Egypt Travel Advice
As well as all the usual tips and tricks, this guide gives you all the information you need to have the best possible trip in Egypt.
Money, haggling & tips
Our General Information on Egypt guide explains everything you need to know about paying for goods and services in Egypt. As a rule, the best exchange rates are found once you've arrived in Egypt - US Dollars, British Pounds and Euros are the easiest currencies to convert, and you can take cash out at the majority of ATMs. Prices are relatively low in shops and restaurants, and haggling is the norm in souks (markets) - decide how much you want to pay, offer the vendor slightly lower, and then banter and barter until you both agree! Finally, it's useful to keep small change on you, as tipping, locally known as baksheesh, is expected in cafes and restaurants, and for guides and taxi drivers.
One thing is trying to haggle for every last penny and another is making a fool of yourself. Bear in mind that the initial prices may be increased up to 400% from what you should pay.
Save time & money on trips
Tour operators often offer inflated prices for their trips. But if you reserve online, you can enjoy prices with a discount of up to 50% compared to some traditional agencies.
Leave everything clear in advance
If you're negotiating the price of a taxi, make sure that they aren't trying to increase the rate elsewhere (such as the airport toll in El Cairo). If you're negotiating per hour, it's important to be clear from what hour til exactly when you need the service and that you can go wherever you want and be there as long as you want. Be aware that the Egyptians are excellent negotiators.
Tips
Similar to other destinations, if you don't want to leave tips, you mustn't do anything that requires a tip, since this could be considered rude.
If you want to leave voluntary tips, you'll find people who really need it as well as workers looking for a bonus. With 1 LE (US$ 0), you can buy bread for several days for a family.
Bring souvenirs
I'm sure you've heard people taking pens or t-shirts from places like Egypt. We don't know if we need them or not, but there are lots of children and even adults who ask if you have any pens for them. Sometimes they ask just to ask, but we have loads at home.
