Egypt Currency?

looking for a holiday to Egypt and are a bit confused about what currency to take, Egytian pounds/american dollars and theres another one i cant remember at the moment.

 

I'd like peoples opinions on the best ratio of each to take or not take, thanks.

Just take Egyptian, then you know what you are actually paying for stuff. You going to Sharm?

Just take Egyptian, then you know what you are actually paying for stuff. You going to Sharm?

 

When we went last year, the travel agent told us to take mostly GBP, but then we went to a waterpark and once inside they only accepted Egyptian pounds, so we couldnt even get any dinner! If I went again Id definately take mostly Egyptian. Have a lovely time!

Egyptian is ideal, as others say.

 

I was advised though, that the notes are often filthy, and handling them can lead to stomach upsets etc, so best to take disinfectant hand wipes along.

 

This might sound a little paranoid - I've travelled to a fair number of countries in the Middle East and had never came across similar advice before.

 

keen to hear if anyone else was told to 'disinfect' with Egyptian currency?

bensonhedges Yes we are going to sharm, the wifes found a excellent deal.

 

DapperChap the thing about the filty money, my wife found a online list of things you shouldn't eat,drink or touch without washing your hands after. For example dont eat salad over there because its washed with thier germ filled water, always use bottled water even when brushing your teeth, dont have ice in your drinks because again they are made with thier tap water and the one about antiseptic wipes after handling thier money is on there aswell

My Uncle set off for Egypt on Monday morning, give me a week and i'll tell you how good it is by his pics lol.

bensonhedges Yes we are going to sharm, the wifes found a excellent deal.

You might want to take 5 USD. Think there's some kind of "tourism visa" you have to pay when you get to the airport. If it's not changed since I went (last year) you'll see those in the know dive to the left when they enter the terminal building to hand over their USD5 and get their visa stamp before queuing up for customs etc and then be told to turn round and go and get the visa. That might just have been to allow access to the national parks though. I wasn't clear on what it was for!

If you are staying in Sharm you don't ned the visa. If you are going anywhere outside Sharm you are supposed to get the visa at the airport when you arrive.

I got back from Egypt about a fortnight ago. We took about $30 for tips and the rest split between english, egyptian and euros. They're not fussy! If you told the Egyptians Monopoly money was real, they would probably take that too.

We never used anything apart from egyptian pounds. ive been twice to the same hotel (calmeria moberna royal albotros) (booked through on the beach.com / travel republic). amazing place. You dont need a visa unless you leaving sharm. If you going on any boat trip you are fine. Boat trips are about 25pound per person for a full day including food and drink.(take your own snoorkle). Quad biking is 17.50 per quad, but if you want to share one its 25.00. go late afternoon, its amazing seeing the sun set over the mountains.

We found that if you tip your waiters and hotel staff daily only with maybe 1GBP you will be waited on hand and foot.

You MUST take anti sickness tablets, pain killers. anti-bacterial hand wash is a good idea. Take something for bites as well. Yes the egypians do keep there money in there pant and you will get a bad tummy but nothing that you carnt handle. DO NOT have ice in your drinks and try to stay away from salads as they are washed in there water.

I no ive said quite a few down side but Egypt is really is the most amazing place i have ever been to and i carnt wait to go back next year.

 

Hope this helps.

We were in Egypt in June on a Nile Cruise and then flew up to Cairo and onto Hurghada. On the cruise and in the villages they would accept any currency you had on you! They love the English pound and will accept it. If you are planning a cruise then don't bother changing any money at all.

 

In Cairo, in the larger hotels they accepted Sterling and Dollars as well as the Egyptian pound. We booked a sound and light show with USD.

 

Taxis were paid in Egyptian so it was worth changing some.

 

In Hurghada we were in an all inclusive so there was no need for currency, but at the shops in the town they took anything you had!

 

My advice? Take Sterling with you and if needed then change some, but the country are so desperate for any currency they'll accept whatever you have.

 

Oh and you WILL get a stomach bug, there's no escape. It's not just down to poor hygiene in the country, but the mix of heat and air conditioning will eventually mess up your insides. UK diahorrea tablets don't work over there, get a local tablet called Antinal which is more effective and sold widely.

I've been to Egypt twice and never got a stomach bug, take the normal precautions (not that I did) and you should be fine!