Egypt things to know before you go
Egypt: 18 Things To Know Before You Go
Walking the path of the great Pharaohs and ancient Egyptians has enticed travelers to Egypt for literally thousands of years.
In today’s world, traveling to Egypt can seem daunting to people who haven’t traveled to the Middle East or Africa before.
With Egypt constantly being misrepresented in the media, it’s best to take advice from someone who has actually been there and can speak from experience.
Historic, fascinating and full of adventure- Egypt is not to be missed but there are a few things to know before you go.
1. Yes, it is safe
Crime rates in Egypt are actually quite low. There is far less gun violence, murders, rapes, violent crimes and drug use than compared to the United States. You can see the crime rates compared here.
So chances are you will actually be more safe traveling to Egypt than in many Western cities 🙂
Egyptians are friendly, polite and extremely helpful to tourists!
They will go out of their way to make sure tourists have a positive experience in their country.
2.Tipping
Tipping is common and expected so be prepared to spend a little more money than you originally budgeted.
Whether it’s your driver, the person who helps you with your luggage or a local offering to take your photo- people will frequently expect a tip.
At tourist attractions, locals will approach you and share information or give you advice. You might not realize until afterwards that they expect to be tipped.
Be prepared with small bills and just say no to anything you aren’t willing to pay for.
3. Get a SIM Card for cell phone data
Worried about phone usage and data abroad? Check with your phone provider ahead of time if you will have access to data or international texting.
It can feel scary to be in a foreign country and not feel like you could call for help or use GPS to find your way when you are lost.
Most likely, you won’t have coverage or if you do, it will be expensive or poor quality. You can always buy a SIM card in Egypt for cheap. This will give you a different phone number while the chip is in but will give you data, text and calls. I recommend the company Orange. You will be able to find them all over Egypt and it costs next to nothing.
If you are traveling with a guided tour, the WiFi in your accommodation should be plenty since you will be picked up, dropped off and taken everywhere by your guide.
But if you are traveling around on your own- you might want data to call an Uber or use Google Maps.
Pro tip for Egypt: Before you go, always have your hotel’s address written down and physically with you so you know you can get back if your phone dies or you lose data. That way you can just hand the slip of paper to a taxi driver!
4. Uber is the best way to get around
Taxi drivers will hike their prices for tourists so if you must take a taxi, try to set the price ahead of time.
I was warned against taking a taxi by locals but once I found myself with no other option. It was confusing, the driver didn’t know the location of the hotel, he brought me to the wrong address AND it wasn’t nearly as cheap.
Uber on the other hand was much easier! I frequently rode on the back of a scooter and the ride cost me a whopping $1!
Don’t want to ride a scooter? No problem, ordering a car is equally as cheap. I typically spent $3-$5 on Uber rides across town.
5. But even Uber isn’t totally reliable
While Uber is your best option for getting around, still allow plenty of extra time when going places.
Uber drivers in Egypt will frequently not use the maps and still get lost.
The traffic is insane in Cairo and Alexandria and it won’t always give you an accurate arrival time based on traffic.
Just allow more time to arrive places if you’re travelling yourself!
6. Wild driving in Cairo
Traffic laws seem to be merely a suggestion and stop signs are simply decoration.
Get ready for some crazy driving. No one pays attention to lanes and absolutely NO ONE uses their blinker. Every time you get in the car, easily a thousand traffic laws will be broken.
I once had a driver literally drive the wrong way down a one-way into oncoming traffic because it was supposedly quicker. I was panicking in the back seat while we played this game of chicken.
7. Clean, affordable hostels in Cairo
Traveling on a budget? There are nice clean hostels you can stay at for $10-$15 a night.
I personally have stayed at the Valencia in Cairo. They provide an awesome breakfast every morning and I met loads of other young travelers.
It was clean and located in the heart of Cairo. The neighborhood wasn’t the cleanest but the hostel itself was clean and I felt extremely safe.
