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If you must take a taxi, then it would be best if you asked the reception/ concierge of your hotel to get you one. They have certain assigned taxis that they know very well, and deal with on a daily basis If you want to tour a site on your own, you have to be aware of where you are going, how much you are going to pay for the ticket, and what is included with the ticket!

Prepare yourself for a culture shock! Many seasoned travellers are amazed when they first visit Egypt, and find that it is unlike any other country that they have previously visited!

Egypt is a Muslim country, so please respect their faith. Many things that you take as the norm, such as kissing and/or fondling your partner in public, wearing revealing clothing etc., are frowned upon here, so try and be more conservative in your attitude. Homosexuality is actually illegal in Muslim countries!

Do not rely, solely, on travel books such as Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. Though they do give a lot of good information, they do not explain everything, or how to help if you get into problems. Too many people have come to Egypt armed with one of these books, and have left, totally disappointed with their trip, vowing never to return again!

If you are travelling alone, or in a couple, and wish to organise everything yourself, please let the hotel know your plans before you leave. If you should get lost, the hotel will be able to act on your behalf! Also, take a note of the hotel’s name and telephone number, in case you do get lost, or change your plans.

If you wish to organise everything yourself, be prepared for the occasional “rip-off”. Like many other tourist destinations, Egypt has its “wolves”, those who prey on unsuspecting travellers. Often the total cost of an excursion can be a lot more than if you had arranged it through your hotel, or a travel agent, and a lot less enjoyable.

Never drink the tap water! It is okay to wash, shower and clean your teeth with it, but not advised to drink. Bottled water is cheap and plentiful; use it instead!

In Egypt they drive on the right, be careful when crossing roads. Take special care in Cairo, where the traffic is a lot busier than in other Egyptian cities – especially outside the Egyptian museum! UK and Japanese travelers should be extra careful, as you will be used to traffic driving on the left.

Get your entry visa at your destination airport; it often works out cheaper than getting it at home. Also you can exchange your $, £ or Euro at the same time – the conversion rate is far better in Egypt!

If you are going to be using the Abela Sleeper Train service, please try and make your reservation in advance. For help with this, try here.

Internal flights by Egypt Air must be booked in advance as well.

Get to know the other guests in your hotel, many of them will give you advise about what and whatnot to do. They should also be able to tell you where the best restaurants and bargain centers are; no one will knowingly recommend a bad place!

Do not be scared of being part of a group for excursions. These groups have leaders (a tour guide and/or Egyptologist) who will help with problems, explain about the site you are visiting, arrange transport (if necessary!) etc., things you would find difficult if you tried it alone. You will also find that you will get less hassle if you are part of a group! Many traders will not approach a group of people, but they will approach a lone traveller or a couple.

When you pay for a group excursion, the price includes everything except for tips (sometimes admission prices are not included). This includes transport, a driver, a tour guide, tolls etc. Some longer excursions may even include a stop for lunch (often included in the price too). Many will take you to places where Ancient crafts are still practised, giving you the chance to buy good quality merchandise at low prices.

Buy (and drink) plenty of water. You will find it a lot cheaper to buy in the various shops, than buying at your hotel or cruise boat. You may not drink a lot of water at home, but make sure you do in Egypt. It is very easy to become dehydrated if you don’t.

Remember that Egypt is a 3rd world country, and has many poor people who think that all tourists are rich, no matter where they come from in the world! Learn the phrase “La Shukran” (No thank you!) and don’t be afraid to say it to anyone who tries to sell you anything, or asks for “baksheesh”. Believe it or not, it does work. Please do not say “Emshi” (as many tour books advise), this can be taken as an insult.

If you forget the expression “La Shukran” just politely say “No thank you” and walk away. Don’t get abusive to the trader; he is only trying to feed his family.

If you feel that someone is being too pushy, let a member of the Tourist Police know. You will see them everywhere in Egypt and their job is to protect you.

Admission to all sites is payable in LE, so make sure that you carry enough with you. Try and plan each day in advance, work out how

You will find that many tours (especially to the desert sites) are done either early morning or late afternoon. The reason for this is because of the heat in the middle of the day. If you do want to visit sites independently, please try and follow the example of the experienced tour organisers and avoid the midday sun!

