Top 20 Egypt Travel Tips - Know Before You Go!
- Dara
- Feb 3
- 18 min read
Updated: 13 hours ago
Egypt is the ultimate bucket list destination. The Pyramids of Giza, the mythical tombs of the Valley of the Kings, the colorful, bustling markets of Cairo... Coming up with things to see and do in Egypt is the easy part. I know when I was planning my trip, I came up with about 4 weeks worth of activities, and then had to trim that down to fit into my actual allotted time of 15 days.
But what about the logistics on the ground? The cultural differences and customs? Pitfalls and scams? Linguistic barriers and infrastructure issues? Egypt is a beautiful, soulful, but complicated place. In order to set yourself up to have your best experience - and I think this is true of any destination that's culturally and linguistically different from your own - it's important to set expectations accordingly. In all likelihood, Egypt is a country that will be very different from what you're used to. If you're willing to embrace those differences, then you'll set yourself up to have the trip of a lifetime.
With that said, this is a list of my top 20 travel tips for Egypt - all the things you should be aware of prior to planning and should definitely keep fresh in your mind as you're about to leave for your trip! I also have a tips video, which is a high level overview of the below. You can find the link at the bottom of the post!
Country Size
This is one to be aware of before you start planning, but also good to keep in mind once you're there. Egypt is big! It's about twice the size of France, roughly 640 miles (1,025 km) from north to south and 775 miles (1,240 km) east to west and its longest and widest points. Don’t think you can see the pyramids in the morning and the Valley of the Kings in the afternoon. You may need to book some domestic flights or an overnight train to get to see everything, so plan accordingly! This may seem like a painfully obvious thing to list, but It's my first tip because not keeping this in mind will absolutely ruin your trip before it even starts.
The Mediterranean Coast
When planning your trip, you'll probably be focused on going to see the Pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, maybe a cruise down the Nile or a whole day at one of Cairo's famous antiquities museums? Or maybe you're looking to head for some sun and relaxation along the Red Sea? Those are all amazing options, but don't forget about the Mediterranean coast!
Alexandria is also well worth a visit, especially if you're a fan of the Greco-Roman period - think from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra. I personally loved the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, and found Alexandria's lively cafe culture to be a nice break from the intensity and chaos of Cairo - the cities have very different energies and I'm so glad I got to see both. And while the Red Sea is famous for its scuba diving (my next trip to Egypt is absolutely going to involve diving!), you can also dive in Alexandria! From what I understand the visibility is not stellar, but you can visit the remains of the ancient lighthouse at the bottom of the Mediterranean - scuba diving for ancient ruins? Yes please!
(L) Coffee break at a cafe in Alexandria & (R) Inside the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
Weather
When most people think of Egyptian climate, they think deserts and stifling, intense heat. Boiling hot temperatures and burning sand. This can definitely be the case - temperatures in the summer can easily crack triple digits (38°C) - but it's not always true. The high tourism season is December / January, when temperatures in Cairo drop down to much more pleasant daytime average of around 65°F (18°C). My trip to Egypt was in December. I was comfortable during the day, but at night I'd wear my long sleeved shirt and light jacket and was often quite chilly. If you’re visiting Egypt in the winter, check the forecast beforehand and bring enough to keep warm! Layers are always a good choice to stay comfortable throughout the temperature swings from day to night.
Alcohol
Egypt is filled with western tourists, and while there is an established tourist infrastructure and we are catered to, you have to keep in mind that it is a Muslim country. Don’t expect to find alcohol easily everywhere you go or get frustrated when you can’t always get a glass of wine with dinner - I had a travel companion that was low key frustrated with this, and it made for some awkward interactions with servers at restaurants. Be mindful of local life and cultural customs and set your expectations accordingly. The wine and cocktails will be waiting for you when you get home!
Wardrobe
This one is primarily for the ladies. Anywhere I travel, I always dress toward what is considered respectful in that country’s culture. I look at it as being a guest in their home - I want to be polite and well received. Now, that said, you can wear whatever you’d like in Egypt and be fine - this is not a destination where wardrobe choices will ever be a real issue. If you're not much of an independent traveller and will always be with groups or guides at the big tourist attractions, then you will see a ton of tourists wearing anything and everything under the sun.
