Egypt

Home to one of the oldest civilizations, this transcontinental country spans the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt, is one of the most interesting and historcirally richest countries you will ever visit, being its thousands of years old pyramids, temples and monuments its greatest inheritance to human civilization. And while it is full of treasures in land, you will find the underwater spectacle of the Red Sea is almost as impressive.

Highlights

Pyramids and tombs

Ancient egyptian temples

Cairo

Nile Cruises

Red Sea

“Coral hind at Shelenyat Reef, Red Sea, Egypt #SCUBA #UNDERWATER #PICTURES” by Derek Keats is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Souqs

Alexandria

“Alexandria, Egypt” by ASaber91 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

“Ägypten 1999 (745) Alexandria: Katakomben von Kom el-Shoqafa” by Rüdiger Stehn is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Egyptian museum

“File:By ovedc – Egyptian Museum (Cairo) – 024.png” by קובץ על יד is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Desert wonders and oasis

Michael Hermann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ysjyd, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Coptic churches and monasteries

When to go

The best moment to visit Egypt is from October to April. During this time of the year temperatures are moderate, but still pleasantly warm across the country, making it the perfect time for exploring streets of Cairo, visiting the pyramids in the desert and exploring pharaonic tombs. It is important to avoid the summer months, when day temperatures are too hot and air extremely dry, although there are fewer visitors and lower prices.

Snorkelling and Diving: for snorkelling and diving in Egypt the best periods are the late spring to early summer and the autumn months. The water temperatures are pleasant (24- 28° C) and the air temperature are not to high by the coast (30- 35° C). The summers months also are also a good time but air temperature can reach 40- 44° C. The coldest water is between December and February, although thez remain acceptable year-round. Grey reef and hammerhead sharks, dolphins and dugongs can be spotted any time ot the year, while whale shark and manta rays are most common from the end of May to the end of July, when plankton blooms.

The western desert: The weather is almost always fine and the sun never fails. From November to March is the coolest time and when the hot springs of the oases make more sense. Summers in the desert should be avoided, as temperatures at destinations like Siwa Oasis routinely exceed 40°C. During the depths of winter, night-time temperatures can plummet to just below freezing, so the best time to visit this area of Egypt is halfway between either spring or autumn. Spring visitors should be aware of possible sandstorms because of the annual khamsin wind.

Practical information

Currency

The Egyptian Pound is the official currency. Typically, 10 to 22 Egyptian pound per Euro and 7 to 19 Egyptian pound per US Dollar.

Language

Arabic. English is widely spoken and understood throughout the country, in particular in spots busy with tourists and in Cairo.

Visa

Visitors must obtain a visa on arrival (30 days) and must hold passports that are valid at least 6 months from de date of arrival to Egypt. From 3 December 2017, citizens of 46 countries may apply for tourist or business types of visa online through the eVisa system.

ATM & credit card

In the major cities, like Cairo and Alexandria, ATMs are in plentiful supply. In smaller towns, they’re harder to find but still available, although if you’re going further into more rural areas, it is safer to bring enough cash. Watch out for maximum cash withdrawal limits. In case this happens you may want to consider using an ATM at a different network or simply waiting until the next day. Whether your card works or not is largely based on what network it’s on, but if your card is on a major network like Visa or Mastercard, you’ll probably be just fine. Credit card payments are accepted at larger and boutique hotels (for a fee typically also at smaller ones), major tour operators and top restaurants. Cash payments are expected elsewhere.

Opening times

As a muslim country, the weekend in Egypt is Friday and Saturday, not Sunday, but some businesses are closed Sundays as well. Banks open from 8:30 to 2:30 and restaurants from noon until midnight, while shops and cafes are usually open from early to late evening (sometimes with a break after lunch). During the Ramadan, public places and tourist sites keep shorter hours.

Time: GMT + 2 hours

Main airports

The main international airports in Egypt are: Cairo (the largest and busiest airport in Egypt), Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh and Marsa Alam airports (mainly used by sun and beach lovers, as well as quick access to the countries best diving spots), Alexandria (in the north of Egypt, serving Alexandria and the Nile Delta) and Luxor (if you prefer to reach southern Egypt quickly rather by train or bus).

