Why I struggled in Egypt! 10 Important Facts You Need To Know Before You Go!
Struggling in Egypt? But why? The mystical land of the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the lifegiving river Nile, historical temples, tombs and pharaohs, the Red Sea and the Sahara Desert... The highlights that spring to mind are sheer endless! In fact, not many other countries have so many world-renown sights to offer - natural or man-made.
Egyptian history is one of the longest and most fascinating, with still intact monuments bearing witness to intricate human civilisation thousands of years old. Geographically, Egypt is the meeting point between North Africa and the Middle East, making it an interesting melting pot of African and Arabic culture.
As one of the few countries currently open for tourism, Egypt seems even more attractive to travel to right now than ever. Tourism is an important economic factor for the country with crucial tourism hubs such as Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm El Sheik. Since COVID is currently restricting travel, times are extremely trying for the country.
So, what's not to love?
Travelling is not always magical, new countries are not always amazing and sometimes things just don’t click. It happens to the best of us. Sometimes you have to be able to say – That sucked! It’s ok, such is life. You live, you move on. In my case, I had a bit of a tough time in Egypt. A few factors came together that made our time in the country feel like hard work. I guess the most trying were the interactions with some people on the streets. There is always someone trying to sell something while you can never be sure what people tell you is the truth or some elaborate scam. It constantly felt on edge, having to guard myself.
Another factor was the heat because we travelled during the hottest period of the year. Yay! We had read about the temperatures beforehand but somehow didn’t take it too seriously. The dry desert heat, however, just takes it out of you. Every short walk or activity is tiring and a hassle. It was not ideal.
And lastly, we had one month to travel the country, thinking we could work online, travelling slowly while staying in some amazing places. As we had to find out, Egypt is a tourist destination but not quite ready yet for digital nomads. You do get internet everywhere, but it’s often too slow and not very reliable. That’s fine if you are here on holiday, but not if you have to do some serious work. This made it quite frustrating and complicated trying to find a solution. With all of these factors coming together, one month was just too long and I often found myself counting the days until our departure.
Looking back, we still had amazing experiences, saw some unique and beautiful sights and met some lovely people! I am glad we went, but for the most part, it felt like hard work. If I had my time again, I would do it differently.
It's Not You, It's Me!
The question is, whose fault is that? Is Egypt an undesirable country? Is there something wrong with Egypt? The answer is No. Unfortunately, my struggles were entirely my responsibility. Egypt – it’s not you. It’s me!
Therefore, Egypt – I apologize! My timing and situation just didn’t work out for the two of us. You are still one hell of a country – no pun intended – with so much beauty and amazing sights!
So, asked if you should travel to Egypt I’d say yes. Just make sure you have all information you need to make sure you have the best possible time!
Where Did We Go?
With one month in Egypt at our hands, we flew into Cairo, travelled by train down South to Aswan, from here took another train up to Luxor, took the bus to Hurghada, flew to Sharm El Sheik and got a transfer to Dahab and finally returned for the last week to Sharm El Sheik. So, it’s safe to say we got a very varied impression of the country. The area along the Nile is very different to the coastal destinations. In fact, it nearly feels like two different countries in terms of people and facilities. You’ll also find two very different types of travellers between the Nile destinations and the coast – the culture-vulture travels along the Nile, the sunseeker stays at the Red Sea.
Let me share the pros and cons of travelling to and around Egypt as objective as possible! Hopefully, it’ll prepare you to take the good with the bad to have the best possible time travelling.
10 Essential Travel Tips To Travel Egypt:
# 1 - Arrival in Egypt - What Do I need?
As one of the few countries open for tourism at the moment, the requirements for entering Egypt are not difficult at all.
Most nationalities can get an E-Visa at least 7 days before arriving in Egypt. You apply and pay online, so you can head straight to the immigration counter after arrival. Under the link above you’ll find all information and requirements listed to apply online. It’s quick and easy!
