Egypt Warnings Or Dangers Tips by pangtidor Top 5 Page for this destination

ALEXANDRIA

During my trip to Alexandria last year, I didnt face any problem at all. In fact, Alexandria will be the one most adorable people. No hassle at all on the street. The street vendors are good and not trying to force you for anything. The only problem I have seen there during my visit was the tourism police. They are obviously asking tips to the tour guide in front of the tourists.

ASWAN

The train station will be the place with more hassle than the other places in Aswan. Many taxi drivers will approach you aggressively when you are alone. The boat captain at the Philae Temple will charge you more when he knows you are alone and not included in a tour. Try to approach a tour guide at the ticket booth and ask for a ride if you are alone. You will just pay around 10LE, not 40-50LE like the captain demand. SEE MY OTHER TRANPORTATION TIP FELLUCA. There is less hassle on the streets in Aswan. The felluca ride will be disturbed by the kids with their own small boat, who are trying to ask money from you. They are not aggressive and go away when you say no.

BE VERY HEALTHY

Be sure that you are ready for the real adventure in Egypt. There will be more exhausting physical activities than what you had imagined. More than thousands of stairs to climb at the Valley of The Kings and The Valley of The Queens under the super heated sunlight; many more to step on at the Catatomb Alexandria and the small pyramids at Giza. Some more miles to walk on into their treasures with the heat on and off throughout the year like Giza Plateau and Aswan Western Bank. Climbing Mt. Sinai is another challenge too, it is not easy. Don’t go by the train or bus from Cairo to Sinai or Aswan or Luxor if you can not tolerate the more than 8 hours journey, take a flight instead.

MT.SINAI

Climbing the Mt. Sinai is not easy as you thought. You have to be in a perfect condition and ready to pump your heart faster. The camel will just give you a ride up to the camel station and you have to climb thousands of stairs more to reach the top for the sunrise view. Be careful with the camels on the walk path, they move silently and may crash you. The temperature is absolutely cold at the top, wear many layers and covers. Bring as less as you can, you may not be able to carry many in exhaustion. Be sure to wear the good sport shoes, it will be a rough way to go. Bring torch if you climb the mountain at night. Go to the toilet at the parking area before starting the hiking. Not kidding, you could wear the pampers, the toilets at the mountains are scarry. Bring the passport; some checking will be on the road. The oldest monastery will be closed on Friday to Sunday. The most important thing, bring your best camera.

DAHAB

GET YOUR PASSPORT AND TICKETS HANDY FOR THE ROAD TRIP, many checking points to pass through. BRING GOOD MOISTURIZER FOR YOUR SKIN AND HAIR, only salty water available in the bathroom. DONT BE PITTY ON THE BRACELET BEDOUIN GIRLS, they are very talented business women. THE CATS ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE AT THE RESTAURANTS, dont feed them. DON’T EXPECT ANY CROWD BEFORE 10AM, the city sleeps late. DONT WORRY OF NOT GETTING THE ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND GIRLS HERE, it is one of the sin cities in Egypt. To all the girls: dont dress like a grandma here.

ABU SIMBEL TEMPLE

Be careful with the tour guide who will try to cheat you on the ticket booth. Taking pictures is strictly prohibited inside the temples; RESPECT THEIR NATIONAL TREASSURES. PROTECT YOURSEF FROM THE SUN and the HEAT with the hat, good shades, sun block, and water. DON’T WALK THROUGH THE STORES NEARBY THE TEMPLE ENTRANCE GATE IF YOU DON’T PLAN TO BUY SOMETHING. DONT FORGET YOUR TRANSPORT PLAT NUMBER AND PARKING PLACE IF YOU COME HERE FROM ASWAN. It could be almost hundred of cars will come and leave together in a convoy from and to Aswan.

LUXOR

Luxor has more aggressive hassle than in any other part of Egypt. You need to be aggressive to deal with this kind of attitude too. THE HORSE CART – BUGGY MAN, such a liar, don’t believe their generosity and the deal before your ride. THE SHOE POLISHER BOYS, trying to grab your legs for the polishing service even though you wear sneakers. THE BEGGING KIDS, asking for anything you carry or eat and money. THE LOCAL MERCHANTS: use to stand or sit in front of their store; grabbing your hands to pull you in their stores. THE TOURISM POLICE and the local man-with a turban and long gown at the temples will get your pictures and your money as well. THE HEAT is unbearable at the Valley of the Kings and queens; wear a hat, good shades and bring water.

CAIRO

Like other metropolitan cities, Cairo is crowded with different kind of people and vehicles. Traffic with the polluted air and trash around the corner will be the common view of the city. Crossing the street will be a great adventure, see my danger and warning tip-crossing the street. BE CAREFUL WITH THE TAXI HERE; get to know the common price before you make a deal with a taxi. BEGGARS WILL BE RUNNING AFTER YOU, even grabbing your hand to ask money when necessary. DON’T BE CHEATED BY THE FAKE DEALS of the buggy man, camel man, donkey man, and horse man. WATCH OUT with the shopping tour at the Giza by your tour guide. MERCILESS TO THE MONEY EXTORTION on the camel ride. REFUSE THE TORN TICKETS AT GIZA AND STEP PYRAMIDS. DONT TAKE ANY PICTURES WHEN THEY ASK YOU SO.

The beggars

The beggars are everywhere and you will be fooled by their pathetic look. A beggar in Dahab was proudly boasting to her friends on how much money she can take from the tourist instantly without doing anything. The next minutes she approached a lady and creating her dramatic mimic for the next instant money. Telling that she hasn’t eaten for few days and the money ended with the bicycle rent. The beggars in Cairo are more dramatic with their tears and weeping. Well, everybody is trying to survive with their own way.

Tipping

It was funny to read the Egypt Air in flight magazine on my way back home. It is written that someway the tip is mandatory and ranged between 1-5 Egyptian Pounds. Yes, it is mandatory all over Egypt and it is not the correct range. Everybody will be asking tip from you even without doing anything. For those who have done something for you, they even ask for the bigger tip. Oh Sir, no tip for me? Sir, is it the only tip you will be able to give me? The tourist cop is not the exception too. We were trying to get rid of the Piasters, smaller nominal of Egyptian Pounds, rolling them together for the amount of some Pounds and planning to give them as our tip. They refused the Pounds tip in Piasters and telling us that they don’t accept Piasters. We took our money back and walked away. Guess what-they run after us and ask the Piasters roll again. Be familiar with the tip word or SISH-local word for tip. It could be annoying for the first days but could be funny on the later days of you in Egypt.