What can travellers expect in Egypt?
Egypt combines the Pyramids of Giza and the megacity of Cairo with the pharaonic temples of Luxor and Aswan along the Nile and the diving grounds of the Red Sea near Hurghada. Most trips combine two or three of these regions, often with a multi-day Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan. Thanks to the electronic visa via visa2egypt.gov.eg, entry for Swiss, German and Austrian travellers is a straightforward online process (as of September 2026).
A classic route starts in Cairo with the Pyramids of Giza and the new Grand Egyptian Museum, continues by flight or overnight train to Luxor, roughly 670 km to the south, with the Valley of the Kings, and ends after a Nile cruise in Aswan, a further 220 km south, or on the Red Sea coast at Hurghada, around 455 km east of Cairo.
This page summarises the regions, best time to travel, entry requirements (as of September 2026), health matters and the advice issued by Switzerland's FDFA, Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA.
What kind of destination is Egypt?
Egypt has been a well-established tourist destination for decades, with good infrastructure connecting Cairo, the Nile Valley and the Red Sea coast. With more than 100 million inhabitants it is the most populous country in North Africa; the Greater Cairo metropolitan area alone counts over 22 million people. The country divides broadly into four travel regions: Cairo and Giza in the north, the ancient Nile Valley around Luxor and Aswan, the Red Sea resort towns, and the desert and oasis regions to the west.
Cairo itself has around 9.8 million inhabitants and is the starting point for almost every trip; from there, domestic flights or a day train and a night train run into the Nile Valley. Travellers continuing on either combine a multi-day Nile cruise ending in Aswan or fly directly to the Red Sea coast at Hurghada.
Arabic is the official language, and in tourist areas English — and often German too — gets you by comfortably. Islam shapes everyday life and the calendar; during the fasting month of Ramadan many restaurants open later in the day and the opening hours of attractions shift.
Tourist infrastructure differs markedly between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea coast: Luxor and Aswan live on cultural and Nile-cruise tourism, with guides and museums, while Hurghada functions more like an all-inclusive resort town with dive centres and large resorts.
Sources: Wikipedia
Which regions of Egypt are worth visiting?
The four most-visited destinations are Cairo with the Pyramids of Giza, ancient Luxor with the Valley of the Kings, Aswan at the first Nile cataract with its dam and Philae Temple, and Hurghada as the gateway to the Red Sea diving grounds. Travellers with more time add a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, a trip to the White Desert west of Cairo, or the Sinai Peninsula with Saint Catherine's Monastery.
Cairo and Giza
The Pyramids of Giza, with the Pyramid of Khufu and the Sphinx, sit on the western edge of Cairo; the Grand Egyptian Museum, roughly 2 km from the pyramid complex, displays more than 100,000 artefacts, including for the first time the complete Tutankhamun collection of 5,398 objects across 7,500 m² of exhibition space.
In the old town (Historic Cairo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) lie the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, the Citadel and numerous mosques; Coptic Christian Old Cairo, with its early churches, lies just to the south. A trip into the White Desert (Sahara al-Beida), with its wind-sculpted limestone formations near the Bahariya Oasis, is commonly offered from Cairo as a two- or three-day tour.
Luxor
Luxor, roughly 670 km south of Cairo and home to just under 285,000 people (2023), sits on the ruins of ancient Thebes. Karnak Temple with its vast hypostyle hall and Luxor Temple on the riverbank form the East Bank; on the West Bank lie the Valley of the Kings, with Tutankhamun's tomb, and the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut. Cairo and Luxor are connected by air or by a day train and a night train.
Aswan
Aswan, roughly 220 km south of Luxor and with around 370,000 inhabitants (2024) the southernmost major city on the Nile, sits at the first Nile cataract. The Aswan Dam, Philae Temple on Agilkia Island (relocated after the reservoir was created) and the Nubia Museum, opened in 1997, are the main sights; felucca trips around Elephantine Island reveal the city's quieter side.
