Egypt

OVERVIEW

Anyone who appreciates culture, antiquities and a sense of wonder will find themselves in Egypt sooner or later. And of course, millions of people visit Egypt every year and never set eyes on a pyramid or a mummy – Sharm el-Sheikh is the tourism success story of the past twenty years, where sun-lovers go to soak up the relaxed atmosphere and dip their toes in the lapping Red Sea.But if the only thing that’s stopping you is someone to go with, your wait is over – you can go with GoSingles!

Sharm el-Sheikh lies at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and rivals anything the Mediterranean can offer in terms of entertainment, atmosphere and warm, bright sunlight. The place manages to blend the fine culture of the Egyptians with a real vibrant sense of modernity, a mixture that makes it such a draw.

If you want to see the most of this wondrous nation, why not take a Nile river cruise? That way you’ll see a host of villages and cities (and stop off at a few), plus surprisingly fertile landscapes whilst living in the luxury of the boat, with its own delights to while away the long days.

WEATHER

A country steeped in a rich history dating, Egypt possesses a varied landscape made up of vast expanses of deserts, a coastline which stretches on both the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and a number of mountain ranges, which all contribute to a complex weather system from dry heat to snow.   

However don’t let this put you off, to the typical traveller expect to enjoy hot and sunny summers with limited if any rainfall during the months of June, July and August. Winters remain mild, so no need to pack thermals or a scarf, temperatures range between 20 to 26 degrees Celsius. This time of year is often heralded as the best time to visit, as it’s the perfect temperature for comfortably taking in the pyramids and ancient wonders of the Pharaohs.

The capital of Cairo enjoys long hot summers with temperatures hovering around the 30 degrees Celsius mark, with winters generally staying around 20 degrees Celsius, but can be known to dip to around 9 degrees Celsius.

On the East coast, the famous resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and those close to the Red Sea are famed for their long hot, dry summers with endless hours of sunshine and blue skies, coupled with the warm sea. Temperatures are known to reach 40 degrees Celcius, rainful is low and winters are extremely mild making and all round holiday destination loved by travellers who are looking for some sunshine.

As you’d expect from the desert, temperatures sear to highs of 40 degrees Celsius during the summer months, however expect cooler temperatures at night, especially at higher elevation, with even cooler more hospitable temperatures during the winter months. 

ROUGH GUIDE

CULTURE

Egyptians are really helpful, friendly people who would go out of their way to help you out, whilst loving nothing more than engaging in a conversation with visitors.

Whilst visiting, it is important that you adhere to Egyptian conventions, with this in mind, be sure to show as little flesh as possible. Shorts and swimwear are only acceptable at the beach or at your hotel resort, and shirts should be worn to cover your shoulders to prevent showing as little skin as possible. Kissing or embracing in public is a big no-no, as is holding hands, so be sure to withstand from these acts whilst out in the open, keeping for behind closed doors.

It is important to take note of the usage of hands, in Egypt the left hand is used when going to the toilet or for carrying out tasks considered unhygienic, so it is important that you never eat with this hand, always use the right hand to put any food in your mouth.

ETIQUETTE

When greeting people in Egypt, whether it’s someone new or someone they know, a simple handshake will suffice along with eye contact and a smile.

Tipping: In almost all cases in Egypt you should tip after you have received a service. As a rule of thumb, if you’re not sure how much to tip, give 10% of what you paid for the service. In restaurants it is expected that you tip 10% of the total bill, and more if you thought the service was outstanding.

GREETINGS & LANGUAGE

If you’re looking to socialise or greet your fellow Egyptians whilst away on holiday, here are a few handy phrases to help you on your travels. Arabic is the most commonly spoken language.

To say hello, it’s ‘Salaam aleikum’ (pronounced 'salam alaykoom') whilst goodbye is ‘Salam’.

Be sure not to forget your please and thank yous, to say please ‘Min fadlokoum’ and thank you is ‘Shukran’.

To greet people in the morning it’s, ‘Issubh’ and to say good afternoon/evening it’s ‘Ba'd id-duhr’.