Travel Tips

FOOD & DRINK

Food

All over Egypt, and especially in Cairo, you will find an enormous range of high-class restaurants serving international cuisine including Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Indian, French and Lebanese. There are also branches of international chains such as TGI Fridays, or J.W. Steakhouse. Fruits, vegetables and seafood are all excellent.
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; shish kebabs made of marinated chunks of lamb and spices, and then grilled over hot charcoal and small ground lamb kebabs called kofta. Seafood is a good choice with prawns from the Red Sea, sea bass from the Mediterranean and a wonderful fish dish, tilapia, from the Nile.
The national dish of Egypt may be considered to be Foul Mudhammas. Ful or Fava beans are cooked in olive oil and garlic, flavoured with lemon, cumin and parsley and often served with an egg for breakfast. Egyptian food is often flavoured with mint, dill, parsley, garlic and cumin. A nice way to sample different recipes is to have a mezze, or selection of little dishes washed down with the local Zibib or aniseed flavoured aperitif (the equivalent of the Greek Ouzo, or the FrenchPernod). Dishes might include Babaghanoug (baked mashed eggplant flavoured with Taheena - sesame seed paste), Falafal or Taameyya (small round patties made of ground ful beans, seasoned and deep fried), Waraq Anab (vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat), Bickley or Turshi(spicy mixed pickled vegetables), Leban Zabadi (thick creamy yoghurt and very good for the digestion) and Mish, a mature cheese made into a paste and flavoured with spices.
Desserts range from regional specialties such as honey-soaked pastries like Kunafa, which looks like shredded wheat, made with rose water, nuts and sugar, and Basbousa made from fine semolina and flavoured with almonds, lemon and vanilla to the famous and uniquely Egyptian "Om Ali", a baked dish of layered pastry cooked with milk, nuts, raisins and spices. Most visitors to Egypt will have at least one chance to try traditional local cuisine as part of their Nile cruise, when one night is usually themed as an Egyptian night including a buffet of local delicacies.
Egypt has a wealth of fresh fruits such as mangoes, pomegranates, dates, figs, apricots, melons and citrus.

Drink

Tap water should never be drunk in Egypt. We recommend that you use bottled water, ensuring that the seal has not been broken on the bottle. Use it for cleaning teeth and remember not to have ice in your drinks.

Non-Alcoholic

Traditional drinks abound, ranging from chilled carob juice or hot licorice infusion, to thick milky concoctions filled with nuts and spices ("sahleb"). Some of the tastiest for visitors to try would include "karkady" - a rich, sweet infusion of the dark red hibiscus flower, usually drunk cold but also sometimes served hot - and "limoon" - a fresh lemonade made from the small local yellow limes, served frothy, tangy and sweet.

Alcoholic

Alcohol is available in all hotels in Egypt, and most restaurants are licensed. Bars and other drinking establishments are commonplace, and are popular with many locals as well as foreigners. In addition to the usual range of international brands, visitors can try Egyptian-made wine and beer, both of which are pleasantly drinkable.

Wine

The "Obélisque" range is made in Egypt but with imported Italian grapes. The range comes in a tannin-rich red (Rouge des Pharaons), a light rosé (Rosetta) and a fresh, dry white (Blanc d'Alexandrie).
The "Gianaclis" range is made with grapes from Egyptian vineyards, and has a fruity red Cabernet Sauvignon (Omar Khayyam), a delicate rosé (Rubis d'Egypte), and a fresh white Pinot Blanc (Cru des Ptolemées).
The "Chateau Grand Marquis" is Egypt's premium range of wines, made out of the best Egyptian grapes and produced in association with French experts. The range contains a crisp, light white, an aromatic rosé, and a rich red.

Beer

Even more so than wine, the Egyptian brewing industry has recently transformed itself into an overnight success story, with many new local brands as well as big foreign names brewed under license in Egypt. Beer is mainly lager-style - try asking for some of these:

Stella Local (regular lager), Stella Export (stronger lager), Stella Premium (dark Belgian-style lager)
Meister (regular lager), Meister Max (stronger lager)
Sakara Gold (regular lager), Sakara Premium (stronger lager)
Löwenbräu - the famous German beer, locally brewed under license
Heineken

