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Egypt 🇪🇬

backpacking Africa Egypt 🇪🇬Pyramids, Nile temples and Red Sea reefs, with constant haggling.

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Backpacking Egypt in 2027

A complete guide including when and where to go, costs, transport, itineraries, and practical travel advice.
An overview of visiting Egypt

Backpacking Egypt
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 23, 2026

Most travelers budget Egypt around the pyramids, and the pyramids take half a day. The real weight of the country sits 650 kilometers south in Luxor, where the Valley of the Kings, Karnak and the West Bank temples can fill four full days without repeating a single site.

Few countries pack this much into one trip: Abu Simbel’s colossi at dawn, painted tombs whose color looks freshly applied, shore-entry reef in Dahab and a felucca drifting past Aswan’s granite islands. The costs are uneven. Food and rooms are cheap, but foreigner entry fees add up fast, so a student ISIC card (roughly half price at most sites) pays for itself in days. Hassle is constant at the big sites. At Giza, ignore anyone who says the entrance is “closed” and walks you toward a stable, and agree on every camel, horse or taxi price before you get on. Carry a stack of small notes, because tipping is expected for bathrooms, tomb guards and directions. Skip the summer in Upper Egypt, when afternoons pass 40°C and sites become a slog.

Jordan is cleaner and calmer but costs roughly double day to day, and Morocco is easier to wander without a plan. Egypt suits travelers who love ancient history, divers and anyone who enjoys bargaining as sport. If constant negotiation drains you, build in quiet Red Sea days or pick somewhere else.

👉 Get the 📖 Travel Guide of Egypt

Cairo and Giza (Cairo, Giza Pyramids, Saqqara)

Every trip to Egypt starts here, and most people underestimate how slowly Cairo moves. Traffic can turn the 20-kilometer ride from downtown to Giza into an hour, so cluster your sights. Do Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum one day, Saqqara and Dahshur another, Islamic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili a third. Use Uber or the metro instead of haggling with street taxis. At the pyramids, ignore anyone offering “official” camel rides at the gate. It suits travelers with patience for noise and hustle.

Luxor and the Nile Valley (Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel)

The overnight sleeper train from Cairo takes about 10 hours, and flights take one. Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Medinet Habu need two full days, not the rushed single day many tours sell. The hassle from caleche drivers on Luxor’s East Bank is relentless, so sleep on the quieter West Bank. Aswan, three hours south by train, is slower and friendlier, with Nubian villages across the river. Abu Simbel is a 3.5-hour drive each way, leaving around 4 a.m. Temple lovers belong here.

Red Sea Coast (Hurghada, El Gouna, Marsa Alam)

Hurghada’s resort strip is built for package holidays, and unless you dive or snorkel there is little reason to stop. Marsa Alam, roughly 270 kilometers south, has healthier reefs and dugongs at Abu Dabbab. Buses from Cairo take 6 to 7 hours, from Luxor 4 to 5. The passenger ferry to Sharm el-Sheikh is suspended, so reaching Sinai overland means a full day looping around the Gulf of Suez. Plan the order of your trip with that in mind. It suits divers who want warm water and little else.

Sinai (Dahab, Mount Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh)

Dahab is the one place on this coast built around long stays instead of resorts: seafront camps, the Blue Hole, freediving schools and cheap fish dinners. Buses from Cairo take 9 to 10 hours with repeated police checkpoints, so keep your passport within reach. The faster route is flying into Sharm el-Sheikh and riding an hour north; skip staying in Sharm itself. The night climb up Mount Sinai takes about 3 hours to the summit for sunrise, and the top is cold before dawn, so bring a fleece. Slow travelers settle in here.

Western Desert (Bahariya, White Desert, Siwa)

Bahariya is 4 to 5 hours from Cairo by bus, and its town, Bawiti, is where you should book a White Desert overnight, since Cairo agencies add a markup plus a long transfer. Siwa is a separate commitment: 10 to 12 hours by road via Marsa Matruh, an Amazigh oasis of mud-brick Shali fortress, salt pools and date palms. Neither works as a quick add-on. Both suit travelers comfortable with sand in everything, basic camps and long road days.
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Why go?What draws travelers here

Architecture

No country stacks this many eras of building in one river valley. Egypt runs from Old Kingdom pyramids … read more 👉
No country stacks this many eras of building in one river valley. Egypt runs from Old Kingdom pyramids through Ptolemaic temples to Mamluk mosques and the belle époque facades of downtown Cairo, much of it within a short drive of each other. Karnak’s Hypostyle Hall, with 134 columns up to about 21 meters high, is the single space I would not skip. In Cairo, the Mosque of Ibn Tulun is the one to prioritize: a huge, quiet courtyard from the 9th century and a spiral minaret you can climb for views over the rooftops. The Sultan Hassan mosque across from the Citadel has walls so high the street feels like a canyon. Skip the Giza sound and light show; the narration is dated and you see more in daylight.