Take a small, pocket, flashlight with you when visiting the sites. Many tombs, temples etc. use the natural light for illumination (including a local with a large mirror, reflecting the light!) and a small flashlight can be very handy. A small mirror, such as the one in a ladies make-up, can also be used to highlight a relief. Please Note: Do not take one of the really bright halogen torches, you could cause damage to the monuments!

Take a box of cheap ballpoint pens. The children (and many adults) are very happy when you hand them out, handy for baksheesh.

When shopping for bargains, keep your own currency and credit cards out of sight, and separate from your LE. It is easier to haggle over a price if you can show that you have only a few Egyptian pounds in your possession! Plus, some traders may try and insist that they meant $ or £, instead of LE, if they see that you are carrying them.

Wear sensible footwear when visiting the various sites. High heels and open toe shoes are not advisable. The floors of most sites are either sand or rough-cut, uneven stone. Inside many tombs, wooden floorboards have been installed, but thin heels could get caught in the gaps between the floorboards.

Many monuments have signs that say ” No Flash Photography”, please obey these signs (you can be ejected from the site if you ignore the sign!). The very bright flash can cause serious damage to some of the ancient paintwork!

Some reliefs have depictions that show male genitalia – this is not pornography, so there is no reason to be offended! If you are part of a group (of any size) the leader/guide will explain the reason for the depiction.

If you are travelling by road to Abu Simbel, ask your hotel or cruise boat if they supply a “breakfast box”. Some hotels do this, as they cannot supply you with a breakfast before you depart. If they do not do this service, take some food with you, as hunger will set in before you reach Abu Simbel (a 3 ½ – 4 hour trip, each way!) Also, make sure you take plenty of water with you; it tends to be hot here and you can dehydrate very quickly.

When visiting the West Bank sites at Luxor, again take plenty of water with you! You will be there for either ½ day or a whole day (with a break for lunch) and it can become very hot, drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration!

Ladies, if you intend visiting the inside of one of the pyramids, please wear trousers (or jeans). You may have to ascend/descend ladders and/or crawl through narrow passages. For the same reasons, I would advise men to avoid wearing short trousers.

Public transport (town bus services, and in Cairo, the Metro!) in Egypt is very cheap, but try and avoid it if you can. You will only put yourself into an awkward position having many locals staring and talking about you. Taxis are not expensive so use these for travelling about town. Your hotel will let you know the best companies to use.

At most sites, especially if you are alone, or in a couple, a “guide”, offering to show you around, may approach you. To these people you should say “La Shukran” or “no thank you”! The Egyptian Government does not employ any guides at any of the sites and monuments! Again, ask at your hotel, for help, before you visit the site.

Do not buy anything from the traders inside the Giza Plateau! The items they are trying to sell you can be bought a lot cheaper at places like the Khan El-Khalili. Also beware the many people offering you camel rides, as they are not all genuine! Head for the main stables if you want a camel ride, or better still, arrange one at your hotel.

If you go to the Citadel, try and ignore the traders selling “papyrus” pictures, as the “papyrus” is made from banana leafs, they are not genuine papyrus! Also, if you buy some from one trader, another will approach selling you “pictures that the other man did not have”! To get mementos here, there are some stalls between the bus park and the old bank, where the traders are better to deal with, and not so pushy.

Many people, to save money, use the express train service, Cairo – Luxor/Aswan – Cairo. This is a long journey, though it is comfortable (and the scenery is breathtaking!). Before boarding the train, make sure you take some food with you, as the supplies “on-board” run out very quickly and are not replenished. A book is often advised, to help pass the time. Make sure you get the 1st Class, air-conditioned express train (normally, tourists have no option – the lower class carriages are for locals only!). They are non-smoking, but you can smoke in the entrance/exit area!

Do not feel that 5 star hotels are always the best! There are many 3 star hotels, that are Egyptian owned and run, that offer the same facilities as the big multi-national ones, sometimes they offer a better service and in most cases, a lot friendlier!

And finally: Please do not let this list put you off going to Egypt. It has been compiled from questions that people regularly ask, and complaints that travelers have experienced. This list is to help make your visit as enjoyable as possible.

