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Tourist Entry Visa Fee
toc US$15 - Pay at bank office in the airport before going through passport control

Getting Ready

 * Arabic Travel Phrases (Fodors)

Dress
Egyptians are generally a conservative people and most are religious and dress very conservatively. Although they accommodate foreigners being dressed a lot more skimpily, it is prudent not dress provocatively, if only to avoid having people stare at you. It is best to wear pants or jeans instead of shorts as only tourists wear these. In modern nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and bars in Cairo, Alexandria and other tourist destinations you'll find the dress code to be much less restrictive. Official or social functions and smart restaurants usually require more formal wear.

At the Giza Pyramids and other such places during the hot summer months, short sleeve tops and even sleeveless tops are acceptable for women (especially when traveling with a tour group). Though you should carry a scarf or something to cover up more while traveling to/from the tourist destination. Also, it's perfectly acceptable for women to wear sandals during the summer, and you will even see some women with the hijab who have sandals on.

Women should cover their arms and legs if travelling alone, and covering your hair may help to keep away unwanted attention. Though as a foreigner, you may get plenty of attention no matter what you wear, mainly including people staring at you along with some verbal harassment which you can try to ignore. Egyptian women, even those who wear the full hijab, are often subjected to sexual harassment, including cat calls. You may find that completely covering up does not make a huge difference, with regards to harassment, versus wearing a top with shorter sleeves. In regards to harassment, it's also important how you act. Going out with a group of people is also helpful, and the best thing to do is ignore men who give you unwanted attention. They want to get some reaction out of you. Also, one sign of respect is to use the Arabic greeting, "Asalamualaikum" (means "hello, peace be upon you"), and the other person should reply "Walaikumasalam" ("peace be upon you"). That lets the person know you want respect, and nothing else.

Suggested Packing List


Pack comfortable clothing for your trip. In general, bring comfortable clothing - and about half the things you think you'll need!
 * Main Suitcase **
 * Battery-operated travel alarm clock or watch
 * Two pairs of shoes - one for walking and one for dressier occasions, such as dinner or a show - never bring new shoes!
 * Three pairs of jeans, khakis, or skirts for daily use
 * One pair of nicer pants with a dress shirt and tie or a nice sweater (men) or nicer skirt or dress (women) for dinner or a show
 * T-shirts or collared shirts - judge whether you can get away with wearing them twice and bring the appropriate number for the entire trip
 * Something warm that can be layered, such as a sweater, flannel shirt, or sweatshirt
 * A windbreaker or rain jacket - something lightweight that can be folded into your suitcase or backpack for cool nights
 * Under garments, as appropriate
 * Toiletries and cosmetics
 * Sunscreen and hat
 * Scarf and shawl (women)
 * Plug adapter and voltage converter
 * Travel umbrella
 * Undergarments
 * Plastic baggies for dirty clothes (undergarments, shoes, etc.)

** Carry-on Bag or Backpack ** If you can't carry it yourself, you have packed too much!
 * Reading material, cards, and/or MP3 player for your flight or airport layovers
 * Your itinerary, hotel list, and important telephone numbers (in the unlikely event you become separated from the rest of the group and have to give your hotel address to a taxi driver)
 * Essential toiletries (Liquid 3-1-1 Rule)
 * Change of clothing (in case you become separated from your suitcase for a few days)
 * Camera, extra memory cards, and back-up batteries
 * Sunglasses
 * Extra set of glasses or contact lenses
 * Any necessary medication (i.e., Imodium A-D, Sudafed, Purell)
 * Kleenex

** Neck Safe ** You must store important documents in a neck safe or money belt.
 * List of PIN numbers and U.S. / overseas telephone numbers for credit cards and bank cards
 * Passport - never pack travel documents in your suitcase!
 * Cash, credit cards, and bank cards

