Practical Information

Visa Requirements

Non-Egyptian visitors arriving in Egypt are required to be in possession of a valid passport. Entry visas may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic and Consular Missions Abroad or from the Entry Visa Department at the Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA). It is, however, possible for most tourists and visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the Major Ports of Entry. Please check with the nearest Egyptian Consulate for specific details and regulations relevant to your nationality.

Citizens of the following countries are required to be in possession of a pre-arrival visa: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chechnya, Croatia,Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldavia, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines,Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Sri-Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries.

More information: http://www.mfa.gov.eg/frames.asp?id=05

Health Requirements

Check with your own country's health guidelines for travelers to Egypt. For general health information we advise to look at WHO, UN's World Health Organization's travel and health information for Egypt.

Time

GMT + 2 hours.
Summertime (GMT + 1 hour) observed from late April until end of September.

Money

Egyptian Pounds (EGP) is the local currency in Egypt. Exchange rate 1 USD = 5.80 EGP and 1 EUR =  7.52 EGP (April 2004).
Major currencies can be changed nearly everywhere. Banks are in all cities as in most top end hotels. Automats for credit cards are found in most banks and mentioned hotels.

Travel Seasons

Top season in Egypt is the "winter season" which starts in October and lasts until end of April.

Climate

Egypt has lower temperatures during the winter season. Average temperature in Cairo in April is 28 degrees Celsius in daytime and 14 degrees in the night.

Food and drink

Egypt is a meeting point between Africa, Europe and Asia and this is reflected in the different dishes. The last few hundred years influenced by Turkish cuisine due to the Turkish presence in Egypt.
Still there is something Egyptian going through the diversity of the local cuisine, much with roots back to Ancient Egypt. Egyptian food can be "hot" - but not like many other cuisines where everything is hot. There is normally a lot to dip into, and all parts got their special taste. In general Egyptian food is a pleasant surprise for most visitors. All types of drinks are available.

Dress code

In part of the big cities you will find Egyptians in the latest fashion from Europe or North America, while other places you will find dress customs most will define as "biblical".
In modern city areas, hotels and more "tourist" places - go as you please. If you go to different areas in same city or the countryside, the tradition will be more conservative. It is appreciated if you think about this while visiting these areas. For men, don't go without t-shirt in such areas, and for women - have a dress with around knee length and an upper part that cover your shoulders.
Apart from going inside a mosque, there is no place a woman is expected to wear headscarf. To go inside a mosque, both sexes will have to remove their footwear. Note that in churches it's also appreciated if women wear head scarf - and for men and women, no shorts in Churches and Mosques.