Before you take off on your next excursion to Egypt, make sure you are prepared with the help of an essential Egypt travel guide book. This information will include everything from local laws that you should follow, establishing a reasonable budget, and other tips that you will need to know in order to have a great trip. Everything from packing and being prepared daily on your trip will help you stay safe and enjoy the experience.
Follow Local Laws
When it comes to visiting Egypt, you need to be prepared for the local laws that are in place. The culture is different in that country than a lot of Western countries, and you could find yourself unknowingly breaking a law due to ignorance. For example, there are special laws that regulae the dress and outerwear for women in public in Egypt. These are not practiced by Western women, so you need to be prepared to be dressed in the local gear when you are traveling.
You could also be jailed in a local prison if you are found wandering the streets of Egypt on a closed day. This is not allowed, and one of the ways that you find yourself needing bail bond agents while in Egypt. There are also strict laws related to photos, and consuming alcohol in public. While it is allowed in some places, you need to be prepared to not take it with you and enjoy it openly as you may do now.
Other local laws are related to wearing shoes in public places where you have take them off to visit, pray, especially in locations that are considered holy. As a visitor, make sure that you always have your identification with you and you are in places where you are allowed to be. Venturing off into unknown territory could be grounds for getting you imprisoned or fined.
Set a Reasonable Budget
What you don’t want to do when you plan your trip to Egypt is to be financially unprepared and have to visit a bankruptcy law firm when you return. There are several different types of fees that you need to financially prepare for before you move forward with your trip. First, you need tos secure funds for plane tickets and any other types of travel you will need once you reach Egypt. This could be bus, train, or small plane fare to help you get where you are going throughout your trip.
Securing lodging is the next step in budgeting for your trip. If you are planning to stay in the same area for the trip, or you want to stay in different places around the country. That needs to be covered and reserved before you get to Egypt. If you can prepay, go ahead and do that, but if not, make sure you know the exchange rate of the Egyptian pound to the US Dollar.
There could always be unexpected expenses that come up when you are traveling to and throughout Egypt, so budget some extra cash not only for shopping, but for emergencies where you need assistance or need to make last-minute changes. It wouldn’t hurt to have a little extra if you find yourself or someone in your party being fined and need to pay to get out of the country.
You need to make sure all your identification is up-to-date before you leave. You may need to renew your license and passport, which do come with a fee. Also, make sure you purchase travel insurance before you leave. You can access these funds while you are in Egypt in the event of accident or tragedy, so that you are not left alone and broke in another country. Travel insurance will also cover expenses in case you need to cancel part or all of your trip at the last minute.
Explore Cairo
You can’t visit Egypt without visiting the capital of Cairo. There are lots of different historical places to visit when walking through the downtown part of this beautiful city. Make sure you stop by the Egyption Museum, Al-Azhar Park, and other places along the way that have a significant historical reference.
While in Cairo, it is important to do some shopping for some of the best art and stone pieces that will look fantasist in your home. Choose from authentic curated style pieces and have them shipped back to your home. You don’t want to attempt to continue traveling with these pieces and try to take them back home through various plane rides. These pieces are once in a lifetime and should be treated as such when they are being purchased. Spend the extra cash to have it shipped securely to your home, arriving shortly after you return from your trip.
There are lots of places to dine and enjoy the local culture in Cairo. This area is a bit more welcoming to Western visitors, and you will find lots of authentic Egyptian food available in the town center. You can also get some small trinkets to bring back home with you that can safely fit in your luggage and will be safe traveling back. These authentic gifts will be much appreciated by your loved ones who you are thinking of when you are traveling.
Stay Hydrated
Remember that Egypt is in a desert, and it will be hot while you are there. It will also be dry, which makes it easier to get dehydrated, because you don’t realize you need water until you are already feeling the effects of being dehydrated. It is important to always have water with you and have cash available to purchase water when you are visiting different areas. If you are going to be a long way away from civilization on an excursion, make sure you pack plenty of water in your bags before you take off so that you are fully hydrated through the trip.
Like any place you travel, it is not ideal to drink spring water or water from the ground. When available, you need to purchase bottled water that has been processed with a residential water treatment system and filtered out all the unwanted bacteria and debris from the water. Because your body is not used to the water in Egypt, it is easy to get sick from microorganisms that you don’t have immunity to. This is why it is best to always have some form of filtered water throughout the whole trip so you aren’t sick and not enjoying your vacation.
