Area Guide to Egypt

The Egyptian republic is located in North Africa while the Sinai Peninsula east of the Suez Canal is in Asia. Egypt is bordered to the west by Libya, Sudan to the south and Israel to the northeast.

The richness of the Nile River due to annual floods and the semi isolation of the deserts allowed the development of one of the world’s greatest civilizations in 3200 BC and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three thousand years. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub and Britain took control of Egypt’s government in 1882 when the Suez Canal fell heavily into debt. Egypt finally acquired full sovereignty following World War II.

Around half of the Egyptian population lives in urban centres such as Cairo and Alexandria and real estate investors are seeking to profit from rental returns and, with the creation of new luxury residential Egypt property districts, international interest is on the increase. The capital city of Cairo is the largest city of the Middle East and Africa and lies at a strategic centre of all routes leading to and from Asia, Africa and Europe. Today Cairo offers visitors a great cultural experience combined with good accommodation, restaurants and shopping.

Luxor is without a doubt one of the world’s most important historical sites and contains one third of the world’s antiquities from the ancient Egyptians dating back seven thousand years. Sites include the famous Tomb of Tutankhamun, the City of the Dead, the nobles’ tombs, the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple and Luxor Temple. As you might expect, the city contains many tourist amenities, including hotels, restaurants, clubs and bars.

Alexandria was founded in 331 BC and boasts a rich Graeco-Roman history which for many centuries was at the centre of culture and learning of the entire world. Alexandria was, and still is, of prominent cultural interest for knowledge seekers and the history of its famous library, whose revival is underway, tells the story of the dawn of culture, enlightenment and creation.
Today Alexandra is also the largest port in Egypt, located on the Mediterranean Sea.

The Red Sea resorts in northeast Egypt form an important area in terms of economic development and it is here that many foreign property investors are putting their money while benefiting from the country’s increase in tourism traffic. The stunning natural sea and desertscapes attract divers, fishermen and birdwatchers alike who enjoy the white sandy beaches, warm waters of around 22°C and the luxury resort facilities that are increasingly on offer.

Information Required when Travelling to Egypt

Visas

Visas are required.

EU nationals travelling to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Newiba and Taba for up to 14 days receive a free visa stamp in their passports upon arrival.

Tourist visas for Egypt can often be obtained upon arrival in Egypt for citizens of most countries, otherwise a visa will need to be applied for. See www.egyptianconsulate.co.uk for your particular requirements.

Vaccinations

None for tourists travelling from the UK.

However, recommended vaccinations are for Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Diphtheria. Also ensure your tetanus and polio vaccinations are up to date.

Yellow fever certificate of vaccination may also be required.

Time Zone

+ 2 hours GMT

Electricity

220 Volts

Weights and Measures

Metric system.

Tel. Dialing Code

00 + 20 +

Cuisine in Egypt

Eating out in Egypt today can range from the traditional to the international. You will find inexpensive Egyptian establishments serving native food very cheaply or Western-style fast food which is relatively expensive, so there is plenty of choice for anyone thinking of purchasing a property in Egypt. Food from the little booths in the streets is generally safe and local food is normally safe to eat, although the change in your diet may produce minor short term tummy upsets.

Egyptian food originates from Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria and has been adapted to become the Egyptian food we know today. Ingredients are invariably fresh while in the south the flavours are a little more zesty due to its close links with North African cuisine.

Bread (Aysh) is a mainstay of Egyptian food. The most common form is a pita type bread, made with refined white flour, aysh shami or whole wheat flour, aysh baladi. The Egyptians enjoy stuffing their bread with several different fillings. Aysh shams is a bread made from leavened dough and it is left to rise in the sun. French-style loaves are also commonly eaten, moistened with water or heated on a fire.

Beans (ful) are also a staple part of Egyptian food. They can be boiled or mashed with vegetables and spices and stuffed into bread for sandwiches. Beans are often served for breakfast with eggs, alternatively they can be mashed and deep fried or made into patties (ta'miyya in Cairo and falaafil in Alexandria) for sale on the streets.

Molokhiyya is an Egyptian green, summer vegetable that is made into a typical thick soup that is often served with bread or over rice. The leaves are also served in stock with meat.

Mezze are a variety of small dishes served with drinks. Some are dips made with tihina, an oil paste of sesame seeds. Tihina mixed with oil and garlic or chili and lemon can be served alone, but can also be combined with mashed eggplant and served as a dip or sauce for salads. In Alexandria, chickpeas are added to the tihina to make hummus bi tihina.

Main Courses

For most Egyptians, meat is a luxury used in small amounts or eaten while out in restaurants. It is usually cooked with vegetables and served with rice.

Torly, a mixed-vegetable casserole or stew, is usually made with lamb, or occasionally with beef, onions, potatoes, beans and peas.

To make Egyptian-style kebabs, cooks season chunks of lamb in onion, marjoram, and lemon juice and then roast them on a spit over an open fire.

Kufta is ground lamb flavored with spices and onions rolled into long narrow "meatballs" and roasted like kebabs.

Chicken is often imported because native (firaakh) are often scrawny and tough, but you will find grilled chicken (firaakh mashwi) in restaurants already cooked at street-side booths.