8. Sales hassling will be intense
Try to view it as part of the experience and don’t let it frustrate you too much!
Especially at the tourist locations, you will be stopped constantly. People will want to sell you things everywhere you go.
It can get exhausting and make it very difficult to actually do any shopping because simply walking around casually and browsing is difficult with so many people trying to get you into their shop.
After Egypt, I flew home to Minnesota for Christmas and it felt so strange to do my holiday shopping and NOT be hassled. Quietly strolling through a mall with no one bothering me has felt like such a luxury since being back, ha!
So chalk it all up to experience and learning about a culture different than your own! Haggling for sales in the market can actually be quite fun!
9. Locals will stop you for pictures
Especially if you are blonde, fair skinned, tall or dressed up- expect to be stopped for pictures!
Often times we were completely swarmed by young school groups who were touring the Pyramids or temples. The children would crowd around us with their phones out and one by one, come forward to get their picture with us.
But it wasn’t just the kids! Adults would ask for pictures everywhere we went too. Uber drivers, restaurant servers, and tour guides all wanted pictures with us.
Sometimes people were too shy to ask for a photo and we would see them sneakily taking pictures of us from a distance.
While some people might find this invasive, it was quite harmless. We found it fun to connect with people! They were fascinated by my friend’s blonde hair and aren’t accustomed to seeing people who look like us.
10. Dress modestly
I am very much a feminist and believe women can and should wear whatever they want. But when it comes to respecting other cultures, it’s better to dress appropriately for the situation 🙂
After all, you are a guest in another country. Wearing skimpy clothes while traveling in predominantly Muslim countries will not only attract unwanted attention, it will also make the locals feel uncomfortable.
It’s best to dress in a way that will make you and everyone else feel comfortable 🙂
You can check out my shopping guide for Egypt here.
Pro tip: Allow time on your first day to go to market and buy some of the local fashions! It’s more fun to travel and wear culturally appropriate clothing and local styles. Plus your travel pictures will turn out much nicer! Pictures wearing locally bought Egyptian clothing will be much more visually stunning than if you just wear the same t-shirt and jeans you always wear at home!
11. Egyptian men are very forward and flirtatious
The culture is different here. I’m glad I saw and experienced this but it’s good to be prepared.
Ladies, just be ready. Cat calling, staring, flirtatious remarks and really forward flirting are very common in Egypt.
Especially when we dressed nicely or put on makeup, we were constantly asked if we had boyfriends, told we were “so beautiful” and cat called walking down the street.
If you’ve been to Italy, it is similar. But even worse. The men are just a lot more forward.
This is probably my top tip for things to know before you go to Egypt! If you’re not expecting it, it can be a real culture shock.
12. Underfed street animals might break your heart
Especially in Luxor and Aswan the horses are uncomfortably skinny. Horse drawn carriages are everywhere and these animals look like they haven’t had a proper meal in years. Their ribs will be sticking out and their fur might be patchy. (Please never ride in a horse-drawn carriage in Egypt!!)
Street dogs and cats will be friendly but often look very underfed as well. If you’re animal lover, just be prepared. And maybe give any leftovers to the animals after your meal 😉
And please consider donating to the Brooke Charity before or after your trip. They do INCREDIBLE work in Egypt to help the many suffering donkeys and horses.
13. “5 Star Luxury” is by Egyptian standards
Before you go, it’s important to know that in Egypt if you book a 5 star cruise or 5 star luxury train ride, the quality isn’t being judged on an international scale.
While we had an absolute blast on our “5 star luxury” excursions, it’s good to have a realistic expectations. I imagine guests might complain from time to time, but do we really travel to get the exact same experiences we could get at home?
The train ride and Nile cruise were two of our favorite things but most countries wouldn’t have considered them 5 star quality.
Learning how different countries vary in train travel or boat luxuries is all part of the cultural exchange.
