Vacation In Egypt – Beach Holidays, Diving & Culture

Eternally blue skies, beaches, an incredible underwater world and an exciting cultural program – that roughly describes what your holiday in Egypt can look like. The most popular destinations for all-inclusive vacation packages are Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, Marsa Alam, El Gouna and Makadi Beach. They are well developed for tourism and await you with numerous beach hotels, restaurants and bars.

If you are looking for a bit of adventure, you can also go on a diving safari, a cultural holiday or a Nile cruise in Egypt. Long-term vacationers will find Sinai to be a tranquil place full of traditional Bedouin culture and great water sports.

Information about Vacation In Egypt

About 96 million people currently live in an area of ​​over one million square kilometers, making Egypt the most populous country in Africa. Most residents live in the urban centers of Cairo and Alexandria and along the Nile. The official language is Arabic and over 90 percent of the population is Muslim. Egypt borders Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, and Israel to the east along the Sinai Peninsula.

Currency for Vacation In Egypt

During your holiday in Egypt you pay with Egyptian pounds. For one euro you currently get about 17 Egyptian pounds. You can easily exchange or withdraw money at ATMs.

The climate in Egypt

Holidays in Egypt are characterized by a hot desert climate. It is always sunny and even the water temperatures rarely drop below 21°C. It is also one of the countries with the lowest rainfall on earth. An exception is the Mediterranean coast and the Nile Delta. in Cairo, on the Nile and on the Red Sea You can vacation all year round. In the winter months it is still around 24 °C warm in Hurghada and in summer up to 37 °C hot.

The best travel time: The weather in Egypt

The best months for a beach holiday in Egypt are March to May and September to November when air and water temperatures are comfortably warm. In summer, on the other hand, it gets very hot with temperatures of over 40 °C. In January and February it is usually around 20 °C during the day, but the temperatures drop sharply at night. Those looking to travel to Egypt in January or February in Marsa Alam will find the warmest temperatures.

Arrival for Vacation In Egypt

There are now direct flights to Egypt from numerous German airports. The airports in particular are Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh and Marsa Alam on the Red Sea. Providers include Lufthansa, Condor, EgyptAir, Air Cairo, Eurowings and EasyJet.

The scheduled airlines Lufthansa and Egypt Air connect Germany with Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

Visa for your Egypt Vacation

for at least A passport valid six months is required to enter Egypt. You also need a visa for Egypt, which you can have issued directly at the airport upon arrival for 25 US dollars (“Visa on arrival”). before departure. Alternatively, there is the possibility to apply for an e-visa for Egypt online

If you only want to stay in Sinai (flights to Sharm el Sheikh), you can Sinai with a free “Sinai Only Visa” enter and stay in Sinai for up to 15 days. However, for excursions to the mainland (e.g. to Cairo) you need a tourist visa.

Important: If you enter overland from Israel, you will only receive the ” Sinai Only Visa”.

Entry requirements for your Egypt Vacation

Entry is currently not subject to any COVID-19-related restrictions. Temperature measurements are possible at airports.

The entry requirements can change at any time, so we recommend that you check the website of the Federal Foreign Office for up-to-date information.

Is a vacation in Egypt safe?

Began in Egypt In January 2011, the Arab Spring and with it comes unrest, mostly violent demonstrations.

Despite the current political situation in the country, there are many holiday regions that are considered safe, but there are also areas for which travel warnings or at least safety instructions have been issued.

The Federal Foreign Office warns against travel to the north of Sinai, the Gaza Strip and the remote areas of the Sahara, including the border areas with Libya and Sudan. The declared state of emergency was lifted on October 25, 2021. Entry via Cairo Airport is possible and the tourist resorts of Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Aswan and Abu Simbel are still considered safe.

You can get more travel and safety information about Egypt on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. Please always read the current safety instructions before your trip, as these can also change.

Where can you vacation in Egypt? The most beautiful holiday destinations in the country

Whether it’s a package holiday in an all-inclusive resort, a cultural program in Cairo and Luxor or a diving holiday: we’ll introduce you to the most beautiful holiday destinations in Egypt and what makes them special!

Hurghada

• ideal for family vacations and cheap package tours with all-inclusive meals
• very well developed for tourism and safe
• short drive from the airport
• Shopping promenade and pretty harbor for strolling with good fish restaurants
• many options for going out
• convenient location for day trips to Cairo, Luxor and the Pyramids
• Water sports such as diving, windsurfing and kite surfing
• ?Beach tip: The Giftun Islands

Quiet alternatives for a holiday near Hurghada are: Makadi Bay and Soma Bay (about 30 and 45 kilometers south respectively) with modern 4 to 5 star hotels, as well as Safaga with the most important historical port of Egypt.

