot in Alabama, so I agree with what you’re saying.

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