This pink dress was super comfy for long days out exploring That said, as a woman who does engage in solo travel (my time in Egypt was a mix - some days were on my own, some with another female friend, and some things I did with a tour group), I find that it’s nicer to dress in a way that doesn’t attract unwanted attention or stares, from both men and women. On my first trip to a Muslim country, Morocco back in 2005, I wore tank tops and tiny shorts and still remember those awkward stares I got from everyone when we ventured outside of the tourist cities. No one said anything or approached me, but I sure felt all the eyeballs!
Now older and (hopefully) wiser, whenever I'm traveling, particularly when on my own, I never want to stick out like a sore thumb. I brought lots of loose flowy shirts, skirts and dresses on the trip, along with some comfy hiking pants - I love long skirts and dresses anyway, and I don’t get to wear them enough in everyday life, so I completely embraced this style in Egypt! Again, I want to emphasize that you can wear whatever works for you though - it's OK either way.
SIM Cards & eSIMS
In this day and age staying connected while abroad is becoming increasingly easy to do. I'm still a bit traumatized from the cost of having to activate my U.S. cellular plan in Thailand a decade ago for an emergency (I left my bank card in an ATM when withdrawing cash while delirious with jetlag - good times!). Thankfully, local SIM cards make getting in-country data plans cheap and easy. I grabbed mine as soon as I landed at the Cairo airport - they register it for you, you get activated right away, and off you go! You might be able to find cheaper SIM options outside of the airport, but I wanted the convenience and help with getting back online right away, particularly since I landed at 1 am local time and had just flown halfway around the world!
SIM cards - important, tiny, and easy to lose! That said, its really eSIMs that are the future, and they are starting to replace the traditional physical SIM cards - some newer phone models no longer even have the tray for the physical card, so an eSIM is the only option. eSIMs are basically digital SIM cards, and play the same role as the physical card. Local physical cards still usually offer better rates, but eSIMS are certainly easier in that you aren't popping out (and potentially losing) your home card. We're in a bit of a transition phase with SIM cards. eSIMs don't work well with all older phones, but physical SIMS aren't possible in some newer phones. Go with the option that works for your particular phone and plan. Eventually we'll all be using eSIMs, but we aren't quite there yet.
Urban Flow
Egyptian cities, especially Cairo, can feel a bit more chaotic and unruly than what you may be used to coming from a western country. Cairo is a crowded, sprawling megalopolis that can feel overwhelming even if you live in an urban area back home. Be prepared to experience a difference in the overall energy and flow of street life - but part of traveling is experiencing places and things that are different from what you know - so embrace it!
Cairo is massive, and stretches for as far as the eye can see Crossing the Street
Building on tip 7, embrace the urban chaos - but also have a plan to tackle it. Cairo traffic is notorious. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Crossing the streets in Cairo can seem daunting on your first day in town. The trick is you have to ignore the street as a whole and just focus on traversing lane by lane, otherwise you will die of old age waiting for the traffic to abate. Just take one lane of cars at a time and frogger yourself across (Frogger is an early 80s arcade game about dodging traffic, for any of you who are too young to get the reference!). By the end of the trip you’ll be crossing huge streets without batting an eyelash. And when in doubt, find a local who is crossing as well - and just stick with them. They’ll know how to get across in one piece.
Local pedestrians know how its done Cash
This tip applies to most countries. I find that the easiest way to get cash is to just do what the locals do - go to an ATM. I personally never use currency exchanges, I just find the nearest local bank - probably best to avoid any non-bank ATMs, but honestly that’s what I do at home in the U.S. too - and use my U.S. bank card to withdraw. The world is a very connected place, so it’s easy to withdraw cash and get good exchange rates this way. It's always best practice to put a travel advisory note in place on your account beforehand if you're able to, just to avoid any potential concern on your bank's end. You can usually do this right on your bank's app. There are also bank cards out there that will refund you any foreign ATM fees, which is an even bigger cost savings.
