An Egypt journey is light and stone, but also a handful of practical decisions. We send a briefing matched to your circuit; these pages gather the essentials so you arrive already clear — and the visits remain the heart of the stay.
1. When to go
The most comfortable season for Cairo, Luxor and Aswan is October to April: clear days, sometimes cool nights, temples that can be visited without midday heat. May and September still work, with earlier starts. June to August are very hot in Upper Egypt — we move visits to dawn and leave the afternoon to the boat, the hotel or the Red Sea.
The Red Sea (Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Sharm) is year-round; the water is warmest in late summer. Desert journeys (Siwa, the White Desert) are best from October to April. The eclipse of 2 August 2027 falls in Luxor’s high summer: shade, water and certified viewers are part of the plan, as much as the astronomy.
- October–April: classic circuits, cruises, desert.
- May–September: Red Sea, very early visits, shorter cultural days.
- Ramadan: the country stays open; meal times and some sites shift — we plan for it.
2. How we pace the days
An EG Traveo circuit is not a race through temples. Cairo needs time for the museum and historic quarters. Luxor needs a distinct East Bank and West Bank. Aswan is slower: Philae, a felucca, perhaps Abu Simbel. The Red Sea, when it closes the journey, is not filler — it is where the body recovers.
Early starts (Giza, the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel) exist for the light and to stay ahead of coaches. Afternoons are often free, or spent on deck. If you prefer fewer sites and more quiet, we drop steps — that is not a lesser trip, it is a better one.
3. Money, cards and tipping
The currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP). Five-star hotels and many restaurants take cards; small shops, tips and some tickets still want cash. ATMs are plentiful in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan; tell your bank before you fly.
Tipping is part of Egypt’s tourism economy. Your briefing lists realistic amounts for the guide, driver, boat crew and hotel staff — not an abstract moral duty, a custom. You are not obliged to give more. We do not run an opaque “kitty”: you see whom you tip.
Our published prices are in euros, as shown. On-the-ground extras (extra tombs, balloon, diving) are paid to the operator, often in euros, dollars or pounds.
4. Temples, museums and photography
Entrance fees listed on the itinerary cover the visits named. Some tombs (Seti I, Nefertari, Tutankhamun) and a pyramid interior are separate tickets — we offer them, we do not impose them. Queues and quotas change; a private Egyptologist helps you choose what is worth the cost and the wait.
Photography is usually fine outdoors. Indoors, rules vary: sometimes banned, sometimes ticketed, sometimes no flash. We follow the site’s instructions. A tripod or a drone needs permits we do not improvise on the morning.
Ground is uneven, steps are many, shade is scarce at noon. Closed shoes, a hat, water: not folklore — the comfort of the day.
5. Ramadan
During Ramadan much of the country fasts from sunrise to sunset. Tourist sites stay open; some daytime restaurants close or shorten the menu. Evenings, at iftar, are livelier. We adjust lunch hours and do not force a pace that is rude to your hosts.
Eating and drinking in public by day is awkward more than forbidden for visitors — we tell you how to stay discreet. If your dates fall in Ramadan, tell us early: hotels, boats and restaurants run differently.
6. Dress
In cities and on sites, covered shoulders and knees spare you stares and the occasional mosque refusal. A scarf for women is useful at the Mosque of Muhammad Ali and at St Catherine. On the boat and the Red Sea, dress is resort — swimwear on the beach, shorts on deck.
Site-by-site clothing notes are on what to pack.
7. The detailed pages
Visa, packing, health and insurance each have their own page. Read them before you book a flight: passport, medical-evacuation insurance and vaccines (where relevant) are yours to arrange; we confirm the process in your briefing, we do not file the application for you.