Egypt Travel Guide
Everything you need to know before you go — from the Pyramids of Giza to the temples of the Nile.
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Overview
Egypt is one of those rare destinations where the reality exceeds the expectation. Most travelers arrive having seen the Pyramids in photographs their entire lives and assume familiarity will diminish the experience. It doesn't. Standing at Giza recalibrates something fundamental — the sheer physical scale of what was built here, and the age of it, lands differently in person than any image can convey. The country divides naturally into three distinct travel experiences. The Nile Valley — Cairo, Luxor, Aswan — holds the ancient monuments, the museums, and the river itself. The Red Sea coast — Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab — offers world-class diving and snorkelling. The Sinai Peninsula adds desert hiking and the ancient monastery of St Catherine for travelers with more time. Cairo, with a metropolitan population approaching 22 million, is one of the largest cities in Africa and the Arab world. The Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened in November 2025, is the largest archaeological museum ever built and displays the complete Tutankhamun collection for the first time in history. Most itineraries give Cairo two to three days, which is enough to cover the essentials. The climate divides by region. Upper Egypt — Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel — is extremely hot from May through September. October through April is the main tourist season. The Red Sea coast is warm and diveable year-round.
Top Attractions
Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx
The Great Pyramid was the tallest structure on earth for nearly 4,000 years. Its construction — 2.3 million stone blocks, each averaging 2.5 tonnes — remains one of the most debated achievements in human history. The Sphinx, carved from a single limestone outcrop, faces east toward the rising sun. Visit at opening time before heat and crowds build, and with a guide who can provide the historical depth the monuments deserve.
Karnak & Luxor Temples
Karnak is the largest religious building ever constructed. Its Hypostyle Hall contains 134 columns, the tallest standing 21 metres high, covered in hieroglyphic inscriptions and painted reliefs. Construction began around 2055 BC and continued for 2,000 years. Luxor Temple, connected to Karnak by the restored Avenue of Sphinxes, is most atmospheric after dark when the floodlighting turns the sandstone a deep ochre.
Valley of the Kings
Cut into the limestone cliffs of the West Bank opposite Luxor, the Valley of the Kings holds 63 tombs of New Kingdom pharaohs, including Tutankhamun (KV62). Entry tickets cover three tombs from a rotation; Tutankhamun's tomb requires a separate ticket. The painted walls — gods, rituals, the journey through the underworld — are in a state of preservation that makes them feel immediate rather than ancient.
Grand Egyptian Museum
Opened in November 2025 near the Giza plateau, the Grand Egyptian Museum was purpose-built to display Egypt's antiquities at the scale they deserve. The complete Tutankhamun collection — over 5,000 objects including the golden death mask and golden throne — is displayed here in full for the first time. Check current opening hours at tickets.gem.eg before your visit; hours vary by day of the week.
Abu Simbel
Four colossal statues of Ramesses II guard the entrance to two temples carved into a sandstone cliff in Nubia. Between 1964 and 1968, the entire complex was cut into 807 blocks and reassembled 65 metres higher to save it from Lake Nasser. The result is disorienting in the best possible way — ancient and impossible simultaneously. Requires either a flight from Aswan or an early morning convoy drive.
Islamic Cairo
The medieval heart of the city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains over 600 listed monuments. The Ibn Tulun Mosque (879 AD) and the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan (1356 AD) are architectural masterpieces. Khan el-Khalili, the bazaar operating on the same site since 1382, remains a functioning market for gold, spices, textiles, and crafts.
Local Culture & Cuisine
Egyptian hospitality shares the broader Arab tradition of generosity toward guests, but has its own distinct character shaped by the country's scale and its history of receiving visitors. Egyptians are warm, direct, and frequently funny. The Egyptian sense of humour — dry, self-deprecating, politically sharp — is one of the country's less documented assets. Egyptian cuisine is built around bread, legumes, and slow-cooked meat. Ful medames — fava beans cooked with olive oil, lemon, and cumin — is the national breakfast. Koshari, a street food of rice, lentils, macaroni, and crispy onions topped with tomato sauce and vinegar, is Cairo's definitive dish. Kofta and hamam mahshi (stuffed pigeon) appear on most traditional menus. Egypt is a conservative Muslim country and dress should reflect this, particularly in Islamic Cairo and outside tourist areas. Covered shoulders and knees are appropriate when visiting mosques. Bargaining is expected in bazaars and with unlicensed taxi drivers. Tipping (baksheesh) is culturally embedded — carry small denomination Egyptian pounds at all times.
Practical Information
- Visa
- Most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival at Cairo, Hurghada, and Sharm el-Sheikh airports. The standard fee is $25 USD, payable in cash at an official airport bank kiosk before proceeding to passport control, valid for stays up to 30 days. E-visas are also available online before travel. ARTA confirms current requirements per passport at time of booking.
- Currency
- Egyptian Pound (EGP). The pound has been subject to significant changes in recent years — confirm current exchange rates before travel. US dollars and euros are widely accepted at hotels and large tourist sites. Carry cash for smaller transactions and tips.
- Language
- Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and by guides.
- Getting Around
- Domestic flights between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Sharm el-Sheikh are inexpensive and save significant time. The Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan is the classic way to move between cities while seeing temples. ARTA arranges all transfers and domestic transport.
- Best Time to Visit
- October through April for the Nile Valley and Cairo. The Red Sea coast is viable year-round.
- Safety
- Vaccinations recommended include Hepatitis A and typhoid. Tap water is not safe to drink — use bottled water throughout.
Suggested Itineraries
3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Pyramids of Giza at dawn, Grand Egyptian Museum afternoon. Day 2: Islamic Cairo — Ibn Tulun Mosque, Khan el-Khalili, Citadel. Day 3: Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, Coptic Cairo, departure.
7-Day Itinerary
Day 1–2: Cairo — Pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo. Day 3: Fly to Luxor — Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple at night. Day 4: West Bank — Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple. Day 5: Nile cruise or drive to Aswan — Edfu and Kom Ombo en route. Day 6: Aswan — Philae Temple, High Dam. Optional dawn flight to Abu Simbel. Day 7: Return to Cairo. Departure.
Travel Tips
- Book Abu Simbel as an early morning flight from Aswan — the light on the temple facade at dawn is extraordinary and you'll be back in Aswan by midday.
- Karnak is best visited in two sessions — early morning for atmosphere, late afternoon for the sound and light show if available during your visit.
- The Valley of the Kings ticket covers three tombs — choose carefully. KV9 (Ramesses VI) for painted ceilings, KV11 (Ramesses III) for scale. Tutankhamun's tomb (KV62) requires a separate ticket.
- Cairo traffic is genuinely unpredictable. Build buffer time into any journey involving the airport.
- Hire a licensed guide for the Pyramids and for Luxor — the historical depth transforms the experience. ARTA includes guides in all itineraries.
- Carry small denomination Egyptian pounds at all times — for tips, minor entrance fees, and market purchases.
- Check current opening hours at tickets.gem.eg before visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum — hours vary by day of the week.
- Nile felucca rides at sunset in Aswan are inexpensive, beautiful, and one of the most peaceful hours you will spend in Egypt.
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