Read: WHAT TO EXPECT ON A NILE RIVER CRUISE IN EGYPT
That being said, there are definitely true 5 star places like this hotel in Cairo or the famous hotel where Agatha Christie wrote “Death on the Nile” in Aswan.
14. Don’t drink the tap water in Egypt
Bottled water will be cheap, don’t risk getting sick! I always travel with Imodium just in case.
You can also travel with a filter and reusable bottle to cut down on plastic.
15. Book upgrades ahead of time to avoid confusion
If you book a tour that offers upgrades, I suggest booking these upgrades before arriving in Egypt. It got very confusing when we were trying to pay in multiple currencies for multiple people. And if we paid with a card (which wasn’t always an option) there was a fee attached.
It would have been much easier if we had decided ahead of time and just paid online before arriving in Egypt.
16. Carry small bills
You will be expected to tip a lot and not every taxi driver or shop merchant will give you change. It’s simply easier to have small bills with you.
Everything is cheap in Egypt so you’ll want to be able to pay for things without asking for a lot of change back. See if your hotel can break your large bills!
17. Know what your tour covers and what it doesn’t
Some tours don’t include the cost of the museum entrance fees. You will be expected to pay them in cash on arrival.
Some tours include all your meals while some only include half. Just be sure to factor in any additional costs before leaving!
A good rule of thumb is to pack half as much clothing and twice as much money as you think you’ll need!
18. Go with an open mind and heart
Traveling a country that is SO different than our own can be very enlightening.
Egypt is a beautiful country with such rich history- it’s a shame more people don’t visit. It is rewarding, challenging, exciting and will give you enough travel stories to share for years to come.
Yes there are some things to know before you go to Egypt but if you’re prepared and informed, you’re in for the trip of a lifetime!
It isn’t always easy but it’s definitely worth it!
Khaki Top
3/4 Sleeve Green Maxi Dress
Tan Jumpsuit
Green Two Piece Set
More on Egypt + Things To Know Before You Go?
- How To Travel Egypt On A Budget – 8 Day Guided Tour
- What to Wear in Egypt: A Women’s Guide To Feeling Comfortable and Fashionable While Traveling Egypt
- VISITING EGYPT’S NUBIAN VILLAGE
- 17 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOUR VISIT TO CAIRO, EGYPT
- OUTFITS FOR EGYPT – WHAT TO PACK!
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I love your tips and photos of Egypt. I did have one question. As you booked a group tour, did you have any flexibility on what time you could leave in the mornings? We’re you able to beat the crowds?
Thank you so much 🙂 I’m so glad you found it helpful! Yes we were fortunate and had wonderful, accommodating guides. Our tour to Abu Simbel and the hot air balloon ride both left before sunrise! Some days, the timing couldn’t be changed if the Nile Cruise was just arriving in port etc!
Love this! We’re planning a trip to Egypt this winter and this guide will be super helpful. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely!! Thank you for reading Taylor and I’m so glad you found it helpful 🙂
These are all great suggestions. I particularly like the suggestion about going to the market to buy clothes. That’s something I’ve never thought of doing before (I usually do that part way through a trip), but it makes more sense to do it at the beginning. Although, in Egypt, that might be a little overwhelming at first! Egypt is one of my favorite places and I’m always trying to convince people to travel there. It still surprises me how many people don’t have it on my bucket list.
Yes!! When I was first in the market by myself it was a bit overwhelming. I much preferred shopping with a guide or with my friend there. It’s easy to get turned around in the Egyptian markets!
I always love to shop early on a trip so the souvenirs you bring home also get worn on your trip!!
Love your post, all of the tips are great. We travel a lot too, but I always look for information if it’s easy to use credit card, USD, or local money needed. And if adapter and converter needed? Can we drink local water? I personally would love to see those information included in your Blog next time. Great job. Love your gorgeous pictures.
As an Egyptian, I really liked your post about Egypt.
And I wish you many happy visits to Egypt, because you did not see all the ancient cities and museums, such as Alexandria city, for example
Greetings from an Egyptian living in Holland