Should I travel to Egypt?

Should I travel to Egypt?  I have so many questions!

The answers are almost always the same. 

Ask anyone why they dream of going to Egypt, and you’ll inevitably get similar responses — something along the lines of “I’ve wanted to since I was a kid.”  For many of us, our knowledge about Ancient Egypt runs back so far that they might as well be burned in our collective unconscious.  Images of the sun setting behind enormous Pyramids that tower over the horizon, mysterious hieroglyphs carved into massive columns, tombs sinking deep beneath the surface of the sand, covered in brightly colored images.

But for most, a trip there just seems out of reach.  Those Pyramids may as well not exist at all — they’re simply shapes that hover in the back of the mind, no more tangible than a landscape your brain conjured up while reading a novel.

The reasons are almost always the same.

Ask anyone why they haven’t gone to Egypt, and you’ll inevitably get similar responses.  “It’s too expensive.”  “I’ll get to it eventually.”  Or the most popular reason of all, “I don’t think it’s safe.”

“Egypt is too expensive.”

Of course, “expensive” is relative, but you’ll often see people heading to Hawaii or Disney World or taking a leisurely cruise around the Mediterranean, all the while under the misconception that a trip to Egypt is simply out of their price range.  The truth is, Egypt is actually quite affordable.  Incredibly affordable.

It always was, at least by western standards.  And in recent years, even more so.  In 2016, Egypt devalued its currency in order to obtain a loan from the International Monetary Fund.  This means your money goes even further than it did before.

Obviously you can’t get around the cost of a flight, but that’s easily your priciest expense.  Once you’re there, the cost of everything from food to transportation to accommodations is so low, it can even be a bit shocking.  Here’s an example for you: The cost of a room in Luxor during the busy season can be right around $20 a night.  Not a bedbug-infested hostel, but a clean, three-star hotel with free breakfast and a view of the Nile out your window.

This all hits at one of the main reasons I decided to compile all the information I spent months researching: Many people think they need to travel around Egypt with a tour group, which inflates the cost.  Now, such things are subjective — everyone’s different, and a lot of this depends on your comfort level and how much experience you have traveling.  But if you’re willing to put in a little effort, making your way across the country can bring a result that’s not only more affordable, but ultimately far more rewarding.

“I’ll get to Egypt eventually.”

Want to climb inside the Great Pyramid of Giza? 

For many, it’s just not possible if you have creaky knees and an aching back. You’ll be hunched over, heavy backpack hanging from your chest, clutching the handrails, wondering with each step if you can still turn around ad go back the way you came.

Want to visit as many tombs as possible in the Valley of the Kings? 

Well, as you can see from my photo looking back towards the entrance of the Tomb of Ramesses V & VI, most aren’t exactly small.  You’ll be shuffling up and down wooden slats if you want to see what these places have to offer (and let me tell you, they are absolutely spectacular).

Am I saying you can’t go if you’re older?  No, of course not.  There’s plenty of things someone who’s less active can see and do around Egypt — but the longer you wait, the more difficult it’s going to be.  I’m sure there’s been more than a few who’ve sat on a bench beneath a shelter in the Valley of the Kings, wishing their knees were in better shape while waiting for others from their group to emerge.

“Egypt isn’t safe.”

Well, here we are.  This is the issue, isn’t it?  Many people, especially Americans, are under the impression that Egypt is some war-torn wasteland, where tourists are frequently kidnapped and/or murdered.

Here’s a bit of a story for you: I visited Kenya in 2018, and took a “tour” of one of the largest slums in Africa with a couple of guys I’d just met.  Probably not an activity I’d recommend for anyone who hasn’t done much traveling, but I felt some sort of strange moral obligation to see that part of the city. 

At no point did I feel as though I was in any danger.  I wasn’t robbed, I wasn’t threatened, I wasn’t yelled at.  Everything was perfectly fine.

A couple of weeks after returning to the US, someone broke into my work vehicle and stole some expensive equipment.  I’d just returned from a place most would classify as “dangerous,” and everything was fine.  It was in an average American suburb where I was the victim of a crime.

Look at the picture I posted above — does that look dangerous to you?  I took that while spending a few hours wandering around Luxor.  This isn’t a “touristy” area, it’s just a residential street.  Sure, it might not be what you’re used to in your everyday life, but experiencing something different is one of the most important parts of traveling, right?

The question of “Is Egypt safe?” is a complicated one, which certainly necessitates its own post.  But the short answer, at least from my own personal perspective, is “Yes, absolutely.”  Tourism is a big part of the country’s economy, and neither the government nor the people as a whole want anything bad to happen to tourists.  Crime against tourists = bad publicity.

Should you just run around dark alleys away from crowds in the middle of the night? No, of course not. But for the most part, I believe if you use your brain and stick to where people are, you’ll be fine. 

Certainly you’ll be recognized as a tourist and hassled by people trying to scam you or sell you their services, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s dangerous — and there’s ways to address these issues.  Of course, that’s another giant subject that also necessitates its own post.

But you didn’t come here for brevity, did you?  I hope not, because I’m not here to try to limit my word count.  If you want just the highlights, there’s plenty of other places that will give you Top 10 lists.  This isn’t that.

Well.  Sometimes it’s that. Let’s be real here.

“Where should I go in Egypt?”

There’s three main cities I recommend: Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan.

Cairo is a monstrous megacity — the population of the metro area is over 21 million.  It’s loud, it’s hectic, and for those who enjoy that kind of environment, its chaos is absolutely intoxicating.  It’s also possible to avoid all of this and focus on the main areas of interest: The Pyramids of Giza, the Step Pyramid and tombs of Saqqara, and the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid of Dashur.

Luxor sits about 300 miles south of Cairo, and is the place to be for those who are interested in Ancient Egypt.  It was the heart of the entire civilization during the New Kingdom, and has some of the most amazingly well-preserved ancient sites in the entire world.  The city itself is tourist-oriented — sometimes excessively so.  For everyone who’s dreamed of visiting Egypt, the Pyramids are the main draw, but Luxor is the place where you want to spend the bulk of your time.  I mean, look up at the picture I took of one of the many tombs located there.  You certainly won’t see anything like that in Greece or Rome.

Aswan is about 150 miles south of Luxor — and let’s just say it’s more “laid back” than the latter.  The main attraction here is the utterly magical Temple of Isis at Philae, a structure that’s in strikingly good condition and sits on an island.  This is also the “staging area” for those who venture even farther south to Abu Simbel, a location that boasts the iconic temples built by Ramesses II.

Now, a bit of housekeeping: To be perfectly honest, I’ve never really built a website before.  So as you’re learning about taking a trip, I’m learning about how to organize things.  While I’m fairly confident in my ability to write and pass along information, I’ve spent many hours thinking about how to structure this site so navigation is as simple as possible.

To that end, I’m focusing on four major sections: One for each of these cities, as well as one for general tips.  Please feel free to leave a comment if you think there’s a way to streamline this, or if you have a question you think I may be able to answer.

I’m not saying you need to pack up and go to Egypt right now.  Or even in the next few months.  But you should start reading, and start planning.  Sure, it may not be going anywhere…but if you keep putting it off, you’ll be one of those people wishing you went earlier.  Now how about I save you a step and let me Google that for you?

Let’s get going.  Head on to the next post for my recommendations on how to plan out your itinerary…

Note: Everything I say here is my own personal opinion, and may not work best for everyone. I’m far from an expert, so please just do whatever is best for you, and be sure to visit the TripAdvisor Forums to ask questions and do some more research!