Advice from the Fosters via Paola

 * Go behind the scenes at the Cairo Zoo
 * Ask the concierge for a taxi to get a reliable local tour of the places we go
 * Bring Sudafed (sand = congestion), heavy duty Immodium (no pun intended!), and any other medications you may need - it is difficult to obtain basic medications there
 * Bring Kleenex and toilet paper
 * Be careful about eating salads, fresh veggies, etc - things that may have been washed in water
 * Purell sanitizing gel - this may be more the case with remote areas, but I was told we'd be very popular, especially amongst the children who will want to touch us "strange folk". Long sleeves are also a good thing to wear because of this.
 * Head scarf - BYOH (Bring Your Own Headscarf) was what I was told so we don't have to "rent-a-scarf". Also along these lines, maybe more so in remote areas, it is best to keep the blondies covered at all times
 * When eating something with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, know that no pork was used in the making of these items - most likely its either beef bacon & pepperoni or chicken sausage. Also note the "beef" you're eating may be related to Donkey from Shrek!
 * When in Egypt, buy perfumes, oils (Lotus Oil, Frankenscence, etc), vases, and ceramics
 * Speaking gibberish is a good way to ward off unwanted sales pitches - many people know multiple languages so switching to spanish won't ward them off
 * Bring pens and small notepads as gifts for people who help us along the way and candy for the kids

Exchanging Money
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at exchange offices or banks, so there is no need to resort to the dodgy street moneychangers. Many higher-end hotels price in dollars or euros and will gladly accept them as payment, although often at a premium rate over Egyptian pounds. **ATM**s are ubiquitous in the cities and probably the best option overall; they often offer the best rate and many foreign banks have branches in Egypt. These include Barclay's Bank, HSBC, CitiBank, NSGB, BNP Paribas, Piraeus Bank, CIB, and other local and Arab Banks. Bank hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8:30AM until 2:00PM.

Banknotes are available in all denominations ranging from 200 pounds to the thoroughly useless 5 piastres, while coins were rather rare until new 50-piastre and 1-pound coins were introduced in the summer of 2006. Counterfeit or obsolete notes are not a major problem, but exchanging pounds outside the country can be difficult. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted, but only bigger hotels or restaurants in Cairo and restaurants in tourist areas will readily accept credit cards as payment.

Tipping
Don't be surprised or offended if almost everyone at your hotel asks for a tip, even if all they did was a small thing. You don't have to pay huge tips as often smallest bills are appreciated. However, you don't have to tip if you feel that you haven't received any service or help at all or if you feel that the service was bad. Nobody will ever take offense or be disrespectful if you did not tip them. Some general guidelines:
 * **Bathroom attendants**: LE 3
 * **Cruises**: LE 30/day, to be divided by all staff on board
 * **Guide**: LE 40/day
 * **Hotel bellman**: LE 10 for all bags
 * **Hotel doorman**: LE 10 for services rendered (flagging down taxis etc)
 * **Restaurants**: In fancier restaurants, a service charge (10-12%) is added to bills, but a 5-10% tip //on top of that// is common. In fast-food places, tipping is unnecessary.
 * **Taxi drivers**: 10% on metered fares, but not necessary if you agreed the fare in advance
 * **Site custodians**: LE 5 if they do something useful, none otherwise
 * **Tour drivers**: LE 10/day

Crime
Pickpocketing is a problem in Egypt's bigger cities, particularly Cairo. Many locals opt not to carry wallets at all, instead keeping their money in a clip in their pocket, and tourists would be wise to adopt this as well. On the upside, violent crime is rare, and you are highly unlikely to physically mugged or robbed. If, however, you do find yourself the victim of crime, you may get the support of local pedestrians by shouting "Harami" (Criminal) while chasing the person who robbed you.

Overall, scams are the main concern in Egypt. Be aware that many Egyptians who starts a conversation with you in Cairo and Luxor want your money. There is a very insidious tactic used where they will "befriend" you, take you around, show you things, even bring you back to their place for dinner, and then they will demand money for it. Basically, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Demand prices for absolutely everything, because if you say "I thought it was free!" after the fact you are in for a vicious argument.