You can also obtain the visa on arrival at the airport. It’s also quick and easy. You only need to fill in a form on arrival with some personal and travel details. Once you filled in the form, you pay at any of the banking booths located just before the immigration counters. Payment is in cash only, but you can pay the 25 USD also in EUR or GBP. Ideally, bring the exact amount as all change will be given in Egyptian Pound.
As you see, getting into Egypt is a piece of cake. Just make sure you are eligible for the visa, check that your passport is valid for at least 6 months or longer and make sure the regulations haven’t changed in the meantime.
COVID Rules: Currently, you need a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours. The test result needs to be printed to show once you land. Also, double-check with your airline since their PCR test requirements might differ from the 72 hours required by the Egyptian government. Most airlines have the same timeline, some might have shorter ones. Therefore, make sure to double-check.
# 2 - The People - What To Expect
Firstly, let me say that we met some of the nicest, friendliest people in Egypt, who couldn’t have been more helpful. We had many interesting conversations with people, learning about them and their life in Egypt. We had very good experiences with Uber Drivers in Cairo and Hurghada and every place we stayed at had some great people looking after us.
On the flip side though, dealing with people in Egypt can also be hard and frustrating at times. Everyone seems to try to sell you something and at some places, people won’t stop following you around. Especially in major tourist places like the Pyramids, the Valley of Kings or around any of the other sights, scammers are lurking everywhere and it’s very hard to figure out what to believe. It leaves you suspicious of anyone and is just exhausting and frustrating after a while. The haggling just never stops and at some places, it’s just constant harassment.
The worst places in this regard were Aswan and Luxor, where the standard of living is visibly lower and the harassment was constant. The coastal towns like Hurghada, Dahab and Sharm El Sheik are a lot more relaxed and you won’t get hassled on the streets. My advice is to book as much as possible online or through your hotel. It’s the easiest way and avoids problems most of the time.
A word on the dress code for the ladies:
Egypt is a Muslim country where a more conservative dress style is required, especially in Cairo and along the Nile. At least wear a T-shirt covering your shoulders and upper arms. You should also cover your legs as much as possible, so leave the tiny hotpants at home. The coastal areas are more relaxed being used to tourists. Here, you can pretty much dress as you please. It is just a gesture of respect not to dress too skimpily. It’s not just respectful to your hosts, it is also protection for you.
# 3 - Money - Is Egypt Expensive?
Overall, it’s an affordable destination with some things being extremely cheap while other things are surprisingly expensive. If you want to travel cheaply, you do need to stay on the ball to negotiate everything. If you prefer to travel comfortably and stress-free, you will have to invest a bit more money.
Accommodation:
Especially at the moment, you can get some great deals on accommodation! We stayed, for example, one night at the 5 Star Steigenberger Resort Achti in Luxor for a whole 37 USD for the night! Otherwise, we stayed at mostly guesthouses, hostels and dive resorts between 25 and 35 USD a night.
Transport:
GoBus, the long-distance bus system is very good in Egypt. GoBus is a very affordable and convenient way to get around. The booking and payment can be done online and for check-in, you only need to show your e-mail confirmation! Easy! The busses are good, so if you are on a budget, it’s a great way to get around.
The first-class overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan was quite nice with a private compartment, but it wasn’t the amazing experience we had hoped for. And with a price tag of 80 USD per person, it was a little overpriced for what you get. The A/C first-class seats, however, are very affordable. We used it for the 3 hour trip from Aswan to Luxor and it was great! Therefore, don’t be afraid to take the train. It’s comfy and a great experience.
We only had good experiences with Uber in Egypt. All drivers were very nice and polite, always making sure we are exactly where we needed to be. And it was very affordable compared to the local taxis. Unfortunately, Uber is only available in Cairo and Hurghada, for the rest you’ll have to haggle away with taxi drivers.
