Egypt Health & Safety

Egypt’s extremely dry climate makes it essential that you drink plenty of water during your visit. High temperatures combined with low moisture content in the air lead to many cases of potentially dangerous dehydration among visitors each year.  Tap water in most of the country is generally considered safe, although the high chlorine content can leave an unpleasant aftertaste. Bottled mineral water is readily available, and is a recommended alternative. It’s a good idea to be careful and check for an unbroken seal when buying bottled water, as some vendors refill bottles from dubious sources.

Egypt, overall, is considered a safe travel destination: Egyptians are typically very friendly and will be helpful to visitors if at all possible. The numbers of muggings and robberies are lower than many other tourist destinations although the number of pick-pocketing incidents is quite high.

As with all countries in the Middle East, security can be a concern for western visitors. Tourists have been targeted in the past by militant groups, at times ending in tragedy. In reality, tourism is extremely important to the Egyptian economy and the government is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of visitors. Travel to Egypt in fact presents no more risk from terrorism than does a visit to many cities in the west.