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Visa Requirements
Visa is required for Egypt.
Many can get visa upon arrival at International Airports in Egypt while
others need to get it before going to Egypt. If you are not sure what is
valid for your country, send us an email and we will come back with
updated information.
Health
Requirements
Check with your own country's health guidelines for travelers to Egypt.
For general health information we advise to look at
WHO, UN's World Health Organization's travel and health information
for Egypt.
Time
GMT + 2 hours
Summertime (GMT + 1 hour) observed from late April until end of
September.
Money:
Egyptian Pounds (EGP) is the local currency in Egypt.(click
here to see how it looks like)
Major Currencies can be changed nearly everywhere. Banks are in all
cities as in most top end hotels. Automats for credit cards are found in
most banks and mentioned hotels. Please note that most hotel and service
contracts are given travel agents and tour operators in US$ or Euro and
then payment must normally be in same currency.Currency
Converter.
Travel
Seasons
Top season in Egypt is the "Winter Season" which for the travel industry
starts 1st of October and lasts until end of April.
"Summer Season" is from 1st of May until 31st of September.
Peaks periods are Christmas and New Year which normally last from 20th
of December until 10th of January. Second peak season is Easter - dates
here vary from year to year.
Some destinations will have peak season during the summer (as
Alexandria and Al Arish) due to the Egyptian summer holiday and
summer guests from Arab countries.
When to go:
Climate (winter and summer):
Egypt has lower temperatures during the winter season which normally is
from 1st of October until end of April.
Summer season have higher temperatures, but note that humidity are so
low many places in Egypt that these temperatures can not be directly
compared to similar temperatures in most other countries.
Find month by month temperatures for Cairo, Luxor and Farafra Oasis
here.
Humidity
and temperature "reading":
Egypt got a dry climate and very little humidity apart from the
Mediterranean and Red Sea coast. Especially dry and low humidity in
destinations as Luxor and Aswan, and of course even more in the Desert.
On a hot summer day you can actually have a more pleasant time in a
desert oasis compared to Cairo even if the temperature are lower in
Cairo. Reason for this is the near to zero amount of humidity in the
desert.
Day and
Night temperatures:
There is normally a good difference between night and day temperatures
in Egypt.
For winter time it's advisable to bring some warm clothes for the
evening as the night can be a bit chilly even if it's good and warm
weather during the day.
Food and
drink:
Egypt is a meeting point between Africa, Europe and Asia and this
meeting point is clearly reflected in her different dishes. The last few
hundred years influenced by Turkish cuisine due to the Turkish presence
in Egypt - and yes McDonalds and KFC more recently.
Still there is something Egyptian going though the diversity of the
local cuisine, much with roots back to Ancient Egypt. In the villages in
the Luxor area you will soon see the traditional round "sun bread", and
in the nobles or royal tombs you find the same bread painted on the
walls.
Beer was as basic as bread in Ancient Egypt and the good beer of today
will most likely surprise many. Egyptian wine was the favourite wine
throughout the Roman Empire, but although wine in today's Egypt has been
of a lesser standard than its good beer - this is in the process of
changing. So do try Egyptian wine, a good restaurant will help you to
find the best.
Yes, Egyptian food can be "hot" - but not like many other cuisines where
everything is hot. There is normally a lot to dip into, and all parts
got their special taste. In general Egyptian food is a pleasant surprise
for most visitors.
If you don't know where to go, it can sometimes be hard to find gourmet
restaurants with real local dishes - but for international cuisine you
will find nearly everything everywhere.
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Dress code:
Here it's important to "balance" - meaning that it's good to know some
basic information, but don't think you are going to another planet
either.
In part of the big cities you will find Egyptians in the latest fashion
from Europe or North America, while other places you will find dress
customs most will define as "biblical".
In modern city areas, hotels and more "tourist" places - go as you
please. If you go to different areas in same city or the countryside,
the tradition will be more conservative. It is appreciated if you think
about this while visiting these areas. For men, don't go without t-shirt
in such areas, and for women - have a dress with around knee length and
an upper part that cover your shoulders.
Apart from going inside a mosque, there is no place a woman is expected
to wear headscarf. To go inside a mosque, both sexes will have to remove
their footwear. Note that in churches it's also appreciated if women
wear head scarf - and for men and women, no shorts in Churches and
Mosques.
Again, please remember - you are not coming to another planet, but Egypt
with her millenniums of history and culture. Use your logic with above
in mind, and you as visitor and Egyptians as your hosts - will enjoy
your stay!
What about
tipping or gratutude?
Tips are main part of income for many Egyptians and for most working
within tourism. While any amount is appreciated, tips often range from
5% to 10% of meals or trip costs - to be split among those involved.
We often recommend to use following "thumb rule": if any service is done
well and to your appreciation, tips is a very nice way to show
gratitude. On the other hand, if service on lets say a restaurant is not
good, then save the tips for someone who deserve it!
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