Egypt Travel Tips: 14 Things to Know Before Your Visit

As I sit here, writing this post, I’m struggling to find the right words to describe my feelings about Egypt. Spectacular, awe-inspiring, infuriating, exhausting, and annoying are the first words that come to mind.

Visiting the Pyramids of Giza, taking a cruise down the Nile, and learning all about the ancient Egyptian pharaohs in Luxor were experiences of a lifetime. But being constantly hassled by touts to buy their souvenirs, ride their camels, and give them a baksheesh (tip) at times made me hesitant to leave my hotel room.

I tried my best to prepare for Egypt. I scoured travel blogs and guides, read travel advisories with warnings about past terrorist attacks, and mentally prepared for the best of times and the worst. Or so I thought…

After spending 30 days in this crazy, amazing country, I’ve come away with a list of 14 things that I really wish I would have known prior to landing in Cairo. Hopefully, this list of Egypt travel tips will help you prepare for the madness that awaits you in this amazing country! 

Egypt Travel Tips - Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt

I should clarify a few points before you read on: 

  • First, I refer to “Egyptians” in a negative context a few times in this article. I’m generally only speaking about Egyptian men who speak proficient English (among other languages) and work in tourism. Most Egyptians are very lovely people and, in general, don’t hassle you.
  • Second, I am a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, fair-skinned American woman. I traveled to Egypt with my husband (who also happens to have blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. No, we are not related). So we probably generated more attention as it is 100% clear as day that we are not Egyptian. And it is likely that I would have had a different experience if I was traveling alone (or if I was traveling as a brunette).
  • Third, if you visit Egypt with a tour group, you’ll likely escape many of the negative experiences that I describe in this post. Your tour guide will act as a kind of bodyguard to shield you from the touts.
  • And lastly, do NOT let this post dissuade you from planning a trip to Egypt. It is a spectacular country that everyone in the world should visit. But if/when you do make the trip, you should probably be a bit more mentally prepared than I was… (and you will be after reading these Egypt travel tips).

Tips for Visiting Egypt: 14 Things to Know Before Visiting

1. It is an Incredibly Safe Country to Visit

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Cotton candy Vendor
The only danger here is a sugar rush!

My husband and I had talked about visiting Egypt for months until we actually bought our tickets. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. We had family members warn us of possible kidnappings. Nearly everyone we told that we were going responded with “are you crazy? Isn’t it really dangerous?”

I read blogs and travel advisories and convinced myself that I’ve lived an epic life, so it’d be okay to die a bit earlier than anticipated. So we booked our tickets and made arrangements to stay for the entire length of our visa-on-arrival. I pretended to be really excited.

And of course, I was wrong to be so nervous (just like I was wrong to be nervous about visiting Turkey). And I was kind of ridiculous. I found Egypt to be incredibly safe and the people to be quite welcoming. They seem to love Americans and think that Trump is crazy. I never even for a second felt unsafe.

Sure, it’s a bit scary trying to cross the street, but actual physical danger? No way. As an example, if you want to visit the Cairo Museum, you’ll pass through three different security checkpoints (complete with three separate bag and body scans).

That being said, while we were in Luxor there was a terrible attack on a mosque in the Northern Sinai region which is still notoriously dangerous. We would not recommend visiting the Northern Sinai peninsula area, nor would we recommend a land crossing from Israel. The Suez Canal is heavily guarded. It is how the remainder of Egypt has managed to stay safe from the forces occupying the peninsula.


2. The Most Frightening Danger in Egypt is School Children and Their Cameras

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Selfie at the Pyramids
Help me!!!

We couldn’t figure out if it was because tourism has been so terrible in Egypt over the past seven years. Maybe the children have never really seen tourists, or maybe the kids are just naturally curious. But the biggest danger we ever faced in Egypt was children wanting to take selfies with their cell phones. Specifically at touristy destinations (these kids are likely visiting from smaller, remote villages).

At the Pyramids of Giza, I was constantly surrounded by 30-ish children trying to touch my hair, shake my hand, and take a selfie with me. The only English words they seemed to know were “what is your name?“, and “photo?“.

It sounds fairly harmless, right? What kind of monster would complain about taking photos with children? Well once you say yes to one, then another will see and then another. Soon enough, you will be surrounded by a mob of crazy kids demanding your attention for a selfie (or three). And god forbid they get organized and take one group shot, that would be far too easy.

If you have blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, anytime you see a group of young children approaching – RUN!

