In 3000 BC. Pharaoh Menes unites upper and lower Egypt into one country. The city of Tees (formerly Upper Egypt) became the capital.

The Nile flows from south to north throughout the country – one of the longest (6671 km) rivers in the world.

According to Findjobdescriptions.com, the monetary unit of Egypt is the Egyptian pound, which consists of 100 piastres. The exchange rate of 1 US dollar is approximately equal to 6 pounds. Dollars are accepted for payment, but then the goods will cost you more. You can change money at a bank or airport, as well as at hotel exchange offices. Banks are open from 10.00 to 14.00 and from 18.00 to 21.00, days off – Saturday, Sunday, some banks do not work on Friday.

Deserts occupy 96% of the country’s territory.

The officially declared category of a hotel is often one level lower.

Attractions – the pyramids in Giza, the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, the temples of the pharaohs in Abu Simbel.

To enter the country, tourists must have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the end of the trip.

It is better not to rent a car in Egypt. Local drivers do not know the rules of the road and do not comply. It’s easy to get into an accident through no fault of your own.

Do not use tap water (drink, brush your teeth). Buy water from stores.

It is strictly forbidden to export corals and sea shells from Egypt (for purchases, you need a check from the store). The punishment is a big fine.

Advice for women visiting Egypt. You should not provoke the local population with frank outfits and behavior. If you feel a threat to your safety, it makes sense to say the words “Tourist Police”.

Souvenirs can be brought from Egypt – figurines of ancient Egyptian gods, a hookah, papyri. Stores do not have fixed prices. Advice to tourists – be sure to bargain, then the original price is reduced several times.

A separate topic – Ways to deceive tourists in Egypt:
– watch out for thieves! In no case do not show that you have money and pay without giving (change can only be obtained in a hotel and another decent establishment, but here they will try to deceive you)

– luring sellers into your shop and offering goods you do not need (never pick up the product if you are not going to buy it). Do not talk to anyone from the street, refuse everything and do not linger on the street, do not even stop looking at anyone

– offering you a service without your consent or not fulfilling an agreement is the norm in Egypt (for example, never ask the local population to show you the way, do not pay for the service. This is called “baksheesh” – payment for the service is 2-4 Egyptian pounds, and any service (Even the answer to the question) in Egypt is paid). Never use the services of strangers, it is better to see everything yourself and not pay guides and self-appointed guides. Try not to agree on anything with anyone, they will definitely not do what they promised

– overpricing of goods and services is the norm in the country (even if the price is set by the state, you will definitely be charged more – learn Arabic numerals and always check the price tags). Prices are very high and bargaining can buy goods a hundred times cheaper. When bargaining, show only the money you want to pay, this sometimes helps

– changing the cost of the service in the process of its implementation (during the tour, you may be required to pay extra money)

– begging for money by children (in no case should you give money to beggars, you then don’t give up)

– do not communicate with the locals in any case! If you need to know something, ask other tourists or policemen in uniform (although some policemen also like bribes), you can, in extreme cases, turn to locals dressed in business clothes

Phone
Minimum call duration is 3 minutes. The cheapest way to call a phone card is from a public payphone. You can buy it at the nearest communication center.

Transport
In the central part of the resorts, minibuses run along the coast; both tourists and local residents use the services of this kind of transport. Although the fare is fixed (1-1.5 pounds), it is worth negotiating before boarding. You must name the place you want to get to or the name of the hotel. In Egypt, you can rent a car with an international driver’s license, credit card or cash deposit. Movement between distant cities is carried out by a caravan (at a certain time) under police protection (mainly excursion tours to Cairo and Luxor).

The shops
In winter, shops are usually open from 9.00 to 20.00 with a lunch break from 12.00 to 14.00. Alcoholic drinks can only be purchased in DUTY FREE stores, with a passport in which a mark is made. You can make these purchases (no more than 3 bottles of spirits) ONLY within 24 hours from the date of entry into the country.

Helpful Hints
To quench your thirst, we advise you to try hibiscus, a national non-alcoholic drink made from a chilled decoction of a local hibiscus plant. Egyptian cuisine is delicious, spicy and usually prepared with a wide variety of spices and sauces. A wide variety of teas and coffees are consumed in large quantities. Desserts are very sweet and are usually flavored with lots of cream, nuts, butter or honey.
NOT RECOMMENDED: drinking tap water, cold drinks on tap, abusing alcohol (alcohol consumption is not prohibited, but you can be arrested for being drunk in public places), photographing military installations, collecting fragments of historical monuments as a keepsake, cutting and damage corals.

Tourists over the age of 20 can bring with them up to 3 liters of spirits and 2 liters of beer. The import of videos and printed publications that are contrary to the norms of Islam is prohibited. From Egypt it is allowed to export goods in an amount not exceeding 200 Egyptian pounds. The export of antiques, as well as corals and other marine life, is fraught with a fine of $ 1,000.