What to pack for Cairo in February

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

UV index of 6.5 burns skin in under 20 minutes without protection.

Glare off sand and stone reflects hard light that strains your eyes.

Insects breed near the Nile and bite year-round in Cairo.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Tap water isn't safe, so cuts and scrapes need clean supplies.

Tap water isn't safe here. A filter bottle beats buying plastic twice a day.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Daytime lasts 11 hours and you'll drain your phone sightseeing.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Overhead bins fill fast on busy routes in and out.

Day trips to national parks mean carrying water and supplies for hours.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

Wind at 16 km/h blows dust and sand into your face and neck.

Daytime heat reaches 70°F and sweat builds fast in the dry air.

For temples, mosques, and churches that check at the door.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Dehydration sets in fast when daytime heat and low humidity combine.

Unfamiliar food and water cause stomach trouble for most travelers here.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

Cairo is international and crowded, pickpockets target travelers constantly.

Airports and crowded bazaars lose bags fast without tracking.

Dry dust gets into everything, so organized packing keeps clothes clean.

Laundry water isn't always safe, so treat clothes with care.

Airport noise and crowded buses make quiet time a necessity.

Your lips crack in dry desert air and sun exposure compounds it.

Tap water carries parasites here, and illness derails a week of sightseeing.

Bites itch worse in heat and sunburned skin can't take cream.

One outlet per room means charging happens in shifts without extras.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

International border requires your passport secure and separate from cash.

Shared guesthouses and hostels need luggage locked against theft.

Humidity at 57 percent and bathroom moisture breed mold fast.

Long flights and early park visits mean sleep on transit.