Public transport

Public transport in Egypt is reasonably efficient. In Cairo, metro is the fastest way of getting around, although you may find some areas of the city diffcult to reach. For travelling elsewhere in the country, domestic flights, bus services and train connections are possible.

Buses are how the majority of Egyptians get around the country. You can get almost anywhere, and the service is reliable, relatively safe and cheap. Service is divided up geographically. High-volume destinations such as Dahab, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, and Luxor are served by Super Jet, which is just slightly more expensive and has newer buses with air-conditioning and toilets.

Regarding train, there is a functional north-south railway backbone along the Nile with comfortable sleeper coaches, making travel between Aswan and Luxor, in the south, and Alexandria and Cairo, in the north, a pleasant and inexpensive way of travelling. Most trains leave from the main downtown station in Ramsis Square in Cairo. Tickets are sold here and also online. Note that tourists are not officially allowed to travel on non-tourist-class trains to Upper Egypt. This only becomes a problem if you accidentally board the wrong train (in which case you’re probably looking at an uncomfortable taxi ride back from the first stop to the station to try again). The difference in cleanliness and comfort level makes it worth traveling first class. Note, however, that the air-conditioning is usually cranked to maximum in both first and second class. Bring a sweater or a scarf for train travel, even in the summer.

By car, there are two ways to see Egypt: hiring a car with a driver or hiring a car that you drive yourself. The former being the most recommended low-hassle option, with the driver taking care of most of the problems associated with driving in more dangerous and unknown roads. Driving yourself is a viable option if you have quick reflexes and nerves of steel, and it will probably work out to be cheaper and more flexible if you’re driving from town to town. On the other hand, for getting around Cairo, it should be avoided even for the most experienced driver.

Things to avoid

Eating and drinking in public during Ramadan, hiring camel or horse rides at the pyramids or guided tours in Luxor from unknown people, climbing Mount Sinai for sunrise, wearing shorts, scrappy tops or miniskirts into mosques or in areas less frequented by tourists, discussing about politics or religion, eating with your left hand or jumping on a taxi without agreeing on a price for the trip.

Food

Rich in legumes, vegetables and fruit from the Nile valley, Egyptian food is as tasty as it is healthy. Ful (is a stew of fava beans flavoured with garlic, cumin and olive oil), Tamiya (a kind of hummus made with mashed fava beans and parsley instead of chickpeas, which are used elsewhere around the Mediterranean), Pigeon (stuffed with seasoned rice or, even better, bulgur wheat before being grilled or roasted), Baba Ganoush (it is a cream of roasted eggplant, olive oil, garlic, sesame paste and lemon, also similar to hummus), Egyptian Fatteh (it is a dish of meat rice, garlic, and layers of dry bread soaked in broth, usually cooked in the oven and served with yogurt and nuts) and Koshari (a layering of rice, macaroni, lentils, and chickpeas topped off with caramelized onions and thick red sauce).

Electricity and plug types

Most hotels and accommodations in Egypt typically feature Type C and F plugs, European two round pin plugs. Electricity is operates on 220V/ 50Hz.

Health and insurance

A travel insurance is highly recommended, since the the public healthcare system is of a low standard and private services can be expensive. There are significant differences between the availability of quality health services throughout the country with the best being found in Cairo. No vaccines are required for travelling to Egypt, but it is necessary to check your personal status of standard vaccines such as diphtheria, tetanus, polio, etc and ensure they are complete an up to date.

Other

Tipping in Egypt (baksheesh) is common and important, since many Egyptian workers are not being paid much and rely on tips.

During the Ramadan muslims must refrain from eating, drinking and smoking. You can find during this month some restrictions for visitors, business hours may vary, although tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants remain open and public transport generally functions normally. Serving alcohol may be restricted or unavailable.

Bargaining, if you think that the seller’s offer is too high, offer about a half of what you would be ready to pay for the item. Typically, the seller’s first offer will be about double of what they are willing to accept.