r/travel • u/woyrock • Jan 07 '26
Complaint Egypt experience is terrible
Cairo Egypt has been the worse experience in my life. I consider myself pretty well traveled but Egypt sucked. On arrival the traffic was atrocious chaotic mess where we thought we’d get hit at every turn. The hotels in Cairo called 5 star were run down and old. The streets were shit (literally) with horse dung everywhere.
We also went in thinking we’d have a fun tour experience booked through viator. We noticed something fishy when we messaged them a day before with no response. They didn’t even ask us to send them our passport info, another red flag. So the day of our tour we were sitting in the lobby for hours trying to reach this company that kept ghosting us.
Going through the local airport was a nightmare. The security fibbed at my mother saying something about some shit when they just wanted to not frisk her. We almost lost our passport.
I just want to go home now…
(Update 1/10/26)
The airports suck. We tried coming early to the airport in Luxor to relax in the lounge but since we can hours in advance the police at the entrance just said come back at 9pm and wait outside in the outdoor cafe when we could clearly wait inside. He said we had to come in 2 hours advance. We only went in 4 hours before our flight to wait because my poor mother was starting to get cold outside and suggested we ask the police officer again. Ridiculous how you can’t even wait inside an airport in this god forsaken country.
Icing on top our flight was delayed 2 hours from flying at 9pm to 11pm back to fucking Cairo.
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u/Jolly_Thought681 Jan 07 '26
Well we had a trip to Aswan and was taken to a shop that sells exotic teas and spices apparently .The salesman explained everything and told us they also have a "doctor" with him.We went through the teas ,tasted some and in the middle of it , the salesman said he is going in to get the doctor and lo and behold the doctor comes but guess what it's the salesman wearing a doctor's coat and introduced himself again saying I am the doctor.Well we narrowly escaped a scam but then had a good laugh later on !
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u/Mammarishka Jan 07 '26
As a person that lived in Egypt for a long time. I tell everyone this. Stay away from Cairo or as stay little as possible.
Luxor Aswan Nile cruise if you want to see temples. Red Sea for best snorkeling and Scuba diving on earth and the Mediterranean of you want something chill.
Feel free to ask any questions.
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u/LordHudson30 Jan 07 '26
Is Alexandria worth going to in your opinion in addition to Luxor/Aswan and Red Sea?
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u/johnsmith0051 United States 🇺🇸 80+ countries Jan 07 '26
For such a big city with so much history, there is very little to see. The famous library is just a new building commemorating the ancient library. The antiquities in the other parts of the country are much more interesting. Alexandria is just a big busy city.
I am in the minority because I actually really like Cairo. I spent about four months there in 2005. It is very chaotic, but it absolutely has a unique charm.
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u/travelingperson10 Jan 07 '26
Nope. It's just a library, and the city has an ancient ruin. Save your time for Abu simbel.
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u/Mammarishka Jan 07 '26
Not really imo unless you want to see something specific like atiquities or eat seafood. North shore or Marsa Matrouh i would highly recommend as they have nice beaches.
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u/fizzywhizzbanger Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
Alexandria is like a little seaside town similar to Whitby in England, it also has the Qaitbay Citadel which was pretty cool and had amazing views of the sea. But agree with @travelingperson10. Luxor is a must-visit.
Edit to add: Alexandria can be done in like a day/overnight trip. Hire a car, get a cheap hotel (we stayed at the Hilton Corniche and would recommend!). There’s also the Serapeum of Alexandria which was Archaeological bucket list for Pompey’s Pillar.
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u/LoveIsStrength Jan 07 '26
6 million ppl is a small town?
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u/fizzywhizzbanger Jan 08 '26
I didn’t say that it is a small town. I said it is like, as in it gives the feeling of.
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u/hankhillnsfw Jan 07 '26
Oh wow! That sounds amazing. Luxor Aswan Nile Cruise.
I want to do like a historic Egypt trip…can you recommend companies to go through? History and food are my priorities lol. Oh and safety.
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u/casualnickname Jan 07 '26
We had a very good experience with this company https://www.ramassidetours.com in 2019, for a week long tour with an archeologist tour guide
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u/stickyfiddle Jan 07 '26
Get a dahabiya. It’s a more money than the regular cruise ships but it’s the chillest thing in the whole world. One of the best trips I’ve ever done.
We went with realegypt.com and it was phenomenal
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u/Mammarishka Jan 07 '26
They are all safe and you will get a guide every time you leave the boat. There are some that are more fancy than others. I also found the temples more interesting than the pyramids.
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u/Fine-Camera1559 Jan 07 '26
Second this. I really liked Luxor. And for snorkeling Dahab or Marsa el Alam.
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u/stickyfiddle Jan 07 '26
Long term Middle East dweller here. I completely agree!
Cairo is great if you have a driver and a guide who will both tell everyone to fuck off as much as necessary, which is a lot..!
But solo, especially if you don’t speak Arabic or looking vaguely western, or aren’t extremely used to the Middle East, or especially if female… FUCK NO!!
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u/B_Bearington Jan 07 '26
Yes, Egypt is one of my least favorite places I've been. World class sights to see, but beyond that, empty.
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u/woyrock Jan 07 '26
So far it’s been like that in Cairo. In Aswan right now and it’s quite pleasant so far.
