With such a rich history and unique culture, it has always fascinated me. Safety is a big concern for most people when deciding whether or not to visit Egypt. Skip the Tour Shops:Your average tour guide will drag you through papyrus,Egyptiancotton, andEgyptian rug shops. Traveling through Egypt is similar in price to traveling through Southeast Asia. But if that sounds too hot, then delay your trip to late fall or winter. For tips after meals and things such as a camel ride, 5 to 10% of the price what you paid is customary. I havent personally looked into it, so I cant provide any insight there. . The quickest flight from New York JFK Airport to Cairo Airport is the direct flight which takes 10h 30m. The lesser known and more fun to visit pyramids in Saqqara and Dahshur are well worth the day trip from Cairo.
I personally love a little luxury and getting to explore with other female travelers. Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life, and is titled "the city of a thousand minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture. Basically, we took nine of their day tours and strung them together to form a customized itinerary. Thats why I started my own all-female tour company, TBA Escapes! They now rely on the security checkpoints along the roads to help ensure your safety. Take advantage of lower crowds and lower pricestourism is picking up and I expect that trend to continue for the next few years. You can perhaps edit it according to your needs. Wearing a face mask on public transport in Egypt is mandatory. If you are planning a trip on your own, be sure to research a reputable Egyptologist guide it makes a huge difference to have a knowledgeable guide! As it has been pointed out the window at the airport does not say Visa it says Banque de Caire.
Do not bring a drone to Egypt! It is 25 USD or 25 EUR, paid in cash. While Id always argue that other peoples travel experiences dont predict your own, I was hesitant to visit Egypt. If youre traveling to Cairo and Giza, youll get pretty much everything you need in Episodes 1-5. Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world. Through my travel company, TBA Escapes, we now offer all-female tours! In the 1960s the entire temple, including the mountain of rock it was carved into, was painstakingly disassembled and moved to higher ground, as water levels rose after the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Am I allowed to travel from United States to Egypt? When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. This temple is dedicated to the Ramesses II. The social distance requirement in Egypt is 1 metre. Id also recommend looking for a podcast or app with an audio guide. We typically purchased the photography pass at each site, since its important to capture great photos for this website, but honestly, in some tombs, our iPhones were almost as good as my DSLR. The fastest way to get from United States to Egypt is to fly which takes 14h 45m and costs $400-$2,000. We didnt have enough time to get to everything on this list, so hopefully youll see us back in Egypt within the next few years to explore some new places. Never had an issue getting anywhere or questioning where to go.
We used bottled water for drinking and to brush our teeth. The roads in Egypt are congested and chaotic. If you visit before the new Egyptian museum is open, you can still visit the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities built in 1835. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. The cheapest way to get from United States to Egypt is to fly which costs $280-$2,000 and takes 17h 56m. How Much Does It Cost to Visit Egypt in 2022? For more information, take a look at our article How Much Does it Cost to Visit Egypt? Should you hire a guide? If you take a photo of a camel or if you take a photo of a tomb attendant, you will also be expected to give a tip. Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. If you stick to the main tourist areas, which include Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel, Egypt is safe. Make yourself known to an official member of staff and/or call the national coronavirus helpline number on +20 2 27941506. https://www.theblondeabroad.com/what-to-pack-for-a-trip-to-a-conservative-country/ The museum is wonderfully curated. On some occasions, we had to use the same ATM card multiple times in order to have enough cash for the day. Cars fill every available space on the road and there is no effort to paint lines on the road, since they would be ignored anyway. One of our guides told us that at most tourist sites (museums, temples, tombs, pyramids, etc. Are the tour prices per person or per group? Its much easier to hire a driver, or even use Uber. Cheers, Julie, I checked Egypt Taylor made tours. In Cairo, haze can be an issue in the morning during the winter months, so its best to time your visit to outdoor sites (such as the pyramids of Giza) to the afternoon hours. Military and Police Presence: It is common to see armed guards and armored vehicles at the sites you will be visiting and along the roadways. One museum which is absolutely worth visiting is the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. In the Cairo International Airport, just before passport control, there is a bank window where you will purchase your visa. The national COVID-19 helpline number in Egypt is +20 2 27941506. For one thing, its expensive, especially to cruise with a company that gets good reviews. Good or bad. Hi Manit! They would approach us, ask us how we were enjoying our visit to Egypt, and ask us to spread the news on how safe we felt.
Thank you so much Mira for taking the time to write in with this information.