Egyptian Pound notes Tipping | Baksheesh
Another money tip here. Keep plenty of small bills on hand for baksheesh, or tipping. Tipping in Egypt is a tradition. It's an important part of how the local economy works and deeply integrated into Egyptian culture. You are expected to provide a tip as a token of appreciation for whatever service you have received from a guide, a driver, a waiter - really anyone who has provided you their service. Keep in mind that "service" can also include things you might not consider. For example, If you go to a mosque and leave your shoes with someone at the front, even though leaving the shoes is required to enter, you are still expected to leave a tip.
There's often an attendant on hand to watch the shoes Keep in mind that people may try and trick you into tipping. If a guard at a historical site offers to let you around a barrier for a special "closer look," (this happened to me a few times when I was exploring solo!) he’s not doing that because he find you particularly likable - you are expected to give baksheesh. On the flip side, sometimes people will simply just ask for baksheesh even if they really haven’t done anything at all for you. So don’t be afraid to say no to people trying to press their luck, but do always leave a tip for someone who has done something for you. Even if they kind of manipulated you into accepting their service, it’s still proper to tip.
The guards at the Serapeum in Saqqara were very insistent on having me go around those rail barriers, a common baksheesh tactic As a rough guide for how much baksheesh to leave, in restaurants, you'd typically leave about 10 - 15% of the total bill. For taxis, you can round up the fare to the nearest pound, or even leave up to an additional 5 EGP for good service. For a hired car and driver for the day, 10 - 15% of the fare is appropriate. Hotel housekeepers would be about 20 EGP per day of service. Tour guides would be around 100 - 200 EGP per day for a full day tour. For mosque or restroom attendants you can go lower, 1 - 2 EGP is sufficient.
Keep in mind that tips often make up a significant part of the wages for workers in the service and tourism industry - it's not "extra" money for them. People rely on tips to make their living. I always tipped well when I was pleased with the service I received, and while people do expect tips for tourist services, they are also very appreciative when you are generous. Having small bills in the local currency, the Egyptian Pound, is best, but people will accept USD or EUR if you don't have any EGP available - just no foreign coins, as people cannot exchange those. Exchange rates swing pretty widely - you can find current rates for the Egyptian Pound here, so can get a rough idea of how much your daily baksheesh requirements will add to your travel budget.
Local Guides
This tip ties into the idea of baksheesh. Every tourist site you go to will have guards or guides who are more than willing to show you around. They’re very slick at roping you in, and many of them do have genuinely good and helpful knowledge to share that can enhance your visit. Egyptian historical sites cover thousands of years of history, and having a basic understanding of where you are and what you're looking at can breathe life into what may seem at first glance just another pile of ruins or rubble. Keep in mind that these guide services are never free.
Many guides will tell you at the start that their services are free, and they just want to guide you around! Nothing is free. You will always be expected to tip them at the end. So if you want the guide, then go for it. Many times it can be worth it, though of course there is no vetting process and no guarantees on quality. Just build these sorts of things into your budget and cash plan for the day if you think you may occasionally be interested in hiring someone on site. If you don’t want the guide, be polite but be firm. Sometimes the more persistent ones will follow you into the site and just start talking or reassuring you that their services are free. This tends to happen more often at sites that aren't crowded. Politely decline and keep going, and they’ll eventually try their luck with the next tourist.
I did actually meet a guide on the street one day in Cairo, who very smoothly convinced me that the mosque I was looking for was closed and led me to another one, where I was handed over to the ticket collector who definitely overcharged me to enter. The guide then gave me a tour of the mosque before I grabbed an uber to head back to my hotel. The guide's services were “free” all the way up until I requested the uber, and then his tune changed pretty quickly. I knew that was coming, and gave him his tip. All in all I knew pretty early on that I was walking straight into one of these slick guide situations I’d read about while planning my trip. Did I regret the whole decision to go with it anyway? No, not really. The mosque was lovely, I never would have found it on my own, and the whole experience only cost me around $10 USD. So my advice on local guides would be to stay polite and firm, but not so rigid as to close yourself off completely to unexpected adventures.