Beach life

Egypt’s Red Sea has some of the most accessible coral reef on the planet, with drop-offs that start … read more 👉
Egypt’s Red Sea has some of the most accessible coral reef on the planet, with drop-offs that start a few meters from the sand. Dahab is the best base for budget travelers: you can walk into the water at Lighthouse Reef with a mask and see parrotfish and lionfish before your knees are wet. Further south, Marsa Alam’s Abu Dabbab bay is known for green turtles grazing on seagrass; its once-resident dugong is now rarely seen. Hurghada’s town beaches are not worth the time; the reef near shore is damaged and you will pay for boat trips to see anything good. Nightlife is modest outside Sharm el-Sheikh, which has the big clubs. Away from resorts, cover up when you leave the beach; a swimsuit in town draws stares.

Scenery

Egypt’s landscapes work on contrast: a ribbon of green fields along the Nile, then bare desert starting … read more 👉
Egypt’s landscapes work on contrast: a ribbon of green fields along the Nile, then bare desert starting at a sharp line you could step across. Aswan has the river at its most dramatic, with black granite boulders, golden dunes on the West Bank and white felucca sails at sunset. In South Sinai, red and brown granite mountains rise straight from wadis, and the Coloured Canyon near Nuweiba shows bands of rose, yellow and purple rock in narrow slots. Mount Sinai at 2,285 meters is the classic sunrise climb, but the summit gets packed with hundreds of people; nearby Mount Catherine, at about 2,629 meters and Egypt’s highest peak, is quieter and the view is wider. Bring a warm layer, since summit temperatures near freezing are common before dawn in winter.

Food

Egyptian food is built on beans, bread and big flavors, and the best of it costs almost nothing. Koshari, … read more 👉
Egyptian food is built on beans, bread and big flavors, and the best of it costs almost nothing. Koshari, a pile of rice, lentils, macaroni and chickpeas under tomato sauce and crispy onions, is the national fast food; Abou Tarek in downtown Cairo is the famous place for it. Breakfast means ful medames (stewed fava beans) and ta’ameya, Egypt’s falafel made with fava instead of chickpeas, so it comes out green inside. For a sit-down meal, try molokhia, a garlicky green stew, or hamam mahshi, pigeon stuffed with spiced rice. Skip the buffet restaurants on tourist routes near Giza and Luxor; they serve bland international food at several times the street price. Eat where the line is full of locals, and order fresh sugarcane juice from any stall with a pressing machine.

Low cost

Backpacking Egypt costs around US$20 to 35 a day (roughly EGP 1,000 to 1,700) for a dorm bed, street … read more 👉
Backpacking Egypt costs around US$20 to 35 a day (roughly EGP 1,000 to 1,700) for a dorm bed, street food, local transport and one big ticketed site every couple of days. Food is the biggest saving: a full street breakfast or a bowl of koshari costs about US$1 to 2. The real budget pressure comes from entry fees for foreigners at the major sites, which can exceed your daily living costs in places like Luxor and Giza. An ISIC student card cuts most of those fees roughly in half. Skip the private Nile cruises and resort packages if money is tight; shared felucca trips and local guesthouses give you the river and the people for a fraction of the price. Keep small bills on you, since tips add up quickly.

Uniqueness

Most visitors to Egypt follow the same Cairo, Luxor and Aswan line, which leaves whole regions almost … read more 👉
Most visitors to Egypt follow the same Cairo, Luxor and Aswan line, which leaves whole regions almost empty. Middle Egypt, between Cairo and Luxor, holds the rock-cut tombs of Beni Hasan and the ruins of Tell el-Amarna, Akhenaten’s short-lived capital, and you may share them only with the ticket guard. Police escorts are sometimes assigned to foreigners here, so expect a slower pace and go with it. In the Western Desert, Dakhla Oasis has Al-Qasr, a medieval mud-brick town with covered alleys and carved wooden lintels, still partly lived in. These places take more time and planning than the main circuit, but they show Egyptian village life without souvenir stalls. Skip them only if you have under ten days; otherwise, give one of them two nights.

