5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to Egypt
EGYPT | Monday, 21 September 2009 | Views [4225] | Comments [1]
Sphinx and Pyramids. Courtesy of Flickr.com, by [Mrs Logic].
So
you’ve booked your trip to Egypt – land of The Nile, pyramids and Cleopatra (to
name a few)! You’ve checked the weather reports, gotten the local currency,
bought travel insurance and confirmed your hotel – you should be all set
right?
Egypt
is a wonderful breathtaking country, but beware that there are certain local laws
and customs that you’ll need to adhere to. For instance, did you know that
taking photographs of bridges and canals (including the Suez Canal), military
personnel, buildings and equipment is illegal??? Possession of even small
quantities of illicit drugs in Egypt can lead to the death penalty, long prison
sentences or deportation?? Have a look at these
Local
Laws to help you get up to speed
and always check in with your local embassy as well.
We
know there is a lot to read before going to Egypt so we asked our friends in the
adventure travel space to give us some tips on what they wish they knew before
they went to Egypt. Have a read below, we hope it helps and please feel free to
add your own suggestions to the comments section below.
1. Ask around.
I wish I had
known that the pyramids and sphinx are not that far from the taxi entrance. Many
tours, taxis and tour operators have commission based partners outside this area
who tell you it is "a 5 mile walk" to the pyramids and sphinx and get you to
ride a very painful camel or horse for 2 hours in an area running parallel to
the sites. Say no firmly and ask directions to the entrance which is a 5 minute
walk from the sites.
2. Be aware.
The
touts can be very aggressive and annoying to tourists. The fact is, any local
who starts a conversation with you is looking for money. You have to be on your
guard constantly, more so than with any other country I have visited.
3. Assess the add-ons.
A service charge of
between 10% and 15% is applied in most upmarket restaurants and hotels, to which
value-added tax (VAT) and municipal taxes are also added. In other words, the
price that you are quoted at a hotel or read on a menu could be almost 25%
higher when it comes to paying the bill.
4. Carry change.
Always carry a lot of
coins and small bills, (the pound is the currency in Egypt), you will have to
"tip" many times a day, for all kinds of reasons. Ex: I had to tip the guy at
the entry of the washroom to get a few sheets of toilet paper.
5. Cover up.
Culturally, Egypt is a
Muslim country. Even in the big cities a woman should have a male companion with
her when on the street. Ladies should have shoulders and upper arms covered,
closed neck top, skirt below the knees, pants are ok, but ought to be loose.
Modesty is the key word. Don’t insist on your right to wear what you want,
respect their culture and cover up.
For
some practical information on traveling in Egypt visit Kwintessential for tips on etiquette and
customs.
Need some handy Arabic travel phrases? Try our Arabic Language guide podcast or iPhone app.
Read more stories from
WorldNomads.com to help keep you travelling safely.
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What did you learn in Egypt and wish you knew before you went? Leave us a comment...
![Leaving on a jet plane. Courtesy of Flickr.com, by [Mrs Logic].](http://aphs.worldnomads.com/safetyhub/12392/egypt_2.jpg)
Leaving on a jet plane. Courtesy of Flickr.com, by [Mrs Logic].
Tags: 5 things, travel, egypt, pyramids, tax, touts, tipping, nile, sphinx, cover up
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