Frequently asked Questions

Electricity
The electricity current is 220 volts, 50 Hz, and uses round-pronged plugs. North American and other non 220-volt users are advised to bring a converter! If you are coming from the UK, you will need an adaptor for your plugs.

Cairo Airport
Cairo airport is located 22Km to the south east of the centre of Cairo. The trip to, or from, the airport should take around 30 - 45 Minutes. So dear traveller, make sure to leave your hotel at least three hours before your departure time!
There are two Terminals at Cairo airport. All Egypt Air and domestic flights depart from Terminal one, while all other airlines depart from Terminal two.

Customs at Cairo Airport
You are allowed to bring 250 grams of tobacco, two cartons of cigarettes, one litre of alcohol and personal stuff. If you are planning to bring your own pet, make sure you have a veterinary health certificate, which should include a valid rabies certificate. It is not allowed for visitors to bring more than 5000 LE (Egyptian Pound) in cash. You will find plenty of banks at the airport and several foreign currency exchange offices. Your duty free goods must be purchased within 48 hours after arrival.

Making a phone call
To call any country outside Egypt, dial your country code, then city code then number.
To call Egypt from abroad, the country code is 002. If you have friends calling you from North America or Australia while you are in Egypt, tell them to dial 011 before dialling country code. The best and the cheapest time to place your call is after 2000 (8:00PM).  If you wish to make an international call simply buy a Mena-Tel card, (will cost you about 20 LE) and it should give you around 3 minutes of calling time to any place in the world. You may make the call from the many yellow phone boxes in the streets around your hotel. If you wish to purchase a mobile phone simcard for your visit, Both Mobinil and Egypt Vodafone offer a Tourist line for only 60 LE, it will give you an Egyptian number so that you can make phone calls, your friends and family can reach you, and it will save the roaming charges.

Language
Arabic is the official language spoken by all Egyptians. When Arabic is spoken in the streets, it's like a dialect and differs a great deal from classical Arabic.
Although English is very widespread, people will appreciate you taking time to learn a few words and phrases. In holiday resorts like Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, many other European languages are spoken such as French, German, Italian and Russian.
• Remember that Egypt is a 3rd world country, and has many poor people who think that all tourists are rich, no matter where they come from in the world! Learn the phrase “La Shukran” (No thank you!) and don’t be afraid to say it to anyone who tries to sell you anything, or asks for “baksheesh”. Believe it or not, it does work. Please do not say “Emshi” (as many tour books advise), this can be taken as an insult.

Travelling advice
• We advise travellers to avoid getting taxis to tour the sites. What do you expect from a local taxi driver, who cares nothing but how much you will pay him at the end of your trip? This is the job of a travel agency, or a local licensed guide to do.
• If you must take a taxi, then it would be best if you asked the reception/ concierge of your hotel to get you one. They have certain assigned taxis that they know very well, and deal with on a daily basis
• If you want to dine out, then you must know where the recommended restaurants are, and where you will find the clean healthy food. Ask your guide and he will be more than happy to help.
• First and foremost, prepare yourself for a culture shock! Many seasoned travelers are amazed when they first visit Egypt, and find that it is unlike any other country that they have previously visited!
• If you are traveling alone, or in a couple, and wish to organize everything yourself, please let the hotel know your plans before you leave. If you should get lost, the hotel will be able to act on your behalf! Also, take a note of the hotel’s name and telephone number, in case you do get lost, or change your plans.
• If you wish to organize everything yourself, be prepared for the occasional “rip-off”.
Often the total cost of an excursion can be a lot more than if you had arranged it through your guide or your travel agent and a lot less enjoyable.

Water
• Never drink the tap water! It is okay to wash, shower with it, but not advised to drink. Bottled water is cheap and plentiful; use it instead!
• Buy (and drink) plenty of water. You will find it a lot cheaper to buy in the various shops, than buying at your hotel or cruise boat. You may not drink a lot of water at home, but make sure you do in Egypt. It is very easy to become dehydrated if you don’t.
Traffic
• In Egypt they drive on the right, be careful when crossing roads. Take special care in Cairo, where the traffic is a lot busier than in other Egyptian cities – especially outside the Egyptian museum! UK and Japanese travelers should be extra careful, as you will be used to traffic driving on the left.

Tour Tips
• Take a small, pocket, flashlight with you when visiting the sites. Many tombs, temples etc. use the natural light for illumination (including a local with a large mirror, reflecting the light!) and a small flashlight can be very handy. A small mirror, such as the one in a ladies make-up, can also be used to highlight a relief. Please Note: Do not take one of the really bright halogen torches; you could cause damage to the monuments!
• Wear sensible footwear when visiting the various sites. High heels and open toe shoes are not advisable. The floors of most sites are either sand or rough-cut, uneven stone. Inside many tombs, wooden floorboards have been installed, but thin heels could get caught in the gaps between the floorboards.
• Ladies please remember to take a scarf to cover your head and shoulders when visiting the churches and mosques.
• Everyone will be asked to remove footwear when entering any mosque.
• Many monuments have signs that say “No Flash Photography”, please obey these signs (you can be ejected from the site if you ignore the sign!). The very bright flash can cause serious damage to some of the ancient paintwork!
• Tipping is a traditional way of appreciation in Egypt, the best way to ask your guide and he will explain to you how it works, and how much you should pay.
• Optional tours are usually good chance for you to explore new monuments or learn about new culture, they can be organized locally via your guide or your travel Agent.

Security Tips for Travelers
Ondrej Krehel, information security officer at Identity Theft 911, recommends the following tips:
• Scan important travel documents and store them in your e-mail account ― this allows you to easily access your passport, passport photos, visa, airline tickets, itinerary, etc., securely via e-mail.
• Pack only one or two credit cards ― decide on one or two credit cards that are accepted worldwide and leave all other cards at
home. Call the credit-card vendors and let them know which countries you will be going to and also the timeframe of your travel.
• Don’t pack your Social Security card or bank cheque book ― A Social Security number (NI Number) and address are the only information needed to steal an identity, and a stolen check is a gateway to a banking account. Leave behind any other cards or documents you may routinely carry that contain your SSN or national Insurance number.
• Store valuables in the hotel safe ― Valuables include your cash, credit cards and, especially, your passport. After all, what could be more valuable than your ability to return home?
• Avoid free wireless networks ― Do not check your financial information, such as online banking activities, from street cafe computers or free wireless networks. There could be malicious software installed, and your account could be compromised.
• Safeguard documents not travelling with you ― Leave the following documents in a safe deposit box or in a fireproof safe at home: Social Security card, birth certificate, copy of your passport, chequebook and deposit slips, bills and statements, medical cards, extra credit and ATM/debit cards and any other financial or identifiable documents.