Safety Tips & Cultural Etiquette in Egypt

General Safety

• Tourist areas — Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea resorts — have a heavy security presence.
• Avoid political demonstrations and large public gatherings.
• Don't photograph military installations, police, or government buildings.
• Use hotel safes for passports and valuables.
• Be cautious at night in unfamiliar areas — stick to well-lit, populated streets.
• Traffic is chaotic; be extra careful crossing streets, and use pedestrian bridges where available.
• Haggle in markets, but stay friendly — it's a social interaction, not a battle.
• Dress modestly when visiting mosques and religious sites, covering shoulders and knees.

Cultural Etiquette

• Greet with "As-salamu alaykum" or a simple "Hello" in English.
• Learn "Shukran" (thank you) and "La, shukran" (no, thank you) — invaluable for politely declining persistent vendors.
• Remove shoes when entering mosques and some homes.
• The left hand is traditionally considered unclean — eat and pass items with your right hand.
• Public displays of affection are frowned upon, especially in rural areas.
• During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours.
• Friday is the holy day; many shops close early or have reduced hours.
• Carry your hotel's business card — it helps enormously with taxi drivers when there's a language barrier.

Solo Female Travellers

Dress modestly — loose clothing covering shoulders and knees — and avoid walking alone at night in quiet areas. Consider using women-only metro cars in Cairo. Harassment can occur but is usually verbal; a firm "la, shukran" and walking away is typically sufficient. Many women report feeling safe travelling in Egypt with these basic precautions in place.