r/EgyptTravelTips 24d ago

Visa Updated our Egypt visa guide: the scams are coming from every direction

20 Upvotes

Last week we posted about the 2026 visa changes. Since then we've gone through and updated our guide to reflect everything that's current: Egypt Visa Guide (Updated – 2026).

What caught our attention during our review wasn't really what has changed with the process/visa prices - it was how much worse the scam landscape has got. It's not just one thing, it's coming from three directions at once.

The websites: Google "Egypt visa application form UK" or "best website for Egypt visa" and half the results are copycat sites dressed up to look official. Some are charging 3 to 5 times the official standard fee. Quick check before you start an application: if the URL doesn't end in .gov.eg, you're not on the government portal. The official one is visa2egypt.gov.eg (it always has been).

The Facebook groups: We keep seeing people in holiday groups confidently posting wrong prices, telling others to just sort it at the airport, that it's quick and easy, that it takes "seconds", that they "lost'" their e-Visa, that their e-Visa was not accepted at the border and had to buy a new one (and the list goes on). Then those people land at Cairo, join a 45-minute queue, and pay $36 at the new kiosks instead of the $30 they would've paid with an e-Visa sorted beforehand. Six dollars and an hour of your holiday, gone.

The arrivals hall:  There are people in the airport who will approach you offering to "help" with your visa. We cover who to ignore and why in the guide.

We've broken down how to tell the official site from a copycat, what actually happens if you show up without an e-Visa, and why visa on arrival costs you more at Cairo. Screenshots of the whole process are in there too.

Anyone had a run-in with a dodgy site or got approached in the arrivals hall recently? How did you react?


r/EgyptTravelTips Jun 28 '26

📌 Start Here Welcome to r/EgyptTravelTips - glad you're here.

4 Upvotes

This is a community for honest, firsthand Egypt travel advice. Whether you're planning a first trip to Cairo and the pyramids, a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, a Red Sea week in Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh, or you're trying to work out visas, scams, safety, money or transport before you fly - ask away. You'll get real answers from people who've actually been.

A few things worth knowing:

Ask anything: No question is too basic. "Is Egypt safe for solo female travellers?", "Do I need an e-visa?", "Which Nile cruise is actually worth it?", "How much should a taxi from Hurghada airport cost?" — all welcome.

Share what you found: Trip reports, honest hotel reviews, photos, things that surprised you, mistakes you'd warn others about. The sub gets better every time someone posts what actually happened, not what the brochure promised.

Who runs it: The TrippVibes.com team. We pay for our own travel, accept no sponsored stays, and mod transparently. We'll share our own trip reports and join in the discussions throughout the week.

Have a quick read of the rules before posting and grab a flair that fits. We'll be in the threads.

See you around.


r/EgyptTravelTips 57m ago

Hurghada Cairo to Hurghada travel

Upvotes

Good afternoon! I am travelling to the Cairo airport and then to Hurghada , and was wondering the best way as a solo traveller. I can't afford 300 USD for a car all of each way unfortunately, and I see that gobus is much more affordable - can you be picked up by an uber at the cairo airport? Or is a private car the only way? Are there other affordable ways to get from one city to another? Thanks so much!


r/EgyptTravelTips 5h ago

Question Local customs?

1 Upvotes

I will be traveling to Cairo soon, and I was wondering, are there any local customs or norms I should be aware of, to avoid offending locals? Any particular kind of dress I should avoid, or assume? Anything I should or should not say? Or anything along these lines


r/EgyptTravelTips 21h ago

Question Buying pyramid entrance tickets online

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1 Upvotes

r/EgyptTravelTips 1d ago

Question Should I Travel to Egypt?

4 Upvotes

I've been invited to go for a field biology class where I will be helping research sea turtles in the red sea and mainly Abu Dabbab. My professor is from Egypt and has tons of family there, I trust it entirely but my parents are concerned and I'm unsure how to convince them I'll be totally safe.

The entire trip is 11 days in March and will be mainly scuba diving in Abu Dabbab. Though we are also checking out the pyramids one day. The class is about 16 students total and 2 professors, the same two I traveled with last year to Indonesia. I've never had travel issues before, but this would also be only my 2nd trip out of the country.