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3. Passive-Aggressive Groping is Not Common

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Sunset at Luxor Temple

I have repeatedly experienced a strange phenomenon in conservative countries like Jordan, Morocco, and India that I not-so-lovingly refer to as “passive-aggressive groping”. It’s when men unnecessarily brush up against women’s bodies in a creepy attempt to cop-a-feel way.

It happened to me so many times in India that I started carrying an umbrella under my arm. The point facing backward kept men away from my butt. And I gave a serious scolding to one emboldened gent who “tripped” up the stairs and caught himself with my buttcheeks. Not cool.

I read several blogs stating that this was also a problem in Egypt. There was an effort to educate younger boys in school that this behavior is wrong and not tolerated. I even shed a few tears just trying to mentally prepare myself to deal with this again (it makes me crazy that some people believe it’s okay to touch another person’s body without their permission).

But not even once in the 30 days that we spent in Egypt did anyone touch me in any way that made me feel uncomfortable, even a little. Sure, a few men tried to put their arms around my shoulders for a picture, but they refrained as soon as I said no. Passive-aggressive butt rubbing doesn’t appear to be an issue in Egypt. At least, it wasn’t for me, thank god.

(And PS, if you’re thinking that it’s probably because I don’t have a nice butt, you’re wrong, I totally do!)


4. Women will get Catcalled, but it’s Reasonably Harmless

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Egyptian Hospitality

I also read plenty of blogs warning women about making eye contact with men in Egypt as they would get aggressively catcalled. So I was ready for some good old-fashioned whooping, hollering, and whistling. And during my first day in Cairo, I refused to make eye contact with anyone (which actually makes it really difficult to see where you’re going).

And I did get catcalled a bit. But it was pretty harmless. “How many hearts did you break today?” and “how much do you cost? I’ll give you 1 million camels” were the most common. I did have one man tell me that he would kill his wife for me. It seemed a bit over-the-top but (hopefully) he meant it in jest. Most of the catcalls seemed to be more funny and flattering than anything else.

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5. Many Egyptian People are at a Point of Financial Desperation

In 2016, the value of the Egyptian Pound (LE) fell significantly. It had previously been pegged which was causing turmoil in the country. While prices have been somewhat adjusted for inflation, wages have remained more or less the same as before. Meaning that many Egyptians are earning about half of what they were earning prior to 2016 but paying higher prices for everything.

Because of that, the Egyptian people are really struggling to make ends meet. In areas like Luxor and Aswan that rely heavily on tourism, you can actually feel the desperation in their pleas. It’s incredibly sad and difficult to understand. And sadly, for tourists, it makes for a very frustrating experience.

The next few things that I wish I would have known prior to visiting Egypt will make it sound like we had quite a negative experience. That is not the case, most of the time. But there were times when this desperation facing the Egyptian people was so infuriating that it tempted me to jump on the next flight back to the US. It helped to remember that many people in this country are truly struggling and some view tourists as their only option to earn money.


6. A Tip (“Baksheesh”) is Expected for Anything and Everything

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Egyptian Guard at Edfu Temple
This photo was worth the baksheesh!

Possibly due to #5 on the list, Egypt has developed a culture where a tip, or “baksheesh”, is expected for anything and everything. We had two pretty hilarious and memorable “baksheesh” requests. The first was when we left a restaurant to get into our Uber. There was a man standing nearby who claimed he “didn’t let anyone else steal our Uber” and tried to demand a tip (he was not successful). The second was when we went into a phone store to replace the screen protector for my iPhone. The store owner requested a tip beyond the price we paid. We still don’t really know what for.

When visiting temples, there are many guards dressed in traditional clothing hanging around. They will ask you to take a photo of them, or try to show you something in the temple, or even allow you to take a photo when it isn’t allowed (such as in tombs in the Valley of the Kings and inside of the Great Pyramid in Giza). Then, they will expect a baksheesh for their efforts. It gets REALLY old really fast. But I learned that these men earn about 1200 LE per month (~$65 USD) so your tip really helps their families.

Locals never seem to want to part with small change so it can be difficult to keep small bills for your baksheesh. Hang on to 5, 10, and 20 LE bills for dear life!

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7. The Amount you Should Tip is Much Smaller Than you Might Expect

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Egyptian Money

When we first arrived in Cairo, we had a driver meet us to take us to our hotel. We tipped him 100 LE (~$5). He was literally ecstatic. He kept shaking our hands and asking us to call him again for rides wherever we needed to go. Turns out we tipped him about five times what we should have.

