Travel Basics
Health
Visitors over 1 year of age entering Egypt from yellow fever
infected areas require yellow fever international certificate
of vaccination. Such areas include: all countries in Africa
south of the Sahara with the exception of Mauritania and a
few counties in southern Africa and some selected countries
in central and southern America. Cholera is a health risk
in the country and precautions are essential. There is limited
risk of malaria in the El Faiyoum area, particularly in the
period June to October. Cairo and Alexandria are considered
Malaria free.
It is recommended, that you take vaccinations
against hepatitis B, polio and typhoid. The Nile Valley and
Nile Delta are associated with risk of Bilharzia. You are
advised not to swim or paddle in these areas except in well-chlorinated
and maintained swimming pools. There are good hospitals and
chemists in all the major towns.
Visas
All visitors require a visa except for citizens of some selected
countries staying for various defined periods, upto a maximum
of 6 months. Those covered by this conditional exemption include
nationals of the Arab countries of Yemen, Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates, Libya, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen.
Other countries are Djibouti, Macau, Guinea and Malaysia.
Airport visas may be available for citizens
of the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United
States. This may however result in delays upon arrival and
your airline may in any case not allow you to board without
a visa. Whenever possible it is advisable to obtain visas
in advance. Visa requirements vary from time to time and you
are advised to check on prevailing status well ahead of travel.
Your passport should be valid for 6 months
from date of entry and at least 1 week beyond the expected
date of exit.
Peoples & Culture
By far, the majority of the people of Egypt are of Eastern
Hamitic stock. Nubians, whose homeland is in the south of
the country, Greeks, Armenians other Europeans represent the
remainder. Though somewhat simplistic, four cultural groups
can be delineated - Egyptian peasants or fellahin, Copts,
Bedouins and Nubians. Fellahin is a rather dated classification
as the majority of such people have immigrated to cities and
transformed themselves. The traditional fellahin can however
still be found in rural areas eking out a living from the
land as they have done from the days of the Pharaohs. Copts
are Christian adherents of the Eastern Orthodox Church. But
they are of the same race and culture as other Egyptians.
Bedouins are a nomadic people who search the
deserts for grazing and water for their camels and other livestock.
Nobody really knows the desert more than the Bedouin. They
know where to find water and get around by navigating by the
stars. Like all nomads, they live a free and hardy lifestyle,
and consider the sedentary ways of their compatriots as lacking
in grace and dignity. But they also realize the advantages
of a settled life and they have increasingly responded to
efforts to ground them and give their children an education.
The Nubian are a dark skinned people whose
ancestral land is to the south of Aswan. They have little
relationship, cultural or genetic with other dark skinned
Africans. Back in the days of the Pharaohs, they served very
well in the military. In more recent times, they farmed the
banks of the Nile River. Their lands have been mostly been
inundated by the raising of the Aswan High Dam. Most Nubians
have now migrated to towns and their lifestyle has changed.
Islam is the single most important influence
on culture in Egypt. And this applies even for non-adherents
like Coptic Christians. Perhaps for this reason, crime is
virtually nonexistent. The society is conservative, especially
on issues related to women. Women are expected to be modest
in dress and manner- no flimsy attire or loud talking and
laughing, for example. The men are very happy with their position
in this patriarchal society. The people are generally friendly,
hospitable and very accommodating especially towards visitors.
But visitors need to keep their religion to themselves- proselytizing
is illegal here.
The Lingua Franca is Arabic. But there are
two versions- classical Arabic, the language of the Koran
and the colloquial Arabic used in the street. English and
French are widely used for business and by educated urbanites.
In terms of culture, is important in the Arab world. And books,
movies, music and TV programs produced here are popular throughout
the Arabic speaking nations of the Middle East. The prolific
Naguib Mahfouz gained worldwide fame and prestige when he
won the literature Nobel Prize in 1998 for his book "The
Cairo Trilogy". His works are however not very popular
with religious radicals and an attempt was made in 1995 to
rub him out.
Egyptian cuisine is to the best tradition
of Middle East cooking. You are advised to try local specialties
such as roast pigeon, grilled aubergines, kebabs and chickpeas.
The hotels in the tourist areas serve cosmopolitan fare. Though
this is a Muslim country, imbibers of alcohol will not go
thirsty. Beers, wines and other drinks are available in bars
and restaurants, especially at hotels catering for tourists.
But you should defer to local sensitivities and avoid drinking
in daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.
Communication
Telephone, fax, telegram, and post services are available
in the principal urban centers. International direct dialing
to most countries is available. You will find Internet cafes
in the main urban centres and at tourist hotels. The country
code for Egypt is 20.
Mobile phones are based on GSM 900 network.