⭐ HighlightsWhat not to miss along the way

  • Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara: The Great Pyramid’s blocks are taller than your waist, and up close the limestone is rough and pitted, warm under your palm by mid-morning. Go at the 7 a.m. opening to beat the tour buses, then continue to Saqqara, where Djoser’s Step Pyramid stands on a sandy plateau with a fraction of the crowds and the burial chambers smell of dust and old stone.
  • Valley of the Kings and Luxor’s West Bank: A dry limestone canyon where the heat bounces off the walls and the only sound is gravel under sandals. Inside the tombs, ceilings glow with blue and gold stars painted more than 3,000 years ago, and the air turns heavy and still. Pair it with Medinet Habu, whose deep-cut reliefs still hold their original red and ochre.
  • Abu Simbel: Four seated statues of Ramses II, each about 20 meters high, cut into a sandstone cliff on the shore of Lake Nasser. Arriving soon after sunrise, the facade turns from grey to honey-orange within minutes, and the inner sanctuary is cool and dim,
… read more 👉
  • Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara: The Great Pyramid’s blocks are taller than your waist, and up close the limestone is rough and pitted, warm under your palm by mid-morning. Go at the 7 a.m. opening to beat the tour buses, then continue to Saqqara, where Djoser’s Step Pyramid stands on a sandy plateau with a fraction of the crowds and the burial chambers smell of dust and old stone.
  • Valley of the Kings and Luxor’s West Bank: A dry limestone canyon where the heat bounces off the walls and the only sound is gravel under sandals. Inside the tombs, ceilings glow with blue and gold stars painted more than 3,000 years ago, and the air turns heavy and still. Pair it with Medinet Habu, whose deep-cut reliefs still hold their original red and ochre.
  • Abu Simbel: Four seated statues of Ramses II, each about 20 meters high, cut into a sandstone cliff on the shore of Lake Nasser. Arriving soon after sunrise, the facade turns from grey to honey-orange within minutes, and the inner sanctuary is cool and dim, lit by the doorway. The whole temple was moved block by block in the 1960s to escape the rising lake, and you can spot the seams if you look.
  • Islamic Cairo: Al-Muizz Street runs for about a kilometer past Mamluk mosques, domes and stone madrasas, with coppersmiths hammering in side alleys and the smell of cumin and charcoal drifting from food stalls. Climb Bab Zuweila’s minarets for a rooftop view of the old city, then let the lanes around Khan el-Khalili take you wherever they lead.
  • White Desert: Wind has carved chalk outcrops into mushroom and anvil shapes that rise from flat sand north of Farafra. An overnight camp here is the best version: the formations glow pale pink at sunset, the temperature drops sharply after dark, and fennec foxes sometimes circle the campfire for scraps.
For quieter corners, add Wadi al-Hitan’s fossilized whale skeletons in Fayoum, the Dendera temple near Qena with its ceiling zodiac, and the catacombs of Tuna el-Gebel in Middle Egypt.
Spotted a mistake or missing a highlight? Contact us.
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🧭 RoutesHow travelers typically move through the country

The 7-Day Nile Temples Route


One week on the southern Nile, from the colonnades of Luxor to the granite islands of Aswan. Expect early starts at the temples and long, slow afternoons by the river.
  • Dawn at Karnak and the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings
  • A riverside road trip past the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo
  • Philae by motorboat in Aswan
  • The colossal statues of Abu Simbel

👉 explore this 7-day route

The 14-Day Pyramids to Red Sea Route


Two weeks that trade between ancient stone and salt water, crossing the desert by train and bus. It moves from the pyramid fields to Luxor’s West Bank and ends with reefs and a night climb in Sinai.
  • The Giza pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum
  • The quiet pyramids of Dahshur and Saqqara
  • Reef snorkeling in Ras Muhammad National Park
  • Sunrise from the summit of Mount Sinai

👉 explore this 14-day route

The 21-Day Oases and Nile Route


Three weeks that cover the country’s full range: Mediterranean port, fossil desert, chalk wilderness and the full length of the … read more 👉

The 7-Day Nile Temples Route


One week on the southern Nile, from the colonnades of Luxor to the granite islands of Aswan. Expect early starts at the temples and long, slow afternoons by the river.
  • Dawn at Karnak and the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings
  • A riverside road trip past the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo
  • Philae by motorboat in Aswan
  • The colossal statues of Abu Simbel

👉 explore this 7-day route

The 14-Day Pyramids to Red Sea Route


Two weeks that trade between ancient stone and salt water, crossing the desert by train and bus. It moves from the pyramid fields to Luxor’s West Bank and ends with reefs and a night climb in Sinai.
  • The Giza pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum
  • The quiet pyramids of Dahshur and Saqqara
  • Reef snorkeling in Ras Muhammad National Park
  • Sunrise from the summit of Mount Sinai

