The Basics

Time:

Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 from last Friday in April to last Friday in August).

Electricity:

Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are standard.

Money:

The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is divided into 100 piastres. Most credit cards are accepted in major hotels and restaurants. Visitors are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds to avoid additional exchange rate charges. Banks are usually closed on Friday and Saturday, but private exchange bureaux, called 'Forex', are open daily and banks in major hotels are open 24 hours. Cairo branches of the Egyptian British Bank and Banque Misr now have ATMs available that accept Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus and are quite common in the main tourist areas.

Currency Exchange Rates (Should be used as a guidline only)

EGP 1.00 = £ 0.10 / US$ 0.18 / R 1.54

Language:

Arabic is the official language although English and French are widely spoken, especially in the tourist areas.

Entry requirements:

Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals require a valid passport, and a visa for travel to Egypt. For travellers entering Egypt via South Sinai and remaining in the South Sinai resort area, a free 15-day visa can be obtained on arrival.

Entry requirements for Americans: US citizens must have a valid passport, and a visa is required. A 30-day visa can be obtained on arrival for US$15, provided the purpose of travel is for tourism. For travellers entering Egypt via South Sinai and remaining in the South Sinai resort area, a free 15-day visa can be obtained on arrival.

Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK citizens must have a valid passport, and a visa is required. A 30-day visa can be obtained on arrival for US$15 or the equivalent, provided the purpose of travel is for tourism. For travellers entering Egypt via South Sinai and remaining in the South Sinai resort area, a free 15-day visa can be obtained on arrival.

Passport/Visa Note:

Passports must be valid for six months beyond the period of visit. Visa and passport validity requirements change at short notice.

Health:

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age coming from infected areas. Travellers to Egypt should come prepared to beat the heat with a high factor sunblock and drink plenty of water to combat dehydration. Drinking water in the main cities and towns is normally chlorinated but it is advisable to only drink bottled water. Cases of bird flu have been reported, and human fatalities have occurred. Although the risk is low for travellers, all close contact with caged, domestic and wild birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked as a precaution. Visitors should only eat thoroughly cooked food and fruits they have peeled themselves to prevent travellers diarrhoea. The waters of the Nile are contaminated and should not be consumed or bathed in. Medical treatment can be expensive and standards vary so insurance is strongly advised, including evacuation. Medical facilities outside of Cairo can be very basic.

Tipping:

Tipping is known as 'baksheesh' and some small change is expected for most services, though small change can be hard to come by. 'Baksheesh' can be a useful practice in order to gain entry to seemingly inaccessible places, or for extra services- a small tip can open doors, literally. A service charge is added to most restaurant and hotel bills but a 5% tip is normally given directly to the waiter. Taxi drivers are tipped about 10%.

Safety:

There is a significant threat from terrorism in Egypt. Red Sea resorts on the Sinai Peninsula in particular have been targeted, such as in April 2006, when a series of bomb explosions tore through the popular resort of Dahab. Other resorts and dive centres have suffered similar bomb attacks in the last two years, and over 100 people have been killed and hundreds more seriously injured, many of them foreigners. Security forces persist with their counter-terrorist operations on the Sinai Peninsula, and police continue to provide armed escorts for travellers in certain areas. In April 2005 an explosion in central Cairo caused four deaths and 19 injuries, and on 30 April 2006 an attack on a tourist bus and one near the Egyptian Museum injured seven people; the three incidents specifically targeted tourists and Egyptian authorities warn that further incidents in Cairo are possible. In general, there are increased security measures at all tourist sites, and especially in resort areas on the Sinai Peninsula, but visitors should be alert and are advised to avoid political demonstrations and public gatherings. Developments in the region, including the conflict in Iraq and the tension between Israel and the Palestinians, continue to trigger demonstrations of public anger, and visitors are warned to be especially vigilant in public places; the mood at present is extremely anti-US, anti-Israel and anti-UN. Visitors to the cities and tourist sites will experience a fair amount of hassle and are advised not to carry more money on them than needed at a time. Women should take extra caution when travelling alone as there have been isolated incidents of harassment, and sexual assault is not uncommon; women should be particularly alert when visiting massage spas and other tourist related activities. The sinking of the passenger ferry travelling across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia to Egypt in February 2006 left over 1,000 dead and was one of the worst maritime disasters in recent years. Egypt also has a poor train safety record with several fatal accidents each year.

Customs:

Egypt is a conservative society and visitors should respect local customs and sensitivities. Homosexuality is solemnly frowned upon and homosexual acts are illegal. Religious customs should be recognise, particularly during the month of Ramadan when eating, drinking and smoking during daylight hours is forbidden in the Muslim culture. Travellers should be discreet or choose to partake in the custom themselves. Travellers to Egypt should dress modestly. Photography of military institutions is prohibited.

Business:

Egyptians are friendly and approachable at work, and personal relationships are very important when conducting business. Business is usually conducted formally in Egypt; however meetings may not take place in private and it is normal for them to be interrupted with other matters. Punctuality is important, though don't be surprised if your contact is late or postpones the meeting. Be patient. Dress should be formal and conservative; suits and ties are standard and women should dress modestly. Women may encounter some sexism in the business world. Most Egyptians are Muslim and therefore one should be mindful of Islamic customs. English is widely spoken and understood, although attempting to speak some basic Arabic will be highly appreciated. The normal working week runs from Sunday to Thursday. Business hours vary, but in the private sector it is usually 9am to 5pm and in the public sector is it usually 8am to 3pm. Avoid scheduling business trips during the month of Ramadan as working hours are minimised and during the holiday period in August, as many key players will not be available.

Communications:

The international access code for Egypt is +20. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0027 for South Africa). The city code for Cairo is (0)2. There are high surcharges on international calls from hotels; it is cheaper to phone long-distance from the 24-hour Post, Telephone and Telegraph (PTT) offices that are available in the major cities. For international directory phone enquiries dial 120. The local mobile phone operators use GSM 900 networks and have roaming agreements with all major operators. Internet cafes are available in the main tourist areas.

Duty free:

Travellers arriving in Egypt do not have to pay customs duty on 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 200g tobacco; alcoholic beverages up to 1 litre; perfume for personal use and 1 litre of eau de cologne; and goods for consumption to the value of LE 100. Prohibited items include narcotics and drugs.