Frequently Asked Questions about Egypt
What is the best time to travel?
Egypt lends itself for a visit all year around. However, the best months to go to the region are February, March, October, November and December.What are the best festivals and when do they take place?
Since the Islamic calendar is moon-based, religious holidays are on different days every year. In 2008 the three-day Festival of Sacrifice begins on 8 December. Ramadan (the month of fasting) can be annoying for tourists, because many restaurants are closed; eating, dinking and smoking in public are not appreciated. Tourists will be cared and cooked for, however. It goes without saying that you should not provoke people by eating right under their noses. This is however a fascinating time to travel.
Ramadan
From 1 September until 30 September 2008 it is Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. During the oasis trip, in Luxor or Dahab, you will hardly notice it, but in Cairo you will see that life follows a different pattern. In the morning it is much quieter than usual and many shops are closed. This is the ideal time to visit the pyramids, the Egyptian Museum and the Sphinx. Suddenly, between 3 pm and 5 pm the traffic gets very busy: everybody is on their way to or from the hundreds of mosques in the city. Afterwards, the Egyptians have breakfast – around 6 pm. All the shops open up and the markets get busy, often until the small hours of the night. During Ramadan it is best to do interesting things in the mornings and evenings while taking a rest in the afternoon. Also follow the suggestions of your Egyptian travel guides.
When does the tour start?
All of our tours start at 12:00 hrs at the hotel where we spend our first night .Your room will be available to check-in from this time. If you arrive later, no worries, your tour leader will meet up with you at some point to brief you.Can I pre-book transfers and extra nights?
We are unable to offer airport transfers but we do have the option to book pre-tour/post-tour nights if you have chosen to arrive earlier/leave later. Prices for these extra nights are available on the tour information page.
What about my passport?
You need a passport that is valid at least 6 months at the date of departure. You are responsible for having a valid passport and visa when you travel.Do I need a visa?
UK citizens need a visa for Egypt, but these things can change. So please click here and check out the current situation. This website will also tell you if if a visa is required for any other nationalities. Make sure you find out if you need a visa at least a month before departure so you do not run out of time.
If you need a visa, please click here to find details of the embassy you need to contact unless you use a visa service. Shoestring does not organize your visa. You are responsible for having a valid passport and visa when you travel. You can also obtain the visa through a specialized visa agency like www.travcour.com. It is a good idea to visit this website in any case, as it provides much more detail on exceptions etc.
Do I need vaccinations or malaria tablets?
Please
click here for questions regarding vaccinations or malaria tablets for this country and contact after your local practitioner or a specialized health centre and make an appointment to get your shots and pills. Please make sure that you allow at least six weeks for a full program. People who already have had a few shots might do with two weeks. You are responsible for having the right protection when going on tour.
What is the recommended currency for Egypt?
The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is divided into 100 piastres. Most credit cards are accepted in major hotels and restaurants. Visitors are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds to avoid additional exchange rate charges. Banks are usually closed on Friday and Saturday, but private exchange bureaux, called 'Forex', are open daily and banks in major hotels are open 24 hours. Cairo branches of the Egyptian British Bank and Banque Misr now have ATMs available that accept Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus and are quite common in the main tourist areas.What kind of clothing and other stuff is practical to take?
Bring a pair of good worn-in walking shoes and a pair of sandals. That is all your feet will need. Summer clothes, plus a sweater on cool nights, are sufficient for the months of April through October. In the winter the evenings, nights and mornings can be cold, especially in Cairo and in the desert. Bring a warm sweater and a raincoat. Good sunglasses are best bought at home; they are expensive in Egypt. For women it is important to have their shirts cover the shoulders and their trousers reach to the knees. There are tourists who expose more flesh, but out of respect for the local people it is important not to walk the streets too daringly. You would also run the risk of being refused entry to temples. It is recommended to wear various layers of clothing. Your travel items may also include: sunglasses, suntan lotion, toiletries, a basic medical kit, sun hat or scarf, photo or film equipment and an adequate amount of film, spare batteries, torch, pocket knife (not allowed in your hand luggage during the flight), lighter, a small amount of non-perishable snacks and sweets, alarm clock, stationery, books, passport, copies of passport, visa and travel insurance, your airline ticket, your travel insurance card with the emergency number, a diary with important addresses and phone numbers, and a good travel guide.What kind of luggage should I take?
Do not bring too much luggage. Clothes, for example, can always be bought locally at little cost. As a rule, we do not think you will need more than 12 kg of luggage. It should preferably be packed in an overnight bag or a frameless backpack. Solid suitcases are hard to stow away on the bus or on board.Electricity
What voltage and plugs are in use in Egypt? Please
click here to check what voltage and plugs are in use in this country. You could consider taking a universal electric plug.