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS

Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, lasts for 28 days each year with the dates moving forward compared to the western calendar by around 11 days per year. Nightlife blossoms during this period, despite it being a "dry" time for Egyptians, and special temporary entertainment tents spring up all around Cairo serving huge quantities of oriental food, aromatic water pipes or "Sheesha", and loud Arabic music in equal abundance from sunset till 4am. Tourists welcome!
Between March and May each year, depending on the Coptic Easter, a national holiday called "Sham El-Nessim" - "Smelling the Blossoms Day" - celebrates the fragrant blossoms that grace Egypt's many flowering trees at the beginning of spring. Families often spend the day with a picnic in a local green area - sometimes simply on grassy roadside verges - and traditionally enjoy a pickled fish dish called "fesikh". (Not recommended for the faint-hearted - fesikh is famously pungent!)
Most other festivals in Egypt are religious in nature and very localized, generally celebrating the birth or death of a neighborhood saint. Most are not of great interest to tourists, being aimed at pilgrims rather than the casual observer.

WEATHER

Egypt has year-round sun, and almost no rain except in Alexandria, which has a more Mediterranean climate than the rest of the country. Daytime temperatures range from pleasantly warm in the winter to very hot in the summer. Northerly cities such as Cairo and Alexandria are generally about 5ºC cooler than southerly areas such as Aswan and Abu Simbel. Nights in the desert can be extremely cold.

Local average temperatures range as follows for the year (°C):

		Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cairo	High	19	21	24	28	32	35	35	35	32	30	24	21
	Low	9	9	11	14	17	18	22	22	20	18	14	11
Luxor	High	23	25	29	35	40	41	41	41	39	35	30	25
	Low	5	7	11	16	21	23	24	24	22	18	12	8
Aswan	High	24	30	35	39	42	41	41	40	36	30	25	25
	Low	8	9	13	17	21	24	24	25	22	9	14	10
Sharm El Sheikh	High	23	26	29	33	36	34	34	34	33	28	23	23
	Low	16	17	18	21	24	26	27	27	26	23	20	16

TIME DIFFERENCE

Time zone is GMT + 2 hours in winter; clocks move forward 1 hour in summer.

HEALTH MATTERS

Full details of the latest health requirements should be obtained from an authorized medical source, such as your doctor. At the time of updating this information, there are no mandatory health requirements for Egypt, however:

Ensure Tetanus and Polio boosters are up to date.
Yellow Fever. You will need a valid yellow fever inoculation certificate if arriving from or via an infected or endemic area (if you are unsure whether you come into this category, please contact either your local Travel clinic or doctor).

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

MONEY MATTERS

The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (£E), which is divided into 100 piasters. Pounds are issued in notes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 ,100 and 200. Coins are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 piasters. It is useful to have local currency for tipping or for shopping in smaller souks or local restaurants, and it is easy to change money at any hotel bank. US dollars are widely accepted in major tourist establishments, hotels, and souvenir shops.
There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or travelers cheques, which may be brought into the country. However, passengers entering Egypt with Egyptian currency exceeding 1000 USD must declare this on arrival. We suggest that you only use traveler’s cheques and change small amounts of money as you go to avoid having large amounts of Egyptian currency left over at the end of your trip.

Currency Exchange

There is one rate of exchange controlled by the government, established daily and available from all banks. Currency may be exchanged through banks or currency exchange houses which can be found in most major cities, and are usually open from 10am till 9pm every day of the week. All major hotels will exchange major foreign currencies at the same rate as banks. You will be issued a receipt which must be retained to permit currency to be re-exchanged when leaving the country and as evidence that exchange of currency has been through official channels. Egyptian pounds may be converted back to foreign currency at the airport if you have kept all documentation relating to any currency exchange transactions, such as hotel and bar bills, shopping and foreign exchange receipts.
Banking hours Are normally 9am till 2pm, Sunday through Thursday, closed on Fridays and Saturdays. Cairo Airport and the majority of major hotels in Cairo offer 24-hrs banking services. Please remember to have your passport on you as this will be required to effect any transaction.
Major credit cards Such as MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted at major restaurants, almost all hotels, and many shops. American Express is less common but is still normally accepted at major hotels. Diners Club is hardly known in Egypt.

DEPARTURE TAX

The airport departure tax is currently included in your ticket.

