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.
Save on Excursions
Tour operators offer very high prices for all excursions. Book online and you can get up to 50% off the prices offered by some traditional agencies.
For more basic services such as rickshaw rides, don't be afraid to book directly with the rickshaw drivers. As the ‘ordinary people’ say, some agencies are making the rich richer and the poor poorer.
Bargain What you Can
It's one thing to be stingy and haggle for the last penny, but it's another to pay the predatory prices and be foolish. Bear in mind that initial prices can be increased by up to 400% of what you should be paying.
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$ 0.01), 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.