Is Egypt Safe to Visit for Travel and Tourists? Israel, Gaza Update
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Is Egypt Safe? How is the war between Israel and Gaza affecting safety for tourists in the Sinai Peninsula, Cairo, Luxor, and other places in Egypt?
The short answer is, yes, Egypt is still totally safe for travel, and hardly anything has changed since the recent escalation between Israel and Gaza. In this blog post, you’ll learn:
What the current situation feels like in Egypt
How you can stay informed about updates
Safety tips for travel to Egypt
Before we get started, let me point out that this is an ongoing situation, which is changing day-by-day. This blog post is current as of the publishing date up top, but readers will always need to check recent sources (more on that below) to have the best idea of what the safety situation currently is like.
Prefer to watch instead? Check out this video to hear and see me talk about safety from Cairo.
What is it like in Egypt right now?
First, let’s talk geography. What most people don’t know, is that the violence happening in Gaza and Israel is very, very far away from anywhere tourists will go when visiting Egypt.
Looking at the map below, you will notice that the border between Gaza and Israel, and between Gaza and Egypt (red balloon), are hundreds of kilometers away from Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Sharm el Sheikh, and anywhere else tourists are likely to go.
Anywhere tourists go will be nowhere near where the escalation is happening.
Also, the northern Sinai (the area close to the border) has been off-limits to foreigners for years. So even if a foreigner wanted to get close to where the escalation is occurring, it wouldn’t be possible—police checkpoints would ensure they would not even be able to enter the roadways that lead to the Northern Sinai.
I landed in Egypt on October 4, 2023, and started leading private tours throughout the month of October. The entire month, before, during, and after the beginning of the escalation, I have noticed almost no changes. All tourist sites (including Jewish Synagogues) have remained open to the public, I have not experienced any delays, I have not felt any threats to my safety, and I have not even noticed anything out of the ordinary, the same goes for all of the guests I had with me. There are just two instances I would like to point out:
Israeli tourists killed in Alexandria
Two Israeli tourists and their Egyptian tour guide were shot and killed in Alexandria just after the Israeli retaliation against Hamas in Gaza. The three individuals were killed by an Egyptian police officer at the tourist site they were visiting.
While this killing is tragic, it is not something that has made me (or the tourists I am here with) concerned for our safety, for a couple reasons:
This was an isolated incident—nothing else has occurred like it throughout Egypt since the escalation. Just like people losing their lives to gun violence in the USA (sometimes provoked by someone’s political views, racism, or hatred), this was the case of one person acting alone, and not something that is widespread or will likely happen again.
The incident was most likely relating to the escalation itself and the nationality of the tourists—at all sites, police ask tourists what their nationality is. When the tourists said they were Israeli, this potentially initiated the provocation that lead to the incident—news sources say the policeman “lost control and fired randomly on the tourist group after being provoked.”
Pro-Palestinian Protests throughout Egypt
In various parts of Egypt, pro-Palestinian protests have occurred, sometimes leading to arrests of demonstrators. However, these protests have occurred peacefully, and are very localized. For example, one Friday in Cairo, there were protests happening in a few parts of the city. I was out and about all day, and didn’t see anything—no increase in traffic, no groups of people, no demonstrations. Cairo is an enormous city, and the areas where tourists go (Giza Pyramids, Khan el Khalilii Souq, Saqqara, the Citadel) are not areas where protesting is going to occur. The only tourist site that is in an area considered common for protests is the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square.
So, what’s it like in Egypt?
Aside from the isolated incident in Alexandria, and occasional protests, nothing is different about travel in Egypt. I am noticing a bit more discussions about politics with local Egyptians, but tourists in Egypt will most likely not notice anything out of the ordinary during their time in the land of the pharaohs. Just check out the YouTube video I did—I shot the whole video while walking around Cairo, showing a normal day in the city.
Stay up to date on safety in Egypt
Since this is a developing situation, it is imperative that any traveler stays up to date on what the safety situation is like in Egypt. Use multiple sources to come up with an informed decision regarding whether or not travel to Egypt is right for you. Here are the sources I use when advising clients on the current safety situation.
Personal experience/perspective
Look at what on-the-ground folks are saying about Egypt. Know someone in Egypt? Follow them on social media and watch their stories and read their posts from in-country. If you can get the perspective of someone who is currently in Egypt before you plan on going, this will help show what it is like from the eyes of a traveler.
Government/State Department
Use your government’s advice and guidelines to gauge safety. For example, as a U.S. American, I look to the guidelines from the U.S. State Department. Right now, Egypt is considered a “Level 3” from the State Department, which means “Reconsider Travel”. Ironically, Egypt has always been on a “Level 3” or higher since the very first time I came here 11 years ago—it has never been dropped down to a “Level 2” or “Level 1”. So travelers who are worried about coming to Egypt because the State Department has it at a “Level 3”, should realize that nothing has changed about Egypt’s status in terms of the State Department’s travel recommendations.
