There’s a 5,000 cash limit of Egyptian pounds that you are allowed to bring in or take out of Egypt. There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that you may bring in, but you must declare all amounts exceeding US$10,000 (or equivalent) on arrival. Yes! Because of the devaluation in the Egyptian pound in recent years, the currency gap has widened making it a very affordable travel destination. Is Egypt the richest country in Africa? Click the link to check the full list. But there is so much more to visiting Egypt than just the pyramids, the likes of Luxor’s Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel, Siwa oasis, the White Desert, Aswan, and the Egyptian museum amongst others. More details to follow in an upcoming blog post. Another important Egypt tip: Pick up a local SIM card for your mobile as soon as you arrive. This helps with staying in touch with locals in the country and friends internationally, browsing the web, updating your Instagram, checking directions or for making calls to your hotel or guide.
What is happening behind the scenes is that they will often subcontract the work to local operators. These are often the larger group tours vs private ones. That said, these companies are leaps and bounds better when it comes to organization and communication. Tour platforms - You can look at Viator and GetYourGuide for individual tours or packages. The challenge with these is that the platforms are designed to obfuscate who the actual operator is so you really are relying on the reviews to determine whether it'll be a good experience or not. Find a legitimate local operator online - In Egypt this is harder than it sounds because most businesses are behind when it comes to the digital age but for those that are, you'll appreciate that they can put together a package for you that is operated by their own people from start to end. Roll the dice once you land - If you don't have any plans, there will be no shortage of people gunning after your business and that includes the hotels you're staying at.
This post may contain affiliate links, please read my disclosure. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Luxor for Egypt Nuts! The slang in the title only partially describes our day in Luxor. We have arranged a fully escorted day, a car and driver and a guide. Not a taxi driver type tour, one from a legit tour office (or so I think, it was a recommendation from a friend of a friend). It was extremely affordable, less than USD100 for the day with a driver and guide in a large van. I know it would have been cheaper to find something on the street, but at least this I knew I was getting what I paid for. We would visit the West Bank of Luxor, often referred to as the Valley of the Kings, but it is so much more than that! The Tombs of the pharaohs are just one part of the larger mortuary temples, and also Tombs of Nobles and even workers who spent their lives working on the elaborate structures to see the pharaohs into the afterlife!
This is good practice as the problem with customs is that it’s sometimes open to interpretation and depends on how the officers feel on the day. I hope this helps Have a wonderful trip! LE and what volume of notes should I get to handle all the tipping. If at airport, is this best done before the border/customs or after? Hi David, before arriving, I ordered some USD so I would have enough to pay for my visa on arrival and have some money for incidentals. I had heard that they accept both USD and Egyptian Pounds at the airport. The tour company I travelled with had a guide on the ground who helped me through this process and I knew I need 100USD to pay for the visa. The rest of the time I used Egyptian Pounds. There is no tipping culture like the USA, so you can tip if you like but it’s not always necessary.
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