Egypt Travel Tips: What 38 Years On The Ground Taught Us

Visas and entry — the one step people forget

Most visitors need a visa, and the smoothest way to get one is online, before you fly. The Egypt e-Visa portal (visa2egypt.gov.eg) processes applications in a few business days and is the official government system — use it directly rather than a third-party site that adds a markup. Print a copy and keep it with your passport; immigration officers ask for it more often than you'd expect.

• Apply for the e-Visa at least 7 days before departure.
• Your passport needs at least 6 months' validity from your entry date.
• Visa on arrival ($36 at the digital consoles in the immigration hall: $30 plus a $6 admin fee) is available if you land without one — but it is one more stop after a long flight.
• If we're arranging your trip, our team confirms your visa status before you fly — one less thing to track the week of departure.

Weather by month — and why layers matter more than you'd think

Egypt's climate splits cleanly into two seasons: a long, hot summer (May to September, with Luxor and Aswan regularly over 40°C / 104°F) and a milder winter (October to April) that's when most international travelers visit. What catches first-timers out isn't the daytime heat — it's the drop after dark. Desert air holds no humidity to trap warmth, so a 35°C afternoon at Abu Simbel can fall to single digits Celsius by 9pm.

What to actually pack

You don't need specialist gear for Egypt — you need the right basics, and to skip what doesn't earn its space in a bag.

• Wide-brim hat and UV sunglasses — the sun at Karnak or Abu Simbel at midday is not the same as a beach sun.
• SPF 50, reapplied more than feels necessary. Reflected light off sand and limestone burns faster than open sky.
• Closed, broken-in walking shoes — temple floors are uneven stone, and desert sites mean sand in sandals within minutes.
• One warm layer, even in July, if you're doing a sunrise balloon ride or an evening felucca sail.
• A scarf or shawl for shoulder coverage at mosques and some temple interiors.
• A dry bag or zip pouch for phones and passports on Nile crossings and desert excursions.

Money — what works where

Egypt runs on a dual system that surprises a lot of first-time visitors: cards work almost everywhere that matters (hotels, restaurants, shops in tourist areas), but cash — specifically small Egyptian pound notes — is what daily life outside those settings actually runs on.

Tipping — known locally as baksheesh — is a genuine part of the economy here, not an optional extra. Guides and drivers are usually tipped per day, and it's worth budgeting for it as part of your trip cost rather than an afterthought at the end.

Staying safe and comfortable

Egypt's tourist regions — Cairo's major sites, Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea coast — are well-used to international visitors and are policed accordingly. The practical risks that actually affect trips are more mundane than most travelers expect: heat exhaustion, dehydration, and stomach upsets from unfiltered water, not crime.

• Drink bottled or filtered water only — including for brushing teeth in budget accommodation.
• Pace outdoor sightseeing around the midday heat where possible; most desert and temple sites are at their best (and coolest) at sunrise.
• Use licensed transport arranged through your hotel or operator rather than hailing unmarked vehicles at tourist sites.
• Travel insurance that covers activities like felucca sailing and desert excursions is worth checking before you book.

Guided or independent?

You can absolutely visit Egypt independently — plenty of travelers do. But the sites here reward context in a way few destinations do: the Valley of the Kings has almost no on-site signage, and the difference between wandering Karnak alone and having an Egyptologist explain what you're standing in front of is not a small one. A guide also handles the practical friction — ticket queues, timing around tour-bus crowds, and knowing which entrance actually moves.