In Sharm El Sheik we found public minibus taxis that drive up and down the main road. You can hop on and off as you please for the tiny amount of 2.5 EGP (0.13 EUR or 0.16 USD).
If you plan to travel around the country, also keep an eye on domestic flights. We managed to find a cheap flight from Hurghada to Sharm El Sheik for only 40 USD per person. While it’s only a 30-minute flight, the bus would take 14 hours at least, going via Cairo. Most days the flight cost about 100 USD, but if you are flexible you can find cheaper ones. Either way, it would have been worth every cent if you can avoid the extremely long bus drive.
Food & Drinks:
Alcohol is comparatively expensive, which is not surprising since it’s a Muslim country. At most places, we paid 50 EGP (about 2.70 EUR or 3.20 USD) for a 500 ml Stella beer in a restaurant. At the hotels in the touristy areas, you get charged as much as 80 EGP for the same (4.30 EUR or 5 USD).
Most meals cost somewhere between 50 to 100 EGP for salads, pizzas, sandwiches and burgers. The more elaborate main courses with meat or fish cost on average between 100 to 250 EGP (5-13 EUR or 6 – 16 USD). Eating is therefore quite affordable.
Entrance Fees:
Make sure you keep some money aside for the entrance fees to the sights. Depending on how much sightseeing you have planned, it can add up quickly. If you book a guided tour, the entrance fees are usually not included but paid at the ticket counter on arrival.
Most temple entrance fees cost anywhere between 80 to about 250 EGP, sometimes you’ll have to pay another 10 EGP for transport to get to the sites. At the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, you also need to pay a hefty extra fee of about 300 EGP if you want to bring a proper photo camera. If you don’t want to pay for the camera, leave it at home and use your cellphone camera.
ATMs & Credit Cards:
ATMs are widely available from different banks, so getting cash is no problem. Some ATMs charge higher fees than others, we always had good experiences with the National Bank of Egypt ATMs. Hotels, bigger restaurants and activity operators usually have credit card facilities. For everything else, it’s best to have enough cash on you.
# 4 - What is the Best Time of the Year to Travel Egypt?
The best time to travel to Egypt is during the shoulder seasons, between September and November or February and May. Temperatures are moderate, not as hot as during the summer months (June to August) and not as cold as December and January. Mind you, the winter months are still mild during the day, only at night, it can get as low as about 9°C in Cairo and down South in Aswan as low as 0°C.
The summer months are getting so hot you don’t want to move at all. When we travelled in June, Cairo was already hot with an average of 35°C, which didn’t make it very enjoyable to explore the city. In Aswan, the temperatures ranged even between 41 and 46°C. Given that most of Egypt’s territory is the Sahara desert, it’s an extremely dry heat. The Felucca boat trips between Aswan and Luxor don’t take place during this time, because it is simply too hot.
At the coast, in Hurghada or Sharm El Sheik, the temperatures were also high, but with the sea air and the occasional breeze, it was a little less stifling. The coastal destinations do get very busy during the summer months with European and Russian holidaymakers, enjoying the Red Sea for swimming, snorkelling and diving. If you go, make sure to pick the right season when the temperatures are not too high.
# 5 - What Type of Holiday do you want?
If you are planning to go to Egypt for your holidays, there are two main types of trips you can focus on – a sightseeing holiday or a beach holiday by the sea. Obviously, one doesn’t exclude the other, but if you want to keep it relaxed, I would just focus on what you would enjoy most.
Usually, I would always recommend travelling independently, but for Egypt, I think I would have enjoyed it more having done a tour for the sightseeing and a set hotel package for the beach part. It would have avoided a lot of hassle and disappointments. If you have a guide taking you to the famous sights makes things just so much easier. You don’t have to worry about transport and it keeps unwanted attention away from you. Scammers usually don’t approach you if you have a guide with you, so you can just concentrate on enjoying the fascinating sights.
