ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS
U.S. citizens need a valid passport and visa to travel to Egypt. U.S. citizens can obtain a renewable single-entry 30-day tourist visa on arrival at Egyptian airports for a 25 USD fee. A multiple entry visa is also obtainable for 60 USD.
Pre-Arrival Electronic visa (e-Visa) service is available. Applicants must log on to the official Electronic Visa Portal to provide the required information and make an online payment. After the application is approved, you can download your e-Visa from the website.
Please note: Each traveler is fully responsible for bringing and acquiring travel documents (Visa, e-tickets, hotel and travel vouchers, etc.) necessary for their itinerary. Suppose you are not a citizen of the United States. In that case, your entry requirements may vary—please contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the country or countries to be visited and obtain the specific requirements for entry.
ARRIVAL INFORMATION
Please refer to the instructions given in your itinerary confirmation. If you cannot locate our representative, please call the local contact number specified on your voucher or confirmation itinerary for immediate assistance.
Country Information
Capital: Cairo
Population: 107,770,524 (2022 est.)
Location: Northeastern Africa
Largest Cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, Aswan, Luxor
Religion: Muslim, 90 %
System of Government: Republic
Map of Egypt
Time Zone
Egypt operates on Green Mean Time (GMT), plus 2 hours.
At 9:00 am, anywhere in Egypt, it is:
- 2:00 am the previous day in New York- Eastern Standard Time (EST).
- 1:00 am the previous day in Chicago- Central Standard Time (CST).
- 11:00 pm the previous day in San Francisco- Pacific Standard Time (PST).
- 9:00 pm the previous day in Hawaii- Hawaii Aleutian Standard Time (HAST).
*Note: Add one hour to local time during Daylight Savings Time.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is a good source of health information for travelers.
You should be up to date on routine vaccinations while traveling to any destination. Please be advised that high-standard medical care is unavailable in more remote areas of Egypt. Please ensure that we are aware of any physical disability or frequent, ongoing medical requirements.
- To prevent sickness while staying in Egypt, you are advised to follow the golden rules, which are:
- Only drink bottled water, never tap water
- Avoid ice in your drinks
- Eat only vegetables that have been cooked
- Avoid salads and all fruit that cannot be peeled
- Avoid food that looks as if it has been around for some time, especially meats or salad dressings containing mayonnaise
- Please contact your doctor for up-to-date information on the latest health and vaccination recommendations.
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at exchange offices or banks. Many higher-end hotels price in dollars or euros and gladly accept them as payment, often at a premium rate over Egyptian pounds. ATMs are ubiquitous in the cities and probably the best option overall; they usually offer the best rate, and many foreign banks have branches in Egypt. These include Barclay’s Bank, HSBC, CitiBank, NSGB, BNP Paribas, Piraeus Bank, CIB, and other local and Arab Banks. Bank hours are Sunday through Thursday, 08:30-14:00.
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted, but only major hotels or restaurants in Cairo and restaurants in tourist areas will readily accept credit cards as payment.
For the most updated exchange rate, please check http://www.xe.com.
Electrical service in Egypt is supplied at 220 volts and 50 hertz. Bringing an adaptor is a good idea if you plan to use electronics (i.e., cell phones, laptops, cameras, etc.) during your trip.
Egyptian food is generally similar to many other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, including stuffed vine leaves, grilled meats, and numerous “dips” traditionally eaten with pitta-style bread. Rice with vegetables in tomato sauce, and pasta dishes baked in a similar way to lasagna, are both common. Specialties include stuffed or spit broiled pigeons, small ground lamb kebabs called kofta, and shish kebabs made of marinated chunks of lamb and spices grilled over hot charcoal. Seafood is a good choice, with prawns from the Red Sea, sea bass from the Mediterranean, and an excellent fish dish, tilapia, from the Nile.
The national language in Egypt is Arabic. However, tourists will rarely find a problem communicating as English is widely spoken in hotels and shops, with French a close second, and many staff in tourist areas also speak German or Italian.
