14 Egypt Tips For First Timers | What To Know Before Visiting Egypt

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Last Updated on December 26, 2023 by sydabroad

If you are visiting Egypt soon, this guide has all the best Egypt tips for first timers.

I spent 10 days traveling throughout Egypt and these are things I either researched beforehand that were essential tips or things I learned along the way. It’s important to research dos and don’ts before traveling to a place like Egypt.

I have been to over 25 countries and Egypt is 100% one of the most amazing but also the most unique. The weather, the culture, getting around – it’s very different to many European countries and other Western countries.

That being said, here is a random list of everything you need to know before visiting Egypt!

Looking for more Egypt guides?

• The Best Time to Visit Egypt
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• The Best Things to Do in Cairo, Egypt
• All You Need to Know About a Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor

This post is all about the best Egypt tips for first timers.

The Best Egypt Tips For First Timers

1. You’ll Need a Visa

You do need a visa to enter Egypt. You can either get an e-visa or a visa on arrival. I got an e-visa online and the process was super straightforward.

This is the website to apply for a visa. Let me know if you would like me to put together a step-by-step guide on the process for getting an Egyptian visa.

You can get your visa ahead of time (which I recommend) or you can purchase a visa on arrival for USD 25. This is for a single-entry Egypt tourist visa for 30 days. The visa can be renewed.

2. The Currency

The local currency is Egyptian pounds. If you can, I suggest going to your local bank and ordering Egyptian pounds before your trip so you have some currency once you land.

However, it’s typically not that easy, my bank couldn’t order Egyptian currency. If you can’t order ahead of time, just take out cash at an ATM once you arrive. Or you can bring your local currency to exchange at the airport.

I always suggest traveling with the Charles Schwab debit card. You pay zero foreign transaction fees with this card, they will reimburse you for whatever the ATM charges. It’s the perfect travel debit card.

While we’re on the topic of money, you will want to have small bills for many places in Egypt. It’s very important to have small bills if you are shopping at a local market and even some museums and attractions I visited wanted smaller bills or didn’t have change. So try to break large bills at your hotel or in a convenience store.

Also, most places in Egypt won’t accept card payments. You will likely pay with cash pretty much everywhere you go.

3. Don’t Drink The Tap Water

Do not drink tap water in Egypt. Now, many people say not the brush your teeth with it either but I did and I was fine. I also feel like I have a strong immune system so just be careful.

You will go through SO many plastic water bottles. I wish I would have had an insulated water bottle to refill because I was drinking hot water half the time since it was so freaking hot outside it would warm the plastic bottles.

4. The Heat is No Joke

You guys, Egypt is hot. Especially in the summer. I visited in July and it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit basically every day. If you aren’t used to the heat it will be pretty intense. There were a few people on my tour group that fainted because of the heat.

I suggest bringing electrolytes like Liquid IV or LMNT. You can also bring a scarf to shade yourself from the heat, a phone fan, and an insulated water bottle. Make sure you always have water when you are out exploring during the day.

It’s also helpful to bring snacks, I loved these little date biscuit snacks that our guide had for us! You should try them while you are in Egypt. You can find them at most convenience stores.

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5. Riding Animals in Egypt

Alright, so the camel situation near the pyramids and other tourist sites in Egypt… I did ride a camel but I don’t think I would if I went back. I felt bad about it because from what I saw at the pyramids, they didn’t treat the animals very well.

It’s completely up to you and your decision. If you do end up riding a camel don’t let them scam you out of more money than you are supposed to pay. A camel ride is typically 100 Egyptian pounds I believe and you should tip about 20 to 40 pounds or a couple of US dollars.

6. Haggling and Shopping Locally in Egypt

Okay, in every market you visit, you should haggle and negotiate because they are ripping you off. And when you are in many markets or at the pyramids, the locals will haggle with you so much to buy things or ride their animals. I have been to many places and this doesn’t phase me but they are aggressive when trying to sell tourist things in Egypt.

If you have never experienced this, it can be quite overwhelming. Vendors will put items right in your face telling you to buy it or try to make you hold their camel or donkey and then make you pay to ride it.

They try to get every penny out of tourists here. I was literally on a shuttle to the Valley of the Kings (which we had all already paid for and entered) and the guy driving grabbed a phone to take selfies of all of us then when he dropped us off he asked for money. They will try to get anything and everything. You just need to say no and walk away or completely ignore them.

Also if you are buying things at the local markets, make sure to negotiate. Everything they sell will be overpriced.