Arabic Language: Arabic language is spoken by over 200 million people in almost 22 countries. Arabic speakers are mainly concentrated in the Middle East in an area expanding from the Arabian Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean. Arabic is the Language of Quran, the Holy Book of Islam, so it is the language number one in almost all Islamic countries. The Arabic language is divided into two types, the first one is the “Fus ha” (Classical Arabic) which is the formal Arabic language usually used in formal writings and also in formal oral context like TV and Radio news. The other type is “Al ‘Amiya” (colloquial) which is the non-formal spoken language. You could find it spoke on the streets, in the markets, and in the houses. The colloquial language is spoken in many different ways depending on the country and even on the town. For instance, if you went to Luxor or Aswan, you will find that people there speak Egyptian Arabic in a slightly different way where the dialect plays a very important role. These are common arabic phrases that we think should be useful to you in your Egypt Travel Vacation
Hello	–	Ahlan wa sahlan
Good bye	–	Salam
Good Morning	–	Sahab el-kheir
Good Evening	–	Masaa el-kheir
Good Night	–	Tisbah ala kheir
Peace be with you (a frequently occurring greeting)	–	Salam alekum
And upon you be peace (the standard reply)	–	Wa alekum es salam
How are you?	–	Izayak(m) Izayek (f)
Fine	–	Kiwayess (m)/ Kiwayessa (f)/ Kiwayessin (g) Ilhamdoulilah (The standard reply)
My name is …..	–	Ismi …..
What’s your name?	–	Ismak (m)/Ismek (f) eih?
Welcome	–	Ahlan wa sahlan
Standard reply to a male	–	Ahlan bik
Standard reply to a female	–	Ahlan biki
Yes	–	Aiwa
No	–	La
Thankyou	–	Shukran
Thank you very much	–	Shukran Gidann
No Thankyou	–	La shukran
Pardon/Excuse me	–	Afwan or ahlan
Sorry	–	Assif
You are welcome	–	Al-affu / ‘afuann
Please	–	Min fadlak (m)/ fadlek (f)/ fadlokoum (g)
I don’t speak Arabic	–	Ma batkalemsh Arabi
Do you speak English?	–	Bititkalimy Englizee?
I don’t understand	–	Mish fahiim (m)/ fahma (f)
I understand	–	Ana fahim/ fahma
I mean	–	Ana Assdi/ Yaani
Enough/stop	–	Bass
Don’t		Balashs
Thanks god	–	Il-hamdouLilah
God willing	–	Insha’allah
Ok/fine	–	Mashy
No problem	–	Mish Mushkilla
Again	–	Tany/ Kaman
Not bad	–	Mish batal
Impossible	–	Mish momken
Also	–	Bardo
Non sense	–	Kalam Fady
Exactly	–	Bilzabt
Bit by bit	–	Shiwaya shiwaya
Connection	–	Wasta
Go away (said to children who are bothering you)	–	Imshi
Please	–	Min tadlak
Can I see this?	–	Momken ashout da?
How much is this/ that….?	–	Bikam da….?
I don’t want this.	–	Mish avez (m) avza (f) da.
It costs too much.	–	Da ghali awi.
Cheap	–	Rekhis
Do you have…?	–	Fi andak …..?
Money	–	Felous
My last word	–	Aakhir Kalaam
Congratulations	–	Mabrouk

General Regulations
Non-Egyptian visitors arriving in Egypt are required to be in possession of a minimum 6 months valid passport. Entry visas may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic and Consular Missions abroad or from the Entry Visa Department at the Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA). It is, however, possible for most tourists and visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the major ports of entry. Please check with the nearest Egyptian Consulate for specific details and regulations relevant to your nationality.

There are three types of Egyptian visa: 

• Tourist Visa: is usually valid for a period of 30 days and granted on either single or multiple entry basis.

• Entry Visa: is required for any foreigner arriving in Egypt for purposes other than tourism, (e.g. work, study, etc); the possession of a valid Entry Visa is needed to complete the residence procedure in Egypt.