From Aswan, the temples of Abu Simbel lie roughly 290 km to the southwest; they are reached by bus convoy, car, or via the purpose-built Abu Simbel Airport. Ramses II had the temples built around 1264 to 1244 BC; in 1968 both temples were relocated in their entirety, as the Aswan Dam would otherwise have raised the water level by up to 60 m. On 22 February and 22 October, the sun still penetrates exactly into the sanctuary and illuminates the statues on the rear wall.
Hurghada and the Red Sea coast
Hurghada, roughly 455 km east of Cairo along the coastal road via Suez, is the largest resort town on the Red Sea, with around 214,000 inhabitants (2023) and more than 9 million visitors a year. The diving grounds around the Giftun Islands, the El Fanadir reef and Umm Gamar Island suit beginners too; experienced divers head out on liveaboards to the Brothers Islands, Daedalus and Elphinstone.
Sinai Peninsula
Further east lies the Sinai Peninsula, with the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh and Saint Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, one of the oldest still-active Christian monasteries in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Authorities advise against independent excursions into the interior of the South Sinai region; core tourist towns such as Sharm El Sheikh are considered comparatively calm.
Sources: Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Experience Egypt (national tourism authority)
When is the best time to visit Egypt?
In the Nile Valley around Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, the period from October to April is most pleasant, with daytime highs typically between 20 and 30 °C; from May to September, temperatures in Luxor and Aswan regularly climb above 40 °C. On the Red Sea coast at Hurghada, the sea keeps things milder, with diving conditions good practically all year round.
High and low temperatures and rainfall in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada
| Kairo | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 20 | 22 | 25 | 29 | 33 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 31 | 26 | 22 |
| Low °C | 11 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 13 |
| Rainfall mm | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 7 |
| Luxor | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 23 | 26 | 30 | 35 | 39 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 40 | 36 | 30 | 25 |
| Low °C | 8 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 21 | 15 | 10 |
| Rainfall mm | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assuan | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 23 | 27 | 31 | 36 | 40 | 43 | 42 | 43 | 40 | 37 | 30 | 25 |
| Low °C | 10 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 22 | 17 | 12 |
| Rainfall mm | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hurghada | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 23 | 25 | 27 | 31 | 35 | 38 | 39 | 39 | 36 | 33 | 29 | 25 |
| Low °C | 12 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 23 | 18 | 14 |
| Rainfall mm | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station CAIRO INTL (19 km, 116 m), auf 23 m umgerechnet. Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station LUXOR INTL (7 km, 90 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station ASWAN INTL (16 km, 202 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station HURGHADA INTL (9 km, 16 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.
Cairo stays hot in high summer (July/August), with highs around 36 °C, but thanks to its proximity to the Mediterranean it is never as extreme as the upper Nile Valley; in winter, nights cool to around 11 °C, so a jumper for the evening is worthwhile.
Luxor and Aswan sit in the desert beyond the narrow strip of the Nile and show the widest swings: Aswan reaches highs of around 42 to 43 °C in July and August with almost no rainfall, dropping to around 23 °C in January. Anyone planning a Nile cruise or temple visits benefits from the cooler months of November to February, with an early start in the morning.
Hurghada stays milder than the Nile Valley thanks to the Red Sea, with highs around 39 °C in high summer and around 23 °C in January; water temperatures allow diving and snorkelling year-round, though the best underwater visibility is usually found in the winter months.
Sources: Wikipedia
What do you need to enter Egypt?
Swiss, German and Austrian nationals need a visa for tourist stays, most easily obtained as an electronic visa via the official site visa2egypt.gov.eg. The single-entry e-visa costs USD 30 (as of April 2026) and is valid for 3 months for a stay of up to 30 days; the multiple-entry e-visa costs USD 65 and is valid for 6 months.
- e-visa: the only recommended official source is visa2egypt.gov.eg; numerous private providers charge significantly higher fees for the same service.