Your country’s embassy
Follow your country’s embassy on social media, and check their website at a minimum of three months before, one month before, one week before, and then every day leading up to your trip. For example, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo posts relevant security alerts and updates as necessary, with several updates posted since the start of the escalation. These are great ways to stay informed about the current safety situation in Egypt.
News sources
This is my least favorite recommendation for staying up to date, because frankly, I believe if folks did not watch the news, but rather relied on just personal experience/government sources, they would not be concerned at all with travel to Egypt. But, staying informed by checking out news stories is a good way to be up-to-date about the general happenings relating to Egypt’s involvement in the conflict between Israel and Gaza.
Safety tips
Consider an Egypt Group Tour
Egypt Adventures Travel hosts group tours every year, which are a great way for travelers to have a safe and comfortable experience in Egypt. Gus (that’s me!) is with on every group tour, and along with the local Egyptian partners, tour guides, and drivers, helps make sure everyone stays safe.
Group tours are a great way to safely experience Egypt!
Consider working with an Egypt Guide or Company
If a group tour is not right for you, consider a private tour. Companies (like Egypt Adventures Travel) can connect you with vetted and trusted Egyptian guides and partners, who can handle all of the logistical details for your time in Egypt. Their main job is to make sure you are safe and taken care of while in Egypt, and they will always be keeping this in mind.
For example, tourism companies by law are required to file paperwork with Egypt’s Tourism Police (that’s right, Egypt has a police branch in each major city and governorate dedicated solely to keeping tourists safe) and also the Ministry of Tourism. This paperwork has all the identifying information of the individuals in the group, as well as all the tour guides and drivers the group will be working with, along with a basic itinerary for their time in Egypt. These paperwork documents are checked each morning upon pickup from the hotel, along the way each day at various sites, and upon returning to the hotel in the evening.
Sometimes, depending on the situation or the size of the group, additional security or a tourism police officer will join a group for a day, to keep an eye on everyone and make sure everyone is safe.
If there were to be some type of disaster, accident, civil unrest, etc., tourism companies have plans in place to help tourists find a safe place, and then consider next steps depending on the situation. Tour guides, drivers, and tour leaders are all prepared to spring to action if something happens during a tour. This allows you to simply enjoy your time, take in the sites, and not worry about safety or what to do in a crisis or emergency; your company and guide will have your back.
Enroll in the STEP Program
The “Smart Traveler Enrollment Program” is sponsored by the U.S. State Department, and allows travelers to get real-time text message updates from the relevant embassy wherever they are traveling. When you sign up for an account with STEP, and put in your travel plans to come to Egypt, you will get notifications any time the U.S. Embassy has an announcement or security update.
Consider Travel Insurance
I am not an insurance agent or company! Before purchasing any travel insurance policy, make sure you speak to your insurance agent to get advice on what to do, and to know what your different policy options include!
Travel and Trip Insurance are a great way to keep yourself covered in case something does happen, and you need medical attention or to be evacuated. Or, in case Egypt becomes a place that is too dangerous for tourism (or you simply decide to cancel your trip for personal reasons), many insurance companies will offer a plan that has “cancel for any reason” coverage, which usually returns back 75% of the cost you paid on your trip.
Avoid Demonstrations
Before you head out for the day, check the news to see if there are any potential demonstrations, and be especially cautious on Fridays after prayer time (early afternoon) when protests usually happen. If you notice a demonstration when out and about, try to avoid the area as much as possible. Certain areas, like Tahrir Square, may become epicenters for protests and demonstrations. If you do find yourself in a demonstration, try to keep a low profile, move with the crowd (avoiding stationary objects like walls, poles, etc.), and break away to a more quiet, safe area as soon as possible.
Avoid Talking Politics
Egyptians have been talking a lot recently about the war in Israel and Gaza. As best you can, avoid these conversations entirely, or if engaged in one, try:
Saying you do not know a lot about politics
Pretending you do not understand
If you are American, saying that you do not agree with what the American Government is doing regarding the situation (this is often an easy answer to stop further conversation)
No matter what, avoid expressing support for Israel — in general, Egyptians are very supportive of Palestinians, and are lukewarm to hostile when it comes to Israel
Now that we have talked about what the current situation is like in Egypt, how to stay informed, and tips for staying safe, I hope you feel more informed about deciding whether visiting Egypt is right for you. As for me, I’ll still be here!
Have you been to Egypt recently? Did you feel safe? Let me know in the comments!