• Transit Visa. In case your nation is not on the list of countries that need a pre-arrival-visa (please see list below), you can get your visa when you arrive in Egypt. The process is straightforward. You have to buy “visa stamps” for the amount of the fee required for your nationality. These fees vary from 15 to 50 US$ and can not be paid in Egyptian pounds. The stamps are stuck in your passport and you can proceed to the customs desk.

Passports and Identity Cards

All nationalities, except for Italian and German, need a passport with minimum 6 months validity.

Italian and German citizens can enter Egypt with their identity cards; the identity card must be valid for travel abroad and have a minimum validity of at least 6 months from arrival date. In such a case visitors need to have:

–  2 recent pictures
– 1 photocopy of the identity card

Upon arrival (or during the flight) they will be asked to fill in a form that will be handed over in the customs desk.

1. Countries that do not need a visa to enter Egypt:

Nationals of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Egypt:

Bahrain, Djibouti, Guinea, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia (For 15 days stay), Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen; Palestinians holding an Egyptian residence card. All other nationals will need a visa.

2.  Countries that require pre-arrival Visa

:: All African countries :: Afghanistan :: Armenia :: Azerbaijan :: Bangladesh :: Bosnia and Herzegovina :: Chechnya :: Croatia :: Georgia :: India :: Indonesia :: Iran :: Iraq :: Israel :: Kazakhstan

:: Kyrgyzstan :: Lebanon :: Macau :: Macedonia :: Moldova :: Pakistan :: Palestine :: Philippines :: Serbia and Montenegro :: Sri Lanka :: Tajikistan :: Thailand :: Turkey :: Turkmenistan :: Uzbekistan

3. Countries that can acquire entry visa upon arrival

Nationals of countries not mentioned above are allowed to receive entry visa upon arrival.

To apply for a visa, please contact the nearest Egyptian consulate. For a list of all diplomatic missions, see the Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs’ website Your application requires the following documents:

a passport that is valid for at least another six months§

one passport-sized photograph§

a completed application form§

The visa fee depends on your nationality. South African and Sudanese citizens pay no fee; others pay between 20 and 60 US$. A tourist visa is valid for three months from the date of issue and allows you to stay in Egypt for 30 days from the date of your arrival

Transit Visa

• Foreigners arriving in Egypt on board cruising ships are granted a permission to visit the port of arrival for 24 hours and catch their ship at the same port. They can also be granted a permission to enter the country for a visit not exceeding a period of 2 days before catching their ship at the port of arrival or at any other port.

• Air passengers transiting in Egyptian airports are allowed entry for a quick trip not exceeding the period of 24 hours. In the event of emergency landing, passengers are entitled to enter Egypt for a period of:

o 24 hours in case of poor weather conditions.

o 48 hours in case of technical faults to the aircraft.

Notes:

Visitors entering Egypt at the overland border post to Taba to visit Gulf of Aqaba coast (from Taba to Sharm el Sheikh excluding Ras Mohammed National Park) and St. Catherine only, can be exempted from visa and granted a free residence permit for fourteen days to visit the area.

Those in possession of a residence permit in Egypt are not required to obtain an entry visa if they leave the country and return to it within the validity of their residence permit or within six months, whichever period is less.

 

 