👉 explore this 14-day route

The 21-Day Oases and Nile Route


Three weeks that cover the country’s full range: Mediterranean port, fossil desert, chalk wilderness and the full length of the temple Nile. The pace is unhurried, with nights in places most visitors only pass through.
  • Alexandria’s seafront and its modern library
  • Whale fossils in Wadi Al-Hitan and a camp in the White Desert
  • An overnight stay at Abu Simbel
  • A quiet Red Sea finish in Wadi El Gemal National Park

👉 explore this 21-day route

🌤️ When to go?A month-by-month overview

The best time for backpacking Egypt is October and November, when Luxor and Aswan have cooled to the low 30s °C (around 90°F), the Red Sea is still warm enough for long snorkels and the winter price jump has not fully kicked in. Region matters a lot here: Upper Egypt runs about 5 to 8°C hotter than Cairo, Alexandria and the Mediterranean coast stay mild in summer but get rain and gray skies in winter, and the Western Desert swings from scorching afternoons to near-freezing nights.
  • Peak winter (December to February): Sunny days of 19 to 24°C in Cairo and Luxor, but nights drop to 5 to 10°C, and desert camps in the White Desert or Siwa can dip close to zero. Tombs, temples and Nile feluccas are at their most crowded, and guesthouses and cruises charge top rates, especially over Christmas and New Year.
  • Spring shoulder (March to May): Temperatures climb fast, passing 35°C in Luxor by late April. The khamsin, a hot, sand-laden wind, can blow for days and blur the views at Giza. Prices ease after Easter, though Egyptian holidays fill trains and beach towns.
  • Summer (June to August): Upper Egypt sits at 40 to 45°C, so sightseeing happens before 10am or not at all. Foreign crowds vanish and hotel and cruise prices can fall by a third or more, while Egyptian families pack Alexandria and the North Coast, which become the pricier spots.
  • Autumn shoulder (September to November): Heat breaks gradually, Red Sea water stays around 27°C, and rates are moderate until mid-November. This is the window where weather and value line up best.
Pack a warm fleece even for a winter trip to Aswan, and if you travel from late December to early January, book overnight sleeper trains and Abu Simbel transfers at least two weeks ahead.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: good for travelingFEBFebruary: good for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: good for travelingMAYMay: fair for travelingJUNJune: below average for travelingJULJuly: below average for travelingAUGAugust: below average for travelingSEPSeptember: fair for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: excellent for travelingDECDecember: good for traveling
egypt-pixabay-2569182

💰 Costs (as of 2026)How expensive it really is

Backpacking Egypt on a budget costs US$25 to 40 a day, and entry tickets to the big monuments will take a bigger share of that than your bed or your food.
Travelers pay in Egyptian pounds, and the currency has lost a lot of value since 2023. That makes everyday life here among the lowest-cost in the region. A dorm bed in Amman costs two or three times as much, and in Tel Aviv five times as much. The exception is ticketed sights, which are priced for foreigners and keep going up.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Dorm accommodationUS$4 to 10 per nightDowntown Cairo hostels near Talaat Harb charge US$4 to 8 for a dorm bed. Luxor’s East Bank and the Dahab lagoon strip run US$6 to 10. Breakfast is often included. For stays of four nights or more, booking direct by phone or WhatsApp can save 10 to 20 percent. Expect US$12 to 20 in Jordan.
MealsUS$4 to 10 per dayA bowl of koshary costs US$1 to 2. A ful or ta’meya sandwich from a street cart is US$0.20 to 0.50. A sit-down grill meal with bread and salads runs US$3 to 6. From a supermarket, a 1.5-liter bottle of water is about US$0.30 and a bag of baladi bread is under US$0.20. Street food is so low-cost that self-catering barely saves anything.
… read more 👉
Backpacking Egypt on a budget costs US$25 to 40 a day, and entry tickets to the big monuments will take a bigger share of that than your bed or your food.
Travelers pay in Egyptian pounds, and the currency has lost a lot of value since 2023. That makes everyday life here among the lowest-cost in the region. A dorm bed in Amman costs two or three times as much, and in Tel Aviv five times as much. The exception is ticketed sights, which are priced for foreigners and keep going up.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Dorm accommodationUS$4 to 10 per nightDowntown Cairo hostels near Talaat Harb charge US$4 to 8 for a dorm bed. Luxor’s East Bank and the Dahab lagoon strip run US$6 to 10. Breakfast is often included. For stays of four nights or more, booking direct by phone or WhatsApp can save 10 to 20 percent. Expect US$12 to 20 in Jordan.
MealsUS$4 to 10 per dayA bowl of koshary costs US$1 to 2. A ful or ta’meya sandwich from a street cart is US$0.20 to 0.50. A sit-down grill meal with bread and salads runs US$3 to 6. From a supermarket, a 1.5-liter bottle of water is about US$0.30 and a bag of baladi bread is under US$0.20. Street food is so low-cost that self-catering barely saves anything.
Local transportUS$1 to 15 per day (averaged)A Cairo Metro ride is US$0.20 to 0.40, and most Uber trips across central Cairo are US$2 to 5. Long-distance buses are the lowest-cost way to cover ground: Cairo to Hurghada is roughly US$10 to 15, and Cairo to Dahab US$15 to 20. A seat on a regular air-conditioned train from Cairo to Luxor costs roughly US$10 to 15. The overnight sleeper is nearer US$90 to 110.
ActivitiesUS$10 to 35 per day (averaged)The Giza plateau costs about US$14, going inside the Great Pyramid adds about US$30, and the Grand Egyptian Museum is roughly US$25 to 30. In Luxor, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings are US$12 to 15 each. A shore dive in Dahab costs US$30 to 45. For a heavy Luxor itinerary, the Luxor Pass (around US$100) beats paying site by site.
MiscellaneousUS$2 to 5 per dayTips of US$0.20 to 0.50 for toilet attendants and guards come up constantly, so carry small notes. A tourist SIM with 20 to 40 GB costs US$5 to 10, and the visa on arrival is US$25. An hour on a felucca is US$5 to 10 per boat once you’ve haggled.
Total Daily BudgetUS$25 to 40A Cairo day with a dorm, koshary, Metro rides and the pyramids comes to about US$25 to 30. A Luxor day with two temples and a felucca reaches US$35 to 40. A similar day in Jordan easily costs US$50 to 70.
It’s worth paying for tickets in the morning and saving the inside-the-tomb extras for the one or two sites you care about most. Each extra chamber has its own price, and that’s where a tight Egypt budget leaks fastest. Cash is still king at street stalls and with drivers. Cards work at the big sites and in chain supermarkets.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