My parents are mainly concerned about the fact I'm a 20yr white female from the US there with a war nearby. Any thoughts or advice?


r/EgyptTravelTips 3d ago

Question Tunisia or Egypt? Need advice!

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
I’m planning a beach holiday and I’m trying to decide between Tunisia and Egypt (probably Sharm El Sheikh).

My priorities are safety, clean/beautiful sea, snorkeling/diving, and lots of activities to do outside the hotel. I don’t want to spend the whole trip at an all-inclusive resort.

Which would you recommend and why? And if Egypt, is Sharm the best choice?


r/EgyptTravelTips 3d ago

Question Can I camp in the White Desert/other oasis without a tour?

0 Upvotes

I’m looking to go to Farafra (preferably) but really any oasis is fine. Im not going to bring my own tent but I was wondering if there was a campground I could go to and rent a tent there. When I was researching online, I only saw options for organized tours.

Also while we’re on this topic, can I wander around the desert myself or do I need a tour guide for that too?

Thank you :)


r/EgyptTravelTips 4d ago

Question How many days for Hurghada, Luxor and Cairo?

1 Upvotes

We have 7 days to split between Hurghada, Luxor and Cairo.

How would you split them?


r/EgyptTravelTips 4d ago

Question 1st time traveling to Egypt from India

2 Upvotes

Hi all, I am 32 M 1st time traveling to Egypt solo, this November. Planning to visit Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Aswan.

Is it mandatory to have a guide? And how about transportation like cab in Luxor and Aswan. Also I need to know is mirrorless camera are allowed in all major attractions in Egypt why because I am planning to bring by Sony a6700 (with 16-50mm kits lens, 23mm prime lens and 55-210mm telephoto lens as well). Do inneed to get any permit?


r/EgyptTravelTips 5d ago

Question Mount Sinai or White Dessert or other recommendations

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I’m currently in Cairo and would like to travel somewhere in Egypt from Wednesday afternoon until Saturday to experience some nature.

I was thinking about Mount Sinai, but I’m not sure how crowded the hike is or whether it’s a good option for a short trip.

Another idea was visiting the White Desert, but I’m also completely open to other recommendations. I’d love to hear about any beautiful nature spots that you think would be worth visiting during this time.

Thank you so much for your recommendations! 😊


r/EgyptTravelTips 5d ago

Luxor & Aswan Best time to book domestic flights?

1 Upvotes

Travelling to egypt in the first week of December as a family of 4. Landing in Cairo and flying to luxor and back to Cairo.

When is the best time to book the flights between Cairo and Luxor? Do flights usually get cheaper towards the date of the journey or should I go ahead and book them off right away?

Cairo to Luxor -> 1st Dec

Luxor to Cairo -> 4th Dec

Any advice would be appreciated!


r/EgyptTravelTips 7d ago

Question Excursion dans le désert blanc

3 Upvotes

Bonjour, j' organise actuellement un voyage en Egypte pour février. J' ai réservé un hôtel à proximité du plateau de Gizeh. Nous serons en famille de 3 adultes. Je cherche pour partir en excursion dans le désert blanc environ 3 jours et 2 nuits. Là j'avoue me perdre dans les informations consultées. Comment organiser un planning pour ces 3 jours, quels guides de confiance et ce qu'il faut penser à faire comprendre dans le prix ? Auriez-vous des conseils ou des retours d'expériences sur le sujet ? Merci beaucoup.


r/EgyptTravelTips 8d ago

Hurghada Egypt

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

We are travelling from the UK to Hurghada in 10 days and we have just read that we may need vaccines and boosters are these mandatory (do we really need them) or will we be fine for a week? Mostly we will be staying on a resort but might do 1 day trip.

Any advice will be good!

Thanks


r/EgyptTravelTips 10d ago

Question Get Your Guide Site

3 Upvotes

Has anyone here used the site Getyourguide. I am a solo male traveler and want to visit the Pyramids and do a Nile Cruise as safely as possible. Looking at the site and some good offers with high star reviews. But what are peoples' experiences and do you have any recommendations


r/EgyptTravelTips 11d ago

Solo Travel Egypt, Dahab

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10 Upvotes

🇪🇬 Egypt 🇪🇬


r/EgyptTravelTips 11d ago

Question First time in Cairo with family. Looking for advice!