Expect to pay 10 LE for the guards hanging out at the temples. Public bathrooms will run you 2 LE. Pay the bellboy 10-20 LE for carrying your luggage to your room. And 10-20 LE/night for housekeeping is standard. The service charge is generally included in your check when dining out but if it isn’t, a 10% tip will suffice.


8. If Someone Offers to Help, it Usually Comes at a Price

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Camel Owner at the Pyramids
No, this photo was not free

If I had a dollar for every time someone approached us on the street who genuinely wanted to help us find what we were looking for, I would be broke.

There were times when we thought someone was genuinely interested in talking to Americans. However, it was only a matter of time until they tried to direct us to their shop or restaurant. They seemed offended when we turned down their offer for “Egyptian hospitality” which would consist of tea in their shop while trying to “help us spend our money”.

We learned that (almost) no one who approaches you on the street really wants to chat or to help and anyone who aggressively tries to point you in any direction is lying. On the way to the entrance to the Pyramids of Giza, several people on the street point to a side street claiming “entrance here! Ticket office here!” It’s not, they’re lying. And there are police officers standing 10 feet away that know this scam is going on but choose to do nothing about it.

It’s also very difficult to ask anyone on the street for help. While they may be genuinely helpful, it’s highly likely there is a tout lingering nearby who will tell the nice person that they’re already helping you. Even though they’re really only trying to help you to find their shop. This is incredibly frustrating as they are really difficult to shake.

I wish I could give good advice but just this evening (as I write this) we had two people following us around at different times, pretending to just want to chat. I hate that this makes me sound cynical and I hope that you don’t find this to be the case during your visit.

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9. “No” Does Not Seem to Mean No in Egypt

Every time we left our hotel in Luxor and in Aswan, we would see the touts start running toward us. “Felucca? Felucca? You know how much it costs? Very cheap, Egyptian price!” or “taxi, taxi, where you go?” It’s like we had giant neon dollar signs on our foreheads. And no matter how many times we said “no thank you” or “NO” or “LITERALLY STOP FOLLOWING US!” they persisted. We were often followed for blocks while ignoring their nonstop attempts to get us into their boat, car, or horse-drawn carriage.

It would seem that these Egyptians either don’t know the meaning of the word “no”, or they just don’t care that you don’t want what they are offering. They assume they’ll wear you out and eventually you’ll agree.

We learned that the best way to get them to finally leave us alone was just to ignore them. Giving a polite “no thank you” just gives them hope that they can wear you down. You’ll feel like the world’s biggest asshole pretending that the person that is walking alongside you while yelling in your ear doesn’t exist, but you’ll thank me in the end.


10. Many Egyptians Drive Without Headlights at Night

For some reason, many Egyptians believe that driving with the headlights on really impedes the vision of oncoming drivers at night. And thus many drive with either just their fog lights or with no headlights at all. They’ll often flash their lights to inform an oncoming driver of their presence when traveling at high speeds or when few other cars are around.

For a backseat driver, or for anyone attempting to cross the street, this can be horrifying. Keep calm, relax, and rest (somewhat) assured that their visibility is better because of it!

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11. Uber Rides are Dirt Cheap

Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt: Our Uber Receipts
Our Uber receipts

Uber rides are dirt cheap and also awesome because the drivers won’t try to hassle you! Most of the taxi drivers in Egypt will not accept the fact that you only want them to take you to one place. They’ll spend the majority of the ride trying to convince you to let them take you to some other tourist attraction. And, as I mentioned above, they have a hard time taking no for an answer. The Uber drivers won’t even try to talk to you!

We found that even though many Uber drivers got really really lost trying to find us (damn you one-way streets!), the wait was worth not getting hassled for more rides or duped on price. You’ll rarely pay more than $5 to go anywhere around Cairo so, of course, they appreciate (but certainly don’t expect or ask for) a baksheesh. Just be sure you ask that they follow their GPS – their way usually isn’t the best way!


12. The First Price Offered is Rarely the Price You’re Expected to Pay

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Felucca Ride in Aswan
I was so angry and ignoring our liar-liar-pants-on-fire Felucca driver

We encountered this many many times during our time in Egypt. The locals are trying to be competitive in their pricing so they lie. Here is an example of what we encountered fairly frequently: we were walking down the street in Aswan and after dodging probably 30 men asking us to take a ride on their felucca, we were approached by a seemingly nice old man who offered us a ride for 25 LE (~$1.50 USD). We were only a short distance from our destination but figured we could take a cheap boat ride and get there much faster.

