getting to egypt
Flying into Cairo (CAI) is likely where you will start your journey but there are a few other international airports you may go in and out of including Borg El Arab International Airport in Alexandria (HBE), Hurghada International Airport (HRG) or Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (SSH).
visa for egypt
If you are traveling from the United States you must have a visa to enter Egypt. You can get a 30 day tourist visa on arrival for $25 USD or you can obtain a multiple entry for $60 USD. You must have 6 months of validity on your passport and at least one blank page. No vaccines are required for entry.
tour group or not
Egypt, unfortunately, has a reputation of being an unsafe country. This stems from some history but I felt completely safe while traveling through Egypt. My friend and I elected to do a tour and I couldn’t have been more pleased. First off you have a guide the whole time so get so much of the history which is important in a place so historically rich. Also all the logistics of getting from place to place was handled. We got the chance to meet a bunch of other travelers which was amazing.
I think you can travel on your own but it may be a little more challenging.
Tour itinerary
Day One
Arrive Cairo. On this day, I arrived in Cairo. As part of the tour, one of the guides met me at the airport and got me to the hotel. There we went over the plans for the next 10 days and collected a kitty. Many tour groups have this as a prepayment for tipping along the journey. We got to relax by the poolside of the hotel and prepare for the journey.
Day Two
We started off the day heading over the awe-inspiring Great Pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza. We also went to Sakkara to see the pyramid of Zoser. We took an overnight bus to Aswan.
Day Three
Arrive in Aswan and got to relax and have lunch on free time. My friends luggage never arrived in Cairo so we went to town and bought her some new clothes. Later in the afternoon, we explored the Philae Temple and the High Dam of Aswan. We did an extra excursion this night where we took a boat to Nubian Village and had authentic local meal.
Day Four
Today we paid for the extra excursion to head to Abu Simbel. To go on this trip you have to wake up around 3 AM and head to this unique site. It is very well the cost of this so if not included on your tour make sure to add this! We then headed back to Aswan where we jumped aboard a Nile Felucca which we sailed overnight on. Some tours offer this versus a Nile River Cruise. We wanted this for a more unique experience, but this entailed sleeping in the open air on small mats on the ground.
Day Five
After disembarking from the Felucca we headed to Kom-Ombo to visit the temple of Sobek. After that we went to Edfu for the temple of Horus and then headed to Luxor. Later in the afternoon we headed to Karnak Temple and the historic Luxor Temple. This was incredible to see lit up at night.
Day Six
We headed to the Bank of Luxor and went to the world famous Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut and the great Colossi of Memnon. We then took an overnight bus to Hurgada
Day Seven
Hurgada is a resort town on the red sea. There are so many activities available including snorkeling, diving, swimming or simply relaxing. Part of our tour included a stay at an all inclusive resort which had multiple pools and all you could eat restaurant.
Day Eight
More time in Hurgada to enjoy the beautiful Red Sea and relax. It is no wonder many Europeans visit just here for a relaxing escape. From here we took an overnight bus back to Cairo.
Day nine
Now that we arrived back in Cairo, we head to see more of the amazing sites of Cairo. We went to the Egyptian Museum, old city Cairo/Coptic area, citadel of Saladin to visit the Mosque of Mohamed Ali and the open market (Khan El Khalili) where you can explore a number of souvenir shops.
Day ten
After breakfast our tour ended, and we were transferred to airport to fly home.
top tips for travel in egypt
use a tour
While you can travel solo, I think doing a tour in Egypt is a safer and more enriching experience especially if you are going to see all the historic sites. You will get so much more out of these impressive landmarks.
travel insurance
If you are going on a tour, more likely than not you will need to get proof of insurance and it is never a bad idea anyways
health concerns
Do not drink the water. You do not need to worry about malaria or yellow fever. Traveller’s diarrhea is common so come prepared with some electrolyte packets and anti-diarrheal medications (trust me!)
dress and act conservatively
Especially women will need to be covered for shoulders, mid-section and to the knees. It is hot here so invest in some long skirts so there is some airflow but you are covered. Your guide will tell you if ok to get away with some short sleeves in certain very touristy areas but it is most respectful to cover your shoulders in most places.
No alcohol on the streets
Be cautious on where you are drinking alcohol since you are in a Muslim country.
Sun and bugs
Bring sunscreen, hats and sunglasses for the intense sun. Bring mosquito repellent.
have copies of your ID
make sure to have copies of your passport.
PDA
You will want to limit your forms of public displays of affection. LGBTQ travelers will need to be especially discrete here.
no drones and camera rules
Most sites have a no drone policy and in fact most places even outside of the sites have it banned. Best to just leave it at home. You will note that many sites require additional fees for photography so just be prepared to pay it if you want photos of certain sites.