✈️ The backpacker research shortcutEgypt Travel Guide

An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
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The digital guide (389 pages) contains:
✅ 100 highlights, ranked by travel appeal
✅ Optimized 7, 14 & 21-day travel routes
✅ Cities, national parks, landmarks, beaches
✅ How to get around
✅ Offline-friendly for travel without Wi-Fi
👉 Click to see all 30+ guide features

📅 Plan smarter in minutes, not weeks
✅ Month by month travel advice
✅ Festivals & national holidays
✅ Budget expectations

🗺️ Go to the right places, skip the overrated ones
✅ Honest pros & cons of destinations
✅ Top hikes, parks & viewpoints
✅ Lesser-known places most travelers miss
✅ Clear “worth it vs skip it” guidance

🛏️ Travel smoothly without rookie mistakes
✅ Best areas to stay
✅ Transport systems explained simply
✅ Common scams & safety advice
✅ SIM cards, money & practical tips

🌍 Understand the country, not just visit it
✅ Culture & traditions
✅ 52 Essential phrases & customs
✅ Festivals worth planning around
✅ Traveler-friendly historical context
✅ Insights that make places more meaningful

📱 Built for real travel conditions
✅ Fully downloadable PDF
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas to base yourself

Egypt has plenty of hostels and budget guesthouses, with dorm beds typically around US$6 to 12 and simple private doubles around US$15 to 30. In Cairo, Downtown holds the biggest cluster of hostels in the upper floors of old apartment blocks, putting you a short walk from Tahrir and the metro, though the traffic noise runs late; Zamalek is leafier and quieter with better bars but costs more, while Giza guesthouses near the pyramids give you sunrise views at the price of a long ride into town. Further south, Luxor’s East Bank is handier for transport and restaurants, its West Bank is calmer and … read more 👉
Egypt has plenty of hostels and budget guesthouses, with dorm beds typically around US$6 to 12 and simple private doubles around US$15 to 30. In Cairo, Downtown holds the biggest cluster of hostels in the upper floors of old apartment blocks, putting you a short walk from Tahrir and the metro, though the traffic noise runs late; Zamalek is leafier and quieter with better bars but costs more, while Giza guesthouses near the pyramids give you sunrise views at the price of a long ride into town. Further south, Luxor’s East Bank is handier for transport and restaurants, its West Bank is calmer and closer to the tombs, Aswan’s Nubian guesthouses across the Nile are peaceful but need a ferry hop, and Dahab’s seafront strip is the cheapest, most social spot on the Red Sea coast.

If you enjoy meeting fellow travelers, consider choosing hostels with high ratings for atmosphere. On the other hand, if you prefer having your own space, a hotel might be a better option.