Sharm El Sheikh

• located on the Sinai Peninsula
• short drive from the airport
• many all inclusive offers and resorts in different price ranges
• many clubs & bars
• well developed for tourism
• “Ras Mohammed”, one of the best national parks for diving and snorkeling
• Exciting possibilities for excursions into the desert to see the Beduins
• ?Dive tip: SS Thistlegorm, a huge WWII warship in the middle of Ras Mohammed National Park

Note: Despite the travel warning from the Foreign Office for North Sinai, the Egyptian government assures that tourists in Sharm el Sheikh are absolutely safe.

Marsa Alam

• developed for tourism, but much quieter than Hurghada & Sharm el Sheikh
• small airport, about 70 km outside of the city
• perfect for a diving holiday due to the very intact reefs and many rare species of fish and sea turtles
• many hotels with their own reef for snorkeling or diving directly from the beach
• Water shoes are recommended as the reefs usually reach the coast
• Excursions to Wadi al Gamal National Park and Luxor

El Gouna

• artificial lagoon city with many small islands
• called “the Venice of Egypt”
• 40 km from Hurghada Airport
• highest security in Egypt
• good for families with children
• modern marina for strolling and shopping
• chic and elegant buildings and houses
• many accommodations with a focus on sustainability

Cairo

• capital of Cairo
• many cultural and historical highlights such as the seventh wonder of the ancient world: the pyramids of Gizeh and the Sphinx
• The Egyptian Museum, the world’s largest museum of ancient Egyptian art (including Tutankhamen’s golden death mask)
• ideal for culture enthusiasts who want to get to know the “real Egypt” (very different districts, bazaars, restaurants, the “Islamic old town” with over 100 mosques and much more)
• ?Foodie tip : Koshary (translated: mishmash) is the vegetarian national dish of Egypt, consisting of lentils, chickpeas, noodles and hot sauce. You can get the best koshary at Abou Tarek in Downtown.
• ?￢ﾀﾍ☠️Insider tip, ONLY for real adventurers: Garbage City is the name of the district where Cairo’s garbage is collected. Driving through the streets of Garbage City is an unforgettable yet shocking experience.

Gold

• 85 km north of Sharm El Sheikh
• Former Bedouin village in which a community of emigrants has formed over the years
• ideal for kite surfers, divers, free divers and sport climbers
• Far less crowded than Sharm El Sheikh, with its own authentic hippie flair
• Excursions such as a Bedouin dinner in the desert, to the “Coloured Canyon” or to the Ras Abu Gallum National Park
• ?Diving tip: The ” Blue Hole” is not only breathtaking for freedivers, but you should definitely have seen it as a scuba diver!
• ?￢ﾀﾍ☠️Pirate tip: Excursion to the monastery of St. Catherine with a hike on the Mosesberg
• ⛺️For the more adventurous: weekend trip with overnight camping in the “Blue Lagoon”, a breathtaking lagoon with light blue shallow water, located in the desert

• 

Luxor

• formerly the ancient Thebes and is translated as “the city of palaces”
• popular day trip from Hurghada and one of the most visited places in Egypt
• Highlights: Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak
• A short stay of a few days is usually sufficient to see all the cultural and historical sights

Aswan

• the southernmost city in the country
• quiet atmosphere, many palm trees and direct river location
• with its own cultural identity of the former nomadic people of the Nubians
• historical treasures such as the temples of Abu Simbel and Philae
• ?￢ﾀﾍ☠️Pirate tip: A sunset trip on a felucca across the Nile

Top Sights in Egypt for your vacation

The Pyramids of Egypt and the Sphinx

The Pyramids of Giza are the last remaining of the ancient wonders of the world and were built between 2620 and 2500 BC. Built on a limestone plateau. It is believed that they served as tombs for Egyptian rulers. The largest pyramid in the world is the Cheops Pyramid, in which only an empty sarcophagus was found. In addition, it is still not possible to explain how the approximately 3 million blocks of stone were transported for construction. The Sphinx of Giza stands right by the pyramids and is a huge sculpture of a lioness with a human head, around 4,500 years old.

The Valley of the Kings

The impressive tomb complex is one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt. Most of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom were buried here. The Valley of the Kings is located near Luxor and is one of Egypt’s Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel is one of the most famous temple sites in Egypt, built in the 13th century BC to honor Pharaoh Ramses and his wife Nefertari. The impressive temples were carved into the rock and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You are in the south of the country, near Aswan.