Country	Address	Telephone	Fax
ALBANIA	29, Ismail Mohamed St., Zamalek	33415651-33411064	33413732
ALGERIA	14, Brazil St., Zamalek	33418527-33402466	33414158
ANGOLA	12, Fouad Mohy El DIn Sq., Mohandessin	3337602-33498259	33378683
ARGENTINA	8, El Saleh Ayoub St., Apt. 1, Zamalek	36401501-33417765	33414355
ARMENIA	12, Lotfi Hassouna St,. Dokki	33605625	33600317
AUSTRALIA	World Trade Center, Corniche El Nil, Boulak	35750444	35781638
AUSTRIA	Wissa Wassef St., El Riyad TWR 5th Floor, Giza	35702975	35702979
BAHRAIN	15, Brazil St., Zamalek	33407996-33407997	33416609
BANGLADISH	47, Ahmed Heshmat St., Zamalek	33412642-33402401	33412631
BELGIUM	20, Kamel El Shennawi St., Garden City	27947494 / 5 / 6Visa 792 59 66	27943147
BOLIVIA	2, Hod El Labban St., Garden City	23546390	23550917
BRAZIL	1125, Corniche El Nil, Maspiro	25756877-25756938	22761040
BRUNEI	11, Amer St., Dokki	33609735	33615739
BULGARIA	6, El Malek El Afdal St., Zamalek	33413025-33416077
BURKINA FASO	9, Fawakeh St., Mohandessin.	33608480-33379098	33495310
BURUNDI	22, El Nakhil St., Madint El Dobbat, Dokki	33378346-33373078	33378431
CAMEROON	15, El Israa St., Mohandessin	33441114-33441101	33459208
CANADA	6, Mohamed Fahmy El Sayed St., Garden City	23543110	23563548
CTRL AFRICAN REP.	41, Mahmoud Azmi St., Sahafeine	33446873
CHAD	12, El Refai Sq. Dokki	33373232-33373379	33374726
CHILE	5, Shagaret El Dorr St., Zamalek	33407811-33408446	33403716
CHINA	14, Bahgat Ali St., Zamalek	33411219-33420781	33409459
COLOMBIA	6, El Gezira St., Zamalek	33423711	33423711
COTE D’IVOIRE	39, El Kods El Cherif St., Mohandessin	33460109-33464952	33460109
CUBA	6, El Fawakeh St., Mohandessin	33710525-33710390	33612934
CYPRUS	23A, Ismail Mohamed St., Zamalek	33411288-33410327	33415299
DENMARK	12, Hassan Sabri St., Zamalek	33407411-33402502	33411780
DJIBOUTI	11, El Gazaire St., Aswan Sq., El Agouza	33456546-33456547	33456549
EQUADOR	6, Ebn Kathir St., Suez Canal Bld., Giza	33496782-33702385	33609327
ETHIOPIA	3, Ibrahim Osman St., Mohandessin	33477805-33477866	33479002
FINLAND	3, Abou El Feda St, Zamalek	33411487-33413722	33405170
FRANCE	29, Giza St., Giza	35703916-35703920
GABON	17, Mecca El Moukarama St., Dokki	33379699-33481395
GERMANY	8, Hassan Sabri St., Zamalek	33410015
GHANA	1, 26 July St., Mohandessin	33444455-33555000	33032292
GREAT BRITAIN	7, Ahmed Ragheb St., Garden City	23540852-23540859
GREECE	18, Aisha El Taymouria St., Garden CIty	23551074-23550443	23563903
GUATEMALA	8, Mohamed Fahmy St., Nasr City	22611813	22611814
GUINEA	46, Mohamed Mazhar St., Zamalek	33408408-33408109	33411446
HONDURAS	21, Ahmed Heshmat St., Zamalek	33409510	33413835
HUNGARY	29, Mohamed Mazhar St., Zamalek	33400659-33408659	33408648
INDIA	5, Aziz Abaza St., Zamalek	33406053-33410052
INDONESIA	13, Aisha Taymounria St., Garden CIty	33547200-33547209	33562495
IRELAND	3 Abu El Feda St., Zamalek	33408264-33408547	33412863
ISRAEL	6, Ibn Malek St., Giza	33610545-33610537
ITALY	15, Abdel Rahman Fahmi St.,Garden City	23543194-23543195	23540657
JAPAN	2, Abd El Kader Hamza St., Garden CIty	23553962-23553963	23563540
JORDAN	6, Gohainy St, Dokki	33485566-33499912	33601027
KENYA	7, El Mohandes Galal St., Mohandessin	33453628-33453907
KOREA	6, El Saleh Ayoub St., Zamalek	33408219-33419532	33414615