- Visa on arrival: available at many airports for USD 30 in cash at bank counters before passport control, valid for a maximum of 1 month when arriving by air.
- Visa at a diplomatic mission: obtainable before travel from an Egyptian embassy or consulate, for around EUR 35 plus a EUR 3 processing fee according to Germany's Federal Foreign Office.
- Travel document: passport must be valid for at least 6 months on entry; entering with a national ID card is possible but requires two biometric passport photos for a separate insert page.
- Other nationalities: different rules apply; the decisive source is information from the Egyptian embassy or immigration authority.
The current information from Switzerland's FDFA, Germany's Federal Foreign Office, Austria's BMEIA and the Egyptian immigration authority at the time of travel is always decisive; e-visa fees may change.
Duty-free allowances per person aged 18 and over are 200 cigarettes or an equivalent amount of tobacco, 1 litre of spirits, and duty-free goods up to USD 200.
Sources: VisasNews · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · ADAC
What vaccinations and health precautions does Egypt require?
No vaccination is mandatory for entry from Europe. healthytravel.ch recommends that all travellers have their routine vaccinations up to date, plus hepatitis A and a polio booster, and situationally rabies and hepatitis B. The WHO officially declared Egypt malaria-free in 2024, following nearly a century of efforts to eliminate the disease in a country of more than 100 million people.
healthytravel.ch additionally lists measles-mumps-rubella and varicella for travellers to Egypt if immunity is not already established, along with pre-exposure rabies vaccination for those likely to have animal contact, for example in rural areas or caves. The CDC adds hepatitis B and typhoid for longer or rural stays; all routine vaccinations should be up to date regardless.
Although Egypt is malaria-free, dengue-carrying mosquitoes are present; healthytravel.ch therefore recommends round-the-clock mosquito protection, not only as malaria prevention. Health authorities also warn against eating pufferfish products, which can contain the nerve toxin tetrodotoxin.
Medical care in Cairo, Luxor and Hurghada is of a workable standard at good, often private, clinics; remote desert regions are less well served. Travel and repatriation insurance is advisable, since social security agreements with Switzerland, Germany or Austria do not cover medical treatment in Egypt.
Sources: healthytravel.ch, Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
How safe is Egypt for travellers?
The tourist hubs of Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea coast at Hurghada are considered overall stable and calm according to Germany's Federal Foreign Office. The north of the Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptian-Israeli border area outside Taba and remote Sahara regions along the borders with Libya and Sudan are risk areas; the current situation should be checked with Switzerland's FDFA, Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA.
The risk is structurally elevated in the north of the Sinai Peninsula (including the border area with Gaza), in the border areas with Libya and Sudan and in remote Sahara regions; caution is also advised in the interior of South Sinai. Coastal towns such as Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and Marsa Alam are considered normal travel areas.
In tourist areas, petty crime such as pickpocketing is the main risk; a nationwide terrorism risk persists according to Germany's Federal Foreign Office, particularly near security installations and religious events. Drones may not be flown without a permit, and photographing military or government buildings is prohibited.
Sources: Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Federal Foreign Office, Germany
How do you get to Egypt and travel around the country?
International flights mostly land in Cairo (CAI), Africa's largest aviation hub with around 130 nonstop destinations in 60 countries, 34 of them in Europe; Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada each have their own international airports. Between stops, domestic flights are the fastest option, and for Luxor–Aswan a multi-day Nile cruise is also a popular choice.
| Route | Mode of transport | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo – Luxor | Flight or day/night train | around 670 km |
| Luxor – Aswan | Nile cruise (3–4 nights), train or road | around 220 km |
| Aswan – Abu Simbel | Bus convoy, car or flight | around 290 km |
| Cairo – Hurghada | Flight or road via Sokhna | around 455 km |
Cairo has year-round nonstop connections from numerous European hubs, including Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, Athens and Istanbul, operated among others by EgyptAir (Star Alliance), Lufthansa, Air France and Turkish Airlines; connections from other world regions can also be reached via Gulf hubs such as Doha or Dubai.
