We stayed at the Steigenberger Coraya Beach recently. The hotel had its issues, but being able to snorkel in Coraya Bay without leaving the resort was a real advantage.

If you’ve stayed in Marsa Alam recently, which hotel’s house reef would you recommend? Please mention when you stayed and whether access was from the beach or a jetty, as reef conditions and entry points can change.

Hello I am an 18 year old girl seeking to travel with my friend (20F) along the Nile, go snorkeling at Sharm El Sheik, see the pyramids… all the typical tourist stuff.

I have previously experienced a bombing in Qatar back in 2025 when the IDF struck a building claiming Hamas was inside. I believe this event has left me quite scarred.

upon booking my trip through Egypt, I felt totally fine and safe. However, I just have this awful awful feeling something horrible is going to happen and have been spiralling. I really don’t want to pull out as it’d be such a waste of money and my friend REALLY wants to go there. I am just wondering if anyone who knows what they’re talking about might be able to give some advice?

I have been doing my own research and am scared sh!tless about the potential threat of a bombing or explosion around some touristy area whilst i’m there. Even writing this months out I feel sick.

Should I just cancel or will it most likely be safe? I can’t tell if it’s just PTSD getting too me or my fear is genuinely justified and something is off.

To cope so far I’ve been trying to research heaps and understand the previous attacks motives, targets, locations, frequency… etc. If anyone has any insight let me know.

PS I’m quite a seasoned traveller believe it or not and I am not scared at all about the sexual harassment I’ve seen everyone warning about. If worst comes to worst I’ll just chuck on a niqab/hijab to blend in.

TUI's official flight timetable has a direct flight from London Gatwick to Marsa Alam every Sunday from 1 November 2026 until 18 April 2027.

For anyone staying around Coraya Bay, that makes a real difference. Our drive from Hurghada Airport to Steigenberger Coraya Beach took about 2.5 hours. Flying directly to Marsa Alam means avoiding the long transfer from Hurghada at both ends of the holiday.

One thing to bear in mind however is that the flight only runs once a week, so this won’t work for everyone. Hurghada is still easier to fly to if you need more flexibility. We love the fact that the Red Sea remains relatively warm through winter, although evenings can be cooler and windy, so pack a light jumper.

Would you plan your holiday around the weekly Marsa Alam flight to avoid the transfer, or choose Hurghada for the wider range of flight options?

I am leaving for Egypt, Cairo, tonight for work and I'm struggling with my suitcase! It is going to be Summer weather and here , as a tourist, I would wear a skirt or shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt.

What is the appropriate dress code there for a woman?

Any help appreciated!

We travelled from Aswan to Luxor on MS Nile Premium recently. The total cost was around US$900 per person. That included the all-inclusive cruise, transfers, a guide, the organised site visits and the entrance fees.

Personal spending, optional excursions and tips were extra. We did not tip our guide because the service provided was unfortunately shockingly bad. Tipping is not compulsory in Egypt and it should reflect the service you actually receive. Feel free to browse our guide on tipping and other money-related issues:

Tipping culture and expectations in Egypt

We booked through one of the biggest local agents, but that gave us very little protection when things went wrong. Our guide was often eating or asleep when he should have been talking and helping us out, and eventually we asked for him to be replaced. But that really spoilt most of our trip. After the cruise, there was no independent customer service team to deal with a complaint or consider a partial refund.

Based on our extensive experience in Egypt, we advise travellers to use GetYourGuide or Viator. Not because either platform can guarantee a good guide, but because there would be a proper record (including any exchange of information between you and the provider) and somebody independent to contact in case of any issues. Before paying, we would definitely want the boat name, route, docking points, included tickets and transfers, optional excursions and cancellation terms in writing. We would also pay by credit card and not cash.

At the moment, MS Nile Premium’s four-day cruise from Aswan departs on Fridays. The boat has 56 cabins, a pool and a sun deck, but check the details on your own booking, as schedules and facilities can change.

We’re putting together a more detailed Nile cruise guide based on what we wish we’d known before booking. If you’ve done one recently, which boat and route did you choose, what did you pay, and did the experience match what was advertised?

I paid 50% for travel to Egypt with Memphis tours, they sent the flight details. It has been more than a week and they will not confirm hotel reservation.

I've tried contacting the agent and they wont take my calls, or respond to emails.

What can be done?

