Everything You Need To Know About Solo Female Travel In Egypt

UPDATED FEB 2020. Is it safe? This is the question that has come up over and over again, particularly when it comes to solo female travel in Egypt. Short answer, yes but there are some things you need to know before you go to ensure you have a safe time.  Let’s dive in and discuss all those things so you can plan an epic, and safe, trip to beautiful Egypt.

Everything You Need To Know About Solo Female Travel In Egypt

Disclaimer

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Basic solo travel safety precautions

Before we get into the tips for Egypt, I recommend reading my post on practical solo travel safety tips.

It has a lot of general tips for solo travel no matter what the destination is.

The rest of today’s post will be focused more on what to expect for solo female travel in Egypt specifically.

What to expect in Egypt

While we are on the general tips, visiting Egypt as a solo female traveler is a little intense.

Is it fun? Yes. Is it possible to have a great time? Yes.

But it is intense.

You’re already adapting to traveling through a different country and culture, then you also have to factor in the amount of hassle and attention you get.

As a general rule, I don’t recommend Egypt for your first ever solo trip because it could be a little overwhelming. But, if you’ve taken a couple of trips by yourself and still enjoy them, then I say go for it.

Emergency numbers

• 126 – Tourist Police
• 123 – Ambulance
• 122 – Emergency Police

I recommend saving these in your phone as well as your accommodation contact details.

Is there street hassle in Egypt?

Simply put, if you are a solo female traveler in Egypt, you will attract a fair amount of attention.

As you walk around, expect to be asked to buy things, join tours, lots of catcalling, gazing, people taking photos of you, trying to walk with you, asking for photos together, and always being asked if you need a taxi.

When I would walk on my own this was pretty much non-stop.

Now, I will say that at no point did I feel unsafe or in danger. I feel that it’s important to specify that. Most people are just interested in you or trying to make money. It was just the kind of unwanted attention that gets annoying very fast.

It’s hard to walk around in peace – which leads to my second tip.

Do you need a tour guide?

In every city I visited, I walked around by myself and with a guide so I could get firsthand experience with both.

Walking around with a guide was 1000 times more peaceful.

If you are traveling to Egypt by yourself, or even with a friend, I HIGHLY recommend getting a personal guide.

You don’t have to join a group if you don’t want to – I didn’t. You can book a guide and still do everything at your own pace, you just have a friend to travel with.

I loved that I got to walk around in peace when I was with my guides, but I also loved the information they shared about ancient history and modern life in Egypt.

I had two guides during my visit. Ahmed Mido planned my trip and was my guide in Cairo, and Amr Ali was my incredible guide in Luxor.

Both can plan your entire trip for yourself or a group and take you from place to place during your visit.

Is there a dress code for tourists in Egypt?

It’s important to follow a conservative dress code while you are visiting Egypt. This means keeping your shoulders to knees covered.

You don’t need to cover yourself to the wrists and ankles, though sometimes I prefer to do that to avoid t-shirt tan lines.

Avoid:

• Clothes that are tight and shapely (It’s best to keep the clothing loose since it is so hot anyway)
• V-necks with cleavage
• Singlets/spaghetti straps
• Midriff tops
• Short shorts/skirts

Making that effort to cover up shows respect for the culture you are a guest of and helps to avoid giving off a message that would result in negative, demeaning attention.

A huge part of how you are treated when you travel depends on how you act. Showing respect goes a long way.

I have a full guide on what to wear in conservative countries so check that out for more information.

Wear sunglasses

I have mentioned this in other solo travel posts, but it’s such an easy and useful one, particularly when you visit places where you attract more attention.

Eye contact can sometimes be an invitation for more attention, so wearing sunglasses can help to work as somewhat of a mask.

It can be a good idea to wear a ring on your wedding ring finger as well.

For solo female travel in Egypt, make sure you have sunglasses, clothes that cover you from shoulders to knees, and a camera ready for lots of pictures!

Bonus travel tip

If anyone asks if you want or like ‘Egyptian bananas’ – the answer is no.

They’re not talking about the fruit.

Research local customs and laws

This is a good idea to do before you travel anywhere, but be sure to read up on the customs and laws before your visit.

For example, sex outside of marriage is illegal – at most hotels, you cannot bring an outside person to your room and public displays of affection are generally frowned upon.

Keep yourself away from trouble by acting with respect to the local laws and customs.

How to keep your valuables safe in Egypt

As with any solo travel, be discreet with your belongings, particularly if you are traveling with a nice camera or any other valuables.

Solo travel safety requires a lot of common sense as far as how much attention you bring to yourself.

I wouldn’t recommend wearing flashy jewelry and flaunting your camera around.

If I am traveling with cash, I like to separate it into different zipped sections of my wallet. This way, when you go to pay for something you aren’t flaunting a big wad of cash.

I also use a zipped up, cross-body bag (and wear it cross-body) or my backpack with zipper and top clip (as opposed to just one zip) for my belongings.

I don’t hold things in my pockets to avoid being a target for pickpockets or thieves.

Keep track of your belongings and be discreet with valuables, like anywhere you travel to.

Use discreet camera gear

I use the Sony Alpha A6000 which I love. It’s a powerful camera but compact enough to fit in a small purse so very convenient for solo travelers.

This is a great option if you are interested in developing your photography skills because it has a lot of features and, over time, you will be able to purchases different lenses to use with it. I use a 35mm lens.

I also use my GoPro for selfies which can fit in my pocket on the shorty selfie stick. This is best for selfies and underwater as well as for people who are not as interested in learning photography.

Is it safe to travel to Egypt as a solo female traveler?

Nowhere you travel to, and not even your hometown is completely safe. I live in Italy and had two attempted muggings in the first two years here – not one person has told me Italy isn’t safe.

You can have a safe visit to Egypt but it requires more preparation, awareness, and common sense from you.

There is a strong police presence and a lot of security checks as you are traveling around Egypt.

Be prepared for a lot of bag checks and scans when entering tourist sights and hotels.

The amount of security means that there is always someone nearby if you get stuck or need assistance.

Are locals friendly in Egypt?

The last question you asked me about was about the locals. Were they friendly and happy to talk to travelers?

In my experience, yes and yes. In fact, the highlight of my trip was not the pyramids, the temples, or the clear blue water of the Red Sea. It was the people I met along the way who made me feel welcome.

I found that, excluding the street hasslers trying to make money, the people I met were very welcoming.

They seemed as interested to learn about where I was from as much as I was interested to learn about life in Egypt.

You don’t usually see this side of the story in the media, and I can only speak from my own experience, but I experienced a lot of kindness from the wonderful people I met.

Other Egypt travel guides to help you plan your trip:

• The Best Things To Do When You Visit Egypt For An Epic Vacation
• The Do’s And Don’ts Guide For Taking A Hot Air Balloon Ride In Luxor
• The 17 Most Useful Travel Tips For Egypt – Everything You Need To Know
• Is Luxor Worth Visiting? 6 Reasons To Add It To Your Egypt Itinerary

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