Coverage tends to map the population and therefore extends
to Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and the main towns along
the Nile and parts of the Red Sea area from Suez to Sharm
el-Sheikh. You are however advised to check beforehand whether
your GSM phone is usable if you are traveling outside any
of the areas specifically mentioned here. Network service
providers include Vodafone Egypt (www.vodafone.com.eg) and
ECMS-MobiNil (www.mobinil.com).
Accommodation
Tourism is a serious business in Egypt. You will find a wide
variety of accommodation ranging from 5-star luxury to budget
stay in the main cities and locations popular with visitors.
This in particular covers: Cairo, Alexandria and the north
coast, Luxor, Aswan and at the Red Sea and Sinai resorts towns.
Approved campsites are few in the country. During the popular
winter season, advance booking is advised. Egypt is very good
value and you will find accommodation cheaper here than the
equivalent in most other destinations. See our Egypt
Hotels & Resorts page
to view info and book accommodation for your say in Egypt.
Money
The local currency is the Egyptian Pound (LE). There are no
restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency.
The export of local currency is however prohibited.
Major currencies such as US dollars and Euro
and travelers cheques can be converted at banks and forex
bureaus in the main towns and tourist areas. You will get
best exchange rates for cash or travelers cheques if you are
dealing in US dollars, Euro or Pound Sterling. Visa, Mastercard,
American Express and Diners Club are accepted at various stores
and hotels. Your Visa and Mastercard can be used to access
cash at a limited number of bank outlets -particularly for
Banque Misr and Bank of Egypt.
Climate
The summer, which falls between April and October, is hot
and dry. The winter months are mild with cold nights. You
will be surprised to learn that there is virtually no rain
in this country. The best time to visit is between November
and March, outside the intolerable summer season. Beware of
the khamsin, the hot dry wind that blows from the Sahara around
April. This treacherous wind creates dust storms that can
reduce visibility to less than 30 metres. In terms of weather,
the Red Sea coast is most favoured and it is pleasant year
round. In Cairo, winter temperatures range from lows of 9°C
at night to highs of 25°C, while summers vary between
9°C and 35°C.
International Travel
All the main air carriers, including Air France, British Airways,
JAT, KLM, Lufthansa and SWISS, compete for the more than 4
million tourists who visit Egypt annually. The national airline
is Egypt Air. There are a small number of charter flights
flying in not only to Cairo but also to Alexandria, Luxor,
and Sharm el-Sheikh directly from European airports.
There are ferry services connecting Egypt
to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and also the Sudan. Some cruise ships
stop over at Egypt as part of their African sailing itinerary.
You can travel to Libya and Israel by road from Egypt. There
is a coach service operating between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
in Israel and Cairo via El Arish and Rafiah in Sinai. You
can also use a private vehicle to reach Israel through Eilat
via Suez and Taba.
Local Travel
Virtually every significant town in the country can be reached
by bus. This is the cheapest way to travel around Egypt. Some
of the buses have onboard videos that play Indian and Arabic
movies at top volume, presumably to entertain customers. This
can be quite an annoyance for visitors. This is why you may
consider using the luxury shuttle services, which operate
to and from Cairo, Alexandria, the Nile Valley and the Red
Sea, Sinai, and Suez Canal cities.
You can also get to most towns in the country
by standard trains, whose hub is Cairo. Luxury air-conditioned
trains run from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan and are used as an
alternative to flying to these popular tourist locations.
Alexandria too can be reached from Cairo by using luxury trains.
Within Cairo, you can use the metro, which is clean, reliable
and inexpensive. Luxury ferry service links Aswan and Luxor
along the Nile. The adventurous and thrifty can also sail
along the Nile by using traditional boats, feluccas.
Rental cars can give you some freedom from
the schedule of bus and train services. If you pick this option,
it is advisable that you rent a car together with a driver.
Driving in Egypt is very aggressive and few visitors within
their short stay are able to gain the necessary experience
to drive around safely. Generally, road links are good throughout
the main population centres. Driving is on the right. Review
our rental
cars in Egypt web page and do your booking here.
Egypt Air operates daily flights linking Cairo
with the main locations popular with tourists. This includes
Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Hurghada. Air Sinai,
flies to Sinai and Red Sea towns and resorts, particularly
Eilat, Hurghada, St Catherine, Sharm el-Sheikh and Taba.
Travel Insurance
Health and travel insurance are recommended. Ensure your travel
insurance includes emergency evacuation.
What to Wear
Light clothing is generally recommended for Egypt's warm climate.
You may however need a sweater and jacket for winter evenings.
Remember that this is a Muslim country and dress should be
conservative. Women in particular are expected to dress modestly.
All the same, immodest
western style holiday dress is acceptable in nightclubs, beaches
and hotels in Cairo and other locations frequented by tourists.