Catherine Monastery and Mount Moses

The Greek Orthodox monastery is a World Heritage Site and is located in the middle of the desert on the Sinai Peninsula. Built on the spot where God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush, it is one of the oldest Christian monasteries. Mount Moses (also Mount Sinai) is a holy place for Jews, Christians and Muslims and an important pilgrimage destination that can be climbed in about 3 hours. We recommend doing the hike at sunrise or sunset to see the desert’s incredible display of colors.

Giftun Islands

Giftun Islands are two islands just off the coast of Hurghada, approximately 70 to 90 minutes by boat from Hurghada Port. The nature park is a very popular destination for divers and snorkelers, as you can swim in the crystal clear waters and experience the colorful and lively coral reef up close. In between you can relax on the flat sandy beach. Tip: With a bit of luck you can spot dolphins from the boat (or even while snorkeling).

Ras Mohammed National Park

The national park in Sinai is a real underwater paradise. Exotic fish, impressive and colorful coral reefs and several sunken ships make the park one of the most popular dive sites in the world. Mountain bike tours and hikes can be undertaken on land in the rocky landscape.

Egyptian Museum (Cairo)

If you travel to Cairo, you should NOT miss the Egyptian Museum, as it provides you with an incredible amount of knowledge about Ancient Egypt, the history of the pyramids and many other sights! There are around 120,000 Egyptian finds inside the museum, including mummies of famous pharaohs and Tutankhamun’s death mask. The Egyptian Museum is one of the most famous museums in the world and you should plan at least a full day for the visit.

Khan-el-Khalili-Basar (Cairo)

Bazaars are everywhere in Egypt, but the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar is a real experience! It is considered the largest bazaar in Africa and was founded as a trading market as early as the 14th century. It is full of authentic shops, souvenir shops, antiques, spices, jewelry and traditional craft shops. If you need a break from shopping, you can rest in one of the typical Egyptian coffee houses.

Siwa bones

It doesn’t get any more remote than this oasis – but the long, arduous journey by bus from Cairo is worth it, because Siwa is a paradisiacal oasis in the middle of the desert, embedded in olive trees and date palms. The freshwater and saltwater lakes are particularly unique and are said to have a healing effect on body and soul. In Siwa, several Bedouin people still live in their old traditions.

The Library of Alexandria

The library was created as early as the 3rd century BC and was the most important ancient library. Hundreds of thousands of papyrus scrolls have been kept here and it is the base of the most important research center on Ancient Egypt. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which reopened in 2002, now contains around eight million books and is considered one of the most beautiful and impressive libraries in the world.

Egypt vacation: what is there to discover?

Eating and drinking in Egypt while on vacation

Be sure to try the authentic Egyptian cuisine for your Egypt vacation, beyond the European-style hotel buffets.

• Falafel (called ta’meya in Egypt and made from green beans) are the perfect on-the-go snack. They taste a bit spicier than the falafel we know and are made with fava beans and lots of herbs.
• “Koshari” is considered the Egyptian national dish and is the perfect inexpensive meal in between – made of noodles, rice, lentils and tomato sauce. In some cases, ingredients such as chickpeas and fried onions are added. Vegetarian, cheap, delicious and REALLY filling!
• “ Meze ” are the delicious appetizers, which are usually served with fresh flatbread: including delicious dips such as baba ganoush (made from baked aubergines), kishk (yoghurt) and of course hummus (made from chickpeas)
• Mashi – Whether zucchini, aubergines, vine leaves or peppers: Mashi can be prepared with various vegetables, which are filled with rice, herbs, tomato sauce and oriental spices such as cinnamon and allspice.

• Alcohol on the street is banned, but that doesn’t stop Egypt from brewing its own good beers like Stella, which are available in bars, restaurants and hotels. Alternatively, you can do as the locals do, avoiding alcohol altogether and instead enjoying the delicious Arabic coffee or the Bedouin’s black mint tea with sugar, which you can get in Egypt at any time of the day and often even free of charge.

Travel tips for your Egypt vacation

• Away from the Red Sea beaches, women should dress conservatively (long-sleeved blouses and long pants). Bikinis and bathing suits are ok on the beach.
• “Baksheesh” (tipping) is part of the Egyptian tradition and is expected everywhere: e.g. from taxi drivers, waiters, tour guides, etc.
• Bargain and compare prices before you buy anything: In Egypt, you are often confronted with pushy salespeople. If you actually want to buy something, always remember that you have to bargain beforehand to get a fair price. This also applies to tours or taxi rides (unless metered).
• Tap water in Egypt is NOT drinking water! We also recommend using purchased drinking water for brushing your teeth.
• In general, you can communicate well in English everywhere. However, if you learn a few words of Arabic, you are guaranteed twice the service!
• Those planning a beach holiday in Egypt should equip themselves with water shoes, because the reef often begins on the shore and it is easy to injure yourself on the pointed corals.
• The places on the Red Sea that have been developed for tourism are generally considered safe. However, the Federal Foreign Office advises avoiding crowds and only taking excursions in the Sinai as guided tours.