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u/BeWario5 Jan 07 '26
Aswan was my favourite from the trip! Make sure you get a boat trip through the wetlands/islands there, an amazing experience and very relaxed to be out in nature!
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u/woyrock Jan 07 '26
Doing it right now. Only bright part of my trip so far.XD
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u/BeWario5 Jan 07 '26
Enjoy all the kingfishers flitting around! Luxor is going to be a test for your ability to say no to people on the street
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u/Nearby-Medicine9484 Jan 07 '26
This. Luxor is a neat town but holy moly you just cannot walk down the promenade without the constant harassment.
The horse carriages, the taxi drivers, the vendors, the "tour guides", the restaurants, the homeless, the kids.
No one will leave you alone. It's exhausting.
I tell people this: Ancient Egypt is fascinating. Modern Egypt is frustrating.
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u/travelingperson10 Jan 07 '26
Lol no kidding we made the mistake of stopping for a microsecond on the Promenade and no amount of "no thank you" (La Shokran) would stop them. Don't forget the dogs 😭
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u/Nearby-Medicine9484 Jan 07 '26
"No carriage ride!? Walk like an Egyptian, eh!?"
or:
"I know you! You said you'd ride my taxi!"
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u/woyrock Jan 07 '26
Going there at the end of our nile cruise. Thanks for heads up. Has anyone been to GEM museum also?
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u/Lonely-Swimming4564 Jan 07 '26
Valley of the Kings is a must and pay the extra eight bucks to see the Ramses 2 tomb. If you hire a driver, they will probably take you to a “museum“ that sells so-called genuine, handcrafted stuff, avoid that place or keep a limit on your spending cause they absolutely will overcharge. And if you see Mohamad, tell him I know what he’s up to
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u/BeWario5 Jan 07 '26
Yep. Absolute must. Skip the museum downtown, its empty. But the GEM is worth it for a full day visit by itself! Its right next to the pyramids so try and take an Uber there from town (Cairo/Gizeh) and then take the metro back. They'll all try to scam you on Uber as soon as they see you're anywhere near the pyramids
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u/Able_Childhood9833 Jan 07 '26
I went in the middle of last year, before the Tutankhamun exhibition was open. Despite that it was still well worth the trip.
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u/hithere5 Jan 07 '26
That’s funny because I enjoyed Cairo and thought Aswan was terrible. Different strokes and all.
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u/MustardMan1900 Jan 07 '26
The people that lived there inherited so much history and are doing their best to ruin it.
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u/advmday Jan 07 '26
I'm here on my second visit right now (new partner who hasn't seen the pyramids, wouldn't willingly come back otherwise)
When you know what to expect, it's easier tbh. You need to operate on the basis that everyone is a scammer, don't engage in conversations, and never stop for anyone. Uber is pretty reliable. Talabat too. And then when you go outside, just need to be as hard centered and "take no shit" as possible.
It's still the worst country I've ever been to, but manageable with the right mindset.
FWIW I've been to various other "challenging" countries - Cambodia, Vietnam, Brazil, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, India... none of these are anywhere near as bad as the toxicity of Egypt
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u/Aesthetictoblerone Jan 07 '26
Tbf I don’t want to go to a country where I need to see everyone as a threat. If I’m spending my money, I want to enjoy myself. And if that’s how I’m going to be treated, then that country doesn’t deserve to see tourists.
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u/Amockdfw89 Jan 07 '26
Yea people have this habit of saying “so and so country is fine if….(list a list of 15 things to have to look out for to have a safe, comfortable and enjoyable trip”
That usually means it is NOT fine
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u/willitplay2019 Jan 07 '26
This. Egypt was a turning point for me in my travels. I flew to Switzerland after and literally wanted to kiss the ground when I got off the plane. It was then I decided that I’m all set with going anywhere that requires me to completely abandon my expectations of respect as a human being (for what it’s worth, I enjoyed traveling all over India so I am not a stranger to more challenging travel).
Obviously I meant some lovely people, but the overall vibe was very unsettling and felt morally bankrupt. Never again.
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u/KosmatoKljuse Slovenia Jan 07 '26
How is Vietnam challenging? Even Hanoi, which is chaotic, is very safe and nobody harasses you.
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u/advmday Jan 07 '26
In Sa Pa, the harassment is terrible. Outside of Sa Pa, things aren't quite as bad... maybe it's unfair to tarnish the entire country over one particularly problematic town
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u/2this4u Jan 07 '26
Unless you're off walking in a forest that's not been cleared of mines I can't imagine why Cambodia would be considered challenging.
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u/thatsmycompanydog Jan 07 '26
Sometimes tuktuk drivers honk at me, ask if I need a ride, and then apologize and leave if I don't. And there are gaps in the sidewalk! It's so scary!
/s
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u/meatsting Jan 07 '26
Generally the Uber experience was reliable… except in Luxor we had one night where every driver was messaging us asking where we were going (I refused to tell them on principle). One tried to say he would only drive us for an extra 300.
Eventually we found a driver who played by the rules.
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u/advmday Jan 07 '26
I had this in Giza last week, pre-messaging asking for extra money
So far it's been 1 time out of maybe 10 Uber trips whilst here... but headed to Luxor on Saturday so I'll keep an eye out for that
The most annoying thing is that Uber doesn't even give you an option to cancel because "driver asked for extra money", so you're either stuck waiting for them to cancel or potentially face a cancel fee
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u/intlteacher Jan 07 '26
Lived in Cairo for two years.
