Egypt

When to go

Weather

Warm all year. Hottest June-September. Negligible rainfall, except on the coast. In April the hot, dusty Khamsin wind blows from the Sahara.

Festivals

The Islamic calendar is central to Egyptian life. Ramadan, the month of fasting, is an especially significant time.

Highlights

Egypt may have more ancient artefacts still buried beneath its sands than have so far been uncovered above them

Cairo

A stir to the senses, this chaotic, noisy and intoxicating city on the River Nile is home to 16 million people. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cities in the Islamic world, its old quarter features one of the world’s largest bazaars, Khan-el Khalili, a place crammed with spices, perfume and trinkets. Don’t miss the superb museums, and of course the nearby Great Pyramids.

River Nile

Travel the way Egypt should be seen, be it on a traditional felucca or an ultra-modern cruise boat. Sail through the land of the pharoahs, passing historic sites, spotting birds andwatching ancient villages on the river banks.

Sinai & the Red Sea

Busy tourist resorts line the Sinai coast, which has fine beaches and offers some of the world’s best scuba diving and snorkelling. Inland it’s all vast desert – a fun place to explore by jeep or camel. A highlight is St Catherine’s Monastery.

Aswan

Relaxing market city located on ancient caravan routes and steeped in Nubian culture. The Nile here is truly wonderful, as feluccas glide down from the High Dam and Lake Nasser.

Luxor

Buzzing tourist hub, built on the site of the ancient city of Thebes. Famous for its magnificent monuments of Luxor, Karnak, Hatshepsut and Ramses III. The Valley of the Kings includes the tombs of Nefertari and the boy-king Tutankhamun.

Being there

Etiquette

As a Muslim country, dress should be conservative. Western style of dress is accepted in modern nightclubs, restaurants and hotels in Cairo, Alexandria and tourist resorts. Visitors to ancient sites may have to pay fees to take photographs.

Food and Drink

Foul (bean) based dishes, kebabs and seasoned chickpeas are popular. As are stuffed vine leaves, roast pigeon, grilled aubergines and humus (chickpeas).

Shopping and Souvenirs

In Cairo go to Khan-el-Khalili where reproduction antiques, jewellery, spices, copper items and Coptic cloth can be found.

Additional Info

People and Places

Capital: Cairo.
Language: Arabic.
Population: 67,886,000.
Population Density: 67.8. (pop per km²)
Size: 1,002,000. (area km²)

Transport

Cairo International (CAI) 22 km from the city, El Nouzha (ALY) 7 km from Maydan al-Tahir (Alexandria), Luxor (LXR) 5.5 km from the city.
Daily flights between main centres. A steamer service links Hurghada with Sharm el-Sheik in Sinai. Feluccas can be hired for sailing on the Nile and regular Nile cruises operate between Luxor and Aswan and sometimes between Cairo and Aswan. Comprehensive east-west rail network. The Nile Valley and Delta and the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts are served by paved roads. Motoring in the desert without suitable vehicles and a guide is not recommended. Car hire available.

Red Tape

Own insurance and an International Driving Permit required. Carnet de passage or deposit needed if bringing own vehicle in. All vehicles, including motorbikes, must carry a fire extinguisher and red triangle.
UK: 2 Lowndes Street, London SW1X 9ET, tel (020) 7235 9777, fax (020) 7235 5684, email info@egyptianconsulate.co.uk. US: 3521 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel (202) 895 5400, fax (202) 244 4319, email embassy@egyptembc.org.
UK: 7 Ahmad Ragheb, Garden City, Cairo, tel (2) 794 0850-8, fax (2) 795 1235, email webmaster@britishembassy.org.e.g.. US: 5 Latin America Street, Garden City, Cairo, tel (2) 797 3300, fax (2) 797 3200, email consularcairo@state.gov.

State of the Nation

Life expectancy: M 68.5, F 73.62.

Finance: Credit cards and traveller’s cheques widely accepted.
Business hours: 0900-1900 every day except Monday and Thursday (0900 - 2000) in winter, 0900-1230, 1600-2000 Saturday-Thursday in summer (shopping hours; business hours n/a).
GMT: + 2.
Voltage guide: 220 AC, 50 Hz most areas, 110-380 AC in some rural areas.
Country dialling code: 20.