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Egypt

Getting Started & Practical Information

WARNING: Egypt is currently unstable, please read this travel warning before going!

When to Visit

Egypt can be visited any time of the year depending on your itinerary (as long as there aren't protests in the streets). The weather tends to be hot and dry (73-110˚ F (23-40˚ C)) with the exception of December-February, when temperatures cool slightly and nights can be chilly (as cold as 45˚ F (8˚ C)).

The winter months of December-February are the best time to visit the southern Nile River since summers there can be miserable. Cairo, the Mediterranean coast, and the Sinai peninsula can easily be visited year round, but for sunbathing and snorkeling the spring and fall are the best months to visit since the summer can be very hot and winters can be too cold for relaxing on the beach.

Travel plans can be disrupted if you haven't booked ahead during local holidays, especially during Ramadan (ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which rotates every year compared to the Gregorian calendar). This month also tends to close shops, restaurants, and coffee shops.

A final point to consider before planning your travel is local holidays. Holidays can make travel either more attractive, such as for large festivals, or less attractive, due to tourist site closings and more expensive transportation options so make sure you look into this before booking your trip.

Weather

Although weather can be generalized based upon years past, for more up to date weather patterns and predicted future weather patterns, visit weather websites like weather.com; many local news sources also have information for international weather forecasts.

Tours & Cruises

If you're looking for a pre-arranged trip, that involves little effort on your part, then you should consider going on an organized tour. Organized tours vary from all expenses included to only daily tours and perhaps hotels included in the price, but all the options below will help you arrange all the details so you don't have to worry about finding the best deal or right hotel.

Contiki Tours: A tour company that only offers tours to 18-35 year olds; known as offering fun and social tours for young singles and couples.

Gap Adventures: Known best among young adults, Gap Adventures provides local transportation, housing, and food, which cuts costs and introduces the local culture, but can also be challenging for those seeking luxury.

Holland America Cruises: Cruises for all ages and families.

Intrepid Travel: Boasts more "off the beaten track" destinations; do your research though since some tours are very adventurous and involves camping and local hotels.

Road Scholar: For older adults, Road Scholar offers tours with an educational emphasis; formerly known as Elder Hostel.

Guidebooks

If you are just traveling on business and have little free time or are already familiar with Egypt, you may not need anything more than SafariTheGlobe.com's Free Mini Guide to Egypt! However, if you need more detailed and up to date information, there are a number of great country-wide, region-wide, and city-wide guidebooks available for travel in Egypt.

Eyewitness Guides: Incredible pictures and detailed maps of popular tourist sites including museums. Those living abroad can't put these books down.

Fodor's: Good maps and information for the major tourist locations, but has little information for anyone heading off the beaten track. Great for those on organized tours.

Lonely Planet: Great maps and updated often with comprehensive housing information, restaurants, & transportation options. Backpackers and adventurers love these guidebooks.

National Geographic Traveler: Almost more of an information book about Germany, than a guidebook; offers great pictures, maps, history, and culture. Popular with armchair travelers and history buffs on organized tours.

Visas

Many foreign nationals need a visa to enter Egypt, however the requirements for citizens of different nationalities varies. To learn more about who need visas, what type of visa is needed, what requirements are needed to obtain a visa, and visa costs, please visit Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Official Website.

Health & Insurance

Every part of the world has different health concerns and diseases, including Egypt. Before traveling, consult with a physician to learn more about your destination and what steps you can take to prevent illness. At the time of writing, Egypt didn't have any health immunizations that are required prior to arrival, although a number of immunizations are strongly recommended.

Many health insurance providers don't cover health care that is provided outside your home country. Before going abroad check with your health insurance to see if they cover international care. If not, consider purchasing an international medical insurance option, preferably from a company that specializes in international medical insurance.

Transportation

Unless you're on an organized tour or working with a travel agent, you will have to arrange some transportation. The below links can greatly help you start your planning, first by finding a flight to Egypt, then with domestic airlines and car rental agencies. If you don't know where to begin, try the "Flight & Rental Car Search Sites" to learn competitor's prices during your trip.

Largest International Airlines: Air France, American Airlines; British Airways; Cathay Pacific; China Southern Airlines; Delta; Emirates; KLM; LAN; Lufthansa; Qantas; Singapore Airlines; United Airlines.

Largest Egyptian Airline: Egypt Air.

Largest Rental Car Agencies in Egypt: Budget; Europcar; & Payless.

Flight & Rental Car Search Sites: Expedia.com; Farecast.com; Kayak.com; Orbitz.com; & Travelocity.com.

Housing

Housing options are numerous in most tourist destinations, but every individual seeks out something different when it comes to housing. The below links should help you get started, with low- to high-end hotels, hostels, and camping options.

