Egypt
Arab Republic of Egypt
Northern Africa · EGY
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Egypt
Egypt is still one of the clearest archaeology-first trips in the world, with enough payoff to justify long-haul travel even when most days are built around monuments and city-based sightseeing. First visits usually work best as Cairo plus Luxor and either Aswan or Abu Simbel, rather than trying to stretch the trip across the whole country.
Popular For
Things To See
- Cairo
- Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
- Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis
- Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
- Historic Cairo
- Egyptian Museum
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- April, May, September, and October are the easiest broad windows in the current brief.
- Most first visits land better as Cairo plus one Upper Egypt extension rather than a country-wide route.
- The trip is strongest when built around archaeology and historic sightseeing rather than trying to force in every possible side destination.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Egypt.
Guidebooks
Lonely Planet Egypt
Lonely Planet
Up-to-date guide covering Cairo, Luxor, Alexandria, the Red Sea coast, and ancient monuments.
View on Amazon →
DK Eyewitness Egypt
DK Eyewitness
Visually stunning guide with detailed maps, museum guides, and cultural information.
View on Amazon →
Fodor's Essential Egypt
Fodor's Travel Guides
Full-color guide with expert tips, maps, and recommendations for Egypt's top destinations.
View on Amazon →Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Egypt.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Cairo
- Population
- 107,271,260
- Area
- 1,002,450 km²
- Region
- Northern Africa
Languages
- Arabic
Currency
Egyptian pound (£)
EGP
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
17.5
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 22.2
- Restaurants
- 20.1
- Rent
- 4.0
Safety & Peace
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Cairo (30.05°N, 31.25°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
15/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 14/100
- Lived safety
- 49/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal❌
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.754
High human development
- 5-year change
- +0.026
- 10-year change
- +0.059
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.895
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.398
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.726
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (7)
- 🌿
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
Saint Catherine Area
Inscribed 2002
- 🏛️
Abu Mena
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Historic Cairo
Inscribed 1979
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 13.2%
- Forest cover
- 0.0%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 19
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 17
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
27/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Luxury Infrastructure
89/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Exercise increased cautionin Egypt due to terrorism, crime, and health. Some areas have increased risk. The U.S. Embassy has limited ability to help dual national U.S.-Egyptian citizens who are arrested or detained. Egyptian law considers dual citizens to be solely Egyptian citizens. Terrorism There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Northern and Middle Sinai Peninsula. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning: Egyptian authorities generally offer effective security protection. However, extremists continue to express interest in planning and carrying out attacks. Security is generally present at potential targets, which include: Religious sites (mosques, churches, monasteries, and buses traveling there) Local government buildings, and diplomatic facilities (embassies) Tourist sites Transportation centers Shopping malls Restaurants and foreign businesses Resorts Roadside checkpoints Urban areas in Cairo Crime Most crimes against foreigners are crimes of opportunity, like purse snatching and pickpocketing. Harassment of women, including foreigners, is a problem in Egypt. It can include vulgar comments, gestures, indecent exposure, and unwanted physical contact. Tourists should beware of overcharging and scams in tourist areas. Review the Country Security Report for Egypt for further details. Health Emergency and intensive care facilities are limited in Egypt and may be unavailable in remote areas. Ambulances are rare, unreliable in most areas, and don’t have advanced medical equipment. Global polio Some international destinations, including Egypt, have circulating poliovirus. Before traveling to Egypt, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Check the CDC website for current vaccination recommendations. Demonstrations Protests or demonstrations may occur suddenly: Individuals have been arrested for being in the vicinity of protests in Egypt, even when not actively participating. U.S. citizens have been arrested for participating in protests. You may be detained for posting anything on social media seen as critical of Egypt or its allies, or for disrespecting its cultural sites. Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Do not travel to: The Northern and Middle Sinai Peninsula due to terrorism. The Western Desert due to risk to safety and security unless traveling with a professionally licensed tour company. Egyptian border areas due to military zones.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data