Egypt Overview

Fast Facts

Main Languages: Egyptian Arabic (Masri/Cairene), and Standard Arabic. In major cities, English and French are also widely spoken, as is a little Italian.

When to Go: Egypt’s climate can be described and hot and dry for most of the year, however, in the winter months of December to February, it can get quite cold in the northern regions, with temperatures dipping to about 8°C. In the desert regions, the weather is always extreme, ranging from very hot at mid-day and very cold at night. The months of March and April are usually to be avoided when visiting the interior regions, as there is much dust and wind caused by the khamsim wind, which blows in from the Western Desert. The best time to visit depends on the destinations you intend to visit, though generally, the winter months are the tourist high season. June and August are considered to be the hottest months, except on the coasts. The best time to visit almost any part of Egypt is from September to November. It is also recommended not to visit during the Ramadan (Ramzan) period, as most offices, cafes, and restaurants are usually closed during daylight hours. 

Local Transport: The country is very well-connected with an extensive and inexpensive system of public and private transport, including boats (feluccas/steamers/cruise ships), trains, buses, and planes.

Boats: The best way to travel along the River Nile is via felucca, steamer, or cruise ship, and there are plenty of private operators.

Buses: Buses service every city and village in the country, and are very inexpensive. However, do expect overcrowding on the more inexpensive coaches, while air-conditioned deluxe coaches are generally much more comfortable. Minibuses are recommended intra-city transport options, as just like other local buses, normal-sized buses tend to get very overcrowded, whereas in minibuses the no-standing rule is usually well-enforced.

Cars/Motorcycles: Driving a hired/owned car within cities is not recommended, as the traffic is very chaotic, however, during the day, on intercity routes, driving around is quite manageable. Night driving between cities is not recommended. A four-wheel drive is recommended if you intend to visit out of the way places. Motorcycles are not allowed to be hired, which is unfortunate, as they probably are the best way to explore the country.

Trains: Trains are the best way to travel between Cairo and major towns, such as Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan (though an opportunity to travel to these two by cruise ship or felucca should not be missed). It is recommended to take the Turbini and Espani trains to Alexandria, and the tourist/sleeping trains to Luxor and Aswan, run by Abela Egypt. Second and third class travel on trains is not recommended, as the trains are usually dirty, and make innumerable stops on every station en-route to your destination.

Planes: Air travel is not a usual mode of transport, but EgyptAir, the main domestic carrier, provides inexpensive and convenient connectivity between main cities.

Bicycles: As it can get very hot, cycling around the country is not recommended, and there is no infrastructure in place for them, including train or bus transport. Cycle repair is also notoriously difficult here.

Currency: Egypt Pound (EGP) 1 EGP is approximately 8.6 Indian Rupees

Voltage: 220 V / 50 Hz

Time Zone: GMT +2 (+3 from May to September). IST - 2.5 hours