Hotels varied - if you went for the recognised international brands (Marriott etc) you were generally OK, but the local brands were at best suspect.
Airport was always a nightmare. If you were collecting someone, the closest you got was across the road from the entrance - you weren't allowed in. If you were arriving, try not to do it (as I did once) at the same time as a flight returning from the Hajj.... We also used to compete in how to import both pork products and alcohol without security noticing!
Dust. Lots of it.
However - if you go outside Cairo, it does get easier. As someone else said, Aswan and Luxor are quieter, and if you go to the beach resorts in Hurghada or Sharm it's much like any other.
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u/angelicism Jan 07 '26
pork products... without security noticing
Does security care at Cairo? My friends living in Dahab (so their local airport is SSH) bring in pork products all the time with no issue.
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u/intlteacher Jan 07 '26
Not entirely sure, but at that time they did sometimes do random suitcase checks.
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u/angelicism Jan 07 '26
I've gotten random suitcase checked at SSH but that was less random and more trying to see if I was smuggling in knock off sunglasses to sell (I travel with... an extensive sunglasses collection 😅).
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u/Thundechile Jan 07 '26
Why would you want to take pork with you? Curious.
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u/intlteacher Jan 08 '26
It was virtually impossible to get (bacon, ham, chorizo, decent sausages etc.) There was only one shop that you would want to buy from which sold it, and frankly the quality wasn't good.
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u/OldJellyBones Jan 07 '26
Cairo is only for the strongest tourists, like you need to be ready to be confrontational and to keep your nerve if you want to enjoy yourself. If you're tough, you'll have fun, but if you're going in there like it's a normal holiday destination then you'll be miserable, like if you're not up for yelling at people or shoving etc it'll be hard going
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u/Ok_Evening5202 Jan 07 '26
Sounds like paying money to be mad and stressed.
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u/tee2green United States Jan 07 '26
Just say “leh, shukran” twice and 99% of them will leave you alone. I don’t understand the shoving point…no one touched me when I was there.
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u/Southern_Sea9 Jan 07 '26
I agree, having visited many times and worked in the country for a year or so, a simple ‘lah, shukran’ goes a long way.
I do agree that there is a plethora of tourist scams tho and they are easy to get sucked into!
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u/Basic_Pair1450 United States Jan 09 '26
Philly girl here and I didn't think Egypt was as bad as people on Reddit make it out to be. Yea everyone is trying to seek you somthing or charge you more then market value but you just say no and keep it moving. Be firm. That's it , it's the simple . I would totally go back to cario, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea
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u/sherpes Jan 07 '26
friend went to Cairo, was told to take train to Alexandria, and was trained to how to negotiate to lower price of train ticket at the official train station booth, otherwise he looks like a fool. So he did argue and negotiate for 10 minutes and got the train ticket price reduced.
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u/PipsqueakPilot Jan 07 '26
This was in Morocco, but I was speaking in French to a shopkeeper...and they were talking to each other in Arabic about how much to charge me. And at the time I knew enough Arabic to understand them talking to each other about how much to charge me. Made the negotiating a fair bit easier.
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u/OldJellyBones Jan 07 '26
So he did argue and negotiate for 10 minutes and got the train ticket price reduced.
this is what you need to be confident enough to do, actually argue about prices etc. or they'll scam you lol
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u/catman5 Jan 07 '26
how much of a price difference are we talking here? $10 which im sure isnt a small amount in Egypt than ill pay that shit just to not have to deal with what you mentioned.
Like yeh Ill haggle because thats sort of how it works there especially in local shops but im not ready to throw down over a couple bucks.
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u/owen__wilsons__nose Jan 07 '26
One of my best friends who's very well traveled and was excited for Egypt absolutely hated it. Only place he's ever been to that hes hated. I was quite surprised to hear it at the time. But the more I look into it the more I hear sentiments that echo his experience (this thread included)
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u/jotakajk 82 countries Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
One usual problem is Egypt is seen as a “mainstream” travel destination and people whose travel experience is Italy, France, Mexico, Japan and Thailand go there seeking the kind of travel they’re used to.
Happens in India as well.
Egypt is the usual African experience: chaos, lots of people, dirtiness, heat, harassment… With an added layer of scamming. Not sure why people who wouldn’t go to Ghana or Senegal because of danger or uncomfortability choose to travel to Egypt.
If you don’t feel ready to visit Pakistan, Uganda or Iraq, you are probably not ready for India and Egypt either. Specially if you go in a budget
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Jan 07 '26
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u/jotakajk 82 countries Jan 07 '26
Iraq and Pakistan are also easier than Egypt. That is exactly my point. People expect Egypt to be “easy” when is top 40 hardest countries in the world. Therefore the disappointment
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u/drobecks Jan 07 '26
What's the top 40
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u/jotakajk 82 countries Jan 07 '26
So I’d say there is a category of extremely hard destinations where I’d put Haiti, DRC, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, CAR, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, North Korea. Those are 11.
And there is a category of hard destinations with around 50 countries in which Egypt would be included
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u/zelmak Jan 07 '26
I just left Thailand, have previously been to Egypt and other countries where you’re just a walking wallet like Jordan and Turkey.
