For many years, we had been wanting to go to Egypt and experience the true wonders of the ancient civilization, after having stared at all those wonders in movies and shows. However, we had these daunting questions on our mind that made us hesitant in planning our trip – Is Egypt safe? Can we eat their food and drink their water? How worried should we be about the heat since it is a desert? If these are some of the questions that are on your mind as well, then do read below to learn about things to know before traveling to Egypt. These tips will be very useful for you before you plan your Egypt itinerary.
Essential Things To Know Before Traveling To Egypt
Do I need a visa to enter Egypt?
Yes, US citizens need a visa to enter Egypt. The good news is that it is visa-on-arrival, which means that you can get the visa at the airport itself and don’t have to apply for it online earlier. Getting the Egyptian visa is very easy; you need to pay $25 USD in cash at the visa window right before you enter the immigration counter, and you will get the Egyptian visa stamped on your passport right away. This is a single-entry 30-day tourist visa, a multiple-entry visa can also be obtained for $60 USD.
What currency works in Egypt?
While the US dollar is accepted in many hotels and restaurants in Egypt, their local currency, the Egyptian Pound (EGP) is widely used across the country, and you should do the same too. One of the first things that you want to do after entering Egypt is to visit a foreign exchange center to convert USD to EGP. We recommend avoiding the kiosks at the airport as you will get a far better exchange rate outside the airport. Plan to get a lot of smaller EGP bills as you will need them for tipping people during your trip.
Purchasing tickets to the attractions are mostly based on EGP, so the more local currency you carry, the better it is for you. The USD is really powerful compared to EGP, so you will be quite surprised at the amount of bills you will end up receiving for your US dollars at the exchange.
Is it really hot in Egypt?
Egypt is a desert in Northern Africa, so, generally it is going to be hot in the country. However, you should plan to avoid Egypt in summer and instead travel in late spring or fall. Even during these seasons, prepare yourself properly to handle the hot weather.
- Use lot of sunscreen throughout the day.
- Drink lots of water (bottled) consistently.
- Carry sunglasses, a hat or a cap when visiting the famous attractions such as the Great Pyramids, Great Sphinx or the temples in Luxor and Aswan.
- Dress in light-weight clothing and pack a jacket too.
- Carry a bug repellant; it might come in handy.
Are there dressing restrictions in Egypt?
Egypt is predominantly a Muslim country, and it is hence essential to dress conservatively compared to how you dress in the US. While locals will not bother you if you wear shorts or sleeveless tops, it is a good practice to respect their culture and dress modestly. Skirts at ankle-length, pants, half-sleeve T-shirts work best, and you will avoid the occasional glare from a local.
Is food and water safe to consume in Egypt?
Egyptian cuisine is amongst the best that you can savor upon in the world. While it is filled with flavor and you have a ton of restaurants to choose from, it is wise it only eat food at the best restaurants in the city, and save yourself from a stomach flu. If you are in between your visits, rely on your cab driver or tour operator to guide you to clean and hygienic restaurants to consume food at.
Do not consume water other than bottled water (do check the seal before buying it) at all times. Even for washing your mouth or gargling, do not use the tap water, only use bottled water.
How is the tipping culture in Egypt?
Egypt isn’t a strong country economically, so the locals rely on tipping or “baksheesh” to make a living. Tipping is customary everywhere – whether it is the hotel attendant, the tour guide, the cab driver, the bathroom attendant, the server, everyone expects a tip. Carry a lot of small EGP bills and tip generously, they will express their gratitude! Plan to tip at least 10% to 20% the amount that you paid for whatever it is that you purchased.
Can I drive in Egypt?
Avoid driving completely in Egypt, as the locals are used to aggressive (but harmless) driving in all parts of the country. Cairo has a huge population, so there’s always going to be traffic everywhere you go, so it is best to rely on a cab to transport you.
You can book a cab service for the entire day through the hotel that you are staying in, which means that the car is always at your service. While traveling between cities, rely on established tour operators who will provide you with vetted drivers to transfer you between cities.
Visit attractions by myself or through tour operators?
Now is a good time to check our 7 day Egypt itinerary, since it covers all the attractions that you can visit by yourself, and those that are best experienced with tour operators. In a nutshell, all the museums and temples in Cairo and Luxor are best experienced by yourself. You just need to purchase your tickets and explore the areas at your leisure.
The major attractions such as the Great Pyramids, Great Sphinx in Cairo are recommended to be visited using a tour guide. For the attractions in Aswan, we recommend a tour guide since all the locations are quite apart from each other, else you can book a cab for the day and explore them independently.
Any final tips?
Yes, some tips to keep in mind:
- Language is not going to be an issue in Egypt since most of the cab drivers, tour guides etc speak good English, so you shouldn’t face any issues with conversations.
- It’s a good idea to learn a bit of their language, Arabic. Some basic words and phrases around greetings and gratitude will be well appreciated by the locals.
- When picking a tour operator, look for quality over price since most of the tours are very economical. Try to pick private tours so that besides your family, there is no one else in the group, and you get to have your privacy.
- Respect the historical sites, don’t touch or scratch them.
- Many temples and museums have separate tickets for entry, photography and videography, and in some sections, photos are videos are prohibited. Make sure you check for instructions posted before taking photos or videos.
- You will see a lot of military personnel everywhere, but don’t be afraid of them. More importantly, do not click photos of military people, else you will be inviting unnecessary hassles.
- Leave your drones at home. There are a lot of strict rules around flying drones, so you want to avoid getting fined for it and having your drones confiscated.
- Expect haggling by vendors selling souvenirs. Be patient with them, and if you are not interested, simply ignore and walk away. Do not engage in a conversation unless you are serious about purchasing something.
- PRO TIP: Take the student ID card of your kids. All the attractions have heavily discounted pricing for students. You must carry the physical card; photo-copies and digital copies are not accepted.
Plan your trip to Egypt
At the end of this article, we hope to have answered the questions on the things to know before traveling to Egypt. If you are looking for a custom itinerary just for you, email us and we can help you with that. Here are some more useful articles that will provide information about Egypt.