Best hostels in Egypt


Best quality hotels in Egypt

🚌 Getting aroundWhat moving around is really like

Backpacking Egypt mostly means moving along the roughly 900-kilometer Nile corridor between Cairo and Aswan, and the big decision is whether to spend money or daylight on it. A seated day train costs US$8 to 20 but eats 10 to 14 hours, while the sleeper train or a one-hour flight costs US$50 to 120 and hands you an extra day at the temples. If your trip is under two weeks, pay for time.
  • Day trains: Air-conditioned first and second class run Cairo to Luxor in 9 to 11 hours and Cairo to Aswan in 12
… read more 👉
Backpacking Egypt mostly means moving along the roughly 900-kilometer Nile corridor between Cairo and Aswan, and the big decision is whether to spend money or daylight on it. A seated day train costs US$8 to 20 but eats 10 to 14 hours, while the sleeper train or a one-hour flight costs US$50 to 120 and hands you an extra day at the temples. If your trip is under two weeks, pay for time.
  • Day trains: Air-conditioned first and second class run Cairo to Luxor in 9 to 11 hours and Cairo to Aswan in 12 to 14 hours for about EGP 400 to 1,000 (US$8 to 20), and Cairo to Alexandria takes 2.5 to 3 hours for EGP 100 to 300 (US$2 to 6). Book on the Egyptian National Railways website or app, or at the station window with your passport. Delays of one to two hours are normal, so skip tight onward connections, and ignore anyone outside Ramses Station offering to “help” you buy tickets at a markup.
  • Sleeper train: The overnight service to Luxor and Aswan costs roughly US$80 to 110 per person in a shared two-berth cabin, more for a single, with a basic dinner and breakfast included. It saves a hotel night, which is the only reason it makes financial sense. Book online several days ahead between November and February, when cabins sell out.
  • Long-distance buses: Go Bus, Blue Bus and Upper Egypt Bus cover Cairo to Hurghada (6 to 7 hours, EGP 400 to 900), Cairo to Dahab (8 to 10 hours, EGP 600 to 1,100) and Luxor to Hurghada (4 to 5 hours). Book in the company apps and arrive 30 minutes early. Keep your passport in your hand luggage, because Sinai and Red Sea checkpoints stop buses repeatedly, and bring a layer: the air-conditioning runs arctic.
  • Domestic flights: EgyptAir and Air Cairo fly Cairo to Luxor or Aswan in about 1 hour 15 minutes for US$50 to 120 when booked two to four weeks out. Last-minute fares can double, so book direct on the airline sites as soon as your dates are fixed.
  • Metro, Uber and Careem: Cairo’s metro costs EGP 8 to 20 per ride depending on distance, and each train has women-only carriages. Uber or Careem across the city runs EGP 100 to 250 and removes all haggling. Street taxis frequently claim a broken meter, so agree the fare before the door closes.
To avoid backtracking, fly Cairo to Aswan first, take the 3-hour train north to Luxor, then ride the sleeper or a flight back to Cairo. One direction of the long haul costs you nothing in daylight, and the Aswan to Luxor leg costs only EGP 100 to 300.
Cairo International Airport (CAI) in Egypt sits about 22 km (14 miles) northeast of downtown Cairo, and the cheapest reliable way in is a ride-hailing car, with public bus 356 as the rock-bottom option if you have time and light bags.
  • Public bus 356 (60 to 90 minutes, around EGP 20 to 30, under US$1) leaves from the bus station near Terminals 1 and 2, reached on the free inter-terminal shuttle; pay cash on board and expect it to end at Abdel Moneim Riad station by the Egyptian Museum, with service thinning out late in the evening.
  • Uber or Careem (40 to 60 minutes, around EGP 250 to 450, roughly US$5 to 9) is booked in the app and paid by card or cash, with pickups at the signed ride-hailing zones outside arrivals, and it runs around the clock.
  • Official airport taxi or limousine (40 to 60 minutes, around EGP 500 to 900, roughly US$10 to 18) is booked at the fixed-price counters inside arrivals, where you pay before walking out to the car, and it operates 24 hours.
If you land late at night, buy a local SIM from the mobile network counters in the arrivals hall before you exit, then book an Uber or Careem and ignore the drivers who approach you offering a ride.
⚠️ Prices and routes can change, so take this as a rough guide and ask for local advice when you arrive.
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🔒 Safety (risk Level: medium)Common concerns and things to watch out for

Safety for solo travelers, including women and LGBTQ+ individuals
Egypt is generally safe for solo travelers, with violent crime against tourists rare and the main hassles being persistent touts, inflated prices and scams around major sites. Solo women should expect frequent catcalling and staring, especially in crowded Cairo streets, and dressing conservatively, sitting in women-only metro carriages and using ride-hailing apps at night all reduce the hassle. For LGBTQ+ travelers, same-sex relationships are not explicitly illegal but are prosecuted under debauchery laws, and police have used dating apps to entrap people, so strict discretion is the safe approach. Avoid the border areas near Libya and North Sinai, which most governments advise against visiting.


