From beautiful beaches, marvellous temples to bustling city life- you will be sure to have a diverse experience wherever you go in Egypt. It is rich in culture, history and is a truly incredible country to visit, however if you’re not prepared and aware, you may be slightly alarmed by some of the customs, behaviours and the way things are run and your dream trip could easily become quite the opposite.  

So, if you’re planning on visiting Egypt, I have complied a list of important things to know, DO’s and Don’ts to help you prepare, know what to expect and hopefully help you to have the best experience.

If you have any more questions, let me know in the comments at the end of the post 😊

• Get your VISA on arrival. It is a simple and easy process taking no more than a couple of minutes. I wouldn’t bother with the hassle of attempting to navigate the website and do it online- after many problems with the photo upload we ended up being rejected and losing our money.

• Don’t bring a drone! We were considering bringing ours but after some research and discussions with others, we were told that it will be confiscated at the airport as you need a license from the Ministry of Defence so we decided not to bother. Security is high everywhere- shopping centres, malls, restaurants- it will probably end up being more hassle for you!

• If you’re planning on bringing a camera, you are in for some extra expenses. Nearly every temple/historical site/ tourist attraction charged extra to bring a camera and a tripod inside. In one place in Cairo, we were told it was the same price as the entry ticket just for the tripod!

They will give you the option to pay for a ticket to be able to bring the camera inside or otherwise you can give them the camera to store until you come out. (I did not feel comfortable doing this as it didn’t seem so secure so we ended up paying for it)

• Security and Military presence is high everywhere!
• Don’t freak out at the fact that there are armed guards carrying weapons. In recent years, Egypt has been the victim of many attacks and as a result, security is high for your safety and security.

• All of the temples/historical sites will charge an entrance fee. If you’re a student, make sure you bring your ID with you- you can save a lot (up to 50%)!

Currency

• The currency is Egyptian pound; however, USD or euro are preferred.

• Internet is either very poor or non-existent in most places. If you want to stay connected and have a good speed connection, buy a local sim card as soon as you arrive or at one of the stores/kiosks. They are relatively cheap- 20 euros will give you around 20gb of data. We bought one and just shared the hot spot to the other phone and it lasted us nearly our whole trip!

• Be prepared for the hassling, scams and bribery! The level of harassment in Egypt it intense and unfortunately it can make everyday feel draining. Egyptians that work in the tourism industry receive very low salaries and rely heavily on tips and because of this, they are very pushy. Very few people will take ‘no’ for an answer so be very straight! Another important thing to remember is that, nothing is ever free. Don’t take photos of camels, accept help from someone to take you somewhere or take any ‘free’ gift or souvenir- they are never free and they will always want money in return!

• Prepare to get sick. Egypt is notorious for giving people an ‘icky’ stomach.  I have been to Egypt 4 times and on two of those 4 occasions, I have ended up sick. Try and avoid ice cream which has been defrosted and refrozen, salads, uncooked foods- anything that has been washed in the water. Be careful also with meat which hasn’t been refrigerated or stored appropriately. This is difficult to know but usually you can get a vibe of how hygienic/clean a place is!

Bring lots of hand sanitizer and some Imodium!

• Tipping is very much expected.

Everyone will expect a tip and they are not shy to ask for them. Be prepared by always having small notes or coins available. Of course, it is optional, but there is an expectation to do it due to the low salaries of the workers.

• The weather is dam hot!

I recommend visiting from September- April when the weather is slightly cooler. In the peak summer months, the temperature is unbearable and the intense heat is hard work!

• Don’t drive unless you’re a pro!

Unless you are fearless and a confident driver, I wouldn’t recommend renting a car in Egypt. The driving is chaotic, reckless and complete carnage- there is no time for hesitation. Hire an experienced driver or take Uber instead. Uber is available in all of the big cities/towns- Hurghada, Cairo, Alexandria. Download the app and pay by card or in cash.

• Don’t drink tap water. The tap water is not safe to drink and it can make you sick. Buy bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth.

• Dress modestly

Egypt is a Muslim country and therefore you should respect the culture and dress modestly. There aren’t any written rules about this and at most tourist sites and beach locations, you will see tourists wearing shorts, vests- (basically whatever they want). On my first day in Cairo, I wore vest and trousers and I felt extremely uncomfortable with many stares and remarks; I went straight back to the hotel and got changed. To avoid unwanted attention and remarks, cover up in the bigger cities- Cairo, Alexandria.  

• The traffic is constant!

If you are planning on going somewhere, be prepared for the traffic. It is constantly busy and your journey times will never be accurate. We took many buses which were supposed to take a certain amount of time and ended up taking several hours more!

I hope this list has helped inform you about Egypt and that the ‘Don’ts have not put you off! Egypt is a truly wonderful country and if you go prepared and well-informed of what to expect, you will have a blast!