What You Need to Know Before Your Trip to Egypt

For Egypt, pack light, breathable clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, a warm layer for winter evenings, a scarf for mosques, sturdy walking shoes and strong sun protection. What to wear in Egypt depends on where you are: modest clothing in cities and religious sites, normal swimwear at resort beaches and hotel pools, and smart-casual for dinner on a Nile cruise. The rest of this page covers visas, money, tipping, health, phones and safety.

Visa and passport rules for US and UK citizens

Both US and UK passport holders need a visa for a standard tourist trip to Egypt. You have three main options:

• E-visa before you travel: apply on the official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg. The portal asks you to apply at least 7 days before departure and takes card payment.
• Visa on arrival (cash): sold at airport kiosks for US$30, paid in cash, and valid for 30 days.
• Digital visa on arrival at Cairo International: available since 1 August 2026 for US$36, paid by card at self-service machines or online.

Your passport should be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive and have at least one blank page. One exception applies to resort stays in South Sinai: if you fly into Sharm el-Sheikh and stay up to 15 days in Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you receive a free entry stamp instead of a visa. If you plan to travel on to Luxor or Cairo, you need a full visa.

Visa fees and procedures change from time to time, so check the US State Department or UK Foreign Office page for Egypt a few weeks before you fly.

Money, cards and cash

• Currency: the Egyptian pound (EGP). You can bring in or take out no more than 5,000 EGP in cash.
• Foreign currency: there is no limit on bringing in US dollars or other currency, but amounts over US$10,000 must be declared on arrival.
• Cards: hotels, larger restaurants and many shops in tourist areas take Visa and Mastercard. Markets, small cafés, taxis and tips are cash.
• Cash machines and exchange: use ATMs inside banks or hotels and exchange money at banks or official exchange offices rather than with individuals.
• Small notes: keep a supply of small EGP notes for tips, toilets and small purchases. Change for large notes can be hard to find.
• Tell your bank: let your card provider know your travel dates so payments are not blocked.

Tipping in Egypt

Tipping, often called baksheesh, is part of daily life in Egypt, and many people in tourism rely on it. Exact amounts change with inflation and exchange rates, so ask your tour operator for current guidance in Egyptian pounds before you travel. The general pattern is:

• Restaurants: many bills include a service charge, but it does not always reach the waiter. A small extra tip in cash is normal for good service.
• Guides and drivers: tip at the end of the tour or the trip, in proportion to the length of the service.
• Nile cruise crew: a shared tip for the whole crew at the end of the cruise is customary; ask on board how it is collected.
• Hotel porters and housekeeping: a small tip per bag and per day.
• Small services: toilet attendants, guardians who open a tomb door or point out a carving, and people who take your photo will usually expect a small tip.

Polite refusal is fine if you did not ask for a service. A firm “la, shukran” (no, thank you) works well.

What to wear in Egypt, place by place

Women traveling alone or in pairs often find that looser, longer clothing reduces unwanted attention in busy streets. A large scarf is the most useful single item: it covers hair in mosques, shoulders in churches and your neck in the sun.

What to pack for Egypt by season

Egypt is dry and sunny for most of the year, but the difference between seasons is large. In Cairo, average highs run from about 19°C (66°F) in January to 35°C (95°F) in July. Luxor is hotter in summer, with average highs around 41°C (106°F) in June and July, but in January nights can drop to around 5°C (42°F).

Year-round packing list

• Passport, printed visa or e-visa, travel insurance details and copies of each
• Comfortable walking shoes and sandals for the hotel or ship
• Sunglasses, a hat and high-factor sunscreen
• A large scarf or shawl
• Swimwear for hotel pools, cruise ships and the Red Sea
• Any prescription medicine in its original packaging, plus a basic first-aid kit
• Plug adapters for European-style two-pin sockets
• A small torch or phone light for dim tomb corridors
• Hand sanitizer and tissues

On internal flights, baggage allowances depend on the airline and fare, so check your ticket before packing heavy.

Health and drinking water

• Drink bottled or filtered water and avoid ice from unknown sources. Hotels and cruise ships usually provide it.
• Eat food that is freshly cooked and hot, and peel fruit yourself.
• Visit a travel clinic or your doctor four to six weeks before departure to check recommended vaccines. The CDC (for US travelers) and TravelHealthPro (for UK travelers) publish current advice for Egypt.
• Take travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation.
• Heat is the most common problem. Rest in the middle of the day in summer, drink often and wear a hat.