We did not cruise the Nile River for various reasons. We withdrew all of our Egyptian pounds from ATMs in Egypt. If money is an issue I would say hire one in Luxor as I do not know how we would have found the best pictures, carvings, point of views without our guide Rania, who was very informative and kind. Over the course of the month, daily highs average about 90F (32 degrees Celsius) in early April to 105F (32 degrees Celsius) by the end of April. However, Ill be honest. We had a driver and a guide. The island is connected with the river banks through three bridges each on the east and west sides of the island, including the Qasr El Nil Bridge and 6th October Bridge. It has two big halls but every single items has been thoughtfully selected and beautifully displayed. Our hotels in Luxor (the Hilton) and Aswan (the Movenpick) had ATMs and we used these every day to withdraw more money. During the winter months, it can rain in Cairo and Alexandria. Visa as EU citizens we were entitled to apply for e-visa. After a lot of research, we hired the company Egypt Tailor Made, based on their impeccable reviews on Trip Advisor. Drivers are very different and Cairo traffic is pure madness, but again you can choose a well rated driver, car etc. If you agree, you are expected to give him a small tip in return. It doesnt have to be much, 5 EGP is sufficient. Are there any tour guides at the entrance of the pyramids per se? They will never do something at a loss. We would definitely recommend buying the passes if you plan to visit lots of sights. Tahrir Square, also known as "Martyr Square", is a major public town square in Downtown Cairo, Egypt. I would anticipate haggling/bargaining as thats part of the culture. I am a white woman in my mid 30s and want to dress appropriately and yet not die of heat exhaustion! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 
I heard beforehand that the insides were quite cramped and there wasnt anything to see, so decide for yourself if youre willing to wait in line and know that it might not be the most exciting thing youve ever seen. Everything was well labeled with information, but having an Egyptologist guide can really help make the experience more enlightening. And one persons experience doesnt automatically mean that its going to be the same for someone else. It saves money (depending on how much you would like to see), hassle, all is paid so no need to carry lots of EGP cash, and you can enter the attractions more than once. One of the reasons our trip to Egypt was so positive is because of the exceptional service this tour company provided. According to Laila this wont happen this year, but you never know (apparently they are waiting for the tourism to pick up again). Hi! It is not unusual for tuk-tuks or motorbikes to drive against traffic on these roads, adding to the chaos. 3. The distance between United States and Egypt is 6884 miles. After all, the pharaonic period lasted over 3,000 years! I dont have benchmarks for any of these things personally but I think a good rule of thumb might be to pay what youre comfortable paying; if youre not comfortable paying itits probably too much. If Cairo gets too much for you, the area of Zamalek is much quieter,leafy, great little shops and modern cafes -a great way to recharge. It has witnessed many phases of growth affected by many economic and political currents which has led to a crowding of parts of the island including great reductions in the Zamalek district's open green areas, but with a large greenbelt across the island's middle defining the two districts. Typically, we prefer to travel independently. There are guides at the pyramids but expect to do a lot of negotiating and it would be hard to know if you are actually hiring someone who were knowledgeable about the site. I visited Egypt in April, which is spring and also a shoulder season. For various reasons, we chose to drive along the Nile River from Luxor to Aswan, rather than taking a cruise, which I will address in this article. Some of these might be obvious (such as sunscreen), but some of these may not be things that you have thought of. I met so many insanely friendly locals (a total stranger literally handed me their baby) and got to live out my lifelong dream of seeing the creations of Ancient Egyptians with my own two eyes. What is the national COVID-19 helpline number in Egypt? If your family or group size is large, then you might need to start withdrawing cash several days in advance. - to help you get the most out of your next trip. Is a Camel Ride at the Pyramids of Giza Worth It? Buying the Cairo pass took literally 2 minutes. They do check the dates very carefully (passes are valid for 5 days). For most people, taking photos with a cellphone is sufficient. Here are some things to be aware of when traveling through Egypt: Read all of our articles about Egypt in our. Thank you. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. Most tourist sites and activities need to be paid for in cash. Is it compulsory to practice social distancing in Egypt? Visa on arrival was no problem, no queue at all. You will need to cover your head if you go into a mosque so bring a scarf. Never once did we feel unsafe. If you like the idea of taking the hassle out of getting around Egypt and want knowledgeable guides to teach you about the places you are visiting, it is worth the small extra expense to hire a guide and driver in Egypt. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. The person who issued them did not even look at the second copy, but pocketed the 20 EGP for the third copy and the pen:-) My husband found that an unforgettable cultural experience worth the extra cost:-) 5. The horn plays a vital role in friendly communication between drivers. But if you plan to spend a lot of time in either Cairo or Luxor, they could save you some money. Another thing to be aware of is that not all license plates will have numbers that youll recognize. Tipping is always optional, but there is an expectation for it. Thaank. I visited the museum with a guide and took some time to explore on my own. Do not drink the tap water, brush your teeth with the tap water, or eat uncooked foods that may have been washed with tap water (such as lettuce, uncooked fruits & vegetables, etc.). But small change can be hard to come by, so save this for when you need to use the bathroom. In Cairo uber is used all the time.
In Luxor, not only can you visit the exquisitely decorated tombs of the ancient kings and queens of Egypt, but there is also the enormous Karnak Temple and the Temple of Luxor. Children ages 6 years to 12 years get a 50% discount. Cairo is a busy city with more than 15 million people. Required fields are marked *. Note: This post contains affiliate links. We show you the quickest, cheapest and easiest routes from the airport to the city, Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world. In our guide about How Much Does it Cost to Visit Egypt, I list our daily tour cost at $220 USD per person and that is for 6 people.
It costs $25 USD and you will pay cash. you. Youll be going to touristic shops to find these goods, so its likely theyll try to take advantage of you. Temple of Queen Hatshepsut on the West Bank of Luxor. Theyre not interesting and are staged for tourists. (Yes paid for the visas twice). We had 2 passport photos each and 2 copies of our passports (in colour). If you plan to use a tripod, there is an additional fee for this (typically 20 EGP). 9. And never do we take packaged, multi-day tours when we travel. In the southern part of the country, at Luxor and Aswan, rain is unlikely. We did not know about this Identification Card before our visit. And for the West Bank, this can potentially be a lot of money, especially if you choose to visit the tombs on special tickets. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. The Tutankhamun treasure is partially still there but most of the jewels are in the new one as well. However, we did still receive a police escort several times on the drive between Luxor and Abydos. You must bring the plastic card with you because a copy or a photo of the card is not typically accepted. We're working around the clock to bring you the latest COVID-19 travel updates.This information is compiled from official sources.