Egypt

Africa · 24+ destinations to browse

Five thousand years of monuments strung along one river — the Giza pyramids, the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel cut whole out of a cliff. Then the other Egypt: medieval Cairo's minarets and souks, Red Sea coral within wading distance of the shore, and oases hundreds of kilometres out in the Western Desert.

Best time

October – April

Daily budget

₹2,500 – ₹8,000/day

Visa

Visa on arrival

Safety

3.8 / 5

Practical information

Currency

Egyptian Pound (E£, EGP)

Languages

Arabic, English widely used in tourism

Time zone

EET (UTC+2), EEST (UTC+3) in summer

Emergency

122 police, 123 ambulance, 180 fire, 126 tourist police

Internet

Good 4G across the Nile Valley and the coasts; weak in the deep desert. Note that VoIP calls on WhatsApp and similar apps are restricted.

SIM cards

Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat or WE tourist SIMs at the airport — cheap, generous data, passport required.

Getting around

Domestic flights link Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea cheaply. Sleeper trains run Cairo–Luxor–Aswan and are a genuinely good way to travel; day trains are slower but very cheap. Nile cruises cover Luxor to Aswan. In cities, use Uber or Careem rather than street taxis — it removes the fare argument entirely.

Visa details

Indian passport holders can get a visa on arrival if they hold a valid, previously used visa or residence for the US, UK, Schengen, Japan, Australia, New Zealand or Canada; otherwise an e-Visa applied for online, or a consular visa. Rules are applied unevenly at the airport, so carry printed proof of your hotel booking and return ticket.

Know before you go

Popular foods

Koshari
Ful medames
Ta'ameya (Egyptian falafel)
Molokhia
Hawawshi
Umm Ali
Mint tea

Famous festivals

Ramadan nights in Islamic Cairo
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
Abu Simbel Sun Festival (22 February and 22 October)
Sham El-Nessim (spring festival)
Coptic Christmas (7 January)

Etiquette

Dress modestly — covered shoulders and knees, especially away from the resorts
Women should carry a scarf for mosque visits
Use your right hand to give, receive and eat
Ask before photographing people, and never photograph military or police sites
Tipping (baksheesh) is expected for almost every small service — carry small notes

Packing suggestions

Light, loose, covering clothes — sun protection and modesty at once
Hat, sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen
A warm layer for desert nights and the Mount Sinai climb
Small denomination cash for constant tipping; Type C/F adapter

Travel tips

Carry cash in Egyptian pounds — cards are refused nearly everywhere outside hotels
Agree every price beforehand: taxis, camels, guides, boats. The first number is an opening bid
Hire a licensed Egyptologist guide for the major sites; the ruins have almost no signage
Start sightseeing at opening — you beat both the heat and the tour coaches
Drink bottled water only, and skip ice in cheaper places
Check your government's travel advice for the Sinai interior and the Western Desert border zones before planning routes there

Popular cities

CairoLuxorAswanAlexandriaSharm El SheikhHurghadaSiwaDahab

Destinations in Egypt200 total

Showing the 24 most popular of 200 — search or pick a tag above to find a specific place.

📍 Pyramid

4.5

Great Pyramid of Giza

Giza Governorate

Oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis; one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.

October – April; go at opening, before the heat and the coachesHalf dayExplore

📍 Pyramid

4.5

Giza pyramid complex

Giza Governorate

Archaeological site on the Giza Plateau, Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; go at opening, before the heat and the coachesHalf dayExplore

📍 Landmark

4.5

The Great Sphinx

Giza

Ancient Egyptian monumental sculpture. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April1 – 3 hoursExplore

📍 Pyramid

4.5

Pyramid of Khafre

Giza

Smooth-sided pyramid in Giza, Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; go at opening, before the heat and the coachesHalf dayExplore

📍 Pyramid

4.5

Pyramid of Menkaure

Giza

Smallest of the three main Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; go at opening, before the heat and the coachesHalf dayExplore

📍 Archaeological

4.5

Saqqara

Markaz al Badrashayn

Village in Giza Governorate, Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Pyramid

4.5

Pyramid of Djoser

Giza Governorate

Archeological site in Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; go at opening, before the heat and the coachesHalf dayExplore

📍 Archaeological

4.5

Dahshur

Markaz al Badrashayn

Village in Giza Governorate, Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Archaeological

4.5

Memphis

Giza Governorate

Ancient capital of Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Pyramid

4.5

Red Pyramid

Giza Governorate

Smooth-sided pyramid. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; go at opening, before the heat and the coachesHalf dayExplore

📍 Pyramid

4.5

Bent Pyramid

Giza Governorate

Ancient tomb in Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; go at opening, before the heat and the coachesHalf dayExplore

📍 City

4.5

Giza

Giza Governorate

City in Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – AprilFull dayExplore

📍 Museum

4.5

Grand Egyptian Museum

Giza Governorate

Museum in the city of al-Giza, Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

Year-round; mornings are quietest3 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Temple

4.5

Karnak Temple Complex

Luxor Governorate

Ancient Egyptian temple complex. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; summer in the Nile Valley is punishing2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Temple

4.5

Luxor Temple

Luxor

Ancient Egyptian tem. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; summer in the Nile Valley is punishing2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Tomb

4.5

Valley of the Kings

Qurnah District

Necropolis in ancient Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; underground chambers get very hot and airless by middayHalf dayExplore

📍 Tomb

4.5

Valley of the Queens

Qurnah District

Ancient Egyptian necropolis. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; underground chambers get very hot and airless by middayHalf dayExplore

📍 Temple

4.5

mortuary temple of Hatshepsut

Luxor Governorate

Temple in Luxor, Egypt. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; summer in the Nile Valley is punishing2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Archaeological

4.5

Deir el-Bahari

Qurnah District

Archaeological site. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Landmark

4.5

Colossi of Memnon

Thebes

Ancient Egyptian statues. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April1 – 3 hoursExplore

📍 Temple

4.5

Medinet Habu

Luxor Governorate

Archaeological locality situated near the foot of the Theban Hills on the West Bank of the River Nile opposite the modern city of Luxor, Egypt.

October – April; summer in the Nile Valley is punishing2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Temple

4.5

Ramesseum

Luxor Governorate

Memorial temple of Ramesses II. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April; summer in the Nile Valley is punishing2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Archaeological

4.5

Deir el-Medina

Qurnah District

Ancient Egyptian village in the Valley of the Kings. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April2 – 4 hoursExplore

📍 Archaeological

4.5

Thebes

Luxor Governorate

Ancient Egyptian city. It lies in Egypt's desert belt, best visited between October and April.

October – April2 – 4 hoursExplore