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Egypt

North Africa

Egypt

The Nile, the pharaohs and the Red Sea. A journey through the Nile’s monuments and desert landscapes.

HistoryCultureDivingCities
  • On the map
  • CapitalCairo
  • When to goJan–Apr, Oct–Dec
  • CurrencyEgyptian pound
  • LanguagesArabic
  • Population · 2025118.4m

Egypt’s capital is Cairo; Arabic is its official language and the Egyptian pound its currency.

The territory covers about 1,010,408 km² according to Wikidata. Its highest point is Mount Catherine, in Sinai, at 2,637 m.

The Viafro verdict

For whom, and for which trip.

An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.

For which trip
Gizeh · Alexandrie · Charm el-Cheikh
Best season
October to April; February and March are often cited as the best months, especially in the south.
Length
Ten days: Cairo and Giza, then Luxor and Aswan along the Nile. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit

Twelve months, in colour.

Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.

Ideal

November

Best period; high season starts in late November.

Mean maximum
25 °C
Rain
4 mm
Station
Cairo

Source: Rough Guides

Before you go

The essentials, tab by tab.

Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.

Visa, passport, customs

GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/egypte/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).

Entry requirements (official page)

  • Passport, or identity card, valid for at least 6 months after the return date.
  • Compulsory visa, best obtained on arrival at international airport counters, in cash (dollars or euros): 30 USD single entry, 60 USD multiple entries; valid for 1 month to begin with.
  • An extension is only possible with a passport, not with an identity card alone.
  • For Sharm el-Sheikh there is a special Sinai visa, valid only within the governorate and impossible to change once there; to travel further, the Egypt visa is required.
Getting there and around

Airports, roads and transport.

  • CAICairo International AirportLe Caire31.1 M passengers · official site
  • HRGHurghada International AirportHurghada11.4 M passengers · official site
  • SSHSharm el-Sheikh International AirportCharm el-Cheikh9 M passengers
  • RMFMarsa Alam International AirportMarsa Alam2.8 M passengers · official site

Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.

On the road

  • If you are planning to drive in Egypt, see information on driving abroad. You’ll need to have both the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.
Destinations

The essentials.

  1. Gizeh

    The pyramids and the Sphinx, at the gates of Cairo.

    Open the destination
    The Giza pyramids at sunset

  2. Alexandrie

    The corniche, Stanley Bridge and the Mediterranean.

    Stanley Bridge on the Alexandria corniche

  3. Charm el-Cheikh

    The Red Sea reefs; a special Sinai visa exists for the governorate.

    Coral reef in the Red Sea
Activities

What to do, sheet by sheet.

Starting point, season, tips and sources: each sheet says only what its sources say.

The Giza pyramids at sunset
Egypt

The pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx

The Giza plateau holds the Great Pyramid, the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx.

Lanterns in the Khan el-Khalili souk
Egypt

The Khan el-Khalili bazaar

In the historic centre of Cairo, Khan el-Khalili began as a centre of trade in the Mamluk era and is named after one of its caravanserais.

Avenue of ram-headed sphinxes at Karnak temple, Luxor
Egypt

The Karnak temple at Luxor

Temples, pylons and chapels: Karnak was the main place of worship of the Theban Triad, headed by the god Amun.

The Valley of the Kings seen from above, on the west bank at Luxor
Egypt

The Valley of the Kings

For nearly 500 years under the New Kingdom, rock-cut tombs were dug here for pharaohs and powerful nobles.

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel
Egypt

The temples of Abu Simbel

Carved out of the mountainside in the 13th century BC under Ramesses II, the two temples were moved in their entirety in 1968 to escape the waters of Lake Nasser.

Philae temple seen from the Nile near Aswan
Egypt

The temple of Philae at Aswan

Threatened by the Aswan dam, the temple of Philae was dismantled and rebuilt on the nearby islet of Agilkia, 12.40 m higher.

Coral reef in the Red Sea
Egypt

The reefs of Ras Mohammed in the Red Sea

At the southern tip of Sinai, between the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, Ras Mohammed has been a marine reserve since 1983.

White chalk rocks in the White Desert near Farafra
Egypt

The White Desert from Farafra

In the Farafra depression, the White Desert lines up large white chalk rocks shaped by wind and sand.

Silhouettes on the summit of Mount Sinai at sunrise
Egypt

Sunrise from the summit of Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai rises to 2,285 m near the town of Saint Catherine, with the 6th-century Saint Catherine’s Monastery at its foot.

Boats in Alexandria harbour
Egypt

Alexandria’s harbour and the Citadel of Qaitbay

At the entrance of Alexandria’s eastern harbour, on the former Pharos Island, Sultan Qaitbay had his citadel built from 1477 to 1479.

The Giza pyramids at sunset

Gizeh

Filmed by us
Must-try food

Five dishes, and where to taste them.

  1. Koshari: rice, lentils, pasta and tomato sauce

    Koshari

    Rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas under a tomato sauce; served in small, medium and large portions in tiled stand-up diners.

