Egyptian facts and figures

Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), Monfalcone (Italy), Alexandria, Cairo, Abusir, Saqqara, Dahshur, Bawiti, Farafra, Dachla, Kharga, Luxor, Abydos, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Qustul.

700 in Europe and 2981 in Egypt.

Available practically everywhere without a limit to the amount allowed filled.

120,00 EUR in Europe and 1.555,00 EGP (74,05 EUR) in Egypt

3,65 EGP (0,17 EUR) pro liter. The diesel price is evidently regulated. It was the same over the whole country. You cannot fill yourself, which takes a bit of getting used to. Most of the time we were directed to the right pump as we drove in, however it’s allways advisable to ask. Diesel? Or Gasoil? was allways understood. We had no issues with wrong fuel. We have a lockable tank and so had plenty of time to double check and to check that the digits were at zero !!! Tipping is not necessary but we usually would round up. Check your change !!! Usually everyone is very correct and honest, but mistakes can happen.

Remember to drive on the right, as in Europe (except the UK and Ireland). HGVs will drive on the left on dual carriage ways (the overtaking lane) because the right as with all roads is used as a drop off, hop on lane by the minibuses, or is full of Horse carts, donkeys, pedestrians or market stalls (or all of them combined). Overtaking lorries on the right is commen practice on dual carriage ways. Take care. Little attention is paid to traffic regulations. At crossroads it’s a case of first come first serve unless traffic lights are there which are usually adheared to. Traffic jams are very commen in larger towns and nobody is interested in the number of lanes, as many vehicles will drive abrest as fit. Overtaking left and right is normal and lanes are as often changed. As long as all your actions are deliberate but at the speed of those around you you’ll be fine, just go with the flow. Egyptians enjoy excessive use of  there horns, not in anger as is often the case in Europe but to make notice of themselves, for example when overtaking. On open roads its common practice to drive fast (The taxi drivers in cairo drive far too fast). Avoid driving in the dark.

very frequent and very dangerous because not always evident. In built up areas they can occur every every 50 meteres and are very annoying. Sometimes they are a raised platform the length of a car with a slope either side, and at other times a large almost semi circular hump anywhere from a half to a whole meter in width or at worst a narrow abrupt mound / triangle very telling on the car and your nerves. Outside built up areas they occur before and after any settlement,  crossroad, junctions, roundabouts, traffic lights, communal facilities, mosques, checkpoints etc. so virtually any and everywhere. Warning signs are seldom in town but commen on the open road. The humps themselves are often but not always painted with stripes or chequered which wears of course and there is often no indication of them whatsoever. So keep an eye on the traffic ahead. Sometimes the locals errect a post, a pile of stones or even just a Tyre left and right.

We had to pay Toll on only one occasion on the Cairo regional ring road. The equivalent of a few cents. At another booth on the same road we were just waved through.

Are very common and occur usually before and after lager settlements, at important road intersections and any other strategically relevant spots. They can be daunting at first, especially those with machine gun turrets and armoured cars, but you get used to them. Drive very very slowly. If ignored or waved on, you can drive through, otherwise stop.

There are three types of people dealing with you, police, military and those with no uniform who were refered to as "security" or "secret service". None were friendly but most of them were polite and correct. The usual questions are "your name?" which will be forgotten the moment you reply, "where you from?" which can either mean your nationality or the town you've just driven from and "where you go?".

Sometimes the registration number will be noted and occasionally a document will have to be inspected, either your licence, passport, vehicle registration even the T.I.P. (carnet). Sometimes a walky talky or a cell phone is used. We were at times asked the same questions by someone of a higher rank (distinguished by their sunglasses) who had joined the conversation. Just be patient and polite.

We were only on one occasion turned back and told to take another road and on another forced to have an escort. No bribes were paid or directly asked for. Once we were told that our jerry cans were'nt allowed, which we ignored and another time asked for asperin (baksheesh) which we did'nt understand. 

connecting the second diesel tank / Mechanik (wages).......................735 EGP (35 EUR)

connecting the second diesel tank / Welder (wages and materials)....525 EGP (25 EUR)

connecting the second diesel tank / Hakim (for his troubles)..............315 EGP (15 EUR)

replacing the diesel filter (wages)........................................................100 EGP (4,76 EUR)

Total.................................................................................................1675 EGP (79,76 EUR)

Part of the front bumper skirting is missing, probably a speed hump. 

