Your mind is overwhelmed by ideas and questions since you booked a trip to Egypt? Indeed, you are asking yourself many questions like if you should be hiring a tour guide or not? When should I fly to Cairo? What are the best tourist attractions that I do not want to miss? What should I pack with me? Is Egypt safe enough for solo travelers? And many other endless open-ended questions that overthinking the answers might ruin your vacation in the stage of preparation. In this article, you will be finding the most important things you need to know before your vacation in Egypt.
It depends on the purpose of your visit as well as the duration. If you are traveling to Egypt to chill and to get in a better mood, you must check out the resorts at Hurghda and Sharm El Sheikh. In case you are looking for adventurous trip, you must visit Luxor and Aswan and enjoy its exquisite decoration and strong heritage. You will visit the ancient tombs of pharaonic kings and queens, Karnak temple, Abu Simbel, the valley of the kings, the beautiful Philae Temple, etc. Try riding a Fellucca in Aswan. If you are not planning to travel inside Egypt, so you are staying within Cairo and Giza. Then you should visit the great pyramids of Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo with its heartwarming churches, the great number of majestic mosques, and many other places to consider. Alexandria has special culture vibes, and atmosphere because of its history and location which makes it a location that you would love to explore; it is not very far from Cairo.
The weather in Egypt is very lovely in the winter season. That is why you find a large group of tourists visiting Egypt from November through March. They love spending Christmas here. The weather is usually warm to cool in the morning, and it could get a little bit colder in the evening. Rain is unlikely at Luxor in Aswan. Haze could be a problem at Cairo during the morning in the winter season. More frequent rain happens in Cairo; however, it can go months in Cairo with no rain. The rainiest city is Alexandria. If you plan to visit in the winter as recommended, you also need to expect crowd and more expensive flights. The summer average temperature could be unbearable for some people especially at Luxor and Aswan.
Citizens of Canada, USA, the European Union, New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Norway, Japan, and many other countries are eligible to obtain a tourist visa upon arrival to the airport. There are some nationalities get exemption from obtaining a tourist visa, so you need to check with your country on the Cairo International Airport website. The process is fairly simple, besides the passport control center at the airport you will find a bank window at which you can purchase a visa. You will pay in cash and the price usually ranges from $25 to $30. Then you will be taking the visa and your passport to the passport control center to add the visa to the passport and stamp it.
It is a fast, straightforward, and even cheap process. You will find an Orange Kiosk in the Cairo International Airport from which you can purchase a SIM card. The kiosk is near to baggage claim. We have a strong cellular service in Egypt.
Avoid direct drinking from tap water and purchase bottled water for your own comfort. The drinking water can be hard on your stomach especially if you are not used to it. You might use it in brushing your teeth.
