GETTING AROUND:
- Domestic flights:
Egypt Air fly between all
major tourist destinations.
For a timetable click here
- Trains: There are
train tracks along the Nile
from Alexandria to Aswan,
and along the Mediterranean
coast and to the major
cities in the Delta.
- Buses: This is
the cheapest way to get
around in Egypt. There are
many different bus
companies.
- Car rental:
To hire and rent a car in
Egypt the following is
needed:
-
A
valid international
passport.
-
A
valid passport from your
country of residence.
-
To be
aged 26 or over.
- Taxi:
Taxi is the easiest way
to get around any
Egyptian town. Cairo
nowadays has both taxis
where you agree the
price beforehand (the
old black and
white taxis), and
Capital taxi company
(yellow cabs) with
meters, where you pay a
fixed price per
kilometer.
TELEPHONE:
Mobile
phones work in Egypt. The
country code is 0020/+20 and
the regional codes for the
major cities are Cairo
(0020)2, Luxor (0020)95,
Hurghada (0020)65, Sharm
El-Sheikh (0020)62 and
Alexandria (0020)3.
INTERNET:
In most
tourist destination, and
also in smaller resorts,
there are Internet cafés.
Many hotels also have their
own 'business center' with
computers and connections to
the internet.
ELECTRICITY:
Egypt uses
220 volts and plugs are the
same as in the Nordic
countries.
HEALTH:
For
holidays of 1-2 weeks,
hepatitis A-vaccination is
recommended. Basic
vaccination is also
advisable (tetanus,
diphtheria, polio). For
trips longer than 2 weeks´or
desert safaris. etc,
additional vaccinations
against hepatitis B, typhoid
and tuberculosis are also
recommended.
CLOTHING:
In tourist
towns such as Hurghada, it
is okay to walk around in
ordinary clothes, but in
bigger towns such as Cairo,
wearing short sleeved
t-shirts, shorts and short
skirts should be avoided.
The most practical way to
dress when visiting towns or
Pharaonic sights is thin
cotton- or linen clothing
with long sleeves, which
also protect against the
sun. The temperature varies
greatly between day and
night during the winter
months; therefore bring a
warm jumper to wear in the
evenings. It is not
necessary for women to cover
their hair, except when
visiting mosques.
SHOPPING:
Souvenirs
can be found at the Khan el
Khalili bazaar in Cairo, and
in the bazaar areas in Luxor,
Hurghada and Sharm el
Sheikh, where you can walk
around for hours and discuss
prices over a cup of tea.
There are also lots of
modern shops with fixed
prices. In Cairo you can
find famous brands at low
cost. Best buys: silver and
leather products, cotton,
glass, alabaster- and brass
items and products made of
Egyptian cotton.
TIPPING:
In Egypt,
tipping has a long
tradition. It is called
baksheesh and is an
important source of income
for many people. In
restaurants, the tip is
normally 12 percent, which
is added to the bill. When
visiting public toilets, it
is advisable to bring some
change, as access often
costs one pound, which is
given to the toilet guard.
Hotel porters also expect
some small tip for their
services.
BARGAINING:
This is an art unknown to
many people from the Nordic
countries, but these simple
tips could help: 1. Think of
bargaining as something fun,
use your sense of humor. 2.
Believe what you see, not
what you are told about the
product. 3. The cost is
normally less than half of
the starting price. 4. Do
some market research: check
prices with other tourists,
check some different shops.
5. Only buy something if you
are happy with the price!
