Are you planning a trip to Egypt? Do you have a lot of queries about Egypt?
Are you curious to know about the things there in that country ? If you think you are in a confused state about what to do and what not to do, this article will help you in planning your tour to Egypt.
Egypt is a great historical country with many places worth seeing. The capital, Cairo with the great Egyptian Museum, Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza. Other places are Alexanderia, Luxor, Aswan, Sharm EL Sheikh, River Nile, many temples and mosques. So, you can have a fantastic tour to Egypt.
If you want your trip to be trouble free and enjoyable, here are some things you must consider before you go on a tour to Egypt for the first time.
Get your e-visa or on arrival visa ready
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The very first thing you must consider before you travel to Egypt is your visa on your passport. For this you can apply online or get your visa upon your arrival at the airport. Applying online for e-visa is easy, you just have to apply and pay the fee and get your visa ready. On the other hand, you can also get your visa at the airport which is valid for 30 days. The fee for this is 25 USD and you have to pay it in cash.
Is Egypt a safe country?
Many people think of safety before they travel to some places for a tour and that’s natural because your safety is the most important of all other things. There has been terrorism in Egypt and terrorist attacks on tourists and locals but now the situation is not the same. There is a very much reduced rate of such attacks on people now and there is also heavy security everywhere. So, you can have a safe and sound trip to this country.
Heavy security and police checkposts
There is a very heavy kind of security there, wherever you go you will see police and police patrol who keep an eye on the happenings in the country. You will get a full airport type check like you have to cross the metal detector door before entering to any place and your luggage is also checked. So, make yourself ready to be checked like this.
Egyptian currency
The currency running in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound. So, you must exchange the currency for your local use there. At the time of writing this article 1 Egyptian Pound is 0.034 USD.
Getting sim cards
For communication there, you need sim cards. If you want to have your sim card for your tour to Egypt, it’s quite simple and easy. There is an Orange Kiosk at the Cairo International Airport from where you can get the sim card. You have to show your passport to them and they will give you your sim. Make sure that your phone is unlocked at that very time.
Book a tour guide and a driver for your trip
Although many people like to travel independently, there is a better option that you should hire an Egypt travel guide and driver from a reputable company. Your guide will guide you about the history and all essentials you need to know about the places. And your driver will dodge the heavy traffic and save your time.
Beware of heavy traffic and great rush in streets
There is a lot of traffic there all the time from day to night. There are no traffic lanes,signals and sign boards to regulate the traffic. So, be prepared for this heck because most of the people are not used to the traffic like that. And also cross the streets and roads with great care. Also schedule your Egypt travel itinerary by considering this.
Prepare yourself for giving Tip or extra charges
There is a custom of giving tips everywhere. As the salaries there in Egypt are very low so the locals depend on these tips. If a waiter at the restaurant gives you some service then do not think he is doing it for free, tip is highly expected. If you want to take pictures with camels, with pyramids, and wherever you go you will have to pay for it. So, you’d better take extra money with you to compensate for these charges.
Dress in a conservative way
As Egypt is a Muslim country so you better respect their culture and dress well in that way. In Muslim culture, women are advised to cover their body. So, foreigners are also advised to cover their body and respect their culture and avoid wearing short skirts. Men can wear T-shirts and shorts.
Drink bottled water only and avoid drinking tap water
Tap water there in Egypt is not recommended as it has a high quantity of chlorine. So, you should drink only bottled water to keep yourself hydrated.
Must take sunscreen with you
As the weather in Egypt is intensely hot and that can cause severe sunburns. So, you must pack a lot of sunscreen with you to avoid sun tanning.
Avoid taking your drone to your trip
Most of the people want to take the bird eye view of pyramids and want to take their drones with them but that’s not safe there. One must take permission from the Egyptian Ministry
of Defense. Otherwise, they will be fined and even locked up in jail.
Nile cruise
Most of the people want to have a Nile cruise booked for themselves. But from the economic point of view, if you want an economic tour you should opt for this because that is too costly. Moreover, there is not much sailing in the cruise which is also not that much far and deep. There is merely 2 to 3 hours of sailing which most of the people do not want.
The Bottom Line
So, if you want to have a wonderful experience on your first trip to Egypt, you must consider these few things before you travel. Have a fabulous tour!