7. Egypt Tips For First Timers – Souvenirs to Buy

Here are a few fun souvenirs to get in Egypt!

• Papyrus: the first “paper” created from papyrus plants turned into beautiful works of art.
• Essential oils: Perfume and essential oils are super popular in Egypt. The perfume bottles are a fun souvenir as well.
• Cartouche: A fun piece of jewelry you can get with your name or a pharaoh’s name on it.
• Egyptian cotton

8. What to Wear in Egypt

One of the top Egypt tips for first-timers is figuring out what to pack and how to dress. Egypt is a Muslim country and it’s important to dress respectfully to the culture. I suggest bringing loose pants, midi skirts, tank tops, t-shirts, and scarves.

Because it’s so hot here, you want to make sure you pack lighter materials and avoid jeans. Also, there will be a few places that require you to cover your knees and shoulders (such as the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo), this is why I loved having a lightweight scarf with me.

As for shoes, you will be walking quite a bit to make sure they are comfortable. I traveled with sneakers and a couple of pairs of sandals.

9. Using Cameras in Egypt

Many temples and tourist sites will require you to pay an extra fee or not allow you to bring your DSLR cameras in. I did a good amount of research before I went to Egypt and it’s very common across the entire country.

However, I did not have one single person stop me from bringing in my camera. And I brought it everywhere. I know typically you are required to pay more at the Pyramids of Giza and our guide told us cameras were not allowed at all in the hot air balloons in Luxor – but I brought mine and no one said a word.

My camera is a Nikon D3400 so it’s relatively small and I always had it packed discretely in my tote bag when entering these places, so maybe that is why. Maybe I also got lucky? But just be aware of this when you visit Egypt.

10. Do NOT Bring Binoculars or Drones

Do not bring binoculars or drones into Egypt. Binoculars and flying drones in Egypt are illegal.
You will likely be detained and questioned at the airport if you have these items in your bag.

If you are wondering how people get drone footage in Egypt, it’s because certain locals have special permits to fly them. And so, travel videographers will get in touch with these people.

11. Basic Arabic Terms to Know

Arabic is a tough language to pick up on in my opinion. It’s also a very interesting language because it sounds so harsh when people are speaking to one another. Although you can get by in Egypt with English, it’s polite to brush up on a few common phrases.

Hello: Marhaba
Thank you: Shukran
Please: Min Fad Like
Good morning: Sahab El-Kheir

I like using the Duolingo app to learn languages.

12. Foods to Try in Egypt

Egypt has some incredible foods to try! So I had to give a few recs in this guide about Egypt tips for first timers. A few different foods you should try are falafel, hummus, koshari, mahshi, shakshuka, and asih baladi.

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13. Group Travel vs. Solo Travel

I personally traveled to Egypt on a group tour with EF Ultimate Break and I loved traveling Egypt this way. I didn’t have to think about transportation, tickets, where to stay, etc. It was so seamless and a very great way to travel, especially through a country like Egypt which takes a lot more planning than most.

The biggest downfall of group travel, in my opinion, is that since you’re on such a tight schedule, you won’t have a ton of time at some spots you want to spend a longer time at. For instance, I would have loved to stay at the pyramids for much longer than we did but we had a schedule to follow. But another pro of group travel is the people you meet! It’s also so much fun meeting other travelers.

On the other hand, you can definitely solo travel to Egypt, but this will take a lot more planning, and make sure you have a local guide to take you around. Solo travel will give you more freedom and flexibility with your schedule. You can have as much time as you want at any site.

But it is important to do your research and have a local guide. This way you will have transportation, you won’t get scammed since you are with a local, and the guide will know the ins and outs of everything.

Ya know some countries you can really just show up without a clue of what you are doing, but Egypt is not the place to do this.

I do recommend traveling with EF Ultimate Break, it was an unforgettable trip. Check out their tours here and get $100 off when you use this link.

14. Best Time to Visit Egypt

The best time to visit Egypt is October through March and the high tourist season is December and January.

I think the best time to visit is during the shoulder seasons, which for Egypt is March through May and September and October. The weather will be nicer and there should be fewer crowds.

I visited during the dead of the summer (in July), which was freaking hot. Now, the crowds were not bad during this time but if spending time in the heat bugs you then you might want to avoid the summer months in Egypt.

Read all about when the best time to visit Egypt is here.

And that wraps up this post all about Egypt tips for first timers. I hope you found this guide helpful and got some tips on how you can plan your trip to Egypt. If you have any questions, comment below, DM me on Instagram, or email me at sydabroad@gmail.com.

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