Egypt is a country located in Africa and is least thought of when considering a holiday. But after spending ten days at the destination, I think it's the next hot destination that will figure on every jet setter's list.
In this part of the blog, I will call out all the things you need to keep in mind while planning a trip to Egypt. Watch out for the next blog for the itinerary details of my 10-day trip across Cairo-Giza-Luxor-Aswan-hurghada-Cairo. You can also check out my Instagram page or Tripoto page for more updates from my Egypt trip.
Instagram page here | Tripoto page link here
If you love shopping, trying new food and exploring architecture, then Egypt has the perfect mix of places to head to. To top it all, it's also got great markets, nightlife and diverse terrain that makes it a wonderful country to explore for travelers who enjoy new experiences but crave different things on a single trip. It's got beaches, natural oasis, deserts and cities that offer the perfect blend of a blast from the past with modern day comforts. Bookmark this guide for tips and tricks to plan your vacation to Egypt.
But first, let's address the elephant in the room...
Safety for female travelers, solo or otherwise
Whenever you look up Egypt, you're bound to come across a lot of content calling it out to be an unsafe destination for women especially. Several travelers and creators alike have called out scams, se*ual harassment and aggressive behavior that make Egypt out to be a daunting country to visit. Thankfully, I found none of these things to be true. I learnt a few Arabic phrases that helped me let sellers know that I'm not interested in buying items and that pretty much helped me have a great time. Aside from that, it's safety tactics one should employ irrespective of which destination you're in:
-Don't advertise that you are solo in a destination, this prevents unwanted advances from men
- Dress conservatively or according to local culture. It's important to respect the local culture when you're visiting a place.
- Keep physical copies of your travel documents and itinerary. In case you run into issues with connectivity, you can bank on your copies to get you through.
- Share your location with loved ones so someone is always aware of of your whereabouts. While I love exploring places and tend to wander off a lot, I always make sure that some close friends and family have a copy of my schedule so they know my approximate location at all times
- Explore the path less taken, but mindfully. While traveling, it's always tempting to seek out new and interesting places. This sometimes leads to dark alleys and lonely locations. Don't put yourself in danger, especially at night, by heading off alone
- Use a sling / anti-theft bag and a phone lanyard - while these aren't always fashionable choices, they are practical. I found it super helpful when you're handling different things, shopping in crowded markets or wanting to keep your valuables within reach without missing out on taking photos and making memories
- Buy a portable local - this I learnt the hard way when one of the staff members tried to enter my room while I was inside. Hotels these days call out that they might access the room any time and you need to your valuables in a safe to avoid theft. While entering a room when a guest is inside is not acceptable, I realize it's important to add on a lock for added safety.
Getting to Egypt
1. Visas
Indians have to apply for a Visa to be able to enter Egypt. It's an e-visa and you can apply through several channels. However, I found the Atlys mobile app to be the most trustworthy and easy. It also costed me the least. I applied a few weeks prior to my departure dates and the Atlyst mobile app is pretty straightforward. You submit a photo of yourself and a scanned copy of your passport which are both captured by the app. Then you pay the Visa processing fee that goes to the government which costed me about Rupees 2000. Then you wait for the Visa to come through. The Atlys app offers constant updates via Whatsapp and their mobile application. I got mine in a few days and just downloaded it after paying the Atlys fee.
1. Flights
There are several flight options to Egypt. The good thing is the costs don't fluctuate too much ex-India. I set up trackers on my Skyscanner and Google Flights and was able to get a good deal on Qatar Airways which flew ex-Doha. I chose Qatar Airways because they were the only ones who could confirm to me prior booking that I wouldn't need a transit visa as long as I don't leave the airport in Doha. Emirates, Abu Dhabi and Saudia all had slightly different policies with some of them offering free transit visas only when onward and return journeys are booked with them. Do check with the airlines before you book depending on your visa status.
You do get great deals for flights ex France and other European cities, but take note that you'll need a transit visa which typically involves the Schengen Visa which can add unnecessary stress to your trip.
3. Best season
Egypt is a hot country so it's best avoided during the summers. Visit during November for great winter weather - it's warm and sunny in the day and can get chill in the night. December is also great, but flights and booking prices soar around Christmas season
Getting around Egypt
1. Transport
When traveling within Cairo the capital or other major cities, Uber is your best bet. Keep in mind that Arabic is the main language in Egypt making it slightly challenging to read number plates. However, I found it super easy as I would simply match the patterns of the numbers on my Uber app to the patterns on the license plate and verify with the driver about his name before getting into the car. Most of them speak some English so it's not complicated to get around.