    Cairo’s koshari counters
  2. A plate of ful medames

    Foul medames

    Fava beans, “extremely cheap”, prepared in several ways, often served with a chopped boiled egg for breakfast.

    At breakfast, everywhere
  3. A street vendor frying taameya, the Egyptian fava-bean falafel

    Taameya

    The Egyptian falafel: deep-fried patties of spiced green beans, served in pitta bread with salad and pickles.

    Street stalls and cafés
  4. A bowl of molokhia, the green jute-leaf soup

    Molokhia

    Jew’s mallow stewed in stock, one of the mezze served in restaurants.

    In restaurants
  5. Umm Ali, the Egyptian baked dessert with nuts

    Umm Ali

    The dessert: pastry, milk, sugar, coconut and cinnamon, usually served hot.

    For dessert, in restaurants and patisseries
Culture and etiquette

Customs, dress, useful words.

  • Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 10%.
  • Languages: Arabic (official); English and French widely understood by educated classes.
Festivals and events

The big dates.

  • National holiday

    Revolution Day, 23 July (1952).

  • Independence

    28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the military-led revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956).

Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.

Did you know?

Three things to remember.

  • Egypt welcomed about 13 million international visitors in 2019, according to the World Bank.

  • The country’s highest point, Mount Catherine, reaches 2,637 m.

  • 118,365,995 inhabitants in 2025 on 1,010,408 km², about 117 per km².

The country on video

Egypt, in motion.

Gizeh · The Giza pyramids at sunset
Gallery

See it before you go.

Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.

The Giza pyramids at sunset
Gizeh
Avenue of ram-headed sphinxes at Karnak temple, Luxor
Louxor
Lanterns in the Khan el-Khalili souk
Khan el-Khalili
The Great Temple of Abu Simbel
Abou Simbel
The Nile and its bridges in Cairo from above
Le Caire
Philae temple seen from the Nile near Aswan
Assouan
Alexandria’s seafront from above
Alexandrie
Stanley Bridge on the Alexandria corniche
Alexandrie
The crowd of the Khan el-Khalili souk under the hangings
Khan el-Khalili
Coral reef in the Red Sea
Mer Rouge
Minarets and rooftops of Cairo
Le Caire
Boats in Alexandria harbour
Alexandrie
Cairo’s brick rooftops from above
Le Caire
1 / 13

Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.

Live, work, invest

A few key figures.

Sourced data (World Bank) and the national investment promotion agencies. No investment advice.

GDP per capita (current US$)3.1World Bank · 2025GDP growth4.4 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)14.1 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)6.8 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals13 ,000World Bank · 2019

World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.

GAFI · General Authority for Investment and Free ZonesEgypt’s investment authority. According to GAFI (28 Oct 2026): 1st investment destination in Africa in 2025, about USD 18 billion in net FDI in 2025/26, 9 public free zones.
Go

Ready to go?

Stays in Cairo and activities around the pyramids. Best time: October to April.

Affiliate link: Viafro earns a commission at no extra cost to you.

The Viafro letter

The journey continues.

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Louxor
Sources and verification dates · 35 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
  1. Rough Guides · Best time to visit Egypt
  2. Rough Guides · Food and drink in Egypt
  3. France Diplomatie · Égypte · Conseils aux voyageurs · Entrée / Séjour (page updated on 21 Sept 2026)
  4. France Diplomatie · Égypte · Conseils aux voyageurs · Santé (page updated on 21 Sept 2026)
  5. France Diplomatie · Égypte · Conseils aux voyageurs · Sécurité (page updated on 21 Sept 2026)
  6. France Diplomatie · Égypte · Conseils aux voyageurs · Informations utiles (page updated on 21 Sept 2026)
  7. Wikidata · Égypte (Q79)
  8. Banque mondiale · World Development Indicators
  9. Banque mondiale · International tourism, number of arrivals · Egypt
  10. IANA · Time Zone Database
  11. Wiktionary · أهلا
  12. Wiktionary · شكرا
  13. Wiktionary · من فضلك
  14. GAFI · General Authority for Investment and Free Zones
  15. Wikidata · Egypt (Q79)
  16. World Bank · World Development Indicators
  17. GOV.UK (FCDO) · Egypt · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 27 Oct 2026)
  18. GOV.UK (FCDO) · Egypt · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 27 Oct 2026)
  19. GOV.UK (FCDO) · Egypt · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 27 Oct 2026)
  20. Wiktionary · Checked entries (Arabic)
  21. Wikipedia · Ta'ameya
  22. Wikipedia · Kochari
  23. Wikipedia · Falafel
  24. Wikipedia · Ful medames
  25. Wikipedia · Mulukhiyah
  26. Wikipedia · Eish baladi
  27. Wikipedia · Gizeh
  28. Wikipedia · Alexandrie
  29. Wikipedia · Sharm El Sheikh
  30. Wikipedia · Louxor
  31. Wikipedia · Le Caire
  32. CIA World Factbook · Egypt (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
  33. France Diplomatie · Égypte · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 21 Sept 2026)
  34. Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
  35. Wikipedia (climate normals) · Cairo · monthly normals (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)

Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.

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