For beach holidays along the Red Sea staying at a good resort with a beach, a pool area and at least breakfast included is ideal. Tourism in Egypt is set up this way, therefore, travelling independently is not as easy or enjoyable as in other countries. In Hurghada for example, the only small stretch of beach in the city is a private beach club called “Blue Beach”, where you pay 200 EGP (about 10 EUR or 13 USD) to enter the beach. If you would go every day, those costs add up. Therefore, most people travelling to Hurghada stay in resorts enjoying excellent diving, so there is no need to leave the resort at all during their stay.
Make your life easy by having it all organised before you arrive and spend some money on good accommodation and guided trips.
# 6 - What Highlights Are There?
This, of course, is a question of what you would be interested in. So, let me give you an overview of what you can see or do where.
Cairo – The Pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian Museum
You can’t come to Egypt and not visit the world-famous Pyramids of Giza. The Pyramids are situated about 40 minutes outside of Cairo (depending on traffic) next to the town of Giza. We first thought about staying in Giza, but to be honest it’s a pretty sad place. I would therefore recommend to rather stay in Cairo. You can easily organise transport or a tour through your accommodation. I would however recommend doing a guided tour. This way you won’t get hassled as much at the Pyramids and you don’t have to worry about transport. We went independently by Uber at 8 am when the Pyramids open. Our Uber driver was great and dropped us right in front of the ticket counter. Since it was so early the temperatures were still bearable and there were fewer touters around trying to get you on their camel or horses.
The new Egyptian Museum is located close to the Pyramids and is set to open by the end of 2021. It’s an impressive modern building and said to be one of the best museums worldwide. So, watch out for this one and make sure you visit if you are in the area.
Luxor – Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut and Karnak Temple
The Valley of Kings is a Must-See. With the regular ticket, you can visit three tombs of your choice. There are other options as well though to visit more than just three tombs. Here, it’s again good to have a guide with you to choose the best tombs, explain about the history and buy you some peace and quiet. The Temple of Hatshepsut is close by and can easily be visited together with the Valley of Kings. Karnak Temple is the most famous temple and situated on the East Bank of the river where the modern part of Luxor is. This one can be combined with Luxor Temple.
The best thing we did in Luxor was the hot air balloon ride for sunrise! This was hands down the best experience and due to COVID, it was insanely cheap. We paid only 600 EGP (about 32 EUR or 40 USD), usually, it is much more expensive. Whatever the cost – invest the money, it’s worth it!
Aswan – Felluca ride, Philae Temple and Abu Simbel
If you are in Aswan, visit Philae Temple. Situated on an island in the Nile it’s only a short drive from the city centre. We asked a taxi to drop us there and pick us up again after two hours. After we agreed on a price and paid half for the first ride, the taxi driver never returned to pick us up and left us stranded at the temple. If you would like to avoid a situation like this, arrange the transport with your accommodation or book a guided tour.
Abu Simbel is another impressive Temple situated at the border to Sudan, a 4-hour drive (one way) from Aswan. To get to Abu Simbel you have to take a bus leaving at 4 am to be back by around midday. Once again, make your life easy by booking a tour online or arranging it through your trusted accommodation partner. An Aswan Must-Do is a felucca sunset cruise around Elephantine Island! The temperatures in the evening usually drop a bit and get more bearable. Often a light breeze comes up while you enjoy the stunning evening light over the mighty river Nile.
Sharm El Sheik – Red Sea Diving, Ras Muhammad Marine National Park
Where ever you are along the Red Sea Coast diving and snorkelling should be on your itinerary. We joined a day trip by boat to Ras Mohamed Nature Reserve including three stops for snorkelling and diving, which was a great day out. We stopped at White Island, which is a sandbank in the sea, known as the Maledives of Egypt. The combination of the desert and the azure blue sea was just mindboggling. The boat was in great condition, modern and very well kept. I can’t recommend this day trip highly enough.
Apart from the Ras Mohamed excursion, there are, of course, plenty of other options available to book dive packages, snorkelling excursions or desert experiences.