Travel guides and maps
If you want to take a travel guide or map, we suggest you click on
Lonely Planet.In what kind of accommodation do we sleep?
Accommodation will be in twin bedded rooms in hotels en-suite, camping in tents and staying overnight on Felucca’s.How is accommodation arranged if I book alone?
If you book alone you will share your room with a fellow traveler unless you have booked a single room. Sometimes it means that you need to share your room with someone of the opposite sex. In case we go camping, you could decide to take a small tent if you want to sleep alone. In case this involves extra camping fees (never very much), your tour leader will tell you and collect the extra fees.Do I need a sleeping mat or sleeping bag?
This will not be necessary on all trips so please check the individual itineraries.What can I expect for camping facilities?
The camping facilities will be very basic and often you will stay on a mattress in the open air.Do I need to take a mosquito net?
This is not necessary.Do they cater for vegetarians in Egypt?
Vegetarians are well catered for in Egypt.What kind of transportation is used?
Transportation will be by AC (mini)buses, train journeys from Luxor-Cairo; camel safari (two persons per camel) and felucca .Can you travel with children?
Yes, children can travel with their families on a Shoestring tour. We recommend the easiest tours which are listed as ‘Category A’ where the distances covered are short and there is a slow traveling speed. But please check with our friendly sales team if you are unsure.
We would define a child as being under the age of 18. They would only be allowed to travel provided they do so with an adult family member or close relative.
Children under the age of 8 we recommend not to travel as they simply would not be old enough to enjoy the experience nor cope with the nature of travel that we provide.
The tour prices are the same for both adults and children however there will be a reduction on the child airfare which will vary depending on the flight selected (Please use the ‘search flights’ facility on the website to check the up-to-date prices).
Is Egypt dangerous?
Parts of Egypt are dominated by Islamic fundamentalists. Over the past decade there have been a number of incidents in which tourists were targeted. Since the army and police surveillance is considerable, we think it is safe to travel to the country, although we cannot give any security warrants. We will adapt our holidays should the security situation require us to do so. Pickpocketing is a popular phenomenon in the big cities. So mind your things when walking through crowded streets or riding on a bus. Egyptian men can be extremely obtrusive towards western women. Even though they are a small minority, this can be very annoying and sometimes outright threatening. In general, we recommend that western women should not walk alone in Cairo. At least go together. Should you still get harassed, do not be angry. It is much more effective to ask how they would like it if western men made the same kinds of remarks to their wives, daughters and sisters. Do not leave money or valuables lying around in your room. Hotel staff may be trusted in principle, but their wages are low and you would not want to tempt them.
If you are interested what the Foreign Office has to say, please
click here. What local customs do I need to keep in mind?
To begin with, travellers are expected to dress decently. Clothing should cover the shoulders, while skirts and trousers should reach to the knees. Covering their hair may help women avoid attracting unwanted attention. Topless sunbathing on Hurghada beach or in Sinai is really out of the question.
If you want to go into a mosque you are welcome to do so, but your arms and legs must be covered and you will have to wear something on your head. Women should cover their hair. You leave your footwear at the entrance to the place of worship. Women are often only admitted to part of the mosque. During religious ceremonies Westerners are not welcome.
If you are invited into someone’s home, always take off your shoes before entering. It is polite to offer a little present to your host. Never eat with your left hand, which is used to wash the backside.
Are there opportunities to snorkel or dive?
Egypt has some of the best dive and snorkeling sites in the world and there will be ample opportunities to take advantage of these on the majority of the tours.Are there opportunities to swim?
There will be the opportunity to swim on the majority of the tours in Egypt.What are other activities and sports I could do?
There will be the opportunities to take an optional camel trip or Jeep safaris in the desert.
You can explore the beautiful villages and green fields by bicycle and horse lovers can rent beautiful Arab horses and explore the banks of the Nile.
Mobile phone, email and snail mail
The international access code for Egypt is +20. The outgoing code is 00 followed but the relevant country code (e.g. 0027 for South Africa). The city code for Cairo is (0)2. There are high surcharges on international calls from hotels; it is cheaper to phone long-distance from the 24-hour Post, Telephone and Telegraph (PTT) offices that are available in the major cities. For international directory phone enquiries dial 120. The local mobile phone operators use GSM 900 networks and have roaming agreements with all major operators. Internet cafes are available in the main tourist areas.Time difference with the UK
Please check the
world clock in order to find out the exact time difference with the UK.
Please mind that the time can change depending if the UK is on day light saving time or not.