Egypt is on the top of many people’s bucket lists due to the incredible amount of history from the mysterious Great Pyramids of Giza to the historic city of Alexandria to the grand Valley of Kings. The history is so well preserved and much of it is shrouded in mystery making it a fascinating place to explore. We’d definitely recommend you make a journey to Egypt to experience it all!
How Much Time to Spend in Egypt and Where to Go
Cairo is the capital of Egypt and houses many amazing things like the Great Pyramids, the famous Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (and the soon to open Grand Egyptian Museum), and huge shopping markets like Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. If you only have a few days, I’d recommend spending your time here. The city is large with so much to do and see.
However, if you have more time, we’d definitely recommend other amazing places in Egypt. To the north is Alexandria. Ancient Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great and ruled for some time by Cleopatra. It’s famous for the ancient Library of Alexandria, which was said to have held more knowledge and books than anywhere else in the ancient world! The ancient library was burned to the ground and all the knowledge was lost with it. Today however, Alexandria is more known for its food scene and artsy Mediterranean vibe.
To the south is Luxor and Aswan. We spent four days here. There are so many amazing things you can do like take a Nile River cruise as your transportation and accommodations between the temples. Read our other article for a more in depth look at all the history and sites in Luxor and Aswan.
However, if you are looking for beach resorts, we’d recommend Sharm El Sheikh or Dahab on the Red Sea. Located about an hour away from each other, there are fabulous beach things to do here. Snorkeling or diving can be done in both but Dahab has the famous Blue Hole which is the best place for diving and snorkeling! Dahab is the quieter of the two places with a more relaxed vibe. Here you can find hiking and camel rides. A desert safari can be arranged in both locations. Sharm El Sheikh has a nicer nightlife with a visit to Naama Bay or Soho Square at night being a must. You can also go parasailing in Sharm and knock another thing off your bucket list!
Plan to spend a few days in each location to see it all if you have time.
When to Visit
The best time to visit Egypt is the fall (Sept, Oct, Nov). Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb) has chillier temps but definitely great for sightseeing. Spring (March, April, May) brings unpredictable winds which can cause sandstorms. Generally the cities are fine in spring but the deserts can be unpredictable and if you get caught in a sandstorm, it can last days. Finally, I would avoid summer (June, July, August) if at all possible due to oppressive heat.
Egypt is a desert and it gets hot, hot, hot in the summer. While the average summer temperatures in Cairo generally exceed 86℉ (30℃), the humidity makes it almost unbearable to sightsee in the summer. Just south on the Nile, the record high for Aswan is 124℉ (51℃). We visited at the end of October and we were still sweating during the day.
The only place that may be comfortable to visit in the summer is on the coast. Here the summer temperatures remain high but that’s what you want at the beach.
Egypt Visa
Most nationalities need a visa to enter Egypt. A single entry for up to 30 days or a multi-entry for 180 days is available. While they have an online system (https://www.visa2egypt.gov.eg/eVisa/Home), we found it difficult to navigate and nearly impossible to submit for a visa. But it is the only system that accepts a credit card though. If you are able to get through the online system, it should take 5 days to receive the visa. You can quickly get a visa in the airport on arrival but you need to be prepared. It cost $25 USD and they only accept USD, Euro and British Pounds, no Egyptian currency or credit cards accepted at the airport. The bills have to be in good shape: no writing on the bills or rips/tears. They don’t give change back so have the exact amount ready. Also make sure to bring your own pen to fill out the forms.
It’s honestly pretty quick if you have everything prepared in advance. We filled out the visa form on the airplane during descent. When you enter the customs area, go to any of the bank windows, they are all the same. We had exact change ready but luckily to our surprise, the teller broke a $100 for us and gave us change which we’ve heard normally doesn’t happen. The teller will hand you a visa sticker. Take it to the customs agent with the form. They’ll add the visa to your passport, stamp it and you’ll be on your way. The whole process only took us 10 minutes but we were the only flight there so not bad at all!
