There is nothing more fabulous than arranging a cultural tour in one of the countries that boast the most fascinating artifacts, attractions, and wonders all around the world like Egypt. You as an American citizen may wonder, why to choose Egypt in specific to spend your vacation and the answer to that is really simple; Egypt has it’s all from the most gorgeous cultural gems, the amazing sea, vast deserts, the gushing River Nile, its charming natural beauty, perfect location, and mesmerizing landmarks that enable its citizens to be able to spend the most captivating Vacations to Egypt.
While being in Egypt, it is 100% guaranteed that you will enjoy the most whatever you age, race or religion as all tourists from around the world are welcomed to come and visit Egypt at any time all year round and you will find with no doubt tens of amazing activities & tours to enjoy during the daytime and even at night. As an American citizen, we know that you have seen many wonderful things during your life but we are also sure that Egypt’s attractions will get your amazement right upon your arrival and enable you to enjoy the most with the ones you love. We have provided within our article some of the most essential information you need to keep in mind to be able to travel from the USA to Egypt and make the best of your time with some of the most important tips that you need to consider so that you avoid any troubles.
The Most Popular Airlines that You Can Use to Fly from the USA to Egypt
There are so many airlines all around the world that arrange different transfers from a country to another and when it comes to arranging flights from the United States of America to Egypt, there specific ones that enable you to get the best and the most convenient transfer and here is a list of them:
- Cape Air
- Gulf Air
- Allegiant Air LLC
- Iberia
- Royal Jordanian
- Egypt Air
- Saudi Airlines Saudia
- Etihad Airways
- Alaska Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Royal Air Maroc
- Frontier Airlines
In addition to the mentioned airlines that have been mentioned to us from the USA to Egypt, there are also some famous routes to Egypt from the United States and they facilitate a lot arranging the best tour itineraries and having the most desirable tours ever just like the following routes:
- The United States to Cairo “Through Cairo Airport”
- The United States to Hurghada “Through Hurghada Airport”
- The United States to Alexandria “Through Borg El-Arab Airport”
- The United States to Sharm El-Sheikh “Through Sharm El-Sheikh Airport”
- The United States to Marsa Alam “Through Marsa Alam Airport”
- The United States to Luxor “Through Luxor Airport”
- The United States to Aswan “Through Aswan Airport”
So with all of those options, you can choose the airport you want to arrive at based on the type of tour you want to enjoy “Cultural/historical” and also based on the arrangement of tours in your plan. The most chosen airport for travelers to come through is Cairo International Airport as it is the gate to the most notable archeological sites in Giza & Old Cairo.
Best Time to Visit Egypt from the United States of America
Travelers come to Egypt all around the year in different seasons based on their availability, budget, and which places they want to visit and just like any country in the world, there is a much recommended time to plan a vacation to Egypt more than another time and based on the opinions of tourists who have previously come to Egypt, the best time to arrange a visit should be between October and April as weather during that period is so cool and present and it also contains two of the most amazing seasons in Egypt; winter and spring. Summer season “From May to September” isn’t highly recommended for tourists who can’t stand high temperature and it is also not suitable to tour around the archeological sites in Cairo or Upper Egypt, however, it best matches a visit to the Red Sea coastal beaches like those in Hurghada or Sharm El-Sheikh. Summer is known for its lower affordable prices as it is the off-peak season in Egypt for tourism and you can get a good deal while having your tour in.
Winter is best known for having the fabulous Egypt Christmas Holiday and the majority of the American citizens really love to come to Egypt to enjoy their Christmas celebration and April is known for another outstanding festival in the most interesting weather in Egypt “Easter Holidays” so it is totally up to you to choose the most suitable time for you to have such magical vacations to Egypt whenever you want.