Full official government travel advisory (live updates)
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source: www.gov.uk

✈️ VisaEntry requirements and paperwork

Most travelers, including citizens of the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia, need a visa for Egypt, available as a US$25 single-entry visa on arrival at major airports or as an e-Visa applied for in advance on the official Egypt e-Visa portal. Passports must be valid for at least six months, and visa-on-arrival fees are paid in US dollars or euros cash at bank counters before passport control. Visitors flying into Sharm el-Sheikh or entering at Taba who stay only in the South Sinai resort zone can get a free Sinai-only entry stamp valid for up to 15 days.

source: visa2egypt.gov.eg
⚠️ Visa requirements can change over time, so always check the latest visa requirements with the official embassy or government website before you travel.

🎒 What to pack?A practical packing list

Egypt swings from scorching desert summers above 40°C (104°F) to winter nights in Cairo and the Western Desert that drop close to freezing, so pack light, breathable layers plus one warm piece if you travel between November and February. Sun protection matters year-round, since shade is scarce at sites like the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel, and fine dust gets into everything. Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees will make life easier everywhere outside the Red Sea resorts, and women will want a light scarf for mosque visits. Comfortable closed shoes handle uneven temple floors and sandy tracks far better than flip-flops, though sandals are perfect for Dahab and the Nile boats.

Apart from this country specific advice, I have also crafted a general packing list that should help on any trip. authorOver the years, I've learned the importance of packing minimally. It's so much easier to jump on the back of a truck or squeeze yourself into the last spot of a minibus without that supersized backpack. If you're headed to a warm destination, leave your winter jacket at home; for colder regions, opt for thin thermal underlayers. Instead of packing your entire wardrobe, bring just three sets of clothes, as laundry facilities are available everywhere.

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🙋 FAQThings travelers often ask

Trip Planning

Planning a backpacking route through Egypt can be tricky — you need to balance must-see places, travel times, budget, and how long to stay in each destination. Our free personalized Egypt itinerary planner creates a route based on your travel style, trip duration, and interests, so you can spend less time researching and more time exploring.



Personal tip: I normally search on good rating for atmosphere (for meeting people) and location (for easy exploring). Cleanliness as a bonus.


Travel Essentials

No vaccinations are required to enter Egypt unless you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk, in which case a yellow fever certificate is mandatory. Make sure routine vaccines (MMR, tetanus-diphtheria, polio) are up to date, and get hepatitis A and typhoid shots, since both spread through food and water. Hepatitis B and rabies vaccines are worth considering for longer stays, rural travel or contact with animals, as stray dogs and cats are common. Check with a travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure.


vaccination requirements
When I first started traveling, I often spent part of my first day in a new country hunting for a local SIM card. While this can still be slightly cheaper, it also takes time and planning.

These days, it's much simpler to install an eSIM before leaving home. Once you arrive in Egypt, you can activate it immediately and have mobile data from the moment you land — which is especially useful for ordering transport or navigating away from busy airports.

There are many providers nowadays, and price differences are usually small. I personally go with Holafly, as it offers excellent network coverage throughout the country and strong global coverage, so you can manage multiple countries from a single app.


