The Adventurous Gal’s Travel Guide to Staying Safe, Sane, and Comfortable in Egypt

We’re contemporary again from our tour of Egypt with Lady Egypt Tours!

After two weeks within the nation, speaking with loads of locals and doing far more analysis than I ought to have about our journey … right here’s every little thing ladies (solo and in any other case) have to know — from clothes to customs to security — for an unforgettable journey to the land of the Pharaohs.

Solo Feminine Vacationers: What to Pack for Egypt

Clothes

Egypt is extra sand than streets, so that you’ll wish to pack for spending every week within the desert, even for those who plan on being largely in Cairo or any of the opposite cities. Deserts get insufferably scorching in the course of the day and surprisingly chilly at night time, that means layering is vital.

Pack light-weight gadgets which might be both moisture-wicking or 100% cotton or linen. (This goes double on your underwear!) I opted for linen pants and cotton shirts over cotton tank tops.

For the chilly nights, I wore denims and cotton sweaters with open weaves for breathability. I went for versatility, packing gadgets that I may hike in in the course of the day and gown up for fancy dinners at night time.

I’m the queen of flip-flops so it was laborious to be with out them, nevertheless it’s greatest to go away them at dwelling for this journey. The whole lot in Egypt is dusty and open-toe footwear imply you’ll be left with filthy toes on the finish of every day.

I used a pair of no-name, cushion stroll slip-ons. They ended up being excellent — the rubber soles let me climb a desert mountain and comfortably stroll by means of sand dunes. The cushion stroll stored my toes cozy even on the longest of days, and the canvas prime breathed simple, permitting my toes to remain cool, and extra importantly dry, on the most popular days (which is a miracle as a result of I’ve the sweatiest toes on the planet!).

Greatest Equipment for Egypt

A shawl is a very powerful merchandise you possibly can convey, interval. (OK, after your passport …) When visiting non secular buildings, ladies are required to cowl their hair. Scarves are additionally key for desert excursions, defending your hair and mouth from the mud. Together with the headband, you should definitely pack loads of bobby pins. They aren’t simply nice for conserving flyaways out of your face, they’ll assist maintain your scarf securely in place all day.

For days whenever you’ll be exploring the cities or historic temples, you possibly can go for a solar hat as an alternative of a shawl. In fact, you’ll lose the cooling, moisture-wicking impact by not carrying a shawl, so solar hats are higher choices for cooler days.

Sun shades are the second most necessary accent. Not solely is Egypt a sunny nation (clearly) basically, however the glare of the solar bouncing off the sand dunes may be completely blinding.

SPF Lip Balm & Make-up

There are few issues extra depressing than dry, cracked lips from an excessive amount of desert solar. You’ll want to at all times have a conditioning lip balm that incorporates SPF and reapply usually.

Together with the lip balm, strive a free powder basis that incorporates SPF. I usually don’t put on make-up on days after I’ll be mountaineering, however the SPF powder make-up felt a lot cooler on my face (it was most likely psychological, however I positively prefered it over caking on sunscreen!).

The Good Purse

For me, one of many greatest points when touring is understanding which bag to convey. I at all times pack as gentle as attainable and restrict myself to both a backpack or a handbag. Backpacks for adventurous excursions and purses for staying in cities. This journey was a bit of totally different although. It mixed each metropolis exploration and desert adventures.

One week earlier than we left, I received my Hedgren Carina purse and it was a game-changer. It has one million compartments like my backpack however additionally it is a classy cross-body that’s excellent for going out in town. I fell in love and it’s formally the one bag I’ll ever journey with any further.

At all times Carry

My record of “at all times carry” gadgets for feminine vacationers tends to remain the identical for each journey, however there have been a couple of extras I made positive to have readily available for Egypt. Clearly, it is best to at all times preserve your passport on you. Attempt to preserve it in a spot that isn’t simply accessed by pickpockets, like an inside pocket.

After a traumatic highway journey emergency years in the past, I realized to at all times have bathroom paper with me, regardless of the place I’m going. The vast majority of public restrooms don’t inventory TP. You’ll have to get it from a rest room attendant so you should definitely at all times have small Egyptian cash readily available for tipping. Really, you’ll be doing a lot of tipping in Egypt, so it’s good to maintain a provide of small payments on you as nicely.

However together with the emergency TP, I additionally carry a small bottle of Poo-Pouri spray. It’s not only for masking your individual embarrassing odors, it really works nice at masking up present odors within the questionable restrooms you’ll encounter. Egypt is without doubt one of the international locations the place you shouldn’t flush the bathroom paper so odors positively are likely to linger. Poo-Pouri has saved my nostril on a couple of event.

And, after all, I at all times have hand sanitizer for cleansing up after I’m performed. A couple of of the general public restrooms didn’t have operating water so my sanitizing gel was the one possibility.

The ingesting water is questionable in Egypt. Solely drink bottled water (or carry a SteriPen UV Water Purifier which we love) and solely purchase bottles which have the plastic seal on the cap. You must also ensure you have a provide of preventive Cipro out of your physician. I received horribly sick for a couple of days and needed to depend on an antibiotic that isn’t authorised within the US. All of it turned out effective for me however Egypt doesn’t regulate antibiotics the way in which we do within the States, so it’s greatest to convey a dependable stash of medication from dwelling.