Photography rules at sites and in public

• Phone photography without flash is allowed in museums. Some sites still charge for a camera permit or ban photography in certain tombs, so check at the ticket office.
• Drones need advance government permission. Do not bring one without it, as it can be held at customs.
• Never photograph police, soldiers, checkpoints or anything that could be seen as military or strategic.
• Ask before photographing people, and do not photograph children without their parents’ permission.
• No flash in tombs or near painted walls.

SIM cards, eSIMs and Wi-Fi

Egypt has four mobile networks: Vodafone, Orange, e& (Etisalat) and WE. You can buy a tourist SIM at official counters in the airport arrivals hall; bring your passport, because both the SIM and your phone’s IMEI number are registered. Foreign phones used with a local SIM are covered for a limited period, reported as 90 days, after which the handset must be registered and taxed or it is blocked. An international eSIM bought before you travel avoids the queue and the registration step. Hotels and most cruise ships offer Wi-Fi, though it can be slow on the river.

Safety basics

The US State Department currently rates Egypt at Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, with its highest warning reserved for North and Central Sinai, the Western Desert and border areas. The UK Foreign Office also advises against travel to North Sinai and some border and desert areas, while Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel are outside those zones. Read both before booking and again before you fly. On the ground:

• Use your hotel safe for passports and spare cash.
• Agree the price before taking a horse carriage, felucca, camel ride or taxi without a meter.
• Be firm but polite with persistent sellers; walking on is enough.
• Use licensed guides and transport. On Delta Tours Egypt packages, sightseeing is private and guided, and our team is on WhatsApp throughout your trip.

For a fuller picture, read our guide on whether it is safe to travel to Egypt right now.

Traveling during Ramadan

Ramadan follows the lunar calendar, so it moves about 11 days earlier each year. Ramadan 2027 is expected to start around 8 February and end in early March, followed by the Eid al-Fitr holiday. During the month:

• Sites and museums stay open, often with shorter hours, so confirm times locally.
• Hotels, cruise ships and tourist restaurants serve food and drink as usual.
• Avoid eating, drinking or smoking openly in the street during daylight as a courtesy.
• Expect traffic to peak just before sunset and the streets to come alive after the evening meal.

Planning the rest of your trip

Once the practical details are sorted, choose when and how to travel. Our guide to the best season to visit Egypt covers the weather month by month, and the Egypt travel guide covers the main destinations. If you are deciding between a cruise and hotels, see our Nile river cruises and the Luxor to Aswan Nile cruise guide. For first stops, read the Cairo travel guide and the Luxor travel guide. Ready-made itineraries are on our Egypt tours page, from budget 9-day Cairo and Nile cruise trips starting at $1,250 per person to luxury tours.

FAQ

Do US and UK citizens need a visa for Egypt?

Yes. You can apply for an e-visa online before travel or buy a visa on arrival at the airport. Visitors flying into Sharm el-Sheikh for under 15 days in South Sinai resorts only get a free entry stamp instead.

What should women wear in Egypt?

Loose clothing that covers the shoulders and knees works in cities and at sites. Bring a scarf to cover your hair in mosques. Swimwear is fine at resort beaches and hotel pools.

Can I wear shorts in Egypt?

Knee-length shorts are common for men at sites and in tourist areas. Long trousers or skirts are better in mosques, churches and traditional neighborhoods.

Is tap water safe to drink in Egypt?

Visitors are advised to drink bottled or filtered water, which is easy to buy and usually supplied in hotels and on cruise ships.

Should I bring US dollars or Egyptian pounds?

Bring a card for ATMs and larger payments and some US dollars as a backup to exchange at banks or official exchange offices. You can only bring up to 5,000 EGP in cash into the country.

Do I need a local SIM card in Egypt?

Not necessarily. An international eSIM is the simplest choice for a short trip. A local SIM is cheap, but your phone’s IMEI is registered when you buy it.

Is it a good idea to visit Egypt during Ramadan?

Yes, with some planning. Sites stay open with adjusted hours, hotels serve food as normal, and the evenings are lively.

If you would rather have one team handle visa guidance, transfers, guides and hotels for you, tell us your dates and interests on our tailor-made tours page.