The ultimate Egypt travel guide for families

Egypt has captured the imaginations of millions of travelers. It’s home to one of the most impressive ancient civilizations in the world. The air of mystery and romance that surrounds the pharaohs and mummies, King Tutankhamun’s tomb, and the Nile River is unmistakable. However, Egypt also has a reputation for being a difficult country for tourists to navigate. And, indeed, the language barrier and elements of Muslim culture that are unfamiliar to Western visitors can take some getting used to. But viewed from a different perspective, these aspects can make a trip to Egypt an exotic journey. There are surprises around every corner. To help you know what to expect on an upcoming trip, here is our ultimate Egypt travel guide for families. It has everything you need to know before you go.

The best 8-day Egypt itinerary

Table of contents

Here is an overview of the topics on this page. Use it to skip directly to what you’re most interested in.

• Language
• Time zone
• Electricity
• Entrance requirements
• Currency
• Tipping
• Data and connectivity
• Weather
• When should I go to Egypt?
• Muslim culture
• Do I need a guide to visit Egypt?
• Health concerns in Egypt
• Photography and videography in Egypt
• Dangers and annoyances

Language

The official language of Egypt is Arabic.

Time zone

Egypt uses EET, the Eastern European Time zone, which is UTC+2. The whole country is in a single time zone. There are no daylight savings time changes.

Electricity

Egypt operates on a 220 V, 50 Hz system. The power plug sockets are of type C (the standard “Euro” plug) and type F (also known as “Schuko”). Both have two round pins.

Entrance requirements

Visitors must present a valid passport with at least two blank pages and 6 months of remaining validity. An entrance visa is also required. Residents of approximately 70 countries may apply for an e-visa before departure or purchase a visa on arrival for $25 USD. This site details who is eligible. These visas are standard 30-day tourist visas.

Citizens of other countries must apply for a tourist visa through their home embassy.

Currency

The Egyptian Pound (EGP) is the official currency. One Egyptian Pound is made up of 100 piastres. Piastres are available in both coin and note form in 25 or 50 piastre denominations.

The current exchange rate is approximately 30 EGP = $1 USD. Inflation is raging in Egypt, which is good for tourists but comes at a high price to Egyptians. As a result, you might find that US currency is desirable amongst the vendors you encounter, but then again, you might not. You can read more about the entire situation here.

Egyptian Pounds are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 EGP. Smaller denominations tend to be scarce, but much needed for Egypt’s tipping culture. Take them when you can find them!

Tipping

Egypt has a very strong tipping culture. Tips will be expected by every person you encounter in a service position. This includes tour guides, restaurant staff, entertainers, and security personnel at historical sites who may offer you a glimpse into a roped-off area or suggest a good photo opportunity. Many public washrooms are staffed by attendants who will hand you toilet paper and then expect payment for their services.

Tipping is a cultural institution with traditional origins and symbolic meaning. While it can be an annoyance to Western visitors, the sums expected are small (often in the 10-50 EGP range) and the important point is to tip – it’s less important how much you tip. Approach it as an interesting cultural difference, and it will be less bothersome.

Data and connectivity

The three main providers in Egypt are Vodafone, Orange, and Etisalat. Vodafone is a popular choice because there’s a desk inside the arrival hall at the Cairo airport.

We travel with a portable hotspot device. It comes at a higher cost than a local SIM card, but provides more convenience. You set up a data package before leaving home and it’s activated when you touch down at your destination. Our device is from Glocalme and we highly recommend it.

Weather

Egypt has (unsurprisingly) a very dry climate. Precipitation is scant year-round, though it’s most common in February and March. The bigger issues to consider are temperature and wind. Winds peak in March and April, and visibility can be poor when there’s a lot of sand in the air, though those types of storms typically only happen on a few days every year.

Temperatures vary year-round and by location in the country. Daytime temperatures in Cairo peak around 34 degrees Celsius in July and August, with overnight lows around 22 degrees C. In December and January, daytime highs are 19 degrees C and overnight lows are 9 degrees C. You can expect temperatures in Aswan and Luxor (in southern Egypt) to be a few degrees warmer. On the Red Sea, Hurghada has similar daytime highs to Aswan and Luxor, but overnight temperatures don’t drop as much. Keep in mind that these are averages; daytime temperatures can creep into the 40+ degrees C range from time to time.

Air quality in Egypt

One more factor to keep in mind, particularly for those with asthma or other breathing issues, is smog. Cairo is known to have one of the worst air qualities in the world. Thanks to a population of heavy smokers, desert winds that whip sand into the air, and the usual culprits of exhaust, manufacturing, and power production, air quality is generally poor. In December and January in particular, morning visibility in Cairo can be limited due to haze. Typically lifts during the day as the sun rises and burns some of it off.

When should I go to Egypt?

If you’re traveling as a family, there’s a good chance that your trip will need to fit around school breaks. If you’re coming from North America, that limits your options to the Christmas break in December/January, Spring Break/March Break, or the summer break (July and August for us in Canada – a bit earlier in some parts of the USA). Each has their pros and cons.

