What to pack for Egypt in November: Cairo and Luxor

In November, Cairo runs from about 15 to 25 °C (58 to 76 °F) and Luxor from 12 to 29 °C (54 to 84 °F), with almost no rain. Pack light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, a warm layer for early mornings and evenings, a scarf, sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen.

The story

Your first morning in Giza starts early. By nine it’s 22 °C, the sky is pale with dust, and the pyramids are bigger than any photo said. You walk the sand and the stone between them for two hours, and the sun is strong even in November: your hat stays on and your sunglasses earn their place. The fine dust gets into your shoes and onto your phone, and a scarf over your nose helps when the wind picks up.

In the afternoon you go into the Grand Egyptian Museum, a short ride away, and spend hours on its halls and staircases. The next day you visit the mosque of Muhammad Ali in the Citadel. You take off your shoes at the door; your trousers are long, your shirt covers your shoulders, and the scarf from the pyramids now covers your hair. By evening, in the lanes of Khan el-Khalili, it’s down to 16 °C and you’re glad of a light sweater.

That night you take the sleeper train south to Luxor (a short flight is the other way), and wake up to palm trees and sugar cane beside the Nile. You cross to the west bank for the Valley of the Kings: rock, heat and bright light by late morning, with almost no shade between the tombs. A water bottle and comfortable closed shoes matter more here than anywhere.

Before dawn the next day, a minibus picks you up for a balloon flight. It’s cool and dark at the launch field, and you’re wearing a fleece and long trousers while the burners roar. As the sun comes up over the hills, the temples and the river appear below you. By the afternoon it’s 29 °C again, and you end the day on a felucca, a small sailboat, drifting on the Nile at sunset, with a light layer for when the breeze turns cool.

Egypt in November is warm, dry and sunny by day, and cool in the early morning and at night, with dust in the air and a strong sun. Pack light, loose clothes that cover you, one warm layer, a scarf, and everything for the sun.

What to pack for Egypt in November

Pack light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, then add a warm layer for the dawn and the evenings.

Clothes

Light, loose long trousers, long skirts or dresses below the knee, in linen or cotton: for the heat, the sun and the mosques.
T-shirts and shirts that cover the shoulders, and one or two long-sleeved shirts against the sun.
A fleece or warm sweater for the balloon flight before dawn, the night train and the evenings.
A light jacket or windbreaker for a felucca or a Nile cruise deck at sunset.
A large scarf: for the sun, for the dust, and to cover your hair in a mosque.
Swimwear, if your hotel or cruise boat has a pool.

Shoes

Comfortable closed shoes with a good grip, for the sand at Giza and the rock and steps at the Valley of the Kings.
Sandals or slip-on shoes, easy to take off at mosque doors.
Socks to wear in mosques, where you walk without shoes.

For the sun and the dust

Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat with a brim: the sun is strong even in November.
A refillable water bottle for the sites, where shade is scarce.
Lip balm, moisturizer and eye drops: the air is dry and dusty.
Wet wipes and hand sanitizer.
A small daypack.

Documents, money and tech

Passport, valid for at least six months from the day you arrive.
Your printed e-visa, if you applied online.
Cash in Egyptian pounds, in small notes, for tips, taxis and the bazaar.
A plug adapter: sockets are types C and F, at 220 V.
A power bank for long days at the sites, and an eSIM for Egypt for maps and ride apps.

Good to know

Weather: in November, Cairo runs from about 15 to 25 °C (58 to 76 °F), with under two days of light rain in the month, and Luxor from 12 to 29 °C (54 to 84 °F), almost completely dry, by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority’s 1981–2010 averages for Cairo and Luxor, as published on the WMO’s World Weather Information Service. Mornings before sunrise feel colder in the desert and on the river.

Stop	Temperature	What changes in the bag
Cairo and Giza	15 to 25 °C (58 to 76 °F)	Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, a scarf for the dust and the mosques, a light sweater for the evening
Luxor	12 to 29 °C (54 to 84 °F)	Sun protection and water for the west bank, a fleece for the balloon at dawn, a light jacket for the river

Getting to Luxor: the sleeper train from Cairo travels overnight; flights take about an hour. Booking ahead is worth it in November, the busy season.
Respect: clothes that cover shoulders and knees are appreciated everywhere outside the resorts. In mosques, you take off your shoes, and women cover their hair. Ask before photographing people.
Tips: small tips are part of daily life, for guides, drivers, boat crews and restroom attendants; keep small notes apart from the rest of your cash.
Plugs: types C and F, 220 V.
Money: Egyptian pound (EGP). Cards work in hotels and larger shops; markets, taxis and tips need cash. ATMs are common in the cities.
Entry: most visitors need a visa, and many nationalities can get an e-visa online; check Egypt’s official e-Visa portal for your passport (checked October 6, 2026). It asks for a passport valid for at least six months from arrival, and an application at least seven days before you leave.
Similar trips: what to pack for Morocco in spring, with a night in the Sahara, and what to pack for Dubai in December, with its own desert evening.

Questions

Is Egypt warm in November?

Yes, by day. Cairo reaches about 25 °C (76 °F) and Luxor 29 °C (84 °F), with strong sun and almost no rain. Mornings and evenings are cooler: Cairo drops to about 15 °C (58 °F) and Luxor to 12 °C (54 °F).

What should I wear in Egypt in November?

Light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, in linen or cotton, with a fleece or sweater for the early mornings and evenings. Add a large scarf for the sun, the dust and to cover your hair in a mosque, plus a hat and sunglasses.

Is it cold on a Luxor balloon flight?

It’s cool before dawn. You wait at the launch field in the dark, when Luxor is near its November low of about 12 °C (54 °F), so wear a fleece and long trousers; it warms up quickly once the sun is up.

Do I need cash in Egypt?

Yes, in Egyptian pounds and small notes. Cards work in hotels and larger shops, but markets, taxis and the small tips for guides, drivers and boat crews need cash.

Do I need a visa for Egypt?

Most visitors do, and many nationalities can get an e-visa online at least seven days before they leave. Check Egypt’s official e-Visa portal for your passport, which must be valid for at least six months from arrival.