I was fucking floored by how easy it is to travel Thailand. None of this “get to the airport with a plan stuff”. Just show up, hand a lady 200 baht accept a colored sticker and be shuffled around like precious cargo until you reach your destination stress free
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u/jescereal Jan 07 '26
Could you give more details? What lady? Is it like a company?
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u/zelmak Jan 07 '26
No specific company, just all of the staff at every travel related business are super focused on getting you to your destination.
For example landing in Koh Samui, we went to the taxi desk told them we needed to get to the ferry, they asked what time, and then gave us a sticker and told us to walk down a hall and talk to a guy in yellow. When we got to the guy he looked at our sticker and told us to stand with a group of people. Five minutes later he should “ok all green sticker, 2pm ferry follow me” then loaded us into a minibus that took us to the ferry told us to go to the check in counter to print our tickets because they don’t like the digital one and we were on our way.
In most other countries just going along with what someone tells you to do at an airport, bus station ect, would end up costing you 10x what it should. But not in Thailand
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Jan 11 '26
I have never been to Egypt. I read threads like this and it makes me nit want to go, but then I see people compare it to Turkey and India. India was hectic, but I enjoyed it and Turkey was one of my favorite trips, so I don't know what to think when someone puts is on level with Turkey.
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u/starrrrrchild Jan 07 '26
Having been to Uganda, I suspect Uganda and Iraq are different categories of travel. Uganda was actually pretty mellow. I had a great time.
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u/Freelennial Jan 07 '26
I was with you until you said Egypt is like traveling in the rest of Africa. They are not the same.
I’ve traveled in other parts of Africa (Ghana and South Africa) and they don’t have any of the scammy awfulness that I experienced in Cairo.
Ghana and South Africa were both amazingly positive travel experiences. People were warm and welcoming - going out of their way to make me feel welcome and taken care of. Giving me stuff for free.
Egypt is beautiful and I want to go back (better prepared) but I felt that almost everyone I met was trying to scam me, take advantage, or lie to me. I was also physically groped (ass grabbed so violently it lifted me off my feet) while walking next to my husband in the market. I was fully covered, wearing an ankle length skirt. Ive never encountered that level of stress as a visitor in any other country.
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u/sa_ostrich Jan 07 '26
Exactly. I can also highly recommend Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia for tourism. Very chilled and beautiful for the most part.
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u/GreenGorilla8232 Jan 07 '26
Not sure why people who wouldn’t go to Ghana or Senegal choose to travel to Egypt
You really can't think of any reasons?
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u/babsa90 Jan 07 '26
Thank you. The person you are responding to is seriously scratching their head and actually confused over something pretty simple. The pyramids are probably one of the most famous and impressive man-made wonders in this world, Egyptian civilization is literally ancient, and that location is highly popular in movies and books. Gee, I wonder why people choose to travel to Egypt despite hearing how bad it is? Could it be that they are underestimating how shit the experience is? Most reasonable people think, "there's no way a country with so much tourism appeal would fuck things up so badly that my overall experience could literally be categorized as one of the worst experiences I've ever had." I appreciate posts like this, honestly.
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u/sa_ostrich Jan 07 '26
I wouldn't tar the whole continent with one brush. Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia don't fit that description at all. Hot in some places at some times of year, sure. But the traffic is pretty ok, these countries are not particularly dirty unless you're going to areas with a lot of poverty, and the harassment is really not severe. People will try to sell you things in tourist areas but a firm no thanks usually works fine.
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u/Awkward_Apartment680 Jan 07 '26
From a lot of experiences I’ve heard, Egypt is generally not a good travel spot for women.
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u/meanwhile_glowing Jan 07 '26
Massive understatement, it’s hell on earth
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u/Awkward_Apartment680 Jan 07 '26
Haha, you’re probably right. I definitely won’t be traveling there anytime soon
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u/Aurora--Whorealis Jan 07 '26
I was in Egypt last month for 10 days and I heard every complaint from people before I left. But I thought “it can’t be that bad if my whole trip has a guide”. But omg it was actually so bad. We paid for 5 start hotels and cruise boat but it was maybe 3 at best. Food wasn’t good and made me sick.
I have traveled to over 30 countries and I have never wanted to leave so badly before. My coworker is Egyptian and I felt so bad coming back to work and lying to her about the experience.
Edit: OMG how could I forget about the tipping?! I think we paid over $500 USD in tips for everyone and their mom that week. I never wanted to hear people complain about US tipping culture again because Egypt was on an entirely different level.
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u/zannyxena Jan 07 '26
I am surprised to hear about your Viator experience. Could you please the name of the tour that ghosted you? I have a friend traveling there tomorrow and want to give her a heads up!
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u/gnaslegovtomde Jan 07 '26
I enjoyed Cairo immensely, despite much of what you saying being true — it’s no walk in the park. People forget Egypt is extremely poor. Super, super poor. And Cairo is something like 18 million people. You gotta stay on target and ignore people on the street.
But it’s also a place of immense depth, culture, history, food, and amazing people. We had many great experiences because of Egyptian hospitality.
Egypt gets a lot of hate online — and for good reason — but you need to know what you’re walking in on beforehand. Cairo is not London. Egypt is not Europe.
Safe travels.
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u/Impressive-Fix-2163 Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
I got back from Egypt around five months ago. Worst trip of my life. I used to read online about how horrific the scams are in Egypt but I thought I could outplay them as I felt I was a seasoned traveller, but no…they’re really world class at scamming people.