Go on a Nile Cruise
So, before you leave Egypt, you have to make sure you visit a Nile cruise and explore Ancient Egypt firsthand. Throughout the year, there are tour guides who have boats running, making this excursion available for tourists to see different temples, bazaars, and visit some of the most historic places in all history. With Egypt being the motherland, there is a lot to learn and embrace on these tours. These tours mostly take place in Luxor, and then work their way through Edfu, Esna, and Kom Ombo, making stops along the way and visiting the most fascinating sites.
When you are out on these excursions, you may need additional cash to cover the boat storage services, especially if your party wants to spend a little more time in one of the places or get held up due to the weather in the area. There are lots of other things you can pay extra for in these places, so make sure you are budgeting beforehand. Also, have extra money available to purchase water at each stop so that you stay hydrated, even if you think you have enough water as it is.
Marvel at the Valley of the Kings
Probably one of the most important stops that you need to take in Egypt according to the Egypt travel guide book, is the stop at Valley of the Kings. Located on the west side of the Nile, there are lots of tombs in this location that are essential for visitors to make sure they stop and see when they are in Egypt. This location has been a hot spot for archaeologists over the last several decades and it has been instrumental in giving us a detailed history of Ancient Egypt.
When you visit these tombs, you will be exposed to lots of painted walls in these tombs and sculptures that tell stories of this culture. You can find replicas of the Valley of Kings in a local large architecture design firm that intends to make modern designs more accessible for tourists to enjoy without causing damage to the original structures. When you visit the Valley of the Kings, you can get a ticket to go into three tombs, and you select the three you want. Outside of that, you will need to purchase additional tickets to visit additional tombs.
Visit the Karnak and Luxor Temples
The Karnak and Luxor temples are some of the most visited locations in all of Egypt according to the Egypt Travel Guide Book. The Karnak Temple is one large area that comprises multiple small temples and chapels, almost like a small city in the area. Through years of excavation, there has been the discovery of other buildings and an estimated build time between 2000 BC and 100 AD. The gods that this temple is dedicated to are Mut, Amun, and Khonsu.
The Luxor Temple is a little different, with it being considered an outdoor museum, thanks to the excavation that has been done in the area. There aren’t really any gods that this temple is dedicated to like others, but instead built to honor the coronation of the king. This location was meant to be a sacred ground for ceremonies and events that brought the community together.
Stay Cool in the Heat
One of the biggest things that you can do when traveling in Egypt is stay cool when you are traveling. As you visit different locations, you may find that there is a demand for ac repairs, so make sure there are fans nearby to circulate the air. What you want to avoid is spending too much time in areas that do not have air conditioning or fans to help with the heat. Staying cool is important for your health so that you don’t get overheated, especially in an area where you are required to wear so many clothes throughout the day and in public.
Visit the Modern Library of Alexandria
One of the next destinations in the Egypt Travel guide book is the Modern Library of Alexandria. It brings together years of culture in the ancient harbor of Alexandria. The library has 11 stories for visitors to explore, and there are over four million books found throughout the walls of this library. Outside the amazing collection of books in this facility is the flooring designs, which bring together the design and theme of each floor. This library is only minutes from the University of Alexandria and experiences thousands of visitors each year.
Find a Quality Hotel
When you are making your hotel reservations in Egypt, it is important that you choose a quality hotel. An Egyptian travel guide book will encourage those from the West to choose hotels that are Western-based. While there are some cultural changes in these hotels, they do have the same standard level of cleanliness that you expect from hotels in the US and have accommodations that can make your stay more comfortable. These quality hotels will have things like bottled water and other items you may have forgotten available in the hotel to purchase so that you can have the best experience on your vacation. Things like window covering, thick bedding, and air conditioning are also available in these hotels.
Prepare For Your Trip To Egypt
If you’re getting ready to travel, it is time to take into consideration the tips from this Egypt travel guide book so that you have the best experience preparing, during your trip, and returning home. There are some sites that you must see while in Egypt, and there are also some things that you need to be hyper-aware of so that you’re accommodating to the culture that you are visiting.