Hamaam (small pigeons) are raised throughout Egypt, and when stuffed with seasoned rice and grilled, are a national delicacy. The best are usually served in small, local restaurants where you may even have to order them in advance, but beware - hamaam are occasionally served with their heads buried in the stuffing!

Egyptians serve both freshwater and sea fish, samak. As well as the common bass and sole, try gambari (shrimp), calamari (squid), gandofli (scallops), and ti'baan (eel). Eels are a white meat with a delicate salmon flavor and can be bought deep-fried on the street.

Vegetables

Ruzz (rice) is cooked with nuts, onions, vegetables or small amounts of meat.

Bataatis (potatoes) are often fried, boiled or stuffed. Egyptians stuff green vegetables, including vine leaves, with mixtures of rice. Westerners now them by the Greek name of dolmadas.

Native cheese (gibna) comes in two varieties; gibna beida, similar to feta, and gibna rumy, a sharp, hard, pale yellow cheese. These are the ones normally used in salads and sandwiches, but other Western types are becoming increasingly available. Mish is a spiced, dry cheese made into a paste and served as part of the mezze or an hors d'oeuvre.

Fruit in Egypt is available year-round, but since all are tree- or vine-ripened, only those in season appear in suqs (markets). In winter months, mohz (bananas), balah (dates), and burtu'aan (oranges) are for sale. Egyptian summers are blessed with battiikh (melon), khukh (peach), berkuk (plum), and 'anub (grapes). Tin shawki is a cactus fruit, or prickly pear, that appears in August or September.

Nuts (Goz) and mohamas (dried seeds) are a popular snack foods in Egypt, and vendors can be found selling them nearly anywhere.

Desserts are normally pastries or puddings drenched in honey syrup. Baklava (filo dough, honey, and nuts) is one of the less sweet. Fatir are pancakes stuffed with anything from eggs to apricots and basbousa is quite sweet, made of semolina pastry soaked in honey and topped with hazelnuts. Egyptian rice pudding, mahallabiyya, is served topped with pistachios.

Coffee was developed and popularized in the Middle East and it remains a popular local tradition with coffee houses catering for men who come to drink coffee, discuss politics, play tawla (backgammon), listen to Egyptian music and smoke the shiisha (water pipe). Although Turkish coffee has a reputation for being tart, its actual flavor depends on the mix of beans used in the grind; the larger the percentage of Arabica, the sweeter and more chocolate flavor. You must specify the amount of sugar you require at the time you order, as it is sweetened in the pot.

Tea and other hot drinks are also popular in Egypt and it is served with milk, lemon and sugar on the side. A refreshing change from after-dinner coffee is shay bil na'na' or mint tea - dried mint is mixed with tea leaves and the mixture is brewed like regular tea . Kakoow bil laban (hot chocolate) is available during the winter, as is Sahlab, a thick drink that tastes like a cross between Ovaltine and oatmeal. Karkaday, a clear, bright red, native drink is especially popular in the south and is made by soaking dried hibiscus flowers, sweetened to taste, and served either hot or cold. Locals claim this drink calms their nerves.

Alcoholic drinks are available in bars, restaurants, and some shops although devout Muslims must abstain from alcohol. Foreign beer and wine are the most expensive to buy, but the local beer called Stella is a light lager is available in 20 oz bottles for a reasonable price. A stronger variety, Stella Export, is available in bars and restaurants and is more expensive and in smaller bottles.

Healthcare in Egypt

All types of medical care are available in Egypt and healthcare in Egypt generally enjoys a good reputation. Modern hospitals and clinics are commonplace throughout the country, particularly in Cairo, and these can either be state run or privately owned hospitals.

Many doctors in Egypt are Western-trained and speak English. They generally have a high standard of medical knowledge. In fact students from many Arab countries and Africa come to study medicine at universities in Egypt. Medical facilities in Cairo, Alexandria, and Sharm El Sheikh are considered to be perfectly adequate for routine problems, but emergency services can sometimes be limited.

For an Ambulance in Egypt, Phone 123.

We strongly advise anyone thinking of buying property in Egypt to take out adequate private medical insurance for your stay in Egypt. Most doctors and hospitals will expect payment in cash, regardless of whether you have travel health insurance, so make sure you arrive with cash on you. Serious medical problems will require air evacuation to a country with more state-of-the-art medical facilities.

The Minister of Health recently announced that the Egyptian government plans to establish 50 new state hospitals in Egypt, using both local and foreign private sector financing. This project is scheduled for completion prior to the implementation of the new public health insurance scheme in 2010.

Crime and Police in Egypt

The existence of past terrorist attacks in tourist resorts cannot be overlooked when travelling to Egypt. However these threats can cause one to be over cautious and in reality popular opinion is that Egypt poses little more risk than a visit to any other Arab state. Egypt’s political situation today is described as stable and a completely democratic republic is expected in the near future, boding well for the country as a whole.

Day to day crime in Egypt is rare and violence is usually limited to isolated cases and family feuds. However, in tourist areas, some pickpockets and petty thieves may exist and there is a valuable and helpful tourist police service in many busy areas and they are usually close at hand.