2. A debit/credit card is an essential
When you read up about Egypt, most sources will tell you it's a cash rich economy. While this is partly true, to enter any of the major sites run by the Government, you will need a card that has international transactions enabled as cash is not accepted here. To shop, it's best to keep some cash on you which can be easily accessed via ATMs that are spread out through the country and easily available.
3. Dealing with scams
Scams do exist in Egypt but this is true of any place. Some simple precautions can keep you from falling prey to tricksters.
- make sure you only purchase entry tickets at the counters of the sites as you will come across "guides" who sell you tickets for cash. They typically resell used tickets which won't work when you need to scan the QR code at the entrance
- learn to say no by saying "La" or "La Shukran" for a more polite version which translates to "No Thank You". Egypt is a poor economy with tourism being a major source of income, so people are likely to come at you and push you to buy things, but if you say "La" they let you be
- Ensure you only book a legitimate guide. There are several options like GetYourGuide, Viator and Go Tours that you can book day tours or longer packages with. You can also ask your hotel to set you up with one. Don't haggle or try to find a guide directly as you are likely to fall prey to scams that start out with a reasonable price and end in despair.
4. Affordability*
At the outset, it might not seem like an affordable destination. The currency conversion also puts the Indian Rupee at half the value of the Egyptian Pound. So why do I think it's affordable?
- Fuel is extremely cheap. Your Uber ride for about five to nine kilometers costs just about Rupees 100
- Food is reasonable if you eat at local markets and small shops. A full meal can cost you between INR120 to INR 300. Of course, it is challenging if you're vegetarian. Koshary might be your best option or pasteries
-Visa costs are on the lower side for Indians, it costs just about INR 3000 overall to get your e-visa as I've listed above
- It's a shopping haven with places like Khan-el-Khalil in Cairo and the Nubian Village in Aswan having some incredible handmade products for as little as INR 300 each
Flights, hotels in central locations can prove to be expensive, but if you plan ahead and catch deals, you can easily offset the cost giving you a great vacation option in Egypt!
*these are approximations based on how much I spent at the time. Please check for the status at the time of planning your visit.
Useful mobile applications to have
I had a series of unfortunate events while on the trip but thanks to my backups, I was able to make it through my 10-day trip through Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Hurgadha. Here are some useful apps to keep handy when visiting Egypt:
1. Uber - Load it with your credit card to avoid cash transactions and hassles over 'change'.
2. Google Maps - whether you want to explore a market on foot or get to a particular restaurant, keep online/offline versions of Maps with you
3. Google Translate - I love the latest updates to Google Translate. I downloaded Arabic and used it to converse with locals, learn about food, seek out shops and new experiences. I also used it to reach labels and signs and it proved to be extremely helpful.
4. E-sims - If you're in India, it's likely that e-sim providers are all blocked. Airalo, Saily and Holafly all offer wonderful options for data, however, it doesn't work in India. While some of them are downloadable, the payments won't go through and I couldn't figure out a workaround. I am glad I got one before I left India, the Matrix e-sim worked really well and the 10-gb option was perfect for me though it is a lot more pricier than buying a local sim card. It did offer me the peace of mind of being connected throughout my trip. For transit locations, I activated a day pack of international roaming on my India number which got me through updates to family back home.
5. Airline apps - you tend to get better deals when booking via the airline app or portal. In most cases, I found that some of the more convenient flights (in terms of timings and layovers) weren't listed on third party sites like Google Flights and Skyscanner. Indigo's operated Qatar Airways flights are also cheaper but not listed on Indigo's portal. It is listed on MakeMyTrip and Qatar Airways. Do a check for good deals before you book. Keeping the airline apps handy also allows you easy tracking and check-in options saving you the stress of flying.
This is all the wisdom I gathered while planning my trip to Egypt which is currently my favorite destination. It lived up to my expectations of it being a dream destination and then some. I really hope you consider visiting Egypt soon as you'll find it's quite a treasure trove of experiences for the eager explorer.
Stay tuned for part two of my Egypt blog.
Till then you can check out my Instagram Highlights here for updates.
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