Travellers have marvelled at Egypt’s archaeological wonders for centuries, ever since the Ancient Greeks visited the pyramids. Today, the ancient wonders attract millions of tourists each year to the pyramids, temples, mosques and great monuments of the Nile Valley, as well as the stunning diving resorts of the Red Sea.

In 430 BC, when Herodotos exclaimed in awe over the magnificent monuments in Egypt, many of them were already 2,500 years old. Most, from the pyramids of Giza to the astonishingly beautiful temples of Karnak or Philae, or the painted tombs in the Valley of the Kings, can still be visited today. The sheer age of this great civilisation is mind-blowing.

The life-giving Nile pours across the map, feeding an emerald ribbon of irrigated fields adjacent to villages shaded by date palms. Whether on a cruise ship or traditional felucca, life on the water is a constant visual feast, while the few huge, dusty cities(Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan and Luxor) are a babble of exotic sounds and smells.

Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheik, on the Red Sea coast, are doors to a magical underwater world of technicolour fish and coral favoured by divers, while other adventurous travellers head inland.
Here, you can discover monasteries amid the arid mountains of Sinai or the distant desert oases, homes of the hardy nomads whose camel trains still wander the Saharan sands.

Food and Drink

Egyptian cuisine is excellent, combining many of the best traditions of Middle Eastern cooking, and there are both large hotel restaurants and smaller specialist ones throughout the main towns.
Some of the larger hotels in Cairo and its environs have kitchens serving top quality cosmopolitan dishes. In the center of Cairo, American-style snack bars are also spreading. Restaurants have waiter service. Although Egypt is a Muslim country, alcohol is available in cafe-style bars and good restaurants.

Legal drinking age: 21.

Tipping: 10 to 12% is added to hotel and restaurant bills but an extra tip of 5% is normal.

Nightlife

Sophisticated nightclubs, discos, casinos and good restaurants can be found in Cairo, Alexandria and most large towns. The nightlife in Luxor and Aswan often includes barbecues along the Nile.

Shopping

The most interesting shopping area for tourists in Cairo is the old bazaar, Khan-el-Khalili, specialising in reproductions of antiquities.
Jewellery, spices, copper utensils and Coptic cloth are some of the many special items. There are also modern shopping centers available, particularly near Tehrir Square. Haggling is expected, and sometimes encouraged, as a way of communication and human contact.

Shopping hours: Winter: Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat 09.00-19.00, Mon and Thurs 09.00-20.00. During Ramadan, hours vary, with shops often closing on Sunday. Summer: Tues, Wed, Fri-Sun 09.00-12.30 and 16.00-20.00.

Getting There by Air

The national airline is EgyptAir (MS) (website: www.egyptair.com.eg).

Departure Tax

None.

Main Airports

Cairo International (CAI) is 24km (15 miles) northeast of the city at Heliopolis
(journey time – 1 hour). To/from the airport: There are bus services every 30 minutes, and taxis are available.
Special limousines are offered by local and international operators. Hotel cars may also be available.
Facilities: Incoming and outgoing duty-free shops selling a wide range of goods, car hire, post office, bank/bureau de change, restaurants and bar, hotel reservation service, souvenir shops, bookshop and travel insurance services.

Borg El Arab (HBE) is 60 km (37 miles) southwest of Alexandria. Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank and exchange services, VIP lounge, post office and restaurant.

Luxor Airport (LXR) is 5.5km (3.5 miles) from Luxor. To/from the airport: There is a regular bus service to the city centre (journey time – 15 minutes). Special limousine and local taxi services are available. Facilities: Car hire, bank and exchange services, and a bar and restaurant.

Getting There by Water

Main ports: Alexandria, Nuweiba, Port Said and Suez.

The Saudi Sea Transport Company runs a regular car ferry service between Suez and Jeddah. A ferry service usually travels twice per week up the Nile between Wadi Halfa (Sudan) and Egypt High Dam.
However, it is occasionally suspended. For further information, contact the Nile Valley Association (tel: (2) 578 9256). There is also a ferry service that operates between South Sinai and Aqaba (Jordan). For more information, contact the Cairo Navigation Agency (tel: (2) 574 5755 or 575 5568).

Many cruise ships stop over in Egypt as part of their African itinerary.

Currency

Egyptian Pound (EGP; symbol E£) = 100 piastres. Notes are in denominations of E£100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 1, 50 piastres and 25 piastres. Coins are in denominations of 20, 10 and 5 piastres.

Currency Exchange

Available at banks, official bureaux de change and most hotels. Banks often have better exchange rates than bureaux de change or hotels. All common international currencies are accepted.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted, but generally only in bigger hotels or restaurants in Cairo and restaurants in tourist areas.

Traveller’s Cheques

To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars, Euros or Pounds Sterling.

Banking Hours

Sun-Thurs 08.30-14.00.

Passport Note

Visitors from all countries except the EU and the USA must register with the police within one week of arrival in Egypt, although this service is usually undertaken by the hotel.

Passports

Passport valid for at least six months required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above.