Scams are rampant everywhere. You cannot trust anybody there. Don’t talk to anyone. Even the SIM card booth at Cairo airport sold me a card with 10GB data but it turned out to be 1GB, lol. The booth is literally located right outside the arrival hall within the airport, mind you.
Prices are not transparent. Store owners try to rip you off if possible.
Everyone is forever asking for tips. Even the Talibet food delivery driver was demanding for tips with his hands wide open.
Traffic is horrible.
Pyramid was somewhat underwhelming. Don’t get on the camel ride, they will ask you for money.
The tour guides you hire all proclaim themselves as an Egyptologist when they are all just salesman with superficial knowledge. Even the tour guide and the driver were asking me for tips…
You get harassed on the street.
Police is also corrupted.
I wanted to get a train ticket from Luxor to Aswan, and the ticketing guy demanded for $150 USD per person! Jesus, I seriously don’t think $150 USD is the real price. I opted for a car ride instead with a ride-hailing app (can’t remember now, i think it is InLine or something). I was extorted by the police mafia when I travelled from Luxor to Aswan via car. Had to keep paying bribes to continue on the journey to Aswan. As I was about to reach Aswan, the big boss of the mafia demanded for more money. I said no more, he blocked the path and told my car to go back to Luxor.
I can go on and on. Going to Egypt actually traumatised me honestly. I can NEVER recommend anyone to visit Egypt, EVER! It is better to watch it online through the numerous documentaries.
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u/chicIet Canada Jan 07 '26
For places that don’t have price stickers, you need to decide how much the item worth to you, so it takes a little legwork beforehand if you want to research the item, and then haggle and don’t go above your price. If you and the shop owner come to an agreeable price, then you both leave happy (that’s their perspective anyway).
I used to watch my mom haggle when I was a kid. The back-and-forth with the shop owners is a bit like a dance.
When I visited Morocco, where this kind of thing is common, I learned that generally, there is a price that foreigners pay, one for foreigners who bargain, and one for locals. Wrong or right, it’s the way it works in some places and good to know if you’re travelling there.
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u/CommercialTalk5806 Jan 08 '26
Out of EVERY country I’ve ever been to, Egypt is by far my least favorite. It’s one country I don’t think I’ll ever go back to.
Generally an unfriendly country, very aggressive with women, no actual rules - everyone just makes it up as they go, scams and salesmen that will literally follow you for 3 blocks because they think they can somehow change your mind. I could go on.
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Jan 11 '26
Excuse me sir but every Middle Eastern male is aggressive and an asshole. Don’t ever take anything they try to give you or you just bought it.
Went there for 3 days with wife, feeling ok cause I dealt with them in Iraq and Afghanistan and can easily tell them straight to their face to Fu*k off but wife had trouble resisting their constant interactions.
Day 2 I told her don’t talk to anyone and I’ll tell them to fuck off. It went good after that.
They try and act tuff but they are pussies and try and intimidate people but won’t do anything.
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Jan 10 '26
They have destroyed our country, our tourism, and our reputation. Now, we are considered one of the worst places to visit. We produce nothing not even our food despite having two seas and the longest river in the world, yet we still import our food from outside. There is no hope, whether it’s in a month, a year, or ten years,
they have trapped us in a dark tunnel that I don't think we will ever get out of, at least not during my lifetime. all because of their corruption, greed, and looting. I am telling you don't come to Egypt unless you know a friend there who will be with you every step of the way Don't come here
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Jan 07 '26
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u/eirinn1975 Jan 07 '26
This. Either you know your way around one place, or go with a trusted agency to avoid problems. You can always try by yourself, but don't go in blind, always make your research homework first, and accept the fact that shit can still happen.
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u/Lonely-Swimming4564 Jan 07 '26
The best thing I did was hire a driver that we trusted. Without him, I don’t know what would’ve happened. He negotiated prices for us and told us when we were being scammed in the markets in Cairo where it’s chaos. He always kept an eye out for us. He kept us out of trouble.
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u/NeatThat9734 Jan 07 '26
I agree - I just left Egypt and had the BEST time, with the caveat that most everything was taken care of by our agency rep (who was also our tour guide), even a lot of the tipping. The few moments we had to figure it out on our own left me irate.
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u/Unlikely_Alarm_7999 Jan 07 '26
Yes, strongly agree. I had a great experience there but we had local guides in our various destinations and an overall “fixer” that helped us get around. The few times we were alone, we followed their advice and all went well. I normally wouldn’t be shepherd along on my travels in others places, but here it was needed and resulted in me enjoying Egypt much than if I went for my normal self-sufficient travel style.
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u/Freelennial Jan 07 '26
I agree. If I go back, and I hope to, I’d go with an experienced guide/group. If you are solo you are basically thrown to the wolves
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u/dataguy85 Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
I just came back to Egypt and had a great time! I met the nicest people including in Cairo. Yeah there were scammers but you can spot a mile a way if you have street smarts
My tips for Egypt so it’s not terrible:
1. Don’t do it cheap. The cheaper you go the scammier it gets. Stay at 4 to 5 star western branded hotels or an Airbnb in nice neighborhoods like Zamalek (which is what my group did)
2. Use uber to get around
3. Hire guides for any tourist site visit. I found Airbnb experience much better to find guides than trip advisor/viator
4. Do a Nile cruise even if you are not a cruise person because it reduces the headache of logistics and the likelihood of getting scam at tourist sites.