WEATHER
Egypt, a country in north-eastern Africa, the climate is dry, hot, and dominated by desert. It has a mild winter season with rain falling along coastal areas and a hot and dry summer (May to September). Daytime temperatures vary by season and change with the prevailing winds.
Average Temperatures
All temperatures in Fahrenheit (°F)
| Month/City | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | 49 - 65 | 49 - 66 | 53 - 70 | 57 - 76 | 64 - 81 | 71 - 85 | 75 - 87 | 76 - 88 | 72 - 87 | 66 - 82 | 59 - 75 | 52 - 69 |
| Aswan | 50 - 74 | 53 - 78 | 60 - 87 | 68 - 96 | 76 - 103 | 80 - 107 | 82 - 108 | 82 - 108 | 78 - 104 | 72 - 97 | 61 - 86 | 53 - 77 |
| Cairo | 49 - 66 | 51 - 69 | 55 - 75 | 60 - 82 | 66 - 90 | 72 - 94 | 75 - 95 | 75 - 95 | 73 - 92 | 68 - 86 | 60 - 77 | 52 - 69 |
| Luxor | 45 - 73 | 48 - 78 | 55 - 85 | 63 - 95 | 72 - 102 | 76 - 106 | 78 - 107 | 78 - 106 | 74 - 103 | 67 - 96 | 56 - 85 | 47 - 76 |
| Sharm El Sheikh | 57 - 72 | 59 - 75 | 64 - 80 | 70 - 87 | 76 - 94 | 81 - 99 | 84 - 101 | 85 - 101 | 81 - 97 | 76 - 90 | 68 - 82 | 61 - 75 |
OTHER INFORMATION
This will be contingent on your preference and the time of year you travel. Pack less than you usually would since you’ll likely be lugging your baggage around frequently during your trip. Unless traveling to Egypt in winter, prepare for warm and often sweltering weather. Those visiting in winter should pack a light jacket, layering shirts, and an umbrella. Bring sunglasses and a brimmed hat to shield your face from the sun, comfortable, lightweight cotton or linen clothing, a pair of shorts, a swimsuit, socks, and underwear. A pair of walking shoes are indispensable for treks through ancient Egyptian archaeological sites. Women should bring at least one long-sleeved blouse and head-covering scarf to visit mosques. Pack just one versatile, slightly dressy outfit for nights out.
Always wear what you are most comfortable traveling in, but a reasonable amount of modesty ought to be exercised. In most areas, comfortable, casual clothes such as short-sleeved shirts, polo shorts, etc., are great for sightseeing. Remember that temperatures will likely be hot and humid, so wearing light, loose-fitting fabrics is a good idea.
When visiting places of worship, dress politely in modest and conservative clothing as at any other religious site. Clothing such as short-sleeved shirts, polo shirts, and bottoms or skirts that cover the knees are acceptable. You will need to cover one’s shoulders, and women will need to wear long-sleeved tops to cover their arms. Bring a lightweight scarf just in case required.
Hotels may impose a hefty charge on international calls. Check your hotel’s policy before placing any calls. You can use a calling card from your local, long-distance carrier to avoid hotel markups. Several United States cell phones manufactured today can operate overseas on the GSM (Global System for Mobile) standard. We recommend contacting your cell phone service provider to determine if your phone runs on the GSM and what activation may be required. In Egypt, reception on any cell phone can be unreliable and unpredictable. In some locations, transmission is not possible at all. If access to e-mail is critical during your trip, please check availability in advance. Most hotels have business centers or in-room WI-FI service, and surcharges may apply.
The nationwide emergency phone numbers are:
Ambulance: 123
Fire: 180
Tourist Police: 126
- Cairo: The City Victorious by Max Rodenbeck
- The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell
- In the Eye of the Sun by Ahdaf Soueif
- The Cairo Trilogy: Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, Sugar Street by Naguib Mahfouz