Cairo International Airport
The Cairo International airport is split into 3 terminals, none of which are connected or easy to get between. All three terminals also seem to have a domestic and an international section which is an added layer of confusion. So if you are transferring or need to get from one terminal to another, give yourself some time. There is a free airport shuttle that runs every ten minutes, however unfortunately the pickup isn’t at the sign marked Airport Shuttle. At Terminal 3, find the Starbucks outside and walk across the street to the second lane of traffic. The bus will stop there. While it’s very easy to walk outside from Terminal 2 to 3, Terminal 1 is not connected to the others. Terminal 1 is also a disaster. It’s very hard to navigate, you will have to go through multiple scanners and check points that seem pointless and the people inside felt hectic, rushed, and mad. It wasn’t our best airport experience. However Terminal 2 and 3 were much easier to enter and navigate so I guess it depends on which airlines you are flying. A few things we notice is that there are no water fountains in the airport that we could find which means you’ll have to buy bottled water. Also the free WiFi is only offered if you sign up with an Egyptian telephone number so it was hard to access. In a desperate attempt, we connected to a store’s employee WiFi that was open but it was spotty at best. Plan ahead.
Leaving the airport
There is no public transportation from the Cairo International Airport. When you walk outside, you may feel accosted by local Egyptians offering you a taxi ride. We found all of them to actually be super helpful, pointing us in the direction of our hotel shuttle bus after we declined their taxi ride. Also once we politely declined a taxi ride multiple times, they obliged to leave us alone. It’s helpful to make transportation arrangements before you arrive if possible. However with plentiful taxi options, you’re sure to have a ride. Do make sure to agree on a price beforehand with the driver and pay in Egyptian pounds for the best rates. Taxi should always turn the meter on but they often lie about it not working. Get out and get another taxi if that’s the case.
Egyptian Currency
The local currency is Egyptian pounds. Whatever you do, don’t try to get the currency before you arrive. It’s easy to get money out at any bank, currency exchange or ATM. Be careful to not take out too much Egyptian pounds though, as banks will not exchange back to your currency. Take out a little each day for small purchases like water, coffee, tea or meals at local places. Many people take USD as well but generally they charge tourists higher prices so having local currency cuts down on this. Also something to note is that ATMs here will not dispense USD and many currency exchanges will not provide either. So if you want or need USD, make sure to bring it with you.
ATMs have a limit on withdrawals of usually around 4,000 pounds (~$82) so you may need to go a few times depending on how long you’re in the country. ATMs will charge a small fee, like 2% but avoid Credit Agricole as this ATM will charge you a 15-20% fee! We also found that on weekends (Friday and Saturday) the ATMs ran out of money because locals go to them, drain them, and they don’t refill til Sunday, the first day of the week.
Tipping Culture
Tipping is a way of life here. Everyone from the tour guides to the drivers to the boat driver, that only took us 15 mins, expects a tip. So make sure to have local currency to pay the small ones and USD for the bigger amounts. Usually it was like 100 pounds (~$2) for a quick small thing. A tip for a guide is $10-15 USD per person per day while a tip for a driver is $5 USD per person per day.
Also be prepared to pay for bathrooms. Not everywhere charges but a lot of tourist places charge 10 pounds to use the bathrooms. However, if it doesn’t say or it says no tips, there is no need to give money to the attendant inside. Restaurants, hotels or off the beaten path places don’t charge so use the bathroom when it’s free and carry a few small bills for when you gotta go!
Safety
Egypt is a very safe country. There doesn’t seem to be any pickpocketing, no guns or shootings. The most annoying thing is people asking you to buy t-shirts or sell you a taxi ride. The biggest complaint of tourists is that you might get ripped off by spending too much. To help reduce this, make sure to compare prices at a few shops and be able to walk away. Know what a bottle of water should cost (10 Egyptian pounds) and the average price of a meal (200-500 pounds per meal). Be smart with your belongings. Don’t be flashy with expensive things, watch your passport and money and you’ll be fine.