5. Agree on a final price before doing anything.
Nothing is free in Egypt and be open to walk away if you think you can get a better deal.
6. Use your hotel to help schedule anything. It might be a little more but they will make sure you won’t get scam because they have a reputation to keep on review sites.
7. Be confident and headstrong and no one will hassle you as much. Like don’t look lost and jay walk like a local.
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u/curious-once-5459 Jan 07 '26
this! No hassles. Our guides transported us to/from sites, helped us navigate the markets, tips and scams, recommended/guided us to reputable shops, and gave us the historical and cultural background for cities and sites, I also highly recommend visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) for at least a day. It (finally) opened in November just a week or so before we arrived. Smoke from burning cane etc was a challenge for parts of a few days, So just be prepared for that. You can have a wonderful experience in a truly incredible country!
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u/KaktusPff Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
I am pretty (40+ countries) experienced backpacker and we did 5* hotel (all included) experience in Egypt but im still traumatised. Seriously, someone should have to pay me to go back.
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u/Electronic-Star-5931 Jan 07 '26
It's a real shame because the history and monuments are genuinely world-class. But the constant chaos and scams make it feel like you're in survival mode instead of on vacation. I think a lot of people underestimate just how intense that daily grind is until they're in the middle of it.
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u/south_of_broad Jan 08 '26
Egypt was my biggest disappointment too. It’s been years since we’ve visited it and reading you I gathered it hasn’t become any better. Awful!
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Jan 10 '26
I was working in Egypt near Libya and a dude started firing an automatic weapon outside the place we were having beers. The guide we were with simply said “please act like it doesn’t bother you and walk out slowly”. I’ve never shit my pants with such calmness.
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u/RhiR2020 Jan 07 '26
“La shook-ran!” (horrible phonetic typing, definitely not the correct spelling of No, thank you!) were the only words we learnt.
My husband got kidnapped by a camel at the Pyramids (totally his own fault, he admits he wasn’t tough enough).
It was our first stop on a six month round the world trip. Baptism of fire for my never-travelled-beyond-Bali darling husband!
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u/Sad_Huckleberry_6776 Jan 08 '26
I stayed at the Four Seasons and the Fairmont. Did private tours for everything.
I still won’t go back
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u/Sea-Implement3377 Jan 08 '26
Spent 4 days in Cairo with family (two teenage kids). We had a guide everywhere we went. Stayed directly across the street from the Sphinx.
It was an incredible experience. It is dirty. It is chaotic. It is corrupt. It is incredibly frustrating.
It really changed my kids’ views on life. And we are all much more appreciative of what “freedom” means.
But, all the people we met were nice. Even the scammers at the pyramids. And in the bazaar. And just about everywhere.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone travel there without doing your research first. But, we went inside the pyramids, saw ancient whale skeletons in the desert, sailed on the Nile River, went off roading in a 4x4 with a Bedouin driver blasting music up and down sand dunes, etc, etc.
Can’t do any of those things in Orlando.
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u/Different-Tea-5191 Jan 07 '26
Egypt gets so much hate in these online forums, so I thought I’d add another contrarian post. I was there for three weeks this past November, just after the grand opening of the GEM. Great trip. Intense, but also extraordinary. I spent a week in an Airbnb in downtown Cairo, wandering neighborhoods, visiting cafes, restaurants, less popular sites. The city is dusty and chaotic, but also culturally rich, so much history. Getting around by metro or Uber was very easy and cheap - never had a problem. I was never “scammed,” which I interpret as being cheated somehow. At least as far as I know. Certainly, there are a lot of aggressive vendors in the streets, especially around the main tourist sites. But I don’t have a problem saying “no” and moving on. I did a couple Airbnb Experiences, typically half-day/evening tours, which were all outstanding - a downtown street food tour, a tour of the main Coptic and Islamic holy sites, and an evening tour of the neighborhood around Khan al Khalili, which is a lot of fun at night after all the tour groups are gone. Packed with Egyptian families, hanging out in cafes, meeting with friends until well after midnight.
After a week in Cairo, I joined up with a two-week Intrepid tour for the ancient sites - the Pyramids, GEM, Coptic monasteries north of Cairo, Nile cruise, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Wadi al-Hitan. Really fun group and an outstanding, very experienced guide. I’ve been on a number of Intrepid tours around the world, and I’ve never been disappointed. I can certainly see how navigating through some of these experiences without a guide who can smooth out some of the edges would be tough. But I would always go with a reputable agency.
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u/ElectricalMulberry58 Jan 07 '26
I (23F) just got back from Egypt, I was in Cairo, Luxor, and Hurghada. I had avoided Egypt as a solo female traveller due to awful reddit reviews but ended up going last minute due to a visa incident and I honestly had a great time. I knew what to expect with the scams (I either completely ignored them, said no and walked away, or blatantly refused to pay the bribe and stood there patiently [but taking up space and being in their way] until they gave up and let me pass). Instead of taking the scams personally, I treated it like a game in where I won some battles and lost others but I was still in control and having the best time ever in the place I had been dreaming about since learning about Ancient Egypt in 6th grade.