Egyptian Customs

Egypt is a largely Islamic nation, however the pointers for girls aren’t almost as strict as I imagined they might be. I did a number of analysis previous to heading there. I wished to make certain I used to be respecting their tradition however nothing I discovered on-line appeared to inform me precisely what to anticipate.

After talking extensively with males on their customs and the way ladies are considered: they’re a strict society that’s working to be way more open-minded. Ladies don’t need to stroll behind their husbands, however some nonetheless do. They don’t need to cowl their hair and faces, however some nonetheless do. They will go to high school and work, however some nonetheless selected to remain dwelling.

What does that imply for vacationers? It means you received’t be harassed on the streets for strolling subsequent to your boyfriend or carrying a tank prime. It means you don’t need to worry on your security for those who put on a skirt. I used to be advised previous to going that I ought to at all times preserve my shoulders and knees lined however as soon as I arrived I noticed that rule doesn’t appear to use anymore.

Your greatest guess is to journey the nation with a tour information and they’re going to let you already know for those who ought to cowl up relying on how “touristy” every city is. In Cairo and Aswan, I lined up whereas in Hurghada I walked across the resort in my bathing swimsuit.

So far as public shows of affection, I like to recommend conserving them to a minimal. Whereas Mike and I held arms in public, we by no means kissed. I additionally by no means hugged my tour guides (… and I’m a hugger, of us — I hug everybody!). When posing for pictures, my male tour guides at all times made positive to maintain area between us and never get too shut.

You’ll discover that males are very affectionate with one another in public, usually strolling arm in arm and kissing on the cheek. You’ll hear them name one another “habibi” (“my darling”). However women and men hardly ever have bodily contact with each other in public. In fact, there’s no regulation saying you can’t smooch your sweetie on the pyramids, however the respectful factor to do is to put it aside for the privateness of your lodge room.

Security in Egypt

Regardless of the horrific assaults towards Coptic Christians in early 2017, statistically, Egypt could be very secure, particularly for vacationers. The nation’s major income was at all times, and continues to be, tourism. After the revolution in 2011, tourism dropped drastically which severely impacted their financial system. Egyptians know that vacationers are their bread and butter and so they wish to do every little thing of their energy to verify the business picks up once more.

The Ministry of Tourism tracks the placement and motion of many visiting vacationers, usually offering police escorts for day excursions to distant websites like Valley of the Whales and Abu Simbel. I by no means as soon as felt “unsafe” whereas touring the nation and infrequently the policemen who accompanied us would examine on me to make certain I felt secure in crowded areas.

Egypt isn’t any totally different than some other international nation you may go to. Concentrate on the United States travel advisories (though take them with a grain of salt) and at all times be alert if you find yourself in an unfamiliar space.

Do’s & Don’ts for Touring to Egypt

And eventually some Do’s and Don’ts to remember earlier than you embark by yourself journey to Egypt:

Do: Analysis earlier than you go

Per week earlier than I used to be set to go away for Cairo, the bombings in Alexandria and Tanta occurred. Moderately than freaking out and canceling the journey, I hopped onto boards to speak to precise Egyptians residing in Egypt to get their ideas. All assured me that the nation is secure and safety had been tremendously elevated. The one recommendation I used to be given was to be cautious across the Coptic Church buildings. Since that wasn’t in my itinerary anyway, I felt reassured that I’d be completely secure on my journey – and I used to be!

Don’t: Fear

Egypt isn’t solely secure, however the persons are a few of the friendliest I’ve ever met. I got here down with a foul abdomen bug sooner or later into our three-day Nile cruise. Not solely did our tour information name the room to examine on me every day, however the head chef of the ship heard I used to be sick and despatched me a fruit platter.

Do: Attempt the native delicacies

Now’s the time to be adventurous and check out *every little thing*. Every area of Egypt has its personal distinctive specialty dishes. In Cairo we sampled conventional espresso and koshari; in Aswan, we feasted on an incredible Nubian lunch; and within the desert outdoors of Hurghada, we dined with the Bedouins.

Each meal featured new meals and I fortunately dug proper in, devouring every little thing in sight! And with none guilt too! Egyptian meals is tremendous wholesome, that includes primarily greens and lean meats.

Don’t: Go alone

Identical to in any international nation with crowded marketplaces, it is best to have a companion with you, even when it’s simply your tour information. Within the vacationer cities, there are touts that can harass and comply with you attempting to get you to purchase from them. Most are well mannered and can depart you alone for those who wave your hand with a dismissive “la shukran” (“No thanks.”).

Nevertheless, there are pickpockets in some areas so you should be alert. Touring with a companion or a bunch makes you much less prone to be a sufferer of harassment or petty crime.

Do: Use a tour firm

Touring from city to city in Egypt generally is a logistical nightmare for solo vacationers. The Ministry of Tourism have to be stored knowledgeable of the actions of vacationers touring by means of the nation. This implies fixed check-ins and infrequently an armed police escort — one thing that even us well-traveled of us at Vagabondish simply don’t wish to need to cope with establishing on our personal.

Through the use of a tour firm like Lady Egypt Tours, did all the necessary particulars have been taken care of for us and we have been capable of sit again, calm down, and benefit from the journey.

Don’t: Kiss the newborn goats

… regardless of how cute they’re! My abdomen bug most certainly was from ingesting unfiltered water. However I additionally kissed a child goat that day, sooo … we will’t really ensure what received me sick. Simply be taught from my mistake and depart the livestock alone =)