How Things Work in Egypt
Everything Tourists Need to Know
Tipping (baksheesh) is deeply embedded in Egyptian culture and expected for almost every small service.
Updated 2025-06
Use the Cairo Metro for cheap city travel, and Uber or Careem for safe, fairly-priced taxis.
Updated 2025-06
Private hospitals in Cairo are good, but healthcare in rural and desert areas is very limited — travel insurance with evacuation cover is essential.
Updated 2025-06
Drug possession, LGBTQ+ activity, photographing government or military sites, and criticising the president are all serious criminal offences in Egypt.
Updated 2025-06
Police: 122, Ambulance: 123, Fire: 180, Tourist Police: 126.
Updated 2025-06
Cover shoulders and knees in most public areas; swimwear is fine at Red Sea and Mediterranean resorts.
Updated 2025-06
Alcohol is available at licensed hotels, tourist restaurants, and specialist shops — but not at most local eateries.
Updated 2025-06
Bargaining is absolutely expected and essential at souks, bazaars, souvenir shops, and for services like felucca rides and camel rides.
Updated 2025-06
Never photograph military sites, police, bridges, airports, or government buildings — tourists have been arrested for this.
Updated 2025-06
Friday is the holy day in Egypt — many businesses close Friday morning, and the work week officially runs Sunday to Thursday.
Updated 2025-06
Use Uber or Careem — they are safer, fairly priced, and remove the need to negotiate every fare.
Updated 2025-06
Never drink tap water in Egypt — bottled water is cheap, widely available, and essential everywhere.
Updated 2025-06
Egypt is a largely cash economy — use CIB or Banque Misr ATMs for foreign cards and carry small EGP notes for everyday use.
Updated 2025-06
Buy a local SIM from Vodafone Egypt, Orange, or Etisalat at the airport for cheap data — bring your passport.
Updated 2025-06
Egypt uses Type C and Type F (European round-pin) sockets at 220V/50Hz — UK and US visitors need a plug adapter.
Updated 2025-06
Egypt has several well-known tourist scams — learn to recognise the 'closed today' redirect and the horse/camel price switch.
Updated 2025-06
Major tourist areas are generally safe, but harassment — especially of women — is a genuine and frequent concern.
Updated 2025-06
Hospitality is sacred in Egypt — always accept offered tea, use your right hand for eating and giving, and be respectful during prayer times.
Updated 2025-06
English is widely spoken in tourist areas — but learning 'shukran' (thank you) and 'la shukran' (no thank you) will serve you well every day.
Updated 2025-06
The Red Sea (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh) offers world-class diving and snorkelling with exceptional visibility year-round.
Updated 2025-06
Driving in Cairo is extremely chaotic and not recommended for tourists — use Uber or Careem instead.
Updated 2025-06
Egyptian food is delicious and very affordable — koshari (the national dish) and ful medames are must-tries available everywhere.
Updated 2025-06
Remove shoes at mosques, women must cover hair and body fully, and all visitors should dress modestly at any religious site.
Updated 2025-06
October to April is the best time to visit — summers are brutally hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan where temperatures exceed 45°C.
Updated 2025-06
Egypt is very affordable — eat koshari at local restaurants, use the Metro and ride-hailing apps, and always bargain for tourist services.
Updated 2025-06