Is Egpyt currently safe for tourists?

BetterThanThou

I'm in the process of deciding where to go on holiday in August. Egypt is a place I've always wanted to visit since I was a kid, but I haven't been considering it due to recent conflicts. Anyway, I heard that despite the fact there is some conflicts going on in Egpyt, tourists aren't actually in any danger, as all the attacks are focused on Egyptians. Is this true? I'd be hoping to stay in Cairo, or somewhere close.

schemingbohemia

Cairo could end up in lockdown/curfews in the next short while, no-one can be certain. Even if it was very peaceful it will be in the high 30's, with over 85% humidity, not somewhere I would like to be but obviously you've thought of that.

Also, if you're into the pyramids etc Cairo isn't really where you want to be.

Meathlass

Yeah I'd agree with schemingbohemia. August is not an ideal time to go to Egypt; it's very hot. There are curfews in place in some cities. I'd leave Egypt for a Spring time holiday.

livEwirE

Department of Foreign Affairs guidelines for Irish people travelling to Egypt.

https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/egypt/

Due to an increased risk of civil unrest and a heightened threat of terrorist incidents, Irish citizens are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Egypt at this time including Sharm El-Sheikh and the rest of the Sinai with the following exceptions:

the Red Sea coastal resort of Hurghada and other Red Sea resorts outside the Sinai peninsula, where Irish citizens are advised to arrive and depart by air and to strictly avoid travelling outside the resort;
Luxor and Aswan (including cruises between them) where Irish citizens are advised to exercise caution and arrive and depart by air.

coylemj

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Cairo could end up in lockdown/curfews in the next short while, no-one can be certain. Even if it was very peaceful it will be in the high 30's, with over 85% humidity, not somewhere I would like to be but obviously you've thought of that.

Also, if you're into the pyramids etc Cairo isn't really where you want to be.

+1 OP it sounds like you were planning to make Cairo your base which would be a bad idea at the best of times. The air in Cairo is terrible, especially in the afternoons when the exhaust fumes from the morning and midday traffic accumulates into a brown layer of smog over the city. The only things worth seeing in Cairo are the pyramids and the Egypt Museum (to see King Tut's gold) and you can do them in one day.

Luxor or one of the resorts on the Red Sea would be a better place to stay but I'd do no more than two nights in Cairo, even less if you managed to arrive early, see the sights and then fly somewhere else.

Meathlass

coylemj wrote: »

+1 OP it sounds like you were planning to make Cairo your base which would be a bad idea at the best of times. The air in Cairo is terrible, especially in the afternoons when the exhaust fumes from the morning and midday traffic accumulates into a brown layer of smog over the city. The only things worth seeing in Cairo are the pyramids and the Egypt Museum (to see King Tut's gold) and you can do them in one day.

Luxor or one of the resorts on the Red Sea would be a better place to stay but I'd do no more than two nights in Cairo, even less if you managed to arrive early, see the sights and then fly somewhere else.

Not true!

There's the souk - Khan al Khalli, the Museum of Islamic Art and the Al-Azhar and Mohammad Ali mosque complexes just to mention a few.

Also depending on how interested the OP is in pyramids there's the sites at Dashur (bent pyramid and red pyramid) and Saqqara (stepped pyramid) and the temples at Memphis.

The OP hasn't told us what their interests are so it's impossible to know how long they might stay in Cairo. If you want poolside sunbathing the red sea resorts might suit though.

BetterThanThou

The heat shouldn't be too much of a problem, myself and the others I'm going with have experienced temperatures of over 40c without any difficulties, we can take the heat. So, as you guys have said, Cairo probably isn't a great option. I'm into Egyptian culture in general, I'd love to visit all the ancient monuments, not just the pyramids, though, due to a limited amount of cash, I'd likely have to base myself in one place. I'd also like to experience some Islamic culture, as while I don't know much about it, I think what I do know is very interesting. Where do you guys think would be best for me?

coylemj

BetterThanThou wrote: »

I'd also like to experience some Islamic culture, as while I don't know much about it, I think what I do know is very interesting. Where do you guys think would be best for me?

Istanbul? It's on my list (I've never been there) and you've got the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia (once the largest Christian cathedral in the world) and the general bustle of a huge city which straddles Europe and Asia.

Meathlass

BetterThanThou wrote: »

The heat shouldn't be too much of a problem, myself and the others I'm going with have experienced temperatures of over 40c without any difficulties, we can take the heat. So, as you guys have said, Cairo probably isn't a great option. I'm into Egyptian culture in general, I'd love to visit all the ancient monuments, not just the pyramids, though, due to a limited amount of cash, I'd likely have to base myself in one place. I'd also like to experience some Islamic culture, as while I don't know much about it, I think what I do know is very interesting. Where do you guys think would be best for me?

The problem with Egypt is that it's spread out so you can either base yourself in one place and fly to others to see sights or travel between them all via road/train but this takes time and money.

I think, given the political complications at the moment, that Istanbul might be a better option for ye as mentioned previously. It's a compact city, lots to do, different cultures.

whitebriar

Your biggest issue is you will have no travel insurance because there is a DFA travel warning in place.
I would not travel anywhere without insurance especially places like Egypt.
I've been a few times to Cairo and found it safe.
The Irish advice for Sharm el Sheikh stopped me going there this year even though it is very safe.
The UK advice for Egypt excludes Sharm which makes the Irish inclusion look lazy.

Meathlass

whitebriar wrote: »

Your biggest issue is you will have no travel insurance because there is a DFA travel warning in place..

You can still get travel insurance but it just won't cover you if anything happens as a result of the reasons behind the DFA warning ie if you're hit by a car you'll be covered; hit by a stone during a protest then you won't be covered.

You'll have to find a specialized company though - British ones usually do it and it costs a bit more.