Yalla (يلا) is one of my favorite new sayings that I picked up in Egypt. A common Arabic phrase for ‘let’s go,’ Urban Dictionary puts it into context as ‘ bitch, yalla we are late!’ Love that.
I filed my first Egypt story for Robb Report on Tuesday, and I’m still buzzing after my recent visit. Now that I’ve had some time to process the experience, I wanted to share what I hope are some helpful tips for anyone who’s considering planning a trip in the near future. Tourism in Egypt is booming right now, and I don’t think I’ve ever received so many thoughtful questions from family, friends, and followers on social media, from safety concerns and what to wear to how to get a Visa and what you can’t miss in Cairo.
So here are your questions and my answers, which have been edited and condensed for clarity. Enjoy, and I hope I got everyone’s questions answered, but if I missed yours, then please don’t hesitate to drop me a comment! Yalla!
How does the Visa on Arrival work?
You have to get a Visa in order to enter Egypt, and there are two ways to do it. The first is you can apply for an Egyptian E-visa in advance at this website AND THIS WEBSITE ONLY: https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/ There are a lot of scammer sites out there, and this is the only official Government of Egypt portal for a legit E-Visa. Processing time is about a week, and when it’s approved, the visa is sent directly to your email, which you’ll need to print out and bring with you.
I opted to get a Visa on Arrival when I landed in Cairo. It cost $25 USD, and you must have exact change. They don’t accept credit or debit cards. There’s a kiosk at the airport when you land, and the process is pretty seamless. You will need to present your passport and the immigration form which they will hand out on your inbound flight. It’s not a bad idea to have the name of your hotel or cruise reservation information handy, just in case. If you’re going on a group tour or a cruise, they might be able to help facilitate this process on your behalf at the airport.
What did you wear to tour religious sites?
Egypt is a predominantly Muslim country, and as a general rule, dressing modestly is not only recommended it’s just common sense. That means leave the crop tops at home and have a light shawl or scarf handy. Or better yet, buy one at the local souk! It’s worth mentioning: if you want to buy a local souvenir, I found authentic Egyptian cotton hard to come by. If you have a local guide, ask them if they can help you so you don’t end up with a dupe.
I heard it’s not safe to drink the water, is that true?
The water in Egypt is not potable for foreigners, so do not drink it. Even though I stayed in a 5-star hotel in Cairo, I still opted to brush my teeth with bottled water and didn’t run into any issues. It’s definitely not super sustainable, but it beats dysentery.
What’s the best time of year to travel to Egypt?
I traveled to Egypt at the end of August, and it was incredibly hot and upwards of 115 degrees and rising. It’s not comfortable, and I wouldn’t recommend a trip to Egypt during the summertime. Based on conversations with our Egyptian tour guides, the best time of year weather-wise is between October and April. The holidays are kind of a sweet spot here, and I will definitely be planning my next trip accordingly.
How was the food?
The food is fascinating and unlike anything I’ve ever had before. One can’t-miss dish is called Koshery. It’s a consortium of carbs, including pasta, fried rice, chickpeas, and lentils, topped with a tangy tomato sauce and fried onions. I promise you it is better than it looks in this photo.
We were advised by our guides not to eat fruit, vegetables, or anything sold by street vendors due to contamination. That’s totally at your discretion, but I have a sensitive stomach, so as much as I love street treats, I took this advice seriously.
What about alcohol?
Alcohol is widely available at hotels across the country, and I was a big fan of Egyptian beer. Egyptian Stella, not to be confused with Stella Artois and Sakara, are both lagers and a pretty good way to beat the heat. I tried a few Egyptian wines, which, while they weren’t my personal preference, I’d recommend trying if it’s on offer!
I read that scamming is prevalent, did you have any issues?
There’s a joke that one of the tour guides told us that goes something like, ‘It’s free to get on the camel, but it’ll cost you $50 to get off.’ The joke is that someone will approach you and offer something that they’ll say is free — like getting on a camel to take a picture, so you get on to get that insta pic, and then when you’re ready to get off, they’ll say, ‘OK, just give me $50 and you can get off.’ Nothing is free, and these types of scams are prevalent, especially around major tourist sites like the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.
One scam you should be aware of is you might be looking for something — a scarf, a piece of jewelry, and someone might approach you and ask where you’re from, and then they’ll say something like, ‘Oh, I love New York, come to my friends, neighbors, cousins, sisters, etc. shop, they have the best scarves, jewelry, etc.’ Don’t do it. The likelihood that you’ll get ripped off is high, and you don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you’d be at risk of having to bribe your way out of it.
How safe did you feel, and would you travel there by yourself?
These are two big and very important questions that I want to address separately. Safety was my biggest concern before traveling to Egypt, and since this was my first time, my guard was up. I met a few people on my cruise at the airport in Cairo, and from there, we were escorted by bus to our hotel. We did have armed guards with us at all times, and security checks at hotels, museums, and tourist sites are ubiquitous.
While I never felt unsafe at any point during my visit, I would not travel to Egypt on a ‘solo trip’ or without booking a cruise or with a reputable tour company. The U.S. State Department lists Egypt as a Level 3: Reconsider Travel due to ongoing terrorism issues, which is a bit unnerving, but when you read the fine print, those warnings are concentrated in the border regions and not anywhere close to where we were traveling. Egypt has invested a lot of money and resources into its tourism infrastructure, and the demand for travel is at an all-time high. You should still be aware when you’re out and about, but overall, thanks to the security measures in place here, I felt very safe.
I’m heading to Cairo soon, is there anything I can’t miss?
Cairo surprised and delighted me in all the best ways. The city is absolutely massive, and I can’t wait to spend more time here on a future visit. Other than the typical tourist spots like the pyramids and sphinx, one of my favorite things we did was visit The Egyptian Museum, which has been open since 1902 and is like taking a step back into antiquity. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is technically open, but other than the main foyer and gift shop (which is chock full of wonderful local souvenirs), there’s not much to see here yet. Lunch overlooking the pyramids at historic Mena House is fabulous, and the food was top-notch.
Next time I visit, I plan on checking out The Hanging Church and old Coptic Cairo and grabbing some Turkish coffee and spices at Khan el Khalili souk where I have it on good authority that Naguib Mahfouz Cafe is one of the best spots in town.
We’re going on a Nile river cruise in November — how was the flight from Cairo to Aswan?
It’s a relatively uneventful hour-and-a-half flight from Cairo to Aswan, and the views over the desert are incredible. Make sure you request a window seat!
What was your favorite part about sailing on The Nile?
All of it. It’s one of the most captivating places on earth. Stay tuned for my Robb Report story where you can read all about it!
Thanks so much again for all of your wonderful questions! If I missed something, please get in touch! In the meantime, I’ll be back with a regular September newsletter next week, along with some newly published work and an amazing Southern butterscotch pudding recipe you won’t want to miss. See you then. xo, Mich
Your trip looks absolutely spectacular. I am headed there in exactly one month from today and was wondering: Should we plan to bring small bills for tipping? Go to an ATM for Egyptian pounds?
I am assuming all our guides will be expecting tips (and deservedly so). Thanks for you advice.
Kimberley
very informative q and a. i can’t wait to go to egypt. keep on traveling.