TIPPING

Tipping or "bakseesh" is a subject that even the most experienced traveller finds difficult. It is a very personal and individual matter and the decision of how much to give is strictly yours.
Hotel service charges and taxes are usually included in your holiday cost together with all portage of 2 pieces of baggage per person and service in bars and restaurants.
Tips to your drivers, guides, staff on board Nile cruise vessels and to your Egyptologist are usually not included in your tour price. We hope that the following guidelines will be helpful to you:
Drivers: You will generally have the same driver throughout your initial stay in Cairo. A tip is usually given on your last day in Cairo of approximately £E 10 per day per person. For drivers in Upper Egypt a tip of about £E 5 per day per person is appropriate.
Staff on board river vessels: Approximately £E 25/30 per day per person is suggested as a total tip to be divided amongst all the staff on Nile Cruise vessels.
Egyptologist/Guide: Approximately £E 25/30 per day per person is suggested.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography or camera fees are applicable at most sights and museums; your guide can give you details of the latest charges.
We recommend that you bring all your own equipment and plenty of film with you into the country. We would recommend that high speed films (ISO 400) for night time photography such as the Sound and Light Shows, temple interiors and tombs where you are not allowed to use a flash. For outdoor light conditions, lower speeds are more suitable. The best time for photography is either early morning or late afternoon. At midday there is an enormous amount of reflective light so a light meter and filter is useful as well as a telephoto lens, minimum size of 120mm is recommended. Remember to take a spare set of batteries for your camera and a dust cover or polythene bag to help protect your camera and lenses from Egypt's fine dust. A flash is useful, although you will find restrictions in certain places.
If you are taking photographs of local people, always ask their permission beforehand. Your guide can assist you in this.
Photographic Restrictions
All video equipment must be registered with customs upon arrival at Cairo International Airport. There are a variety of rules governing photography of different sites and monuments in Egypt. At all open, outdoor historic areas, photography is unrestricted, such as outside the Pyramids and the temples at Luxor and Aswan. In some areas a ticket must be purchased to use cameras and video equipment (E£10-100 approx), and tripods and flashes are seldom allowed in those museums that do permit photography. At some museums and tombs you will be asked to leave your equipment in the care of the door custodian - your guide will advise you. These restrictions are truly in the interest of preservation of these fragile sites, and we request your co-operation. Postcards and slides are available at most sites. Signs are usually posted in restricted areas but if in doubt, ask your guide rather than risk confiscation of your film.
You are strongly advised not to photograph airports, military installations, strategic sites, docks, dams, bridges, police or soldiers.

ELECTRICITY

Egypt electrical current is 220V, and sockets take the standard continental European dual round-pronged plug. If you do not have the correct adaptor with you, your hotel Housekeeping department may have one available upon request.

SHOPPING FOR SOUVENIRS

Shopping in Egypt can be relaxed and leisurely, at high-class souvenir stores and hotel outlets, or part of an authentic - but sometimes hectic! - Middle Eastern experience at the local bazaars and souks. Particularly in the local bazaars, a healthy amount of bargaining is expected - which means that the "best", or "correct" price is simply the one that both parties agree on during that sale. Enjoy the game!
Some of the loveliest and best value souvenirs available from Egypt include:

Gold and silver jewellery, or "Cartouches" inscribed with your name in hieroglyphics.
Wooden boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Hand-engraved brass and copper-work.
Carved alabaster from the quarries of Upper Egypt.
Hand-sewn appliqué work - with Arabic, Pharaonic, or "naïf" folk designs.
Cotton "Galabeyyas" - traditional robes and kaftans, often beautifully embroidered.
Papyrus - still made by traditional methods, and hand-painted with intricate designs.

LANGUAGE

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 speaking German or Italian.
Language Trivia
Arabic is written from right to left, and the language itself has many different spoken dialects, some so far apart from each other that native Arabic speakers from different countries may actually have difficulty understanding each other. The Arabic used in Egypt is the most widely understood dialect, due in large part to the fact that most of the Arabic movies are produced in Egypt. However, written or "classical" Arabic is the same across the Arab world, and is basically an older, purer form of the language. Modern-day spoken Arabic in Egypt is vastly different in both vocabulary and grammar from the written classical Arabic that is used in newspapers, magazines and books - to the extent that if the same difference were expressed in English, it would be as if all printed material were written in Chaucerian! This enormous variety of vocabulary in daily use in the Arab world is part of the reason that Arabic is considered such an expressive language. Native Arabic speakers also tend to have a great appreciation for the beauty of their own language, and poetry, or songs using poetic expressions, are greatly valued.

Distances from Cairo

Cairo to Alexandria 221 km / 137 mi
Cairo to Rashid 263 km / 163 mi
Cairo to Fayoum Oasis 103 / 64 mi
Cairo to Minia 252 km / 157 mi
Cairo to Abydos 489 km / 304 mi
Cairo to Luxor 721 km / 447 mi
Cairo to Edfu 818 km / 490 mi
Cairo to Aswan 982 km / 609 mi
Cairo to Abu Simbel 1264 km / 785 mi

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