Dahab – Diving & Snorkelling excursions, St. Catherine’s monastery and Mount Sinai
If you are serious about diving, Dahab is where it’s at! It’s a cute more rustic tourist town stretched along the coast. It’s not packed with resorts like Sharm El Sheik, but has proper restaurants, cafes and is probably the most geared towards independent travellers. Thanks to its great location, you can book several day trips to go diving or snorkelling as well as inland desert experiences. Dive schools line the main roads of Dahab, so you can book courses and packages to go diving daily. Like most places in Egypt, Dahab doesn’t have a beach, but the restaurants along the beach promenade have all access to the sea. Usually, you spend a good few hours at the restaurants where you enjoy a meal and a drink while hopping in and out of the sea. Across the bay, you see the majestic mountains of Saudi Arabia, only about 28 km away.
Another Must-Do while in Dahab is a visit to St. Catherines Monastary in the desert with the option to climb Mount Sinai. This historical mountain is where, according to the bible, Moses proclaimed the 10 Commandments. There are plenty of day trip options, so you can choose which suits you best.
# 7 - Internet
Nearly all hotels, guest houses and hostels have free wifi for you to use. The speed and quality of the internet vary and it’s hard to pinpoint which accommodation might have the most stable internet connection. If you go on holiday with no urgent online business to do, the internet is good enough. It might not be sufficient to stream tv shows or movies, but it’s good enough. As a haven for digital nomads, Egypt isn’t quite there yet. Dahab, unfortunately, had probably the least stable internet, not even supporting WhatsApp calls. You could never rely on when it would work or not, so if you need to work online, it’s not ideal.
# 8 - Food - Is it a Foodie Destination?
Compared to other countries in the Mediterranean region, Egypt doesn’t have the abundance and quality food. COVID times might have decimated the number of street food restaurants even more, but in some places, we honestly struggled to find any local street food. During our month in Egypt, I have eaten more at Mc Donalds than combined in the last 5 years.
The typical Egyptian fare is often a Tagine, a traditional earthenware dish popular in this region, with either meat or vegetables. The tagine dishes are usually very tasty and rich, easily enough for two people. Of course, you’ll come across a lot of Falafel and Shwarma sandwiches as well as the regionally popular Köfte and mixed grilled meats. Hotel restaurants mostly offer tourist-friendly food such as pizza, pasta, sandwiches and burgers. The breakfast is mostly an omelette, ful (an Egyptian warm bean dish), cucumber and tomato and soft white cheese.
The best restaurant we ate at during our time in Egypt was Sofra in Luxor. Should you find yourself in Luxor, have a nice lunch or dinner here, it’s not too expensive either. It’s beautifully decorated, the staff is extremely friendly and it’s a lovely experience. In Cairo, we had a lovely lunch in a funky little courtyard at Oldish. It wasn’t the cheapest place, but it was a great atmosphere and the food was good. I would give this one definitely a thumbs-up! In Dahab, our favourite restaurant was Athanor Pizzaria. Apart from pizza and other Italian delights, Athanor has good coffee and fresh juices. It’s a funky modern cafe style place with a lovely interior and a great courtyard to sit and enjoy your food. For some of the most delicious cakes and typical German baked goods in Dahab, you’ll have to go to Ralph’s German Bakery! As a German, I have to say, Ralph’s cakes are just as good as in Germany. The place is always busy with locals as well as tourists, another sign that it must be good.
Overall, I wouldn’t describe Egypt as a foodie destination. We had a few good experiences, but most of the food was pretty average, to be honest. Many restaurants don’t serve alcohol, which is understandable, but it takes a bit from the dining experience. Everyone is different, but to have a great evening at a restaurant with delicious food and a few drinks is an integral part of an enjoyable holiday for me.
