Frequently asked questions
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Business Hours

Banks are open Sundays to Thursday from 8:30 to 14:00 and are closed on Fridays and Saturdays. ATM's are available round-the-clock outside all banks and in most commercial areas. Most embassies take a two-day weekend, either Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday. Shops generally operate from 9:00 to 21:00, and some close on Sundays.

 

Clothing

Advisable attire is light cotton in the summer and woolens in the winter. In the evenings, a jumper or an overcoat may be required. With respect to Egyptian culture, where semi-conservative clothing is the norm, it is wise to generally avoid very brief clothing. In all seasons, light walking shoes and a hat are essential. Sunglasses can be quite useful.

 

Egypt Currency

The Egyptian Pound (LE) is divided into 100 Piastres (PT). For guidance on currency exchange rates, please refer to any bank or foreign exchange bureau. 

200 Egyptian Pound 100 Egyptian Pound 50 Egyptian Pound 20 Egyptian Pound 10 Egyptian Pound 5 Egyptian Pound

200 Egyptian pounds = 37 US$  approximately

100 Egyptian pounds = 19 US$  approximately

50 Egyptian pounds = 10 US$  approximately

20 Egyptian pounds = 4 US$  approximately

10 Egyptian pounds = 2 US$  approximately

5 Egyptian pounds = 1 US$  approximately

1 Egyptian Pound

50 Piastres 25 Piastres 10 Piastres 1 pound Egyptian Coin

1 Egyptian pounds = 0.18 Cent US$  Approximately

50 Piastres= 0.09 Cent US$  approximately

25 Piastres = 0.04 Cent US$  approximately

10 Piastres= 0.01 Cent US$  approximately

1 pound Egyptian Coin

50 Piastres Egyptian Coin

 

 

Passports and Visas
All visitors must have visas and passports valid for six months. Visas can be arranged through Egyptian embassies worldwide and they can also be authorized at airports of entry. Visitors must register with tourist police within 7 days of arrival. Hotels take care of this service upon check-in. In any case, contact the nearest Egyptian embassy or consulate in your home country before making your travel plans. Visitors from the US, Canada, EU and GCC countries may be able to purchase a visa stamp upon arrival at many large airports. One-month visitor's visas can be extended.top 

 

ATMs
It’s possible to travel in Egypt now relying solely on plastic as ATMs are becoming more and more widespread. Tourist-friendly cities such as Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada are saturated with cash dispensers, and you’ll also find them in Alexandria, Dahab, Nuweiba and Aswan. Where you will be hard-pushed to find ATMs is anywhere between Cairo and Luxor (the towns of Minya and Asyut have just the occasional one) and out in the oases (there’s just one each in Siwa and Kharga).Of the numerous types of ATM in Egypt, the vast majority are compatible with Visa, MasterCard and any Cirrus or Plus cards. ATMs at Banque Misr, CIB, Egyptian American Bank (EAB), National Bank of Egypt and HSBC are particularly reliable. top

 

Credit cards
Amex, Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club are becoming ever more useful in Egypt. Generally speaking, they are accepted quite widely in foreign-friendly hotels, shops and restaurants, though away from tourist establishments, they are far less common, and in remote areas they remain useless. In many places you will be charged a percentage of the sale 3% to use them.Visa and MasterCard can be used for cash advances at Banque Misr and the National Bank of Egypt, as well as at Thomas Cook offices.To report lost cards in Egypt, call Amex (02-870 3152); MasterCard (02-797 1179, 796 2844); Visa (02-796 2877, 797 1149); or Diners Club (02-578 3355). top

 

National Holidays
April 25 – Liberation of Sinai Day
May 1 – Labor Day
July 23 – Anniversary of the 1952 Revolution
October 6 – Armed Forces Day
February 7 - Coptic Christmas top

 

Electricity
220V, 50 Hz top

 

Internet
Most major hotels will have a Business Center where you can purchase online time to check email, etc.  WIFI capabilities are spreading. All major cities will have Internet cafes. top

 

Weights and Measures
Metric

 

Tipping
“Bakshish” is the Arabic word for tips that could be solicited from outsiders. Even if service charge is included tipping is expected and appreciated. It is not a rule but an international custom and 15-20% added to total, is generally recommended. top

 

Oriental food

 

Ful Medames

Falafel

Koshari

Tehina Salad

Warak Enab

Mixed Mahshi

Kahk El Eid

Ramadan Oriental Sweets

Meshabbek

Shisha Pipe

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Temperature in the different cities

Month

 

Cairo
Min/Max

Alexandria
Min/Max

Luxor
Min/Max

Aswan
Min/Max

Hurghada
Air/Water
Average

Sharm El-Sheikh 
Air/Water
Average

Jan

C

9/19

9/18

8/23

8/23.8

24/18

24/21

Feb

C

9/21

9/19

8/25

9/26

25/18

25/20

March

C

11/23

10/21

11/27

12/28

26/20

25/21

April

C

13/26

12/23

15/32

16/32

31/25

31/22

May

C

19/28

17/26

20/34

20/34

35/26

28/24

June

C

20/34

20/28

22/38

22/39

37/28

32/25

July

C

21/36

21/30

23/40

24/42

40/28

37/26

Aug

C

21/36

21/32

23/41

24/41

42/29

38/28

Sept

C

19/30

21/29

21/38

22/39

38/27

34/29

Oct

C

18/29

17/27

17/35

19/36

32/25

30/27

Nov

C

15/25

14/24

12/29

13/30

26/23

27/25

Dec

C

10/20

11/19

8/24

9/24

26/19

23/23

 

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Approximate distance in KM

 

Cairo

   

Cairo

   

Cairo

Fayoum

110

 

Suez

134

 

Hurghada

460

Minyeh

247

 

Ismailia

140

 

Safaga

520

Assyout

373

 

Ein Sokhna

120

 

Quseir

600

Abydos

480

 

Ras Sudr

180

 

Marsa Alam

731

Dendeah

600

 

St.Catherin

392

 

Halayeb

1159

Quena

610

 

Nueiba

670

 

Luxor

670

 

Dahab

610

 

 

Luxor

Esna

725

 

Sh. Sheikh

510

 

Hurghada

280

Edfu

795

 

Taba

400

 

Safaga

220

Kom-Ombo

855

 

Rafah

369

 

Quseir

300

Aswan

900

 

Arish

306

 

Marsa Alam

433

Abu Simbel

1180

 

 

Halayeb

861

 

 

 

Alex

Alamein

Sidi A.Rahman

Matruh

Siwa

Cairo

 

Alexandria

0

110

154

288

578

220

 

Alamein

110

0

44

178

478

292

 

Sidi A Rahman

154

44

0

134

434

336

 

Matruh

288

178

134

0

290

512

 

Siwa

578

478

434

290

0

752

 

Cairo

220

292

336

512

752

0

 
 

Cairo

Bahareya

Farafra

Dakhla

Kharga

Luxor

Siwa

Cairo

0

380

582

739

602

670

752

Bahareya

380

0

180

410

610

855

350

Farafra

582

180

0

230

430

675

530

Dakhla

739

410

230

0

200

445

760

Kharga

602

610

430

200

0

245

960

Luxor

670

855

675

445

245

0

1205

Siwa

752

350

530

760

960

1205

0

 

 

 

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