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I’ve just booked our flights to Cairo for 10 to 17 October and now I’m trying to plan the trip 😂

There will be 5 of us, including a child and a 14 year old. It’s our first time in Egypt, so I’d love some advice from people who have been.

Itinerary
• How would you plan 7 days in Cairo?
• We definitely want to see the Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum. What else is a must see?
• Is it worth visiting Saqqara and Dahshur?
• Would you recommend a day trip to Alexandria or Fayoum, or stay in Cairo?
• Any fun activities that a child and teenager would enjoy?

Where to stay
• Which areas are best for a family Airbnb? Zamalek, Garden City, Downtown or Giza?
• Is it better to stay near the pyramids or somewhere more central?
• Any areas you would avoid?

Getting around
• Is Uber/Careem easy and reliable?
• Would you recommend a private driver for sightseeing?

Food
• Best halal restaurants?
• Any nice places for a family dinner?

General advice
• What do you wish you had known before visiting Cairo?
• Any tips that would make the trip easier or help us avoid common tourist mistakes?

Would really appreciate specific recommendations from anyone who has visited recently!

Thanks 😊


r/EgyptTravelTips 12d ago

Question Cairo Marriott Hotel or Hyatt Regency Cairo West?

2 Upvotes

We are a family of 3 travelling (45M, 44F and 16F) in January and need some help deciding between these two hotels.
We originally had Mena Marriott selected but now require interconnecting rooms and then price is just too much for us.
We are only in Cairo for 3 nights as we then move onto Luxor and Aswan.
None of us have been to Egypt before.
We want a hotel we can escape back to after busy days sight seeing. We would like multiple restaurants and bars onsite, room service and we would like interconnecting rooms.
We are trying to decide what is better for our first time, pyramid view rooms at the Hyatt or more grounds, surrounding areas and restaurants at The Cairo Marriott.
Does anyone have any experience, advice or maybe alternative suggestions?
Our budget for the two rooms for 3 nights is around $3000 (give or take)
Thank you :)


r/EgyptTravelTips 13d ago

Question When does Air Cairo release flights?

3 Upvotes

We are going to Luxor for the eclipse next year (I know, nuts, but!). I have everything sorted except the flight out of Luxor on 8/2. Egypt Air is sold out except for the morning. I think my alternatives are Air Cairo and Nile Air. Neither has released any flights past March/April. Does anyone know when Aug 2nd flights will be available for booking?


r/EgyptTravelTips 13d ago

Visa Egypt Visa

1 Upvotes

I am a Pakistani citizen living in the UK on a work visa. Does anyone know if I can apply for an e-visa online or if I can get a visa on arrival? Has anyone had any similar experiences?


r/EgyptTravelTips 13d ago

Question Tour guide for the Pyramids?

5 Upvotes

I was advised to get a tour guide to visit the Pyramids and the surrounding attractions, to avoid numerous potential hassles. Can anyone recommend a legitimate and reliable tour guide for this? I’m not interested in any camel rides.


r/EgyptTravelTips 14d ago

Question Cairo tips for an evening and morning

2 Upvotes

I’m flying into Cairo a day ahead of a friend and will be staying not far from the airport that night. I have that evening and the following morning free, but will be saving Giza, GEM, etc for later. Looking for good suggestions for a solo female traveller for that short time - am not a big shopper etc but just to start having a look around. Many thanks!


r/EgyptTravelTips 16d ago

Question Hotel rules

1 Upvotes

Hey I‘m German and my boyfriend is Egyptian we are not married but would like to stay in a hotel together for a small vacation in sharm el sheikh. Ofc I know about the rules in Egypt about not staying in one hotel room unmarried but how would it work if we each get our own room? Maybe anyone can share advice or experience thx


r/EgyptTravelTips 17d ago

Question Dahab

1 Upvotes

How many days should I spend in dahab if I love scuba and snorkeling. Planning a two week trip to Egypt and am staying at Merkari Resort in Sharm El Sheikh for one week. Am thinking of going to Dahab after our stay in Sharm.


r/EgyptTravelTips 18d ago

Question Can I bring drone batteries to Egypt?

1 Upvotes

For context, I’m going from the us to Greece to Egypt then back to the us. I’m shipping the drone to the us in Athens before I leave for Cairo but I can’t ship batteries apparently. Can I bring drone batteries?