In December/January, the weather is good – generally warm and pleasant during the day, and jacket weather at night. It might not be warm enough for some people to swim, depending on your cold tolerance. Air quality can be worse than at other times of the year. You will also face peak crowds over the holiday break.

In March, temperatures are a bit warmer, though wind storms are possible. Schools tend to stagger their spring breaks so it’s less likely that your trip will coincide with many others’. You might want to avoid the period around Easter, which can drive heavier crowds due to extended school breaks.

The summer months offer a lot of flexibility to visit since schools tend to be out for a couple of months. However, temperatures peak in July and August, and it might be too hot for those who are unaccustomed to desert climates. On the plus side, flights and accommodations will be cheaper, and crowds will be lighter.

Muslim culture

If you have never experienced the culture in a Muslim country, there are several things you should be aware of.

• Muslim countries favour conservative dress. While you will see tourists wearing a wide range of clothing types, it is respectful to follow the local custom and cover up in loose fitting clothing. For women in particular, that means keeping shoulders, cleavage and knees covered. Short sleeves are generally OK.
• The call to prayer happens five times every day. You will hear the call to prayer broadcast from loudspeakers outside of every mosque. The prayer times coincide with the position of the sun, and therefore change from day to day. Generally speaking, prayers happen in the pre-dawn hours, around noon, in the late afternoon, at sundown, and at night.
• Friday is the holy day in Muslim culture. Friday prayers happen in the early afternoon, replacing the noon-hour call to prayer. The entire prayer service may be broadcast from the mosque for all to hear.
• Alcohol is not allowed in Muslim culture. You will find some places that sell alcohol in Egypt, but it’s meant for tourist consumption (and is strictly forbidden to Muslims during Ramadan). You’ll be more likely to find it at hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists. It may not be displayed in shops, though if you ask, you might occasionally find it stocked in the back. You will be more likely to find alcohol available in Cairo than in many of Egypt’s smaller cities and towns.
• Women play a different role in Muslim society than their Western counterparts may be accustomed to. While times are changing and modern Muslim women aren’t necessarily obligated to follow in their ancestors’ footsteps, you will likely notice that as a group, women are subservient to men. You will not see as many women as men out in public. The women you do see will generally not be in the most public-facing roles. Women will be dressed more modestly than men, perhaps covering up in galabeyas (long dress robes). Women may be more reluctant than men to be photographed.

Do I need a guide to visit Egypt?

We typically travel on our own, setting our own itineraries and making our own travel arrangements. We have done this on all of our travels up until this point – including places like China where there is a significant language barrier. Egypt is the first place we have visited by booking through an agency and using guides.

We think there are several advantages to this. First, the amount of history in Egypt is significant. We visited 7 temples in Egypt and would have been lost without our guides, who are licensed Egyptologists. While you can read up on certain sights you will see ahead of time, you won’t always be able to translate that knowledge to what you are seeing.

Our guides were also able to give us practical advice. This included information like which photography equipment was permitted at which sites, and how much to tip the locals who provided services to us along the way.

Another advantage to traveling with a local was that they were able to keep many of the touts at bay. We encountered minimal hassles compared to what we were expecting, and a large part of that may be owing to the presence of our guides.

You can read about more reasons why we think you should use a tour guide to visit Egypt here.

Health concerns in Egypt

Covid

As of February 2023, there are no covid entrance requirements for Egypt. Neither a vaccine certificate, nor a negative PCR test is required. Citizens on the ground may tell you that there is no more covid in Egypt, but the disease is endemic around the world at this time and there is still some risk of contracting covid in public spaces in Egypt.

Vaccination requirements

Travelers should consult with their doctor prior to departure to obtain professional medical advice.

Having said that, there are no official vaccination requirements for Egypt. Neither Yellow Fever nor Malaria are endemic in Egypt.

Generally speaking, travelers should be inoculated against both Hepatitis A and Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio. (This applies not only to Egypt, but to all less-developed countries.)

Mummy tummy/Pharaohs’ revenge

Stomach upset is a common ailment amongst travelers to Egypt. You can minimize your chance of getting sick by following a few precautions that should be followed when traveling to any less-developed country:

• Don’t drink local tap water.
• Avoid drinks with ice or drinks to which tap water may have been added (e.g. fruit juice).
• Don’t eat raw fruits or vegetables that might have been washed in local water. Stick to those that have been cooked or can be peeled. Generally speaking, you should be able to eat raw fruits and vegetables in major hotels that cater to tourists, as well as onboard Nile river cruise ships.
• Don’t be afraid of trying local street food, but stick to busy food stalls where lots of locals are eating.
• Consider taking a preventative medication like Dukoral prior to your trip to cut down on your chances of contracting a stomach bug via e. coli or cholera.