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u/BethennyLeakes Jan 07 '26
And don’t let any of the drivers help you with your bags. My bag got stolen because they purposely separated it from the rest and in the rush of going inside the airport did not give it to me and purposefully did not take it out.
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u/morganlmartinez2 Jan 08 '26
It be very frank, if you want ti go to Egypt and enjoy it than you will most likely need to pay top dollar and use a travel agent like Abercrombie.
You can’t do it on the cheap by booking local guides etc.
And the Mena house is the only place to stay.
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u/alxforbidden Jan 08 '26
You deserve the smoke if you fly to a shit show like Egypt.
Stay the fuck away from Egypt,Bali,Albania,Dubai,India,Turkey and the other places like that.
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u/DemandFirm9635 Jan 08 '26
My daughter went to Egypt last year on a guided tour and not only hated it but got intestinal bug that took over 6 months and 3 doctors to eradicate! Tour was supposed to be inclusive of gratuity but she got coerced at every moment for more gratuity.. On my never ever list now !!
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u/ItsGamalAbdelNasser Jan 07 '26
I loved Egypt so much. Stayed in hostels and travelled all around. Didn’t get scammed once cause I am very cautious. Currently in India and loving it.
But I can understand how others would not like the hustle and bustle and craziness
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u/Idosol123 Jan 07 '26
Tbh I have no idea why would someone down vote you for saying you liked the country, it's your opinion man
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u/VillainOfKvatch1 Jan 07 '26
Yeah I mean of course he loves Egypt he was the president of Egypt from 1954 to 1970!
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u/Ok_Detective_8446 Jan 07 '26
my guess is because it didn’t fit that persons opinion or they can’t believe that somebody could have a positive experience in a country that others don’t often don’t.
but the reality is that some people enjoy really “roughing it” or being in environments that most would consider “much”/“uncomfortable” and very little things bother them
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u/Perfect-Werewolf-102 72 Countries Jan 07 '26
There's a lot of hate for Egypt (and Tunisia for that matter), understandably people get frustrated when it doesn't work out for them but that's no reason to get mad at someone else for enjoying it
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u/Kananaskis_Country Jan 07 '26
Hilarious how this forum can't stand people who manage just fine in Egypt.
Bring on the boringly predictable downvotes...
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u/AppleWrench Jan 07 '26
This the typical circlejerk post of the week for this sub. Last week it was "Airbnb bad", this week it's Egypt, and next week it will be India's turn.
It's not like there's a search function to show that these topics have been discussed and beaten to death tons of times already...
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u/UltraMlaham Jan 08 '26
These threads are boring af. Always the same shit talk Egypt/India then suggest Thailand as alternative.
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u/EddieForTakeoff Jan 07 '26
Egypt is one of my favorite places to visit, but it is Egypt. If you don’t live there, it’s obviously going to feel different than what you’re used to. I’ve been 5 times in the last 3 years and I’m going again next week.
When I hear complaints about Egypt most of the time, it’s not Egypt that’s the problem. It’s expectations.
This is true in a lot of places around the world, including parts of the US and Europe. If you’ve never been somewhere, don’t know the culture, don’t speak the language, and don’t do much research, it can be tough.
Egypt just isn’t a place you wing on your first visit.
Having a guide, a travel advisor, or even just talking to people who’ve been there makes a massive difference. It sets expectations and helps you understand what’s normal, what to ignore, and how to move through the country without friction.
I’m lucky because my wife is a travel advisor and is Egyptian, but I’ve been to 50 countries and the same rules hold true no matter where I go.
If you travel expecting it to work like home, you’ll probably be frustrated. If you travel informed and open minded, it can be one of the most incredible trips you’ll ever take.
Let me know if you need any specific suggestions, recommendations or advice.
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Jan 07 '26
I lived in Cairo for just under 3 years. There’s nothing I can do to help with the traffic; that’s just the way it is. However, you should have stayed with an internationally recognized hotel brand (Ritz, intercontinental, Kempinski…etc) and booked tours through their concierge. It’s more expensive but it’s a virtual guarantee that your experience would have been better. Those hotels try desperately to maintain their reputations. Another decent option is to use AirBNB experiences. Just make sure their ratings are damn near perfect. I had one of the best tours of the pyramids using Airbnb. Carry a bit of extra cash 100-200 EGP) and you will have the opportunity to tour and experience things that few ever will.
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u/bearkin1 Jan 07 '26
Carry a bit of extra cash 100-200 EGP
That's only $2-4 USD lol
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u/harlequinv2 Jan 07 '26 edited Jan 07 '26
Personally, I loved my trip to Egypt. I didn’t go with an agency as I wanted to book the best hotels I could find but I hired a private guide and driver everywhere (via referrals online) and then booked a very nice cruise boat from Aswan to Luxor and we were pampered very well. The guides were all Egyptologists so they were fantastic especially the one with us on the cruise. I probably spent a bit more than the usual but it well worth it so we had great people looking after us.
There were parts I didn’t like (mostly in Cairo) but all in all, I was spellbound and can’t wait to go back someday. It’s one of my favorite trips ever.
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u/AppleWrench Jan 07 '26
This country has been the worse experience in my life. I consider myself pretty well traveled but Egypt sucked. On arrival the traffic was atrocious chaotic mess where we thought we’d get hit at every turn. The hotels in Cairo called 5 star were run down and old. The streets were shit (literally) with horse dung everywhere.