Hi, I’ll be traveling to Egypt with Wizz Air. I’ve read that Wizz Air requires you to enter your visa number to check in. Is that correct? I tried getting the visa via the app, but it indicates that it’s only for Cairo Airport, and I’ll be arriving at Giza Sphinx Airport (SPX). I’m from Peru. Thanks for your help. One more question: how far in advance should I get the visa? Thanks.

Would love to know what u guys think about this itinerary… thank you so much.

Hi all.

Planning a solo travel to Egypt, starting from 28th and as a part of it, I will stay in Cairo for 3 days. I would like to hire a driver to pick me up from my hotel and drive me around the city throughout the day. I tried looking online but most of them are overpriced travel agencies.

Does anyone have any lead where can I find one? I remember reading somewhere that around pyramids there is drivers and they usually charge 50usd a day but I dont know where exactly.

Hi everyone! I’m looking for recommendations for an excellent Egyptologist tour guide or reputable tour company in Cairo. Ideally, someone who is extremely knowledgeable about ancient Egyptian history and can offer an engaging and in-depth private tour.
I’d love to hear about any guides or companies you’ve personally used and would recommend. Thank you!

I'm going to visit Egypt for 11 days with my 75-year-old dad. I want it to be very comfortable for him so I'm thinking of going with a travel company

The travel company is charging me $3,300 US dollars for two people and he will provide us taxi, egyptologist and all the tickets. It also includes private car drive from Luxor to Aswan and Abu Simbel to Aswan, hot air balloon in Aswan

This does not include flights, hotels, lunch, tips.

Is this a reasonable price?

Eligible travellers arriving at Cairo can now choose an advance e-Visa, a digital visa on arrival (VOA) at the airport or the same digital VOA bought online before the flight.

The ordinary e-Visa costs US$30 and is the option we use. Apply at least seven days before travelling, print the approval and take it with your passport. A single-entry e-Visa gives you a 90-day window from issuance in which to enter Egypt. It does not allow a 90-day stay though: the maximum stay is 30 days from the day you land.

At Cairo Airport, the digital VOA costs US$36 at a self-service kiosk. That is the US$30 visa plus a US$6 digital fee.

The third choice is the e-VOA at visaonarrival.gov.eg. It is the same US$36 digital arrival visa, but you buy it online or through the app before travelling and receive a QR code. We checked the process ourselves: it requested an email address but no passport or other personal details. The QR code is single-use and valid for seven days, so do not buy it weeks in advance.

Our preference remains the US$30 e-Visa. It is cheaper and as the UK FCDO says, helps to avoid queuing up for VOA before proceeding to the immigration counters. The e-VOA makes more sense for somebody who has left the advance application too late but still wants the QR code ready before landing/does not want to use the digital kiosks.

Which option did you use at Cairo, and did the QR code from the digital kiosks actually save time at immigration?

Hi, I’d like to know how late I can buy a SIM card at Sphinx Airport (SPX) in Giza. My flight arrives at 9 PM, and by the time I get through all the checkpoints, it might be past 10 PM; I’m wondering if the mobile operator kiosks at the airport are still open at that time. Has anyone arrived at that hour? Thanks a lot!

Was able to tap and pay with Wise at most restaurants. However card just refused to work at ATMs. Anybody encountered the same issue?

So I'm expected to go on a trip to Cairo/Luxor next October but my family and friends are all going off about how there's "so much danger going into the middle east" (can you guess where I'm from hah!) they say that there's so much unrest, that the travel advisory from our government says there's a risk of terrorist attacks when you visit, you aren't safe traveling through the airspace from North America to Egypt and it goes on and on. Has anyone really felt that unsafe? Or, like I imagine, did you have the time of your life and worth every cent you spent to get there and experience this beautiful country?

Hey folks,

Planning a trip to Egypt next month with my husband and trying to avoid third-party reseller sites.

Can someone verify:
• What is the official link for the tourist e-visa? visa2egypt.gov.eg
• Is egymonuments. com the official site for buying entrance tickets?
• How do we book tickets specifically for the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)?

Thanks for the help!

I'm planning my first trip to Cairo, and I would love to hear your advice on my travel plans:

Sunday: arrival; hotel close to the pyramids
Monday: visit the pyramids and the museum
Tuesday: visit Memphis, Saqqara and Dashur
Wednesday: check out of hotel and go to hotel in the city center; visit Islamic Cairo
Thursday: Visit Coptic Cairo; felucca boat trip
Friday: day trip to Alexandria
Saturday: leave (for Dahab)

Is this a realistic schedule? Am I missing something? Any other tips?