Diving vacation in Egypt

Our top 10 vacation diving spots in Egypt

1. SS Thistlegorm (Sharm el Sheikh): This is a 125 meter sunken warship sunk by the Germans during World War II. Located in Ras Mohammed National Park, it is a must-see for advanced divers. Inside the wreck and on deck you can discover motorcycles, cannons and huge trucks, as well as dive into the dark cabins and holds. In the meantime, however, numerous schools of fish and corals have found their home in the SS Thistlegorm. For this dive we recommend at least an advanced diving license.
2. Shark Reef & Yolanda Reef (Sharm el Sheikh): This is the most famous dive site in Ras Mohammed National Park. It is right on the shore and is home to a beautiful coral garden surrounded by two large coral pillars that drop down to 800 meters. Here you will find turtles, sharks, schools of fish and many other reef dwellers. During the dive you can also discover the remains of a cargo ship, including ceramic toilets that invite you to take very special underwater selfies. 😉
3. Marsa Shagra house reef (Marsa Alam): Marsa Shagra is a diving camp with its own house reef, which has been a protected area for 30 years. Whether from the shore or by boat – from here dives to the various reefs start almost all day long. The easy entrances, often directly from the coast, are ideal for beginners. The intact house reef has countless species of fish and hard corals, turtles and is often visited by dolphins. In the summer months, baby blacktip reef sharks live on the reef top and occasionally even whale sharks and manta rays pass by.
4. Blue Hole (Sharm el Sheikh): Located in Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula, the Blue Hole is an approximately 110 meter deep hole in the coastal reef. Due to its depth, it is one of the most dangerous dive sites in the world. A guided dive on this lively reef is worthwhile in any case. The dive site is incredibly diverse, full of colorful fish, and leads along a huge hard and soft coral reef wall to the Blue Hole, where you can see fish and corals as well as advanced Free Divers can be observed disappearing at depth. Snorkelers will also get their money’s worth in the Blue Hole, as the reef can be reached directly from land.
5. Abu Dabbab (Marsa Alam): Abu Dabbab is one of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea as it is one of the few places where you can dive with the endangered dugong (manatee). Friendly giant green tortoises and the funny-looking but harmless guitar sharks can also be seen up close at Abu Dabbab. By the way: Macro fans will also get their money’s worth here!
6. Deadalus (Marsa Alam): Advanced divers can look forward to exciting deep dives here, as most of the dives are drift dives along an impressive and sheer coral wall. Whether hammerhead sharks, tunas or manta rays – thanks to the isolated location, this reef is exceptionally lively. Particularly impressive is the underwater peak, which is covered with completely untouched corals. It is about 90 kilometers east of Marsa Alam.
7. Dolphin House (Marsa Alam): Just off the coast of Marsa Alam, a pod of Spinner Dolphins live in the offshore reef. Visitors can dive or snorkel with the curious bottlenose dolphins. Divers worldwide happily return to this magical place to dive with the dolphins, although there is no guarantee that you will always see them.
8. Elphinstone (Marsa Alam): This dive site is known for dreamy drift dives along deep drop-offs full of pristine coral. You also get the unique opportunity to dive with hammerhead sharks or the oceanic white tip shark. The best time for this is from October to December. The reef can be visited from Marsa Alam as a day trip or via a multi-day liveaboard with a boat.
9. Tiran (Sharm el Sheikh): The Strait of Tiran is a world famous dive site located between the island of Tiran and the Sinai Peninsula. The place is famous for its exceptional coral diversity, created due to the strong currents. In addition to many colorful small fish, you can also find sharks and other large animals here. The spot is definitely only suitable for experienced divers and the boat trip from land takes about 1.5 hours.
10. Giftun Islands (Hurghada): This dive site is about 45 minutes boat ride from the Hurghada coast. Steep walls, barracuda, Napoleon wrasse and countless schools of fish await you here. The water glows mint green and is a real dream for both snorkeling and diving. There are many beginner spots, but experienced divers also get their money’s worth on the steep slopes full of hard and soft corals.

Nile cruise in Egypt

The Nile stretches more than 6800 km through the otherwise arid desert of North Africa and provides green fields and palm forests on its banks. The Nile cruises usually start in luxury and allow you to experience a large part of the sightseeing highlights of Egypt in a few days, including Thebes, Abu Simbel, Aswan, the Valley of the Kings and much more

Of course you can also reach these destinations on your own by bus or train, but the cruises are much more comfortable and often actually much cheaper.