First Time in Egypt: 15 Things Every Traveler Should Know
The practical essentials every first-time visitor to Egypt should understand before booking flights.
Read moreLoading
Luxury Travel, Timeless Egypt
Who to tip, how much, and why baksheesh is woven into everyday service culture across Egypt.
Who to tip, how much, and why baksheesh is woven into everyday service culture across Egypt. Our travel consultants regularly field questions on exactly this topic, so we have compiled the most useful answers here.
Booking domestic flights between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea well in advance secures better fares and preferred departure times, particularly during Egypt's busy October-to-April high season.
Egypt's tourism infrastructure has matured significantly over the past decade, with modernized airports, expanded highways connecting Cairo to the Red Sea, and considerably improved standards at hotels catering to international travelers.
Most travelers underestimate how spread out Egypt's highlights are; Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea coast are each a flight or overnight train apart, so realistic itineraries usually run seven to fourteen days rather than a rushed long weekend.
Small denominations of Egyptian pounds are useful throughout a trip for tipping, bathroom attendants, and minor purchases, and it is wise to withdraw cash from bank-affiliated ATMs rather than standalone machines with higher fees.
Traffic in Cairo can be unpredictable at almost any hour, so travelers with tight flight connections or timed activities should build in extra buffer time rather than scheduling transfers back-to-back.
English is widely spoken in the tourism industry, from hotel staff to licensed guides, though learning a few Arabic greetings such as shukran, meaning thank you, is always appreciated by locals.
This is exactly the kind of detail our Egypt Rest Tours team factors into every itinerary we design around Egypt travel planning.
Turn inspiration into an itinerary with our travel specialists.