HolaFly eSim

Culture & Customs

Egyptian culture is conservative and religion shapes daily life, so dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered outside beach resorts, and remove your shoes and cover your hair (women) when entering a mosque. Do eat, pass items and shake hands with your right hand, accept offered tea when you can, and bring sweets or pastries if invited into a home. Don’t photograph police, soldiers, bridges or government buildings, and ask before photographing people, especially women. During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight hours. Public displays of affection are frowned upon for all couples; women should expect occasional unwanted attention and can firmly decline conversations without seeming rude, and LGBTQ+ travelers should keep relationships private in public spaces and in hotels.
Trying traditional food is always a great way to experience the culture. Here are some must-try dishes for Egypt.
  1. Koshari: A layered bowl of rice, lentils, macaroni and chickpeas topped with spicy tomato sauce, garlic vinegar and crispy fried onions. It is Egypt’s national dish in all but official title, sold at dedicated koshari shops that serve it fast, filling and cheap to students and office workers alike.
  2. Ful medames: Fava beans stewed slowly overnight, then mashed with cumin, oil, lemon and sometimes tahini or egg, eaten with baladi bread. It has been the Egyptian working breakfast for centuries, ladled from huge copper pots on carts across Cairo every morning.
  3. Ta’ameya: Egyptian falafel made from fava beans rather than chickpeas, which gives it a bright green center and a lighter texture. Stuffed into a pita with tahini and salad, it is the default street sandwich and costs very little.
  4. Molokhia: A silky, garlicky green soup of finely chopped jute leaves, usually served over rice with chicken or rabbit. Many Egyptians consider it their ultimate home-cooked comfort food, and the slippery texture divides first-timers.
  5. Mahshi: Vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, eggplant, cabbage and grape leaves stuffed with herbed rice and simmered in tomato broth. It is labor-intensive family cooking, the dish served at big gatherings and holiday tables.
  6. Fattah: Layers of toasted bread and rice soaked in garlic-vinegar tomato sauce, crowned with boiled lamb or beef. It is the traditional feast dish of Eid al-Adha and other celebrations.
  7. Feteer meshaltet: A flaky, buttery layered pastry, eaten sweet with honey and cream or savory with cheese and meat. Rural families have baked it for generations, and specialist feteer bakeries now turn it out fresh to order.
  8. Om Ali: A warm bread pudding of pastry, milk, nuts, coconut and raisins, baked until bubbling on top. It is the country’s best-loved dessert and a staple after big meals.
Tap water in Egypt is treated and many locals in Cairo and Alexandria drink it, but its chlorine taste and aging pipes mean it is not recommended for travelers, whose stomachs are not used to it. Stick to sealed bottled water, widely sold for about EGP 10 to 20 per 1.5 liters, or use a filter bottle. Brushing your teeth with tap water is generally fine, but be cautious with ice and raw salads washed in tap water at cheap places.
The main language in Egypt is Arabic. Backpacking is way more rewarding if you know a bit of the local language, so I'd suggest brushing up on the basics just in case your Arabic skills have become a bit rusty.

Want to understand locals better?
The complete Travel Guide for Egypt includes 52 essential words and phrases — greetings, thank-yous, ordering food, transport, numbers, and common local expressions you'll actually hear.

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In Egypt, English is widely spoken by anyone working in tourism in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea towns, from hotel staff to felucca captains and shop owners. Younger, university-educated Egyptians and hostel crews usually speak it well, but bus drivers, microbus conductors and people in villages of the Delta and Upper Egypt often know only a few words. Egyptian Arabic is the language that helps most, and learning the Eastern Arabic numerals (٠ to ٩) pays off right away for reading prices, bus numbers and train seats. Download Arabic for offline use in Google Translate and learn “shukran” (thank you) and “bikam?” (how much), which open plenty of doors.

Money & Payments

The local currency of Egypt is EGP (£).
ATMs are easy to find in Egypt’s cities and tourist towns, at banks like Banque Misr, National Bank of Egypt and CIB, though they are scarce in villages and parts of the Western Desert. Expect a local fee of roughly EGP 25 to 60 per foreign-card withdrawal on top of your own bank’s charges, with per-transaction limits of about EGP 5,000 to 10,000, so withdraw larger amounts less often. Cards work at hotels, malls, chain restaurants, supermarkets and many major archaeological sites, whose ticket offices now take cards only, while street food, taxis, microbuses, markets and small shops are cash only. Bring some US dollars or euros in clean, undamaged notes as a backup and for the visa on arrival. Exchange money only at banks or licensed exchange offices, never with street changers, and always ask for small denominations.
Tipping, known as baksheesh, is woven into everyday life in Egypt, and small tips of EGP 10 to 50 are expected for services like restroom attendants, luggage help, temple guards who unlock a chamber and drivers. In restaurants, leave around 10% in cash even when a 12% service charge appears on the bill, since that charge rarely reaches the staff. Private guides usually receive EGP 200 to 400 (US$4 to 8) per day, and felucca or cruise crews about the same per person per day, so carry a stash of small notes.

🧩 Nearby countriesOther countries to combine with Egypt

We 💚 feedbackFinal notes for travelers

Egypt will test your patience and then repay it in the same afternoon. The hassle is real, especially in Giza and Luxor, but it fades once you learn to smile, say “la, shukran” and keep walking. The small upside travelers rarely expect is how funny people are; a tout who loses the sale will often still crack a joke and point you the right way. I would hire a licensed Egyptologist guide for a single day early in the trip, ideally in Luxor. They turn carved walls from decoration into stories, and you will read every temple after that with far sharper eyes. Then do the rest at your own pace, and always start at opening time.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in Egypt. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

This site is built on a combination of firsthand travel experience and carefully curated insights from other backpackers. Many guides are based on places I’ve personally visited, while others bring together tips, observations, and practical advice shared by trusted travelers I’ve met along the way.

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