Egypt is rich with amazing food, culture, and ancient history that I believe everyone needs to experience at least once in their lives. However, after coming back to the States, there are a ton of tips I wish I knew before traveling abroad! Check out my top 15 travel tips for Egypt.
Check the weather in every city you go to. Even if one is only an hour or two away, I found there to be drastic temperature differences between them.
Bring $1 USD bills. Tipping culture is big. In many instances, we were recommend to give one USD dollar. They will also have different things for sale for $1. For example, many of our buses and accommodations had 2 for $1 water bottles if you needed extra. When paying for a taxi, dollars are also super easy to pay with.
Cash is king! Always have Egyptian dollars on you, especially the smaller bills. ATMs are everywhere.
Don’t drink the water! You are perfectly fine to shower and wash your face, just don’t drink it. It’s safe, but our bodies are not used to the different bacterias in their water supply.
Peddlers are everywhere. They will not touch you and they will not pickpocket, but they are aggressive. Do not make eye contact and just ignore them. This also includes the children. They will come up and ask for money, I know it’s hard, but you have to ignore them too. Even if you say the word "no", they will continue. Just dont say anything.
Every store has the same things. Don't feel like you need to buy immediately, especially in overpriced hotel gift shops. When out in the markets, if someone doesn’t go down to your price, you’ll find another person that will. I recommend offering about half the price they originally say and stick to it. Be willing to walk away. If they say "no hassle", "firm, good prices"… still haggle with them. You got this!
To my fellow young, blonde haired women... prepare to be treated like a celebrity. Almost every tourist destination or town we were in, I had young Egyptian woman and tourists from other countries approach me for a selfie or picture. They are all harmless and very sweet. After seeing how excited the younger girls were when they got a picture, it was hard to say no. For the most part, I agreed to pictures but made it very clear "only one, quick picture"!
If you’re going to a mosque, bring socks. Me (not thinking) wore sandals. You have to take off your shoes to enter the mosque and it was pretty chilly that day. I had to walk around on icy, cold marble slabs for an hour. Not fun.
I read a ton of travel advice before going that stated you have to dress conservatively and cover up everywhere. That is not true. The only place you need to cover your knees and shoulders is the mosques. Otherwise, you are perfectly fine to wear what makes you happy! You’ll see my range of outfits in my pictures for ideas.
On the clothing note, I do recommend airy clothes and layering. The mornings and evenings do get chilly but during the day warms up nicely.
Alright. This may not be a glamorous topic. BUT. Make sure you pack both anti diarrhea, stomach calming and anti constipation medication. Most of our group got sick the same day after we all ate from the same buffet on the Nile River cruise. We are pretty sure it was one of the common fruits we all ate! A few people were struggling in the other direction because of bread and rice being such a staple in the Egyptian diet. Don’t be afraid to eat at local restaurants and market shops. My new friends and I did quite a few times and were perfectly fine! You can get sick on the nice boat or you can get sick from a local shop. Just prepare and enjoy!
Following off the point above, try local establishments!!! We tried a few restaurants, a rooftop hookah lounge, and spots in the markets for food. The hospitality is unmatched, the owners/managers are incredibly kind, and they are so grateful for your patronage. Immerse yourself in the culture, its worth it!!
Watch every Egyptian documentary you can before you go. This is a personal preference, however, it was enriching to go in having some knowledge and already excited to see certain ancient artifacts besides the Pyramids and King Tut. It really gave me a deeper appreciation for the incredible wonders we were experiencing and the teachings from our tour guide.
Drink tons of water. You might think this is a given, but the dust in the air and desert dryness is no joke.
Eat the pigeon.
Have additional questions about traveling to Egypt? Leave a comment below!
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