30 Tips for Travelling to Cairo for the First Time

Cairo is one of the most intense cities in the world: chaotic, hospitable, loud, generous, dusty and absolutely unique. If it's your first time, there are a few things worth knowing before you arrive so the first impression doesn't overwhelm you and you make the most of the trip. This guide collects the 30 essential tips we wish someone had told us before our first visit.

Before you arrive

1. Visa on arrival

For most nationalities (EU, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Latin America) you don't need to arrange anything in advance. You land at the airport, buy the visa at a booth for 25 USD (cash, USD or EUR both fine), they stamp your passport, and you enter. You'll find it before passport control, on the left as you walk in.

2. Passport valid 6+ months

Egypt requires at least 6 months of validity from your entry date. Check before buying the ticket.

3. Best time to visit

• October–April: ideal season. 20–28°C days, cool nights.
• June–August: brutal, 38–42°C. Only if you have no choice.
• Ramadan (varies each year, ~30 days): many restaurants close during the day and schedules shift. Still visitable, but build in flexibility.

4. Vaccinations

Egypt doesn't require any. Recommended (check with your doctor): tetanus, hepatitis A, and for longer stays hepatitis B and typhoid. No malaria in Cairo.

Money

5. Currency

Egyptian pound (EGP). 1 USD ≈ 50 EGP. The exchange rate has been volatile — check the day before.

6. Changing money

• At the airport: decent rate. Bring USD or EUR.
• ATMs: accept Visa/Mastercard. Allow up to 4,000–6,000 EGP per withdrawal. Your bank's fees are the main cost.
• DO NOT change on the street: illegal, and the better rate is often a scam.

7. Carry small bills

For tips, small entries, taxis. Notes of 5, 10, 20 EGP are gold. If you only have large bills you'll constantly be told "no change".

8. Credit cards

Visa and Mastercard widely accepted in hotels and mid-tier restaurants. American Express limited. Bazaars, small museums and taxis: cash.

9. Tips (baksheesh)

A central part of Egyptian culture. Tips happen at three levels:

• Formal service (hotel, restaurant): 10% if not included.
• Small favours (someone opens a door, a guard shows you something extra): 10–50 EGP.
• Tips for guides and drivers: 100–200 EGP per day of service.

Budget for it: add 5–10% to your trip total in tips.

Transport

10. Uber and Careem are your friends

They work perfectly in Cairo and are safe, cheap and no-haggle. Install both (sometimes one is cheaper).

11. White taxis

OK if they have a working meter and use it. Otherwise, agree the price before getting in. Standard centre-to-airport: 200–400 EGP.

12. Metro

Fast, cheap (5–10 EGP per ride) and easy. 3 lines. Especially good for Coptic Cairo (Mar Girgis) and the Egyptian Museum at Tahrir (Sadat). There are women-only carriages (front of the train) — not mandatory but available.

13. Airport - city

Uber from the airport: 200–500 EGP. Plan 45–90 min depending on traffic and time of day.

14. Side trips to Saqqara, Dahshur, Memphis

No public transport. Uber with a wait, private driver or organised tour. Plan 800–1,500 EGP for a full day with a driver.

Communication

15. SIM or eSIM

Buy a Vodafone, Orange or Etisalat SIM at the airport (vendors right after customs). 200–400 EGP for 20–50 GB. Bring your passport to register it — it's the law.

If your phone supports it, eSIM via Airalo or Holafly. More expensive but no queues.

16. Language

Arabic is official. English is widely understood in hotels, tourist taxis and at monuments. Spanish rarely. Learn a few phrases:

• Salam aleikum (hello) — reply: Aleikum salam.
• Shukran (thank you).
• La shukran (no, thanks) — the single most useful phrase against touts.
• Inshallah (God willing) — you'll hear it 100 times a day.

Safety and health

17. Cairo is safe for tourists

Violent crime is very low. What you do find are scams, aggressive vendors and unofficial "guides". More annoying than dangerous.

18. Women travelling alone

Viable, but bear in mind:

• More conservative dress (shoulders, knees, cleavage).
• Verbal comments in the street are possible — ignore and keep walking.
• The metro has optional women-only carriages (front of the train).
• At night, Uber rather than walking.

19. The "pharaoh's revenge"

It's real. Traveller's diarrhoea affects a large share of visitors. To minimise:

• No tap water. Don't brush your teeth with it either.
• Bottled water (check the seal).
• Raw fruit and veg: only in hotels and tourist restaurants.
• Ice in drinks: only in better places.
• Meat and poultry well cooked.

Pack Smecta or oral rehydration salts — they work well.

20. Sunscreen and water always

Strong sun year-round. Carry them in your bag along with a hat and at least 1 L of water.

One more thing for the bag: a universal plug adapter. Egypt uses Type C/F sockets at 220V, so most plugs from outside continental Europe won't fit — don't land with a dead phone and no way to charge it. See our guide to plugs and adapters in Egypt.

Dress code

21. Men

Trousers or shorts below the knee, t-shirt with sleeves. For mosques and churches: long trousers.

22. Women

• Shoulders, cleavage and knees covered in all religious sites and many public places.
• In tourist zones (hotel, restaurant, museum) you can dress as in any city — but more conservative draws less attention.
• Headscarf in mosques (they lend one at the door if you don't have one).
• Bikini/swimsuit only in hotel pools.

Local culture

23. Bargaining

In bazaars and markets, yes. Open at one third of the asking price. In shops with marked prices, restaurants and supermarkets, no. More in the Khan el-Khalili article.

24. Photos

• Pyramids, museums, monuments: charge ~50 EGP for a permit. Worth it.
• People: ask first (Mumkin sura?). Some will expect a tip.
• Police stations, military bridges, airports: forbidden. They'll seize your phone.

25. Friday is the holy day

The Muslim equivalent of Sunday. Mosques close to tourists from 12:00 to 14:00 (main prayer). Some shops too. The rest of the city runs normally.

26. Alcohol

Available in 4–5-star hotels, tourist bars and some restaurants. Not sold in regular supermarkets. European prices. During Ramadan even more restricted.

Essential apps

27. The ones you'll actually use

• Uber + Careem: transport.
• Google Maps: maps (offline mode available).
• Google Translate: very useful for written Arabic.
• XE Currency: live exchange.
• WhatsApp: how everyone in Egypt communicates. Hotels, guides, restaurants all work via WhatsApp.

Common first-timer mistakes

28. Trying to see everything

Cairo can't be seen in 2 days. Fewer things at your pace beats a constant rush.

29. Underestimating traffic

Add 30–50% to Google Maps' estimated time. Especially at rush hour (16:00–19:00).

30. Skipping the midday rest

Especially in summer. 13:00 to 16:00, a break at the hotel saves the day. Don't skip it.

Quick summary for your first day

1. Buy the visa on arrival (25 USD cash).
2. SIM card at the airport.
3. Withdraw 3,000–5,000 EGP from the airport ATM.
4. Uber to the hotel (not a taxi).
5. Light dinner, rest, plan the next day.

Day two starts at the Pyramids. Welcome.

Where to stay

Depends on your style and priorities — fully explained in Where to Stay in Cairo.

For a first short visit, Garden City or Zamalek offer the perfect balance: central, calm and well connected.