Visa and Passport Regulations:
Non-Egyptian visitors to Egypt need a passport with a minimum validity of six months. Exceptions to this rule are Germans and Italians, who can enter with their identity cards (valid for travel abroad!) and carrying two passport photos and one photocopy of their ID card. Keep your ID with you at all times in Egypt, especially if travelling overland. Children must be in their parents' passport or hold a valid passport of their own. From the age of 10 years the child’s passport must have a photo as well. Children older than 12 years need a valid passport of their own.
Visa may be obtained from the Egyptian Consulate in your respective country. Most nationalities (exceptions see below) can also have a visa issued at the major ports of entry; you can buy stamps for the amount required (usually about 20$ payable in foreign currency) to stick in your passport and then proceed to immigrations desk. The tourist visa for single or multiple entries is valid for 30 days. If you are travelling to Egypt for purposes other than tourism you will need an entry visa. Transit visa for stopovers are the third kind of visa available .They can be issued to Cruise ship passengers or flight passengers taking a stopover from a port or airport, usually for the duration of 24 hours.
Travellers arriving from Taba border station and visiting only the East coast of Sinai do not need a visa in advance. They will be issued a permit for this area only. On board plane or upon arrival you will receive an immigration card for Non-Egyptians which you must fill as well and hand in at the immigrations desk together with your passport. Holders of a residency permit need no visa upon leaving and re-entering Egypt, provided the passport is still valid and the residency is at least 6 months from expiring.
Please note that we provide this information for your convenience. It is still your responsibility to check with the Egyptian embassy in your country to make sure that you meet all requirements to ensure entry to Egypt!

• Tourist Visa: is usually valid for a period of 30 days and granted on either single or multiple entry basis.
• Entry Visa: is required for any foreigner arriving in Egypt for purposes other than tourism, (e.g. work, study, etc); the possession of a valid Entry Visa is needed to complete the residence procedure in Egypt.
• Transit Visa: In case your nation is not on the list of countries that need a pre-arrival-visa (please see list below), you can get your visa when you arrive in Egypt. The process is straightforward. You have to buy "visa stamps" for the amount of the fee required for your nationality. These fees vary from 15 to 50 US$ and can not be paid in Egyptian pounds. The stamps are stuck in your passport and you can proceed to the customs desk.

The following nationalities should apply for a pre-arrival visa at the Egyptian consulate in their countries:

For application you will need:
A passport that is valid for at least another six months
One passport-sized photograph
A completed application form
Visa fee depends on your nationality.

Duty Free:
The following goods may be imported into Egypt without incurring customs duty:
(a) 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 200g of tobacco.
(b) 1 liter of alcoholic beverages.
(c) A reasonable amount of perfume and 1 liter of eau de cologne.

Geography:
Egypt is located in the north-east corner of Africa between the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Sudan and Libya. The Sinai peninsula is separated from the African continent by the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. The peninsula also faces Jordan and Saudi Arabia across the Gulf of Aqaba. About 95 per cent of Egypt is uninhabited desert.

Population:
81,7 Million (growth rate: 1,6%)

Time:
GMT plus two hours (GMT plus three hours from May to September)

Language:
Arabic is the official language of Egypt. English is widely spoken and understood, as well as French and German. Italian and Spanish are starting to be widely used in the tourist areas, especially at the Red Sea area.

Temperatures:
The climate is dry with very little rainfall, hot in summer and cool in winter. In Cairo, the temperature varies around 38? C in summer to 15? C in winter. Sandstorms usually blow between mid March to end of April and can sometimes disrupt air traffic. Rainfall is largely confined to the Mediterranean coast, with around 200 millimeters a year in Alexandria.

Clothes:
During summer you need light clothing. In winter, a coat or a jacket will be needed in the evenings. Comfortable shoes are an absolute must. In the city centers, in mosques and churches, more conservative clothes should be worn.

Currency:
The currency for the Egyptian are Egyptian Pound (LE) = 100 Piastres. Notes are in denominations of LE 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 50, 25, 20, 10 and 5 Piastres.

Credit cards:
MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are widely accepted. Check with your credit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travelers Cheques:
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Banking Hours:
The banking hours are Sunday to Thursday, 8.30 am to 2 pm.

Postal services:
It is advisable to use airmail, which takes around five days to reach Europe.

Internet/E-mail:
Different Internet service providers operate in Egypt and Internet access is available in most hotels and internet cafés.

Electricity:
The electric current has 210/220 V. You need to bring an adapter for your electrical appliances.

Travelling alone advice:
Egypt as a tourist cannot be compared with other countries. Things are cheaper here. Even entry fees to the sites are cheaper than many other countries. Flying to Egypt is cheaper from many tourist destinations around the world. Nowadays you can even get an organized package trip for $500 with accommodation!
Often I will advice travellers to avoid getting taxis to tour the sites. What do you expect from a local taxi driver, who cares nothing but how much you will pay him at the end of your trip? This is the job of a travel agency, or a local licensed guide to do.
Today there are so many travel agencies around the world that offer very cheap trip and  they are very well organized. You picked up the choice to do it on your own! Then you must be prepared.