In Egypt (including getting there from 19.04.18 to 02.06.18) 45 comprising 1 in the van on the Austrian motorway, 1 at the airport in Istanbul, 19 in hotel rooms with the van still in customs, 20 in hotel rooms (including Davids old bedroom at his parents flat) with the van out on the street, 2 in the van at a campsite, 1 in the van in the desert with Halal, 1 in the van at the Sudanese border

13.557,00 EGP (645,57 EUR)

301,27 EGP  (14,35 EUR), or 7,13 EUR per person. 

The desert and campsite of course, nothing beats sleeping in our own bed in the van.

A hotel in Kharga, cold water, no wifi and absolutely filthy. The hotels in general were all three star establishments (according to Egyptian standards). Some were very poor. The best hotel / pension by far was the Villa Diletta in Luxor.

1 EUR = 21 EGP

1 EGP = 0,048 EUR

Available in larger towns though those on the street were often out of order. At banks they usually worked and were in addition guarded. Good hotels allways had working ATMs and were usually inside the building. Allways have a couple of cards to work with in case of loss or when a machine won't accept a card, which happened frequently. Don't worry, the next machine does. 

The Egyptian pound has suffered considerably since the  Revolution of 2011. The exchange rate on 24.01.2011 was 1 EUR = 7,93 EGP. Prices for tourists are low whilst prices for the population are high. A fact worth considering when haggling.  

In Giza and Karnak we encountered many other tourists. However the numbers have fallen dramatically since 2011 and are only recovering at a slow pace. At the other sites that we visited there were very few others and no other overlanders at all. 

120 EGP (5,71 EUR)

50 EGP (2,38 EUR)

120 EGP (5,71 EUR)

80 EGP (3,81 EUR)

100 EGP (4,76 EUR)

120 EGP (5,71 EUR)

60 EGP (2,86 EUR)

15 EGP (0,71 EUR)

60 EGP (2,86 EUR)

160 EGP (7,62 EUR)

4 EGP (0,19 EUR)

200 EGP (9,52 EUR)

120 EGP (5,71 EUR)

80 EGP (3,81 EUR)

30 EGP (1,43 EUR)

20 EGP (0,95 EUR)

160 EGP ( 7,62 EUR)

13 EGP (0,62 EUR)

2 EGP (0,10 EUR)

1514 EGP (72,10 EUR) 

3028 EGP (144,20 EUR) 

We were fortunate enough to have a guide recommended to us in Giza and are glad that we accepted. If possible I would suggest a guide. There is allways something new to learn and they keep others off your back. Our  guide costed 1300 EGP and we tipped another 100 EGP (together 66,67 EUR) for half a day.   

Be wary of fake guides lurking at the entrance and claiming to be unemployed archaologists. Especially quasi fakes, i.e. policemen and guardians that intice you to come and see something round the corner and very special  and expect baksheesh for their trouble. It happened to us at Pompeys Pillar in Alexandria and the attempt was repeated twice in Karnak. Whenever possible have a recommended and autherized Guide.

2 X underground hotel to Sakanat El-Maadi and back (both of us).....16 EGP (0,76 EUR)

Taxi hotel to Giza for half a day and back..........................................300 EGP (14,29 EUR)

Tipp for taxi driver....................................................................................30 EGP (1,43 EUR)

Taxi hotel to Bab Al-Futuh.......................................................................30 EGP (1,43 EUR)

Doubledecker bus Alexandria (10 EGP per person per trip).................80 EGP (3,81 EUR)

Taxi hotel to Pompeys Pillar and back...................................................60 EGP (2,86 EUR)

Baksheesh policeman / quasi guide Pompeys Pillar............................20 EGP (0,95 EUR)

Passenger ferry Luxor ( 2 EGP per person per trip)...............................24 EGP (1,14 EUR)

Tuc Tuc Aswan from hostel to market...................................................20 EGP (0,95 EUR)

Taxi Aswan town to hostel......................................................................30 EGP (1,43 EUR)

Taxi David hostel to Felucca landing and back......................................80 EGP (3,81 EUR)

Felucca Aswan....................................................................................250 EGP (11.90 EUR)

Passenger ferry Aswan............................................................................4 EGP (0,19 EUR)  

Total.................................................................................................. 944 EGP (44,95 EUR)