# 9 - COVID compliance and Departure from Egypt
Generally, Egypt is pretty relaxed around its COVID rules. Barely anyone was wearing masks, sanitisers were standing lonely and forgotten and social distancing is a thing of the past. Even at many hotels, the staff don’t wear any masks, even though the signs are still hanging. If you come from a country where COVID rules are observed very strictly, you will need a bit of time to get used to this.
If you depart from Cairo be at the airport at least three hours before your flight departs. You’ll need it to get through at least four cues before you reach your gate. It’s a lengthy procedure that takes a lot of patience and time.
To leave Egypt, we needed a valid PCR test not older than 72 hours before departure and we had to register online to enter Germany, our next destination. The PCR test was one of the best PCR test experiences at the Sharm El Sheik International Hospital. It only cost 30 USD for tourists (locals pay double the amount) and it only takes 24 hours to get the results. The procedure at the hospital was well signposted, staff was friendly and helpful. If you don’t mind paying double the amount, most hotels offer a full PCR test service. For a mere 60 USD, a doctor comes to the hotel to take the test, so you don’t even have to leave and everything is done for you.
# 10 - Safety
Police and the military have a big presence in Egypt, no doubt. In Cairo, you see police booths and officers with machine guns at all the important buildings in the city. When you do long distances on the bus, you’ll come past many police checkpoints where you might get stopped and checked.
The Sinai region is especially heavily guarded with its proximity to Saudi Arabia as well as Israel and Gaza. Driving from Sharm El Sheik to Dahab is nearly like crossing a country border. Vehicles get checked and you might have to show passports. Our vehicle got stopped here on our way to Dahab. The police took our drivers ID off him and left us to wait in the desert heat for an hour before returning his documents and letting us go.
This, of course, has to do with the terrorist attacks over the past couple of years, the last one in 2019, where a car bomb detonated in Cairo, killing 20 people and injuring a further 47.
Even though police presence is quite intense, I can’t say that I felt particularly unsafe in Egypt. While people try to get their money with inflated prices, I never felt like petty crime was a big issue. I might be wrong, but overall I felt pretty safe.
Manage Your Expectations & Know What You Want!
With all of the above said, you now know what you can expect travelling in Egypt. Some people thrive on haggling over prices and don’t mind getting souvenirs and activities offered every step of the way. It is simply part of the culture and the locals have to make a living. That is all good and well. You just need to know yourself well enough to know if this will bother you or not.
I also encourage you to really do some research on what you would like to do and arrange as much as possible beforehand. It might take a bit of flexibility from your trip, but it will save you some hassle on the ground. Give yourself enough time not to have to rush, but in all honesty, spending a month in Egypt was a little ambitious. Go purely to relax and enjoy, don’t combine your trip to Egypt with work.
Also, make sure not to travel in summer. Choose a period outside the extremely hot summer months, it will be much more enjoyable to get around. If you travel to the coast for some diving, you’ll also avoid the crowds and inflated hotel rates.
My Personal Highlights
Travelling Egypt might not always been easy, I also had some absolutely amazing experiences.
Travelling in COVID times often feels a little lonely, the fact that there are so few people at huge tourist attractions like the pyramids is something very special. The pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple and many others will never be as empty as they are right now. At the Pyramids, we saw more camel and horse touters than actual visitors. Experiencing the Nile in a traditional felucca sailing boat was fantastic and I would have loved to do a proper overnight Nile cruise. Unfortunately, we came in the wrong season. The hot air balloon over Luxor was simply mindblowing and I feel very lucky I got to experience this. I loved the Sinai area with its incredible mountains and desert surrounded by the most beautiful clear sea water I have ever seen. We did meet some of the most friendly and fascinating people with interesting stories and lives. Even though I had my struggles travelling Egypt, I had so many fantastic experiences I am grateful for.
Thank you for joining us again today! I hope you enjoyed our little excursion to Egypt and you got some helpful tips out of this.
If you had a good time, please Like and Subscribe! We hope to see you next week again for a new destination and a new adventure!
Until next time again!