Hurghada International Airport is Egypt's second-largest airport and, alongside connections to Cairo, receives direct scheduled and charter flights from several European cities, making a Red Sea stay possible without a stopover in Cairo.
Within the country, alongside domestic flights operated by EgyptAir and Nile Air, a day train and a night train run along the Nile between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan; for Aswan–Abu Simbel, bus convoys depart several times a day, or travellers can fly into the purpose-built Abu Simbel Airport.
What money do you need in Egypt, and how do you pay?
The national currency is the Egyptian pound (LE, EGP), divided into 100 piastres. ATMs are widespread in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada, but Egypt remains heavily cash-based: for taxis, small shops, site guards and tips you need EGP in cash, ideally in small notes of 5, 10 and 20 pounds.
Restaurants, larger hotels and shops increasingly accept credit and debit cards; at markets, food stalls and for most tips you need cash. Currency exchanges and cash machines are reliably found near train stations, at airports and in the centre of tourist towns.
Baksheesh (tipping) is widespread in Egypt and is expected for small services, such as from porters, site guards, toilet attendants or guides; foreign currency is impractical for this, whereas small notes of local currency go straight to good use.
Sources: Schauinsland-Reisen
Where is the best place to stay in Egypt?
In Cairo, most travellers stay in Zamalek, Downtown, or right by the pyramids in Giza. In Luxor, the choice is between the lively East Bank near the temples and the quieter West Bank by the royal tombs, and in Aswan between riverside hotels and a cabin aboard a Nile cruise ship.
Zamalek, a Nile island in central Cairo, offers quieter streets than Downtown while staying just as central; anyone who wants to see the pyramids from their room chooses one of the hotels right on the Giza plateau.
In Luxor, hotels, restaurants and the night market cluster on the lively East Bank near the Karnak and Luxor temples; the West Bank by the royal tombs is quieter and convenient for an early start to the temples. In Aswan, accommodation ranges from simple guesthouses to classic riverside hotels; many travellers spend the nights between Luxor and Aswan directly aboard a Nile cruise ship. In Hurghada, large all-inclusive resorts dominate the coastal strip, with the older district of Sekalla serving as the centre for restaurants and nightlife.
What do people eat in Egypt?
An everyday staple is ful medames, a stew of fava beans usually eaten at breakfast; koshari, a mix of rice, lentils, pasta and tomato sauce, is considered Egypt's national street dish. On the Red Sea coast, fresh fish and seafood feature heavily, while in the Nile Valley molokhia, a green stew made from jute mallow leaves, is served often.
Ta'meya, Egypt's version of falafel made from fava beans rather than chickpeas, ranks alongside koshari among Cairo's most common street foods. For dessert, om ali (a pudding of filo pastry, milk and nuts) and basbousa (a semolina cake soaked in syrup) are widely found.
To drink, there is karkade, a hibiscus-flower drink served hot or cold, as well as sweet mint tea. Tap water should be avoided in favour of bottled or filtered water; street food with a visibly high turnover of customers is generally considered more hygienic than stalls standing empty.
What culture and festivals shape Egypt?
Islam shapes everyday life, the calendar and the cityscape; alongside it, a Coptic Christian community has lived in Egypt since antiquity, visible for instance in the Coptic quarter of Old Cairo. During the fasting month of Ramadan, restaurant and attraction opening hours change, with life becoming especially lively after sunset.
In mosques and churches, clothing should cover shoulders and knees; at many sights, a separate ticket for cameras is charged in addition to the entrance fee. When shopping at the Khan el-Khalili bazaar or in the markets of Luxor and Aswan, haggling over the price is customary, not impolite.