Driving in Egypt

The biggest safety risk travelers will encounter in Egypt, in our opinion, is the traffic. Cairo in particular is notorious for having terrible traffic congestion. Government fuel subsidies make it inexpensive to operate a vehicle in Egypt and encourage a glut of cars on the roads. For those unaccustomed to Egyptian road rules, the streets can feel lawless – drivers are more aggressive than what we are accustomed to. This makes traffic a risk not only for drivers and their passengers but for pedestrians as well. Pedestrian crosswalks are not common and it takes some practice to get used to “froggering” across the roads.

Schistosomiasis in the Nile River

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by a parasitic worm that lives in certain types of freshwater snails. The parasite can be passed to people who enter infected water.

The Nile River is a potential source of schistosomiasis. Still water is more likely to be infected than running water, but any entry into the Nile (including just dipping your toes in) does carry some risk.

Schistosomiasis can be treated easily with medication, but infections can go undetected for long periods of time. Complications can arise when treatment is delayed.

Photography and videography in Egypt

There are a lot of conflicting reports about what types of photography and videography are allowed in Egypt. Until recently, many of the country’s historical sites required the purchase of a special photography ticket for the use of any type of equipment more sophisticated than a cell phone. Tickets tended to be more expensive than the price of admission for a person. And even with the ticket, there are many stories of foreign photographers and social media influencers who have had their photo shoots shut down and/or equipment confiscated by police and security services.

(Generally speaking, videography seems to pose more of a concern than photography. The equipment that (anecdotally) seems to cause the most problems is microphones, tripods, and gimbals – the types of equipment typically associated with journalism. Visitors carrying more equipment seem to have more problems.)

The official statement

In mid-2022, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that amateur street photography in public spaces for personal use is now allowed. The statement reads in part, “Taking photographs using all kinds of traditional cameras, digital cameras and video cameras will be permitted free of charge. No permit needs to be obtained beforehand.”

Our experience

We visited Egypt in January 2023, and here is our personal experience. We were not required to purchase photography permits at any of the locations we visited. However, our local guides advised us that some equipment was not allowed at some locations, and we followed their advice and put it away accordingly:

• Gimbals were not advised in the Egyptian Museum.
• Gimbals were not advised at the Pyramids of Giza. (They were allowed at Saqqara.)
• Only cell phones were advised inside the Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara. No dSLRs, video cameras, or gimbals were allowed. Once inside the King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid, we were advised that taking photos with a cell phone was OK but that video recording on a cell phone was prohibited.
• No cameras at all were advised at the Aswan High Dam.
• Gimbals were not advised at the Valley of the Kings. Because of this, I did not attempt to use it at the Temple of Hatshepsut either, though technically that is a separate entrance ticket and might have been OK.
• There were no issues with our lavalier microphone at any location.

In summary, we didn’t find the rules relaxed quite as much as we had been led to believe. We weren’t surprised about the camera ban at the Aswan High Dam, because we knew that military sites and sites of strategic importance to the country have more restrictions. However, we expected more freedom at the archaeological sites than we found.

Dangers and annoyances

Scams

Tourists fall prey to scammers at locations around the world, and Egypt is no exception. In addition to the generic list of tourist scams, there are some scams specific to Egypt that you should be aware of.

• Security guards working at historical sites will offer to let you into restricted areas and show you good vantage points for photo opportunities. They will expect a tip in return.
• Camel rides have historically been a sore spot for scams. Visitors are enticed into taking a camel ride by agreeing to one price, and then are not allowed to dismount the camel until they fork over more money. This scam is so prevalent that the government has stepped in and set fixed prices for camel rides. Regardless of the fact that rates are posted on signs around the Giza plateau, if you choose to take a camel ride, you should confirm the price with your cameleer before you get on.
• You will encounter a lot of very persistent vendors in Egypt. They will sometimes try to lure you into buying something by offering a gift at the beginning of your negotiation or offering an item for $1. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Take these offers with a grain of salt and expect that payment will likely be required.

Terrorism

The threat of terrorism in Egypt ebbs and flows. During the Arab Spring in 2011, there was a substantial amount of civil unrest, and several governments rose to (and fell from) power in short succession. Over the following decade, a handful of terrorist attacks in the country targeted tourists in Giza and the Red Sea area. This led many Western countries to post travel advisories to their citizens. Canada, for example, still lists Egypt as a destination where tourists should exercise a high degree of caution.

While the risk of terrorism can’t be ignored, a couple of points should be noted. First, terrorism occurs in locations around the world every day, including popular tourist destinations like London and Paris. No place is immune. Terrorism also occurs in Canada and the US on our home soil.

Secondly, many of the terrorist operations in Egypt are located nowhere near the main tourist sites along (for example) the Nile River valley. The Western Desert and Sinai peninsula are two areas that are specifically called out for being unsafe. These are not areas that many tourists choose to go to.

We did not see or hear of any terrorist activity on our trip that would prevent me from visiting Egypt again or recommending it as a travel destination.

In conclusion…

Visiting Egypt was truly a bucket list sort of experience, a destination that every avid traveler should add to their own list. Hopefully, you have found these tips helpful. Is there anything else you’d like to know? Let us know in the comments below.

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