Africa
Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History - Hotels
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do require a visa to enter Egypt and this remains valid for up to one month. You should also have a full passport with at least six months validity from the date of your return to the UK.
Non-British passport holders should check their visa requirements with their local embassy. Please also be aware that you need to have at least two blank pages in your passport.
Health Requirements - There are no mandatory vaccinations required to enter Egypt, but the following vaccinations are sometimes recommended: Tetanus, Cholera, Typhoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis A and Polio.
Malaria does exist in some localised areas of Egypt and it is recommended that you seek qualified medical advice on its prevention.
We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 606 2782 for all professional medical advice.
Time - GMT + 2hrs
Money - The local currency is the Egyptian Pound.
Traveller’s cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at hotels and commercial banks. Credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are generally accepted in most of the larger establishments, although it is wise to travel with sufficient amounts of cash in more remote areas.
Flights
|
Airline |
Route |
Frequency |
Via |
|
British Airways |
Heathrow/Cairo |
Daily |
Direct |
|
British Midland |
Heathrow/Cairo |
Daily |
Direct |
|
EgyptAir |
Heathrow/Cairo |
Daily |
Direct |
|
EgyptAir |
Heathrow/Luxor |
Mon |
Direct |
|
Easyjet |
Gatwick/Sharm el Sheikh |
Daily except Mon/Fri |
Direct |
Climate - a rough guide
Egypt is a hot and dry country boasting year-round sunshine although there are regional variations. The seasons can generally be split as follows:
WINTER (DECEMBER - FEBRUARY) - In general, the temperate winter stretches from December to February with warm, clear days and cold nights. On average, the daytime temperatures reach around 68F and this contrasts dramatically with night time temperatures that can fall to 45F or lower in some areas. Temperatures in the south tend to be a little higher as one heads into the desert. There can be rain during this period and there can also be significant snowfall on Mt. Sinai.
SPRING (MARCH - MAY) - During this period temperatures start to rise as winter recedes and daytime temperatures reach 85F or even higher in the southern desert regions. It can remain cool at night in the desert and it can be windy, but warm, clear days are the norm and generally there is little or no rain at this time.
SUMMER (JUNE - AUGUST) - The summer season lasts from early June until August and this is when much of the country can become extremely hot with daytime temperatures of over 100F with nights being cooler, but quite balmy in most places. The Red Sea coast is cooled by the sea breezes. The summer months are the driest months of the year with very few places experiencing any rain.
AUTUMN (SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER) - As the summer comes to an end, the daytime temperatures decrease to a more comfortable level between 70F and 80F, although the evenings can start to get a little cooler especially in the desert. The autumn is similar to the spring with warm, clear and sunny days and normally there is very little rain during this period.
When to go - The optimum time to visit Egypt is either during the spring (February to April) or autumn (September to November) when the climate is at its most temperate with generally warm, clear days. The summer months (June to August) can be extremely hot, especially in the south of the country, although this time of the year can be marked by fewer crowds at the more popular temple sites.
|
Luxor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
73/ |
77/ |
84/ |
95/ |
102/ |
105/ |
105/ |
105/ |
102/ |
95/ |
86/ |
77/ |
|
Rain (in) |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0 |
Temp (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)
Rain (inches) = Average Monthly Rainfall