Egyptian hospitality often shows itself in spontaneous invitations for tea; handshakes and eye contact are customary greetings, though among very conservative Muslim men and women a handshake between a man and a woman is sometimes avoided. Public displays of affection are more reserved than is typical in Europe.
What experiences are worthwhile in Egypt?
Highlights include the Pyramids of Giza with the new Grand Egyptian Museum, a multi-day Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan with early-morning temple visits, diving or snorkelling on the reefs near Hurghada, and a trip into the White Desert west of Cairo. Travellers with the time plan around the double sunrise at Abu Simbel on 22 February or 22 October.
Cairo and surroundings
The Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza shows the complete Tutankhamun collection in one place for the first time. A camel ride or horse-drawn carriage tour around the pyramids at sunrise or sunset avoids the largest crowds; an evening visit to the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, when it is lit up, is worthwhile.
The Nile Valley
A classic Nile cruise lasts 3 to 4 nights between Luxor and Aswan (or the reverse) and combines early-morning temple visits with days spent on deck. Travellers who prefer not to cruise can connect Luxor and Aswan by train or car and book day trips to Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo along the way.
The Red Sea coast
Diving courses for beginners and experienced divers alike are offered out of Hurghada at the reefs of the Giftun Islands and El Fanadir; boat day trips also reach Umm Gamar Island. Experienced divers benefit from multi-day liveaboard tours to the more remote reefs of the Brothers Islands, Daedalus and Elphinstone.
Desert and Sinai
Two- to three-day tours from Cairo lead via the Bahariya Oasis into the White Desert with its wind-sculpted limestone formations. On the Sinai Peninsula, many travellers climb Mount Sinai at night from Saint Catherine's Monastery to watch the sunrise over the desert.
Sources: Wikipedia · Egypt Tours Portal · Divezone
How do you travel responsibly in Egypt?
The coral reefs of the Red Sea suffer from sunscreen, anchoring and touching; mineral sunscreen, operators using mooring buoys instead of anchors, and keeping a distance from the corals all help protect the reefs near Hurghada. Egypt is a desert country whose water supply depends almost entirely on the Nile, which is why using drinking water sparingly makes sense while travelling too.
- When diving or snorkelling on the reefs of Hurghada, do not touch corals and use mineral rather than chemical sunscreen.
- Prefer boat operators that use mooring buoys instead of anchors in coral areas.
- On Nile cruises and in desert camps, choose licensed, locally knowledgeable guides who respect protected areas.
- In mosques, churches and rural areas, wear culturally appropriate clothing and ask before photographing people.
Sources: Divezone
Which countries combine well with Egypt?
Via the Cairo hub, Jordan with Petra and Amman, as well as the Gulf states, can be combined with short connecting flights. Travellers arriving via Doha or Dubai can extend the stopover in that Gulf region by a few days.
Regional flights to Amman in Jordan depart several times a week from Cairo, often taking under two hours; from there, Petra is reachable within a few hours' drive. Anyone travelling via the Middle East anyway can extend a stopover in Doha or Dubai by a few days.
Within Africa, a combination with other North African destinations such as Morocco or Tunisia is possible, usually with a stopover via a European hub, as there are no regular direct flights between North African capitals.
Who is Egypt suited for, and who might it suit less?
Egypt suits culture enthusiasts, divers, and families looking for a mix of antiquity and beach, as well as travellers who prefer a guided Nile cruise to self-organised travel. It suits less well anyone travelling in high summer who wants to avoid heat above 40 °C in the Nile Valley, or those seeking low-tourist, undiscovered places.
Families benefit from short domestic flights between stops and child-friendly resorts on the Red Sea coast; for children, guided temple visits in the early morning are more pleasant than in the midday heat. Divers will find an established range of courses for every experience level at Hurghada.
Anyone wanting to avoid long spells standing in the sun, traffic noise in Cairo, or sales pressure at the major sights should deliberately plan early start times and rest days. Travellers with little time for ancient history are better off focusing on one region rather than trying to combine three stops in a single week.