Weather

Although the Mediterranean areas have milder weather and more rain, the climate is mainly hot and dry, especially in winter. In spring, hot sandy winds, the khamsin, blow from the desert. The rain in Egypt falls mainly on the coast.Everywhere south of Cairo is far too hot from June to August, especially Luxor and Aswan, so winter (December-February) is definitely the best time to visit these areas. Also, the Mediterranean coast is crowded in summer, while winter in Cairo can get pretty cool. March to May is the best time to enjoy the warm days without the crush of bodies on the beaches and the midday heat of high summer.

Visa, Immigration, Customs

Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your date of entry. Visitors contemplating onward travel to Lebanon and/or Syria from Egypt should bear in mind that Canadians have been denied entry into these countries because their passports bear: (a) an Israeli visa; (b) an Israeli border stamp; or (c) an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel (such a stamp would indicate the traveller entered from Israel). If it is not apparent to a border official that you are only visiting Egypt (by presenting your itinerary and/or return ticket) you might be asked to provide the address of your accommodations and your planned departure date. Regulations change periodically. Please contact the consulate office closest to you.

Visa/Permit/Tourist Card:Visas are available upon arrival, but it is advised to check with the airline to see if you can board without one.
Single parents or other adults vacationing alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.

Transportation

Egypt has a very good system of public and private transport. Domestic air travel is the quickest way to get around, although it's probably also the most expensive.

Airports in Egypt:There are 87 airports in Egypt.

Travel by Water: Ferry services link Hurghada with Sharm el-Sheikh in Sinai. Feluccas, traditional Nile sailing boats, can be hired by the hour for peaceful sailing on the Nile. The felucca hasn't changed in thousands of years, since ancient Egyptian times in fact. Regular Nile cruises operate between Luxor and Aswan, and you can sometimes add on the journey from Cairo and Aswan.

Travel by Road:Service taxis shunt passengers between towns and cities. These are traditionally Peugeot 504s; however, Toyota minibuses are used as service taxis and microbuses, and congregate at train and bus stations. The drivers wait until they're full (very full!) before they budge.


The national bus system serves the Nile Valley and the coastal road. Taxis are available in all the larger cities and are metered. Long-distance group taxis for all destinations are cheap. Fares should be negotiated in advance. What Side of the Road?: Driving is on the right side of the road.

Speed Limits:Town - 60 kph; motorways - 100 kph; other roads - 90 kph

Culture & Food

Languages Spoken: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood.

Religions:Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

People and Culture:Egypt mixes old and new: the pyramids, temples and the Sphinx represent ancient Egypt, while Alexandria and Cairo contain many modern commercial buildings hotels and urban housing developments. Islamic architecture is a major feature of Egyptian towns. The ancient religion of Egypt had many gods and goddesses. Its concern with life after death was typified by the funerary cult recorded in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, and by the monumental pyramids built to house the royals. Islam (mainly Sunni) has been Egypt's religion for over twelve centuries.
A resident or national of Egypt is called Egyptian. The Term used to describe things from here is Egyptian. For example, Egyptian food.

Tipping and Bargaining: Tipping is practiced. Bargaining is a part of life and everything from accommodation to transportation can be negotiated.

Restaurants:	5-10% in addition to service charge
*Porters:	5 - 6 Egyptian Pounds per bag
Taxi:	None or Round Up

* Try to use local currency. Foreign coins cannot be exchanged and will be useless to the person receiving them. Foreign paper money requires a trip to the bank for exchange. However paper US dollars are accepted almost universally.

Food:Egyptian meals often include pickles, yoghourt, houmous (made from chick peas), tahini (made from sesame seeds), bean dip, falafels, soups and stews. The national dish is Molohia, a thick soup. Fish feature on daily menus. Minced meat is made into rissoles, kofta and shish kebab. Rice pilaf is also a favourite, and salad is served with meals. A wide variety of vegetables-okra, sweet potatoes, beans, carrots and lentils-accompany main dishes. Sweets such as baklava, loukoum (Turkish delight) and ice cream are popular. Egyptians drink a great deal of tea, often flavoured with mint and cinnamon, and thick, black Turkish coffee. Local beer, wine, spirits (araq - similar to ouzo) are available, but Muslims do not drink alcohol.

Money Conversion

Egypt's currency is called the Egytian Pound (EGP)

Currency Converter :use the following currency converter tool to help you with your vacation. Currency Convertor Tool

Currency Cheat Sheet: use the following currency cheat sheet as a quick conversion reference on your vacation.Currency Cheat Sheet

Attractions

Destination Cities:Cairo, the heart of Egypt for more than 1000 years, demonstrates the dichotomy of all things Egyptian. Here the medieval eastern and contemporary western worlds come together in a confusion of architectural styles and materials. Luxor, built on the site of the ancient city of Thebes, is renowned for its monuments to Hatshepsut and Ramses III. The Temple of Karnak is also a high-priority site to visit. The mighty Macedonian Alexander the Great came to Egypt in 331 BC after conquering Greece, and selected a fishing village on the Mediterranean coast for his new capital, Alexandria. This city is oriented around Midan Ramla and Midan Saad Zaghoul, the large square that runs down to the waterfront. Alexandria once had a great library that contained more than 500,000 volumes which represented the pinnacle of philosophy and intellectual learning in western civilization. Port Said lies on the entrance to the Suez Canal on the Mediterranean coast. It was founded in 1859, a very recent city, when excavations began for the Suez Canal.

Points of Interest:There are numerous cruise steamers on the Nile, most providing a very high standard of service. Vessels usually carry between 50 and 100 passengers, with the facilities varying according to the size of the individual vessel. Traditional feluccas may also be chartered. You'll be following in the wake of Florence Nightingale, who cruised the Nile a few years before taking up nursing in the Crimea. Sharm el-Sheikh is a large resort, best for diving. Na'ama Bay is much better developed and upmarket, with private beaches. A few kilometres north is more secluded Shark Bay. The beaches at Dahab are spectacularly framed by jagged mountains, and you may stay at a holiday village within a Bedouin settlement close by. The biggest diving resort on the Red Sea coast is Hurghadaon, once a fishing village and now a major commercial tourist centre. Ras Muhammed, the southernmost point on the peninsula, fringed with lagoons and reefs, is a National Park.