Women must be cautious, especially in out-lying areas. In Egypt, a woman traveling alone is generally safe, but she will be noticed, though less in large cities than in the countryside. However, if problems do occur, you should seek help from the police or any shop nearby. Simple precautions such as not walking in deserted areas alone should be taken in Egypt, as in many other countries of the world.

Smart Tips for your Safety when Travelling in Egypt

• Stay completely away from drugs and leave yours at home.
• Organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
• Dress conservatively
• Do not wear expensive looking jewelry
• Avoid the appearance of affluence
• Travel light. You can move more quickly and will be more likely to have a free hand. You will also be less tired and less likely to set your luggage down, leaving it unattended.
• Carry the minimum amount of valuables necessary for your trip and plan a place or places to conceal them.
• Your passport, cash and credit cards are most secure when locked in a hotel safe.
• When you have to carry them, try to hide them in several places rather than putting them all in one wallet or pouch.
• Avoid handbags, bum bags and outside pockets that are easy targets for thieves.
• Inside pockets and a sturdy shoulder bag with the strap worn across our chest are somewhat safer. One of the safest places to carry valuables is in a pouch or money belt worn under your clothing.
• Leave nothing visible in a parked car.

Driving in Egypt

For many visitors, driving in Egypt is definitely not like “back home” and you will find great congestion in and around the main cities, while Cairo, with the world’s largest population, is particularly busy and often hazardous.

Egyptian drivers use their horns much more often than in other countries and may just be greeting each other while using them. Drivers circulate according to a law unto their own and donkeys and oxen can often be seen walking along the road. Driving in Egypt is therefore not for the faint hearted but if you prefer to keep away from the wheel, many city taxis are available and you will enjoy an exciting ride from the back seat!

Driving on the out of town highways throughout the country is less stressful and, provided you keep your wits about you, it should present few problems. Most traffic going south from Cairo uses a route running along the western shore of the Nile. In recent years a new road along the east bank of the river has been under construction. Although it too is a single lane road, it is less congested and currently it is passable from Cairo to Minya and from Asyut to Luxor.

It is not advisable to drive at night. Cars sometimes just stop on the road and turn out their lights. Donkey carts move very slowly and usually not seen until it is too late, and long distance taxis and overloaded trucks travel too fast.
Petrol stations can be found throughout the country, including Mobil, Esso and Shell offering full services with mini-markets. Fuel is inexpensive and sold by the litre. It is available in 90 octane (tisa'iin) which is super, or 80 (tamaniin), regular. 90 octane is better for most purposes.

Road signs are similar to those used throughout Europe and speed limits are posted on major highways. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road.

Car Hire - Car rental agencies exist at most major hotels. Foreigners must have an International Driver's License and be at least 25 years of age to rent a car in Egypt. Some agencies offer 4x4s, with or without a driver for desert travel. You will need your passport, driver's license, and pre-payment. Credit cards are accepted.

Desert Travel – A Few Common Sense Tips

• Bring a compass.
• Check your car and be sure to have a good spare tyre.
• Drive on loose sand as you would on snow. If your wheels get stuck in soft sand, put a rag under the back tires and move out slowly. If you spin your tires, you will sink deeper in the sand.
• If your car breaks down along the road, don't abandon your vehicle. Wait for another vehicle to pass by - even in remote areas other people do pass by. However if you are on a desert track, hike to the nearest road and wait.
• Have ample food, water, salt tablets, a hat and sunglasses.
• Dehydration can sneak up on you in desert travel. In an emergency one teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar in a cup of water will revive you.
• Cover your head and the back of your neck.
• Top up your tank at every petrol station, as the next one may be hundreds of miles away. If your tank is small, carry a jerry can on long hauls eg.Dakhla to Farafrah (390 km/243 miles).

Vehicle Rental Agencies

• Avis, 16 Maamal el Sukkar, Garden City. Tel: 354-8698.
• Bita, 15 Mahmud Bassiouni. Tel: 774-330, 753-130.
• Budget, 5 Sh el Maqrizik, Zamalek. Tel: 340-0070, 340-9474; 85 Road 9, Maadi. Tel: 350-2724; 1 Sh Muhammad Ebeid, Heliopolis. Tel: 291-8244.
• Max Rent-a-Car, 27 Sh Lubnan, Mohandeseen. Tel: 347-4712/3. Fax: 341-7123. Also for four-wheel drive vehicles with or without experienced desert drivers. Branch office in Sharm el Shaykh.
• Sunshine Tours & Services, 106 Muhammad Farid. Tel: 760-559, 393-1955.
  Limousines are available for those who want to travel in style:
• Bita Limousine Service, Gazirah Sheraton. Tel: 341-1333, 341-1555. Marriott Hotel. Tel: 340-8888.
• Budget Limousine Service, Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel. Tel: 355-7171 x 8991.
• Limousine Misr, 7 Aziz Bil-Lah, Zeitoun. Tel: 259-9813/4.
• Egyptrav, Nile Hilton. Tel: 755-029, 766-548, 393-2644.

Distances Between Cairo and Other Cities