Overall the Egyptian people are super outgoing, very boisterous, they laugh a lot and make many jokes. However, sometimes when they get excited and speak quickly in Arabic, it seems they could be mad or angered but really, they’re just passionate. Honestly the thing that bothered us the most was how aggressive they are in trying to sell you things: trinkets, t-shirts, tours, or taxis. They usually leave you alone after denying a few times but it’s exhausting as you’ll be confronted everywhere you go. One lie we heard often was “hi, I work at your hotel” which is a ploy to trust them more. Just ignore and don’t fall for their tricks. We did find a stern “stop” while putting our hand up stopped the nagging quicker than trying to ignore.
Egyptian Food
Egyptian food is amazing. If you had other Arab foods like mixed grills, kebabs, shawarma or falafel it is pretty similar however we found the food to be much more flavorful with a depth and richness of spices. Many dishes use garlic, onion, spicy peppers, and cumin for such a good flavor.
A traditional lunch we had many times was meat (chicken or beef) served with a plate of rice, tahini, bread, chopped vegetables and turley which is mixed vegetables with tomato sauce. I would call it a soup or stew but they were adamant it wasn’t (because they have other veggie soups that are thinner with more broth). It’s used to dip your bread in or pour over rice. The traditional pita bread is made with both corn and wheat giving it a heartier grainy texture.
Eating gluten free in Egypt however is not as easy. Bread in Egyptian Arabic, aish, actually translates to life. It’s literally life to them and it’s everywhere. Gluten free Pro tips: ask for mixed grills not to be served on bread, check the rice as it’s often served mixed with small vermicelli noodles, we found orzo in soups, and a lot of shared dips are meant to be dipped with bread so if you’re in a group, ask for separate small bowls. It’s all doable, especially if you bring some granola bars and nuts but it was one of the harder countries for me to eat in. Gluten Free Pro Pro Tip: Egyptian falafel are made without wheat here and if you get a shop that only serves falafel, it’s guaranteed gluten free as that’s all they are frying. 100/100 recommend. It might be my new favorite food!
Tours
Honestly, a tour in Egypt is a great way to go. Certified tour guides in Egypt go through four years of training, can read hieroglyphics, and have to renew their license with new training so they’re always up to date on new archeological digs and findings. The vast amount of history linked throughout all the locations and their knowledge is what you are paying for. We’ve had friends hire someone cheaper and their experience is never as good. Also guides can arrange transportation and accommodations in advance which makes it a smooth trip for you.
Cairo isn’t too overwhelming and you could do it on your own. We found Nepal (insert link) much more crowded and harder to navigate. But the city and other sites in the country are so spread out and if you have limited time to see everything, a guided tour gets you to all the stops. We used Ahmed (+20 114 779 6475 WhatsApp contact) and he was amazing! His guides are professional, funny, and not only did we learn so much about Egypt, we made some wonderful friends. I’m sure you can do it on your own, but with limited time, we were glad we had drivers and guides set up to make it a smooth experience and to learn as much as possible. A few things had to be booked in advance as well so having someone keep track of all those details was helpful too.
There are tours you can book with food included (usually hotel, cruise boat, or bulk made food). We booked without food included and I’m so glad we did because the lunches and dinners at local hole in the wall spots that our guides took us to were some of my favorite meals I’ve ever had. Also with tours you definitely get what you pay for here. Go with a recommended guide to make sure you are getting a good value to knowledge and logistics ratio.
Digital Nomad in Egypt
While there is no separate digital nomad visa for Egypt, you can do the tourist visa for 30 days and extend for another 30 days allowing you to stay for 2 months. However, one major drawback we found is that the internet is so unreliable, even in the nicer hotels and airports. Sometimes it worked great and sometimes we were left without service. While small tasks online are doable, if you need video streaming or major internet capacity, you might think twice. Otherwise you may be missing meetings, deadlines or be really frustrated without a good connection.