About midway through the trip, I started asking the nice old man about an excursion for the next day. When my question of price came up he informed me that the charge would be 75 LE/hour, “the same as our current ride”.

“Um, excuse me?” I said. “You said this felucca ride would be 25 LE.” He informed me that I misheard him and I could ask anyone what the going rate is and blah blah blah. Bottom line is that he blatantly lied to try to get our business and then flipped once our only escape was to swim back to shore.

The moral of the story is that we would have happily paid him 75 LE for his time and would have given him our business the next day if he’d just been honest. I get it, I’m being an asshole, it’s only a few dollars. But it gets so exhausting having to negotiate for everything and attempting to figure out the actual price to pay at the end of your trip.

Be sure to confirm the price several times (and even videotape it if necessary) before agreeing to any services in Egypt.

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13. Visiting Tourist Sites on Fridays and Saturdays is Horrifying

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Selfie with a Local Family at the Pyramids
They halted their caravan just to take a photo with the foreigners

Fridays are prayer days for Muslims, and Fridays and Saturdays are weekends for most Arab countries. So every attraction that you (tourist) want to visit, the locals want to visit as well. And busloads of schoolchildren who have the day off of school will arrive shortly after you do. Referring back to #2 of this list, you’ll not only be bombarded by people wanting to take your photo, but you’ll also need to plan on waiting in long lines and sharing small spaces with lots of people.

If you plan on visiting either the Pyramids of Giza on Friday or Saturday during the midday, or if you plan to visit the Cairo Tower on a Friday night… just… don’t. Trust me.


14. Everyone Smokes. Everywhere.

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Egyptian Man at Kom Ombo Temple
My new best friend. But I had to tip him for this photo.

I was walking through the airport, hacking up a lung and wondering why it reeked like cigarette smoke in the middle of the G gates. It turned out the doors to the “smoking room” were open wide so as to give the smokers inside some fresh air. That is a pretty accurate representation of all of Egypt. Smokers can light up pretty much anywhere – in hotel rooms, restaurants, in taxis, on buses. The world is their black tar oyster.

Be sure to request non-smoking rooms in hotels and non-smoking tables at restaurants. Prepare for your senses to receive an assault.


Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt Conclusion

Egypt Travel Tips (Things to Know Before Visiting Egypt): Stained Glass Windows at the Coptic Museum in Cairo
Finally found some peace and quiet!

Would we visit Egypt again? Absolutely! Are we beyond ready to leave after being here for 30 days? Yes. But you should DEFINITELY VISIT EGYPT NOW! It’s super safe and super cheap, and the things you will see will blow your mind. Hopefully, these 14 things will help to prepare you for the good, bad, and ugly that you may experience while visiting this spectacular country!

We hope this guide helps you in planning and preparing for your trip to Egypt!


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About the Author:

  • Valerie Wheatley

    Val grew up in Portland, Oregon but moved to Oahu on a whim back in 2013. She sold her house and all of her belongings and bought a one-way ticket. Since then she’s taken two around-the-world trips and has visited 60-ish countries while living out of a duffel bag.

    Val started documenting the Wandering Wheatleys travels back in 2013 as a way to update friends and family about her whereabouts and to relay humorous daily interactions. The only readers were her mom and her mother-in-law but that didn’t stop her!

    These days you’ll find Val dreaming up future trips, creating new travel content, managing a team of amazing travel enthusiasts, and chasing around her two adorable but naughty kids.

26 thoughts on “Egypt Travel Tips: 14 Things to Know Before Your Visit”

  1. You are so right. You two stand out in a crowd of Egyptians and once you open your mouths are targeted. Well done for staying the course and enjoying your travels.
    I read your comment on Egypt. specifically Giza, as we are going there in May. We have been before for a Nile cruise which was absolutely fabulous. We also lived in India for years so we are used to blarney, baloney, downright lies and entreaties. Thank you for your forthright and helpful words, now I know what I am getting into and it hasn’t changed. I really like the fact that you know all the flannel is not the people who live there but is the patter the touts, beggars etc given to foreigners without caring but trying to shame them into parting with money anyway they can. It is a dilemma how much you help, as you think, and also get furious with the sham. thank you for your accounts.
    We live in Dubai and are going to Giza for six days in May this year. it will be a pain, a delight and a joy to be there.

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