Distances between Cairo and main cities:

Making a phone call:
To call any country outside Egypt, dial your country code, then city code then number.
To call Egypt from abroad, the country code is 002.
If you have friends calling you from North America or Australia while you are in Egypt, tell them to dial 011 before dialling country code.

List of some of the local dialling codes:

The best and the cheapest time to place your call is after 2000 (8:00PM).  If you wish to make an international call simply buy a Mena-Tel card, (will cost you about 20 LE) and it should give you around 3 minutes of calling time to any place in the world. You may make the call from the many yellow phone boxes in the streets around your hotel.
If you wish to purchase a mobile phone sim card for your visit, Both Mobinil, Egypt Vodafone and Etisalat offer a Tourist line for only 60 LE, it will give you an Egyptian number so that you can make phone calls, your friends and family can reach you, and it will save the roaming charges.

• January 7 (Eastern Orthodox Christmas)
• April 25 (Liberation Day)
• May 1 (Labour Day)
• July 23 (Revolution Day)
• October 6 (Armed Forces Day)

Shopping:
During a visit to Egypt, most clients express a wish to purchase typical items of this country like gold, silver or original papyrus. We recommends shops where the client can be sure that the items purchased are of value and not replaced with items of lesser value. The client ultimately decides where to buy, what to buy, and at which price.
A variety of things are specialties of Egypt, like cotton, gold, silver, alabaster, copper, papyrus, leisure wear, shoes and leather. In many shops, especially in the bazaar area, you are advised to bargain, aim at almost around 50-60 percent of the first price asked.

There are also many shops of international fame like Benetton, Stefanel, New Man, Venti, Mexx and Mobaco. Designs are mostly Italian and prices are much lower than in Europe.

Security:
Something you will find in Egypt, it is safe to go for a walk at any time, with no problem. In the unlikely event you do face any problem, the Egyptians will help you in their gentle and gallant way.

Most hotels and boats have safety boxes, free of charge, where you can keep your valuable things. Most hotels and boats do not accept any responsibility for the loss of anything that was not in their safety box.

General Information:
Most hotel meals served in the main dining room are buffet style, unless otherwise specified. Guests on half board take their meals in the main dining room. An allowance may be given against the half board charge, if eating in the hotel's a la carte restaurants (please check with the hotel reception during check in procedures).
There may be a local charge If you wish to take a camera or a video camera inside temples, tombs or archaeology sites (the use of cameras/video cameras may be forbidden in some areas). Bags with over 35 cm width are not allowed in the above-mentioned places.

Meeting, Conference, Incentive:
Egypt, with its 7,000 years of civilizations, has all facilities for all kinds and sizes of successful conferences, with unique programs to fit your conference whether it is pre or post. We will be delighted to design and handle all arrangements for you.

Tipping:
Tipping worth 10-12% is added to hotel and restaurant bills but an extra tip of 5% is normal. Taxi drivers generally expect 10%.

Getting Around:

Air
Egypt Air operates daily flights between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, New Valley, and Hurghada.

Sea/River
There is a steamer service that provides daily ferry service from cities. The traditional Nile sailing boats or better known as feluccas, can be hired by the hour for a more relaxed sailing on the Nile. There are over 160 individually-owned boats of all categories operating on the Nile.
Rail A comprehensive rail network offering a high standard of service is operated along the east west axis from Sallom on the Libyan border to Alexandria and Cairo, and along the Nile to Luxor and Aswan. There are also links to Port Said and Suez. There are frequent trains from Cairo to Alexandria, and also several luxury air-conditioned day and night trains with sleeping and restaurant cars from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan for the Nile Valley tourist trade. For the overnight train, bookings should be made two weeks in advance through a travel agent.

Road
Drivers drive on the right side of the road. Besides the Nile Valley and Delta, which holds an extensive road network, there are paved roads along the Mediterranean and African Red Sea coasts. The speed limit is usually 90kph (56mph) on motorways and 100kph (62mph) on the desert motorway. Private motoring in the desert regions is not recommended without suitable vehicles and a guide.

Bus
The national bus system serves the Nile Valley and the coastal road. Main routes are from Cairo to St Catherine, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Ras Sudr, El-Tour, Taba and Rafah; from Suez to El-Tour and Sharm el-Sheikh; and from Sharm el-Sheikh to Taba, Neweiba, El-Tour, Dahab and St Catherine.

Taxi
Taxis are available in the larger cities and are metered. Long-distance group taxis for all destinations are cheap, although fares should be agreed in advance to clarify the specific rates that will be charged. With regards to this, doing a little research on the standard fare can be a convenient way of making sure additional savings will gained.