Booking for the GnT Egypt Experience March 2024 tour is now open – places are limited
(A provisional booking is not in any way binding)
Booking for the GnT Egypt Experience March 2024 tour is now open – places are limited
(A provisional booking is not in any way binding)
COVID-19
Egypt has removed all coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions that were imposed on the entry of Egyptian and foreign arrivals to the country.
The rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers to Egypt are now the same. Egypt lifted the remaining entry restrictions on June 17, 2022.
Foreign visitors are no longer required to provide proof of full vaccination to travel to Egypt. Previously, international visitors needed a valid certificate of vaccination to enter.
This means that trips to Egypt for tourism are available to more international visitors.
There are no specific COVID-19 vaccination rules for children.
Important announcement for EGYPTAIR customers coming from abroad:
In light of updating the precautionary measures at Egyptian airports to reduce overcrowding and as per the launching of the electronic platform “Visit Egypt”, EGYPTAIR calls upon its customers coming to Egypt from abroad to register on the electronic platform www.visitegypt.gov.eg and to get the QR code for entering Egypt in order to facilitate their travel procedures.
To ensure the safety of all travellers, the Egyptian Ministry of Health mandates that all incoming travellers must register at the official website, at least two days before starting their trip.
Completing this registration will reduce your waiting time upon arrival. You can still fill in the paper forms upon your arrival.
Electronic visa applications can be found at the following link:
There are no quarantine requirements for international travellers. Tourists can visit Egypt without having to self-isolate, even if they are not fully vaccinated.
Anyone who develops symptoms or tests positive whilst in Egypt should follow local guidelines regarding self-isolation.
Airline passengers are no longer required to complete a Public Health Card and present it to officials on arrival in Egypt.
Flight information and contact details were previously requested so that authorities could notify individuals if they had travelled with someone who has later tested positive.
As well as lifting travel restrictions, other preventative measures in Egypt have also been eased. Restaurants, cafés, and tourist services are now operating. Major tourist attractions including the Giza pyramids are welcoming visitors. Restrictions are under constant review and may be updated at short notice. Travellers must check the latest rules and protocols before arranging a trip to Egypt.
Departure
For your return home, you will need to check the necessary requirements for arrival in your own country. If necessary, GnT Tours will make arrangements for relevant PCR tests to be carried out before we depart.
Our experience of Egypt is, yes, Egypt is safe. Like anywhere in the world, it depends on where you want to go and what you want to do. If you want to go back-packing across Northern Sinai, then perhaps no – it is not safe. If you want to wander around late at night on your own in Cairo, we would advise against it. We would advise against you wandering around any city late at night on your own. If you want to enjoy the historical sites of Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Alexandria and all points in between, then yes, Egypt is safe.
Tourism
Tourism plays a large role in the GDP of Egypt, and although it suffered greatly immediately after the revolution of 2011, and again with the Coronavirus, it will improve, thanks not only to the great work that is being done by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, initially under the leadership of Dr Khaled el-Enany, and now Ahmed Issa, but also the tourists who have gone back home and loudly proclaimed what a fantastic time they have had.
Economy
Most Egyptians are very aware of the economic value that tourism brings to their economy and will treat you accordingly. Egyptians are friendly people and will do anything to help you. Sadly, their economy has been suffering and so many people are desperate, and usually such help comes at a price. For most tourists that price means very little to them financially.
Government
The Egyptian government is also aware of the importance of tourists and has noticeably increased the presence of police at most major sites, as well as increased the various security procedures around entering such places. The tourist police are also usually not far away. The stricter controls over where you can go in any given area are also there for your added protection.
Respect
When travelling in a foreign country you will have a far better experience by integrating with the locals than if you try and distance yourself. For a lot of travellers, Egypt might be their first foray into a Muslim country, and the different traditions and societal behaviours that go with that can be somewhat of an adjustment, but that is all it is, an adjustment. You are a visitor in their country, so you need to do the adjusting. To that end it is our advice that you always dress on the more conservative side, so as to not attract any unwelcome attention. If you are visiting tombs and temples, it is better to show a degree of respect for the sites that you are in.
Haggling
Haggling from street traders and shop keepers is a part of life, as is the constant demand to visit someone’s shop, take their horse-drawn cab, or spend an hour on their boat. It is a game, and if you approach it as so, you will not be disappointed. Better to not say anything than get drawn into conversation. Once you say something, then you are deemed to have begun the game. A dismissive wave, or if you must say something a quick “Laa shukran” (Arabic for “No, thank you”) will suffice.
Single Travellers
Egypt is perfectly safe providing you are aware of where you are and what you are doing. It is sometimes easier being in a group, rather than on your own, as single travellers look like easier targets. If you are a single traveller, usually you can tag on to one of the tour groups doing the rounds. GnT Tours will never leave you on your own.
Is Egypt safe? In our opinion, absolutely.
The answer to that must be, “How much would you like to spend?” Egypt offers a multitude of hotels, hostels, b&bs and apartments to rent. They all have a price, usually depending on location and the services offered. Getting around can be expensive unless you have some idea of what you are doing. Then there are the entrance fees to all the museums and archaeological sites. These prices also vary, depending on what you wish to see or enter. Food is always good value for money, but drinks, and certainly imported wines and beers, can cost quite a bit. The GnT Tours Egypt Experience is a single cost all-inclusive price that covers your accommodation for the tour, all your transport, all your food and all your entrance fees. You could, if you wanted to, get off the plane in Cairo and not spend anything extra until your departure. Ts & Cs apply.
There are many great places to visit in Egypt from the Mediterranean in the north to the beach and diving resorts on the Red Sea, from the Pyramids in and around Cairo to the magnificent tombs and temples of Upper Egypt in the south. The GnT Tours Egypt Experience is about Ancient Egypt, and to that end we begin and end our tour in Cairo with the Pyramids, while the middle section is in Luxor, home to the Valley of the Kings, numerous tombs and temples, including the tomb of Tutankhamun.
The best times to visit Egypt is between the end of September and March, autumn and winter, as the rest of the year can be unbearably hot. The summer months are ideal for lazing on the beaches of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, but are perhaps too much for spending time in the desert areas. The GnT Tours Egypt Experience runs in the autumn and winter as we spend a considerable amount of time outdoors on the edge of the desert.
The content of these frequently asked questions can change so if you have any other questions about the tour, about travelling to Egypt or just about Ancient Egypt – Contact Us
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GnT Tours - The Egypt Experience
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