One of my favorite unexpected experiences in Egypt Cameras
If you’re a photographer who likes to shoot on a nice DSLR type camera, then be aware that many sites do charge extra for this. Not all, but many. The fees to bring in a camera were often quite high - I remember some being up to $10 USD, and that’s on top of your entry ticket. And if you want to take in a tripod, that can be a secondary additional cost. Make sure you check the rules and prices prior to entry.
You can of course try to sneak photos or videos with your camera, but most sites with these fees do have multiple guards who actively search for people taking photos without a camera or video pass. If you’re spending a couple weeks traveling around, these extra charges can really add up. So if you’re serous about photography or videography and want to shoot stress-free out in the open, definitely build these costs into your budget.
Photos of You
Be prepared, especially if you look very different than the Egyptian people do, for people to want to take photos with you, especially kids. I had one little girl ask for a selfie with me at the Citadel in Cairo, and 10 minutes later I think I had taken a selfie with an entire school bus full of children. It can seem a little strange at first, but I guess it’s a small taste of what being a celebrity might feel like!
I usually said yes to kids and women. Grown men I was a little more wary of, but it’s always your call who you want to take a photo with or if you want to do it at all. Stay within your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to politely say no or walk away if you aren’t feeling comfortable with the attention. The kids can always find another tourist to pose with.
Stores and Shopkeepers
This is related to my earlier tip on guides - Egyptian shopkeepers are great at what they do. Even the tourist with the most anti-shopping intentions can find themselves lured into a store and being shown plastic trinkets without knowing what happened. The shopkeepers are not bad intentioned, and they are just trying to make a living and do their thing, but unless you’re genuinely out to shop, politely decline conversation as you’re walking around. You can even just ignore if you have to.
I started doing that about halfway through my trip. It might seem rude on the surface, but sometimes it’s the only efficient way to get to where you’re going. The shop keepers will ask you where you’re from. They’ll ask you your name. They’ll ask you how you like Egypt. And they’re good… one reply from you and before you know it you’re having a conversation like he’s your long lost best friend and saying no to browsing his merchandise feels like you'd be slapping him in the face. So unless you want to shop, avoid conversation with the shopkeepers!
Cairo's famous market, the Khan El-Khalili Hired Drivers
Hiring a driver for the day can be a great way to build your own custom day trip. I hired one to take me around the necropolis of Saqqara and Dashour outside Cairo, and it was such a memorable day. Just make clear to the driver before you start your day - unless you genuinely are interested in the driver’s shopping suggestions - that you want no unplanned shopping stops - be firm and clear on that point.
Otherwise drivers will often suggest a tea break or something, and before you know it you’re being served tea in a shop and are being shown pricey merchandise to purchase. Drivers usually have their go-to store, where they will get a piece of the profit if you do end up buying anything. Be firm on this point before you start, so you don’t waste any precious sightseeing time saying no to shopkeepers at shops you didn’t want to be at in the first place. I learned this the hard way, and wasted valuable time during my day awkwardly trying to get out of the carpet shop and back in the car.
My hired driver, Nour, and I inside my Cairo hotel Haggling
Pretty much everyone in Egypt expects you to haggle, unless you’re in a big chain store. Don’t be afraid to negotiate, it’s the way things are done here and it can be a fun part of your experience! Best to have your top price in mind before you start the conversation, and always keep things friendly and polite to help your cause. Don’t be afraid to walk away if you feel pressured to make a decision, and don’t ever worry about under-paying - a vendor will never sell you anything unless they’re making at least a small profit.
Souvenir shop in Coptic Cairo Cairo Public Transportation
Did you know Cairo has an urban train system? I grew up taking public transportation, and whenever I travel I love exploring a city’s trains and buses. When I was researching my trip I could hardly find any information at all in any guide books about Cairo’s metro system, but yes, there is one, and yes, feel free to take it!
