Health & Food Safety
Egypt is generally healthy to travel in if you're sensible about water, food and sun. The classic traveler ailment is "pharaoh's revenge" โ a few days of stomach trouble that hits almost everyone at some point.
๐ Vaccinations
None are mandatory (except Yellow Fever if arriving from an affected country). Recommended:
- Routine (MMR, Tdap, polio, flu)
- Hepatitis A โ common, recommended
- Hepatitis B โ for longer stays
- Typhoid โ recommended if eating widely outside hotels
- Rabies โ for long stays or animal exposure
- COVID-19 โ current vaccinations recommended
Check your country's CDC / NHS travel advice 6โ8 weeks before flying.
๐ฐ Water
- Don't drink tap water โ even in upscale hotels
- Use bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth if you have a sensitive stomach
- Check bottle seals; refuse if broken
- Ice in good hotels and chain restaurants is fine
- Fresh juice is delicious but ask if it's mixed with water โ stick to sugarcane juice or whole fresh-cut fruit
๐ฅ Food Safety
Generally safer:
- Hot, freshly cooked food (koshari, ta'ameya, grilled meats)
- Busy stalls with high turnover
- Peeled fruit (oranges, bananas)
Higher risk:
- Raw salads washed in tap water (in cheap places)
- Pre-cut fruit
- Buffet food left out
- Unrefrigerated dairy
- Tap water ice
When in doubt: "if it's hot and busy, eat it."
๐คข Pharaoh's Revenge / Traveler's Diarrhea
Probability over a 2-week trip: high. Bring:
- Imodium / Loperamide โ for emergencies (long bus rides)
- Oral rehydration salts (ORS / Antinal โ sold everywhere)
- Probiotics โ some swear by starting before travel
- Antibiotics like azithromycin โ ask your doctor for a "just in case" prescription
- Most cases resolve in 24โ48 hours; see a doctor if there's blood, high fever, or it lasts >3 days
โ๏ธ Sun & Heat
- SPF 50+ sunscreen โ even in winter the desert sun is fierce
- Hat, sunglasses, water bottle โ especially at the Pyramids and Valley of the Kings
- Drink 3โ4 liters of water daily in summer
- Watch for heatstroke: headache, nausea, stopping sweating โ get to shade and cool down fast
๐ Pharmacies
- Seif and El Ezaby are reliable national chains with English-speaking staff
- Many medications available over the counter that need a prescription elsewhere
- Open late, often 24/7 in cities
๐ฅ Hospitals
For tourists, the best private hospitals are in Cairo:
- As-Salam International
- Cleopatra Hospital
- Dar Al Fouad
In Hurghada: Hurghada International Hospital. In Sharm: Sharm International Hospital.
Most accept credit cards for upfront payment, then you claim from your travel insurance.
๐ฉน Travel Insurance
Get it. Especially if:
- You'll be diving in the Red Sea (decompression-illness cover)
- Going to remote sites (medical evacuation)
- Bringing valuable electronics
๐ฆ Mosquitoes & Bugs
- Malaria: not present in tourist areas
- Dengue: very rare
- Mosquitoes annoying near the Nile and on cruises โ bring repellent
๐ Wildlife
Don't reach into rocks or holes around the Pyramids/Valley of the Kings โ scorpions and snakes exist but bites are rare.