No matter what, a trip to Egypt will be an unforgettable experience. But you want it to be memorable for all the right reasons rather than from a failure to plan. To make your time in Egypt just as great as expected, here are a few things you should do prior to embarking on your Egyptian adventure.
Trying to decide what to pack? Check out this post for outfit ideas!
Learn The History
Egypt has a history dating back thousands of years, along with so many architectural wonders. These sites take on so much more meaning when you have a basic idea of what they are, why they’re significant, and how they came to be. Take time before visiting Egypt to brush up on your history. You’ll have a new appreciation for the monuments and sights, and will get so much more out of your trip.
My top resources for learning about Egypt’s history were The History of Egypt Podcast (also recommended by The Blonde Abroad!) and The Ancient Egypt Site, but there are so many other online resources and documentaries. One of my favorite documentaries is “Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb” on Netflix – it focuses on a specific tomb near Cairo and provides an amazing view into what goes into excavating similar ancient sites.
Purchase Your E-Visa
Nearly all travelers, including Americans, will need a visa to enter Egypt. While you can wait until you arrive to get a visa on-arrival, applying for an e-visa online through Egypt’s Electronic Visa Portal will save you time when going through customs. I also felt way more comfortable knowing I had everything in order before arriving in Egypt.
Determine If You Need Any Vaccines
When traveling internationally, there are recommended vaccines that may not be standard in your home country. For example, it was recommended that I get a typhoid vaccine before visiting Egypt.
Check with your usual doctor, set up a telehealth appointment, or visit a travel vaccine clinic to determine what vaccines are recommended for Egypt. If you do need vaccines, plan for enough time for them to be effective before your trip. My typhoid vaccine had to be completed at least a week before I traveled to be considered fully effective.
Realize You Can’t See It All
While the Great Pyramids are synonymous with Egypt, there is so much more to see and do. Whether you’re primarily interested in seeing the monuments or if you prefer to spend your trip at beach resorts, it’s easy to run out of time if you don’t plan.
Research what you want to do and design your itinerary around that. Some of the “must do” sights in Egypt might not appeal to you at all and that’s okay. You’ll never have time to see it all, so pick what matters to you. When planning my trip to Egypt, I saw a lot of resources that recommended skipping the interior pyramid tours to save time. I decided to go inside the pyramids anyway, and while it wasn’t the highlight of my trip, it felt well worth to stand inside of such incredible monuments.
Learn A Few Words In Arabic
Arabic is a challenging language to learn, but knowing a few words and phrases will get you far while traveling in Egypt and is a way to show respect as you explore the country.
Here are a few key words/phrases to know:
- No: La
- Yes: Naam
- Thank you: Shukran
- Excuse me/you’re welcome/sorry: ‘Afwan
- Salam Alaikum: Literally translates to “peace be upon you” but it is used as a greeting. In response to Salam Alaikum, some will respond with the same – or shortened to just say “Salam.”
If you’ve been before, what would you recommend someone does before visiting Egypt?