It’s no NYC subway or London tube - it doesn’t go everywhere you’d want to get to, as Cairo is such a massive urban sprawl. But if your travel end points can be connected by train, then go for it. It’s cheap, you’ll avoid the city’s notorious traffic, and you’ll get to have a genuine local experience that 99% of tourists miss out on. The system can be a bit confusing for first timers, and if you're not a savvy and experienced public transit user then I wouldn't recommend it, but if you're comfortable figuring out train systems, then give it a shot. I took it from my hostel down to Coptic Cairo - the station was super convenient for exploring that neighborhood's attractions.
(L) Cairo Metro logo - the Cairo metro trains operate both under and above ground
(R) Mar Girgis station in Coptic Cairo
Food
Egypt is famous for its pyramids, not so much for its cuisine - but that doesn’t mean you should skip the food! I had some lovely meals while I was traveling around the country, but my favorite of which was probably koshari - Egypt’s national dish. It's a staple of many local restaurants, so it's not hard to find. Don’t forget to give it a try!
Made with pasta, lentils, rice, chickpeas, and a special tomato sauce Pharmacies
Alright, I’m just gonna be honest here. We’re jumping from the food tip to the flip side of that - the big travel "D" word - diarrhea. Traveler’s diarrhea is super common, and while some people have digestive tracts made of steel, I certainly don’t. It’s common for people to want to bring medicines from home to have on hand for when this strikes, and I get it, I usually do that too. It’s more comfortable to bring medicines we are familiar with.
Now I am clearly not a pharmacist nor a doctor, so do keep that in mind with this piece of advice - always check with your medical professional on what is right for you! When traveling in Egypt, and you feel your stomach start to turn in an unpleasant direction, don’t rule out grabbing some medication at the local pharmacy instead of what you may have brought from home - and this applies to many countries, although pharmacy standards do vary in different regions, so again, do not take this as medical advice, just as an option to keep in mind. The stuff you can get in country can work really well. I got some amazing medication at a local pharmacy, and without going into too much detail, it kind of made all the difference for me. I was able to quickly revert from thinking about toilets to thinking about ancient tombs.
All smiles after the stomach had settled down! Three Final Suggestions (because 22 tips didn't sound as good!)
This one is actually a 3 parter, so bear with me.
Tip 20 A: You’re going to be touring a ton of ancient sites. Do a little reading or research beforehand on Egyptian history, so it doesn’t start to feel like just an endless barrage of ruins. Find out who lived in those ruins. What did they do? What were their struggles, their strengths, their flaws? Maybe pick a period of ancient Egyptian history - remember it spans well over 3,000 years - and sink into that period. Or maybe pick a pharaoh and learn all about him - or her (shoutout to my favorite 18th dynasty lady King, Hatshepsut!)
Yes, guides will explain the basics to you at all the sites. But really knowing what you’re looking at allows you to make real connections. It gives you that much needed context that will turn a temple or tomb or pile of broken stones into the places that hosted the lives - or deaths - of real, flesh and blood human beings. People who lived and laughed and loved and schemed and struggled just like we do. Having some of that context before you get off your bus or out of your taxi in the morning is what will really bring this ancient history to life.
At Hatshepsut's temple, outside Luxor - I learned all about her prior to the trip Tip 20 B: Learn a bit of Arabic! Even just a couple of phrases, like hello (salaam alaykum - سلام عليكم) and thank you (shukran - شكراً), is such a nice gesture to people and I think playing around in different languages is just super fun. Give it a try!
Tip 20 C: The final tip. It's a cheeseball, sentimental once, but at the end of the day, I think this one is actually the most critical to having the best possible experience in Egypt.
Treasure.
No, I don’t mean what the pharaohs had buried with them. Treasure every moment. For many of us out there, this is the trip of a lifetime. Not everything will go according to plan. Many things, in fact, will likely go sideways. You’ll get hot, you’ll get tired, you’ll get cranky, your feet will hurt and you might start giving death glares to all those people who try to sell you things or try to take you on those “free” guided tours. Try to treasure every moment as much as you can. Egypt is ethereal. You’ll be taking steps pack in time, to an era long gone where magic was a fundamental part of human life. Embrace that magic amongst the chaos. Treasure every moment.
Hot and thirsty, but living my best life inside a tomb in the Valley of the Kings
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