Before going to Egypt

Egypt is a beautiful and very interesting country, that's why it's worth going there for at least a short vacation. Whether, whether we decide to go on an organized trip or on our own, it is worth preparing well for our trip, so that there are no unpleasant surprises waiting for us afterwards.

Before we leave, it is worth getting acquainted with such information, the best time to stay in Egypt, that we would not come across an unbearable temperature or just at the time of a national holiday, when everything is closed.

It is good to carefully consider the composition of our luggage, not to take nonsense things, which we will definitely not need, or not to forget the necessary ones. Below is a handful of essential information, which every traveler going to hot Egypt should read.

When to go?

Most people come to Egypt between November and February, when the climate is most favorable to tourists who are not used to great heat. During this period, however, we must take into account the great crowd and a real siege of hotels and the most popular tourist destinations. In the remaining months of the year, the density of travelers is certainly lower and the best dates to visit Egypt are October-November and March-June, when there are fewer people and the temperatures are reasonably bearable. The next great tourist peak outside of the winter season is vacation, which is the time between July and September, when, despite the heat, real crowds flock to Egyptian resorts.

So when choosing the date of departure, it is worth considering, do we want to explore this wonderful country in a crowd of other tourists like us?, or maybe we prefer to choose a less frequented date but with less attractive weather. For tourists from Europe, the climate of Egypt can be very bothersome, in the daytime temperatures there even reach 55 st. And it hardly ever rains south of Cairo. There is heavy snowfall in winter in the Nile delta and on the northern coast, and when going to these areas in winter, we must take into account very cold weather. On the other hand, there are short ones in Sinai, but heavy rains causing a rapid increase in water in the dry riverbeds. In the spring period, it appears hot and dry, unpleasant desert wind blowing for many days, and in the summer it is so hot, that sometimes they are really hard to bear.

However, lovers of water sports will probably be pleased with the fact, that thanks to the hot climate, the water temperature in the Red Sea does not usually fall below 21 degrees Celsius. C and bathing in it is a real pleasure.

As for the holidays, most of them last for one or two days and should not be an obstacle to your vacation plans. The exception is Ramadan, when many restaurants and cafes are closed during the day, bars completely stop their activities for the whole month and offices are open part-time and, in addition, bizarre hours. For some travelers, e.g.. eating or drinking during the day in the city can be a bit of a hassle, but basically survivable.

What to take?

First of all, you should choose the right clothes, which we are going to take with us to the land of the pharaohs. Due to the heat prevailing there, it is best to pack thin cotton and comfortable clothing, light shoes, and a hat or other covering must be worn on the head. Because there is a custom in Egypt, that one should not wear clothes that reveal legs or arms (this applies to both women and men!), it is advisable to leave shorts or tank tops at home – however, if we decide to take these kinds of things, we will not be punished for this, but surely we will not meet with the favor of the people of Egypt then and we can alienate them. If you are planning a trip in the winter, it is good to take some warm clothes, e.g.. sweater, because they reign then, especially in the evening, quite big chill.

For protection from the sun, apart from the headgear, you should take a cream with a UV filter, sunglasses and a water container, which we will most likely take with us practically everywhere.

It's also good to have a flashlight just in case, a small kit with a needle and thread, a pocket knife and a wallet sachet worn around the waist. Except that, although most of the things we need can be easily bought in an Egyptian store or hotel, it is worth taking a solution for contact lenses with you, tampons, pads or contraceptives. As for the latter, it is easy for men to buy Tops condoms locally, but they are known to be highly unreliable and are not recommended.