Tiptop Places to Visit in Egypt from the USA
You must have heard that Egypt is the cradle of civilization and that it boasts on its land some of the greatest attractions ever been established or accomplished by a man and what is really interesting about Egypt’s landmarks is that most of them date back to the days of the great ancient Egyptians. So here is a list of the most recognizable cities in Egypt and the tiptop sightseeing that are located on each one of them:
Best Attractions in Cairo
- Giza Pyramids Complex
- Have a Camel ride in Giza
- Salah El-Din Citadel
- Mohamed Ali Mosque
- The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
- The Grand Egyptian Museum
- Amr Ibn El-As Mosque
- El-Muiz Street
- The Hanging Church
- Ben Ezra Synagogue
- Khan El-Khalili Bazaar
- Ibn Tulun Mosque
- El-Hakim Mosque
- Virgin Mary Church
- Have a Felucca Ride in Cairo
- Enjoy a Dinner on the board of a Nile Cruise
- Attend the Sound & Light Show.
Best Attractions in Luxor
- The Valley of the Kings
- Colossi of Memnon
- The Valley of the Queens
- The Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
- Madinet Habu Temple
- Deir El-Madina
- Abydos Temple
- Dendera Temple
- Luxor Museum
- Karnak Temples Complex
- Luxor Temple “At Night”
- Have a Hot Air Balloon on the west bank.
- Attend the Sound & Light Show at Karnak Temple.
Best Attractions in Aswan
- The High Dam
- The Unfinished Obelisk
- Philae Temple
- Kom Ombo Temple
- Edfu Temple
- Abu Simbel Temples
- The Nubian Village
- Have the best Felucca Ride
- Have a shopping tour in the Souk
- Head to Aswan Museum
You can enjoy a magnificent Nile Cruise tour between Luxor & Aswan and that is how you will combine between visiting the greatest archeological & cultural sightseeing and have the greatest services & accommodation on a board of a 5* deluxe Nile Cruise in the middle of the majestic Nile River.
Best Attractions in Alexandria
- Qaitbay Citadel
- Pompey’s Pillar
- The Catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa
- Alexandria Library
- Montaza Palace
- Alexandria National Museum
- Corniche
- Head to the fish market
- Enjoy the most delicious seafood dishes
- Kom El-Dikka
Best Attractions in Hurghada
- Hurghada Grand Aquarium
- Sand City Hurghada
- El-Dahar Square
- Giftun Islands
- Hurghada Marina
- Straits of Gubal
- Sindbad Submarine
- The amazing Coastal Beaches
- Enjoy Quad Biking in the Desert
- Have dinner with the Bedouins
- Head to Abu Nuhas Shipwreck Ships
- Gota Abu Ramada Diving site
Top 10 Egypt Travel Tips to the USA Travelers
Egypt is a safe and is really an amazing country to visit and spend a vacation at but there are special tips for the American citizens that they need to consider before their arrival and during their vacation in Egypt to have the most unforgettable vacation in the Land of Pharaohs and here is the top ten of them:
- Don’t Bring Your Drone
Although it is legal in lots of countries around the world to have your drone with you and use in different places to take photos around, it is illegal in Egypt and it will be taken from you once you arrive at Cairo Airport or at any airport so make sure not to bring it with you. If you brought a drone with you, then you will be detained at the airport and even questioned for some time, so no need to bring it at all.
- Make Sure You Include the Most Highlighted Sites in Egypt
If you decided to come to visit Egypt without having a specific plan or without having a tour guide with you, you will definitely miss a lot to see and dozens of activities to enjoy in Egypt. It is simple to have a perfect tour but you need someone qualified to arrange the duration of your tours, what must be visited and what can be skipped, the most interesting optional tours, best-shopping sites, and stores to go to, and so on. So it is highly recommended that you book a tour with a good all-inclusive travel agency that has a long history in the field of tourism and hires qualified tour guides in order to have the whole necessary information regarding the ancient history of Egypt, spend satisfactory time on each site without being rushed, and of course tour around the most recommended tourist spots around without missing any of them.