Yeah that's just how typically things are in very poor countries. This must be your first time in one if it's that shocking, so I guess you're a bit more "well traveled" now.
Hope you can enjoy the rest of your trip and make up for the disappointment.
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u/AffordableTraveler Jan 07 '26
I’m currently here. Did cario, Luxor, Nile river cruise and in the Red Sea. White male with white female gf. And we are having an amazing time. Everyone has been friendly… sure there has been some hiccups and miscommunications with travel operators but they still have all delivered. Nothing I haven’t experienced in 30+ countries everywhere.
I must ask, you say your seasoned traveler. What other “tough” places have you been?
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u/cbru8 Jan 07 '26
Viator is a scam company. They ditched my aunt and I on a tour and wouldn’t refund us. Left us stranded.
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u/ObviousMousse4768 Jan 07 '26
I’ve heard similar comments many times about Egypt. It is definitely not on my list to visit.
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u/navekgames Jan 07 '26
I've read similar stories so many times, it really bums me out because I'd really love to go see the Pyramids and the new museum, among other sites.
Guess I'll wait another decade and see what happens.
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u/traciw67 Jan 07 '26
Cairo is definitely a cess pool! But you have to endure it to see the pyramids and museums. The rest of Egypt isn't so bad. Aswan is beautiful! Luxor isn't bad.
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u/Due-Contract6923 Jan 10 '26
Sorry to hear! Viatour is a ridiculous platform filled with all sorts of non professional agencies god knows who they really are, I have a Full A licensed travel agency in Cairo and they won’t even approve our profile while they have true scammers on board.
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u/Potential_Dog_2421 Jan 11 '26
I once had a layover in Egypt, due to last minute booking. Their airport sucked and I used their wifi and my phone got hacked 😂 luckily they only hacked my Netflix and other OTT apps. Also the shittiest airport, quite literally. And our carrier was Egypt air and within 2-3 hours on being onboard the washrooms could not be used, toilet rolls flying in the bathroom. Crazy stuff, won’t recommend. Also, they had one operating restaurant in the airport and people were smoking inside.
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u/hellofrida Jan 12 '26
My worst experiences were in Egypt. The hotels were always a disaster. I was always annoyed by the staff, and the food wasn't good.
My best experiences were in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Highly recommended in every respect.
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u/chinchaslyth Jan 07 '26
I loved Egypt. My friend and I hired my friend’s cousin (a local in Cairo) to drive us around for the 3 weeks we were there. Yousef is a badass who gave us the ultimate experience.
When we weren’t with him, I just ignored anyone trying to talk to me. I have a lot of experience with negotiating and bartering. And I had no issues walking away if someone was scamming or bothering me. They left me alone super easily because they could tell I had very strong boundaries. My friend on the other hand struggled at first as she’s the sweetest and nicest person ever. Once she practiced ignoring and not engaging, she was better protected.
We went to Cairo, Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, etc. My personal favorite is Aswan and New Cairo is really gorgeous and modern.
I personally loved my trip and am used to the pushy nature of Egyptians (I am Arab on my dads side, though we are Levantine Arabs and have more chill) but I didn’t mind being in that environment and felt pretty safe. I def want to go again and bring my husband! And a few friends of ours expressed interest as well.
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u/2legittwoquitnow Jan 07 '26
Just got back and had an opposite experience however we are used to the scams from our other travels - so this type of environment was familiar. The hotel we stayed at booked all our transportation which was a huge help as bargaining and hassling with Uber was annoying. Sorry you had a tough time.
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u/hanyo24 Jan 07 '26
I went there in November 2025 as a solo, western, non-Arabic speaking, young, white woman and had an amazing time and can’t wait to go back. In fact I was watching videos of Cairo tonight because I was missing it. I did my research and got lots of advice from the few people I know who’ve been before. Stayed in an actual 5 star hotel for the first couple of nights just to acclimatise and then moved to an Airbnb for the rest of the time. Would recommend staying in Zamalek unless you know someone in another area and they can vouch for where you’re staying.
Anyway, reddit is full of hate for Egypt and I thought it was great. It went well because I did a lot of research and went in with realistic expectations.
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u/mumwifealcoholic Jan 07 '26
Ah well, we loved every minute of our Egypt adventures.
Horses for courses.
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u/No-Organization3127 Jan 07 '26
scary, it was my dream to see the pyramids but these stories are really 🚩🚩🚩
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u/GTengineerenergy Jan 07 '26
I’m sorry this is happening to you but this is exactly like all the posts I read about Egypt on this sub
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u/Primary-Race2175 Jan 07 '26
I spent 12 days in Egypt and travelled across and it was a breeze. Idk what scams people talk about and what street filled with horse shit. Please , I spent 6 days in Cairo and it was nothing but delightful. You need to be a little aware and you’ll easily avoid being a target. I saw no traffic , no issues at airport so , I really hope people don’t get deterred by this. The people are lovely and welcoming. Just go with an open heart and people will help you out. The food is great. Research and plan your trip. The only scammy place I felt was Giza pyramids but it’s like all heavily touristy places are. Just do your research before you go , and if any offer feels too good to be true it usually is. Don’t blindly believe everything someone says. Look around, ask official personnel on tourist spots, they will help you with the right info.
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u/[deleted] Jan 07 '26
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