KUWAIT	12, Nabil El Wakkad St, Dokki	33602661-33602662	33602657
LEBANON	5, Ahmed Nessim St, Giza	33610474-33610623	33610463
LIBERIA	11, Brazil St., Zamalek	33419864-33419866	33473074
LIBYA	7, El Saleh Ayoub St., Zamalek	33401864-33405439
MALAYSIA	29, Taha Hassein St., Zamalek	33410863-33411046	33411049
MALI	3, El Kawssar St., Mohandessin	33701895-33701641	33701841
MALTA	25, St., No. 12 B Maadi	23754451	23754452
MAURITANIA	114, Mohy El Din Abou El Ezz St., Dokki	33490671-33491048	33489060
MAURITIUS	5, 26 July St., Lebanon Sq. Mohandessin	33470929-33467642	33452455
MEXICO	4 & 6 Ahmed Shouky St., Giza	35716155-35716156	33623404
MONGOLIA	3, Dr. Fouad Mohieddin Sq., Mohandessin	33460670
MOROCCO	10, Salah El DIn Ayoub St, Zamalek	33409677-33409849	33411937
NEPAL	9, Tiba St., Madinet El Kodah, Dokki	33603426-33616590	33704447
NETHERLANDS	18, Hassan Sabri St, Zamalek	33401936
NIGER	101, Alharam St., Giza	33865607
NIGERIA	13, El Gabalaya St., Zamalek	33406042	33403907
NORWAY	8, El Guezira St.,Zamalek	33408046	33420709
OMAN	52, El Higaz St., Mohandessin	33036011	33036464
PAKISTAN	8, El Selouli St., Dokki	33487806	33480310
PALESTINE	33, El Nahda St., Dokki	33602997	33602996
PANAMA	4A, Ibn Zanke St., Zamalek	33400784	33411092
PERU	8, Kamel El Shenawi St., Garden City	23562973	23557985
PHILIPPINES	5 Ibn El Walid St, Dokki	33480396	33480393
POLAND	5, Aziz Osman St., Zamalek	33409583	33405427
PORTUGAL	15A, El Mansour Mohamed St., Zamalek	33405583	33415483
QATAR	10, El Themar St, Mohandessin	33604693	33603618
ROMANIA	4, Aizi Abaza St., Zamalek	33410107	33410851
RUSSIA	95, El Giza St., Giza	33489353	33609074
RUWANDA	23, Babel St., Dokki	33350532	33351479
SAN MARINO	5, Ramez St., Mohandessin	33602718
SAUDI ARABIA	2 Ahmed Nessim St, Giza	33490775
SENEGAL	46, Abdel Moneim Riad St., Mohandessin	33460946	33461039
SIERRA LEONE	23, El Hosny St., Mohandessin	33461338
SINGAPORE	40 Babel St., Dokki 11511	33373272	33461682
SOMALIA	27, El Somal (Iran) St., Dokki	33374577
SOUTH AFRICA	21 / 23, Giza St., 18th Floor, Giza
SPAIN	41, Ismail Mohamed St., Zamalek	33406397	33402132
SRI LANKA	8, Srilanka St., Zamalek	33400047	33417138
SUDAN	3, El Ibrahimi St., Garden City	23549661	23542693
SWEDEN	13, Mohamed Mazhar St., Zamalek	33414132	33404357
SWITZERLAND	10, Abdel Khalek Sarwat St., Downtown	25758133	25745236
SYRIA	18, Abdel Rahim Sabry St., Dokki	33377020	33358232
TANZANIA	9, Abdel Hamid Lotfi St., Dokki	3704155
THAILAND	2, El Malek El Afdal St., Zamalek	33408356	33400340
TUNISIA	26, El Gezira St., Zamalek	33418962
TURKEY	25, El Falaki St., Bab El Louk, Downtown	23563318	23558110
UGNADA	9, El Missaha Sq., Dokki	33486070	33485980
UN. ARAB EMIRATES	4, Ibn Sina St, Giza	33609722
UNITED STATES	3, Lazoughli St., Garden CIty	23557371
URUGUAY	6, Loutfallah St., Zamalek	33415137	33418123
VENEZUELA	15A El Mansour Mohamed St., Zamalek	33414332	33417373
VIETNAM	39, Kambiz St., Dokki	33371494	33496597
YEMEN	28, Amin El Rafei St., Dokki	33614224	33604815
YUGOSLAVIA	33, El Mansour Mohamed St., Zamalek	33404061	33403913
ZAIRE	5, El Mansour Mohamed St., Zamalek	33403662	33404342
ZAMBIA	6, Abdel Rahman Hussien St., Mohandessin	33610281	33610833
ZIMBABWE	36, Wadi El Nil St., Mohandessin	33471217	33474872