Popular International Hotel Conglomerates: Accor Group (various price ranges); Choice Hotels (low- to mid-price range); Hilton (various price ranges); Hyatt (high-end to resorts); InterContinental Group (mid- to high-price range); Marriott Family (various price ranges); Starwood Hotels (high-end); Wyndham Hotels (low- to mid-price range).

Hotel Search Sites: Expedia.com; Kayak.com; Orbitz.com; & Travelocity.com.

Hostels: Although there are many hostel websites, some of the most popular and reputable include hostels.com, hostelworld.com, & hostelbookers.com.

Camping: Camping is still a foreign concept in Egypt, plus camping is not safe in most locations. The desert is unforgiving and there are a lot of extremists outside the major cities so setting up a tent is not a good idea.

Opening Hours, Expenses, & Tipping

Egypt's local shops, restaurants, and stores open and close much later than their European and North American equivalents. Perhaps to avoid the intense heat, Egyptians wake later and this shifts their entire schedule. Many Egyptians don't begin work until noon and finish at 8:00 pm or even as late as midnight. Lunch tends to take place in late afternoon and dinner begins after work. Restaurants don't begin to fill up until 9:00 pm or later and they rarely clear out before midnight. In tourist locations, restaurants and shops tend to be open all day to cater to the foreigners. Egypt typically follows a Friday-Saturday weekend.

The one time of the year that shops and restaurants are closed more often than not is during Ramadan (ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which rotates every year compared to the Gregorian calendar), when fasting is required from sunrise to sunset. Due to this Islamic requirement, most shops close down and it can be difficult to find an open restaurant anywhere outside major hotels catering to tourists.

Egypt tends to be on a two-tiered admission fee system and foreigners are forced to pay higher entrance fees for most tourist locations. These magnified fees however aren't overly expensive and most of the sites are still a good value for the cost. However, visiting the Pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian Museum, and other tourist sites can quickly add up and seeing just the "must sees" in Cairo will cost nearly $75. Plus a couple extras like a Nile River cruise or a trip to the Pyramids at Sakkara will push that total to over $100 in admission fees alone.

Saving money in Egypt is best undertaken in hotels and food. Hotels can range from 125 Egyptian pounds ($20) for a private room to well over 1,200 Egyptian pounds ($200) in business hotels in Cairo or beach resorts on the Mediterranean or Red Seas. Food prices also vary greatly; grabbing a shawarma at a local street-side market will only cost about 20 Egyptian pounds ($3), but eating in a nice hotel restaurant can cost up to 300 Egyptian pounds ($50). Transportation in Egypt is also fairly reasonable, particularly if you travel by bus, but good deals by plane can be found as well.

Tipping (baksheesh) is a way of life in Egypt. Wages in Egypt are extremely low and tipping is the only way many Egyptians survive above the poverty line. At restaurants catered to tourists, a tip is usually included in the bill, but if not, about 10% is standard. Guides are plentiful at most tourist destinations and they always expect a tip. Other services that may be offered to you (with or without your request) also require a tip, such as getting directions from someone on the street, using a toilet, being told what a random building is, and translating a menu for you.

The general rule is that if you ask for assistance or the person actually gives you some sort of benefit (like translating a menu), be prepared to give a small tip (5 EGP ($0.85)), but if someone just follows you around pointing at buildings and telling you what they are, they don't need to be tipped. Tipping them will only encourage them to follow you around and wait outside your hotel to be your unwelcomed tour guide for your entire stay.

Crime & Safety

Egypt is a country of political extremes and there are pockets of Islamic extremists who like to target hotels catered to foreigners, especially in the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea beach resorts. There are also certain cities to entirely avoid due to this same extremism so before departing for Egypt check with your country's foreign (State) department for any travel warnings to Egypt.

Despite the targeting of some foreign resorts, staying in Cairo is generally safe and organized tours along the Nile River and along the coasts are typically organized by locals who know what areas to avoid and they typically provide protection.

Pick pocketing is not extremely common except on crowded public transportation, so use street smarts wherever you are in Egypt. Often times fellow travelers in youth hostels pose a bigger threat than the locals.

The biggest "threat" to most tourists in Egypt is from feeling pressured into parting with your cash. Many locals are extremely friendly and more than willing to help you with directions, buying tickets, finding a hotel, and anything else, however this help often times comes with a line about their friend's spice shop, papyrus shop, or souvenir shop. If you're looking for papyrus then go along (so long as the shop is in a public location), but if you're not interested, say no by being firm, but polite. If these people ask for a tip and they provided a service to you, it is expected you tip them (see above).

This page was last updated: September, 2011