- Bring the Most Important Items For You
You can find anything in Egypt with really good prices but to say the truth, you may not find the exact items you use daily with the same quality or even under the same brand or name so in order not to waste your time while looking for medicine or items, you can pack them all at your suitcase and keep in mind that each traveler is allowed to carry a bag that is 23 Kg and a carry-on bag that is about 7 Kg for the domestic flights and anything more than this will cost you extra charges.
Here is a list of the most necessary items to bring:
- Comfortable Clothes – Suitable Shoes
- Medicine – Official Documents “Visa-Passport”
- Camera – phone “You can get a local SIM Card in Egypt”
- Keep A Bottle of Water with You During the Whole-Time
Since Egypt is known for its hot weather during the daytime and since you will be moving & touring from a place to another, it is highly recommended to always hold a bottle of mineral water with you to drink during the whole time and keep in mind that tap water is not like what you have in the US as in Egypt, it is mainly used for taking showers and for washing clothes or dishes only not to be trunk at all.
- Make Sure Not to Have Lots of Money in Cash with You
It is very important not to carry lots of cash with you in the USD or EGP or in any currency as it may be stolen or you may lose it anywhere. So here are the main steps you need to follow in order not to lose any of your money in Egypt or anywhere else:
- Keep at least two credit or debit cards with you “Not in the same place” and let your bank know about your travel plan in order to ease any process of withdrawing money.
- Upon your arrival, start exchanging some of your money in the Egyptian Pound from the airport and that is how you are going to have the best exchange rate.
- Keep changes with you wherever you go for the tipping matter as you will need to give tips to the ones who help you.
- You can use your card directly at any tourist shop to buy whatever you want or you can withdraw the amount of money you want from your credit card from any ATM on your way.
- Make Sure Not to Get Unnecessary Attention to You “Adopt the right Attitude”
Bringing unnecessary attention means that you act in a strange/wrong way, wear unsuitable clothes, drink alcohol in public clothes, do wrong actions in religious sites, etc. The Egyptians are always O.K with the idea of having foreigners in their country but you definitely need to respects their traditions and behave well at their Islamic sites. If you are a woman, then you should wear conservative clothes to cover your shoulders and it is much preferable to wear a scarf while being in the mosques.
- Be Prepared to Taste the Amazing Egyptian Cuisine
The majority of the Egyptian dishes are known with their spices and lots of ingredients and there are lots of dishes that include chicken & meat which aren’t suitable for vegetarians however, there are others that best match vegetarians and vegans. Here is a list of the most recommended dishes to try in Egypt but make sure to choose a good place to have your meals at:
- Fava Beans “Foul” – Shawerma
- Hawawshi – Koshari
- Kebab & Kofta – Om Ali
- Mahshi – Konafa
- Hamam Mahshi – Crepe & Pizza
- Make Sure You Have the Names of Your Hotels in Advance
If you are booking your holiday with a travel agency, you need to ask them to keep you updated regarding your bookings and the names of your hotels & Nile Cruises that were confirmed that you check yourself before arrival and to see whether those options match your requirements or not.
- Learn Some Common Egyptian Phrases to Use in Your Conversations with the Locals
Although you don’t have to learn Arabic to be able to communicate with the locals, it is highly recommended to learn some common Arabic Phrases and words that will assist you to start a conversation with someone and here are some of the most famous ones:
- Al-Salam Alaykom: Peace be upon you
- Ismak Eah: What is your name?
- Momken Tsaedny: Can you help me?
- Shokran: Thank you.
- Bkam: How much does it cost?
- Aroh henak Ezay: How can I go there?
- Keep Emergency Number with You
In order to always be safe and away from any danger, you need to save emergency numbers on your phone and buy a local SIM card upon your arrival to Egypt and write it in order not to forget and give to your family back home to stay in touch. It is a very important step to let your relatives know your movements, where you go, where you stay, with whom you are, and so on.
Finally and after knowing all of the major procedures that should be taken by the American citizen to be able to travel to Egypt, we would like to clarify that you can arrange any vacations to Egypt with “Egypt Tours Portal” travel agency that is known with the most creative well-arranged tours ever for the Americans and with them, you will definitely be in good hands.