Egypt FAQs

Visas

Yes, visas are required for most travellers to Egypt, including those from the USA and the UK. We recommend obtaining your visa on arrival at the airport. Typically a representative will meet you airside, before you reach immigration, to help you with the visa process.

It’s also possible to obtain an e-visa prior to arrival. You must apply at least 7 days prior to travel and the visa can take up to 5 days to come back – in addition the online form is fairly time consuming to complete.

Passports

All travellers to Egypt must have 6 months validity on their passports from the day of arrival.

We will confirm certain elements of your trip such as domestic flights, permits or train tickets using your current passport details. If a member of your party changes their name in their passport after booking (for example, through marriage or adoption) this could mean having to reissue important parts of the trip at an extra cost and subject to availability. 

Please note that entry requirements can change and we recommend that our guests contact the local embassy in the country where you live for the most recent and up to date information.

Yes, once your trip is confirmed it is essential that you take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover you in case anything unexpected happens. 

We always recommend that our guests get the maximum level of coverage that you feel comfortable investing in. Read more about travel insurance for US travellers here and for travellers from other countries here.

Yes, you should visit a travel doctor before your trip as they may recommend certain vaccinations or medications before or during travel. 

Some vaccines commonly recommended for travellers to the Middle East include: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies and Meningitis. 

When taking regional flights in Egypt the luggage allowance is typically 23kg for economy class and 30kg for business class. During your trip with Jacada you will be checked in for your domestic flights by our representatives in Egypt who will also your seat assignment preferences – however, this will always be at the discretion of the airline.

Travel pack

Before you head off on your adventure you will be sent a travel pack. The travel pack is full of great information and is also a beautiful keepsake. It is not necessary to travel with vouchers or confirmations on your trip but we do recommend having a printed copy of your travel itinerary to hand when you arrive into Egypt.

Bon Voyage email

Around 2 weeks before you depart we will email you an electronic version of your travel pack including your domestic flight tickets. Once you’ve received this email your Travel Designer will reach out to arrange a time for you to talk on the phone to go over any last minute questions and talk you through the information we’ve sent over.

The local currency in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound. It is possible to obtain the local currency outside of Egypt and it’s usually fairly simple to obtain it at the airport on arrival too. Although debit and credit cards are widely accepted in large hotels, well known restaurants and shops – it is definitely advisable to always travel with cash which will be needed for smaller transactions.

ATMs are available throughout the country but can sometimes be unreliable. It’s important to plan ahead, particularly in terms of tipping in remote areas or when on a cruise. 

US Dollars are widely accepted across Egypt, although the bills must be crisp and new with no old or damaged bills. It is possible that for very small transactions US dollars won’t be accepted, or that you will receive your change in local currency.

Tipping is customary in Egypt, in restaurants you can add 10 to 15%, this might already be added to your bill. Guides can also be tipped and here’s a rough guide:

Approximately USD 25 per person per day (up to a total of USD 100 per day), and each of your drivers and field coordinators USD 10 per person per day (up to a total of USD 50 per day).

Some important notes for travel during Ramadan: 

• Guests to Egypt are allowed to eat and drink during the day anywhere.
• Alcoholic drinks are available in hotels, resorts and on cruises only. All restaurants that usually serve alcohol stop during Ramadan. Standalone bars also close during this period, with the exception of Crimson.
• For the archaeological sites, they open an hour later and close an hour early, which will be taken into account when we plan your sightseeing.

Egypt boasts year round sunshine so temperatures are generally very warm. November to February can experience some cooler weather with some quite chilly early mornings and evenings. A warm outfit  (including a light jacket) is recommended if you’re travelling at this time of year. It’s worth noting that the middle of the day can still feel very warm.

June to August are very hot months, and even the evenings can feel balmy.

We recommend packing for hot weather throughout the year including bringing light, casual clothes for touring, a sunhat, sunscreen and sunglasses. Please also remember to drink plenty of water while sightseeing. 

Please also keep in mind that Egypt is a Muslim country and both men and women tend to dress conservatively. In order to respect the local culture we advise modest dress in public areas and especially outside of major tourist sites. For evenings, Cairo has some upscale restaurants so you might want to bring something more elegant for one or two nights out, and some of the more traditional hotels outside of Cairo require formal dress (jacket for men, no sportswear) for certain restaurants.

We highly recommend that you make restaurant reservations in advance of your trip. Once your trip is confirmed you will be introduced to your concierge who will be able to assist you in not only making the reservations but also  making  recommendations based on your preferences.

Egypt operates on 220 V and the frequency is 50 Hz, which works for appliances from the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa, but not the US or Canada so you will need a voltage converter. You will also need a plug converter (including if you are coming from the UK) as Egypt works with plug types C and F (two round pins or two round pins with two earth clips on the side).

If your international phone plan does not include Egypt then you might want to consider purchasing a local sim card at the airport, and our representative can assist you with this on arrival. Five star hotels tend to offer reasonable Wi-Fi so in any event you will have connectivity whilst at your hotel. Please note WhatsApp messaging works in Egypt but WhatsApp calls do not, you can download Viber for free internet calls whilst in Egypt.

Please contact your Jacada travel designer or concierge before your trip with any further questions.