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Allowed & Not Allowed

Quick reference for the practical "can I..." questions every traveler asks.

🔌 Electric Plugs & Voltage

• Voltage: 220 V, 50 Hz
• Plug types: C and F (round 2-pin, same as most of Europe)
• US and UK travelers need an adapter. Most modern phone/laptop chargers handle 220 V automatically — check the label.

🚰 Tap Water — Don't Drink It

• Tap water is chlorinated but not advisable for tourists — use bottled water (very cheap, ~5–10 EGP a bottle)
• Brush teeth with bottled water if you have a sensitive stomach
• Ice in reputable restaurants and hotels is fine; be careful at street stalls

🛸 Drones — Generally Banned

• Drones are technically prohibited without a permit from the Civil Aviation Authority
• Customs may confiscate drones on arrival — don't bring one casually
• Permits exist for professional shoots, applied months in advance through a local fixer
• Even with a permit, the Pyramids and most archaeological sites are off-limits

🍺 Alcohol

• Allowed but regulated: sold in licensed restaurants, hotel bars, Drinkies and Cheers stores
• Drinking age: 21
• Don't drink in the street; don't bring alcohol into religious areas
• Cheap local options: Stella, Sakara, Meister beer; Omar Khayyam wine
• Ramadan: alcohol sales restricted to hotels & non-Muslims only

🚬 Smoking

• Very common, including in many restaurants
• Shisha (hookah) widely available — typical café experience
• Vaping is technically restricted but tolerated

💊 Medications

• Bring prescriptions in original packaging with a doctor's note
• Prohibited: tramadol, codeine without prescription, CBD/cannabis products (zero tolerance), certain sleeping pills
• Pharmacies (especially Seif and El Ezaby) are well stocked and many things are over-the-counter

🛍️ Customs & Import Limits

• Cash: declare amounts over $10,000 USD
• Duty-free: 1 L of alcohol + 200 cigarettes / 25 cigars
• After arrival, you can buy duty-free again at Egypt Free Shops (within 48 hours) — show your passport
• Antiquities can NOT be exported. Buying or removing real antiquities is a serious crime — souvenirs from licensed shops are fine

🐪 Animals & Souvenirs

• Don't buy: ivory, coral, turtle shell, exotic skins (illegal under CITES; confiscated on return)
• Camel/horse rides at the Pyramids — agree price & duration in writing or in front of a witness before mounting

🛐 Religious Sites

• Open to non-Muslims outside prayer times
• Dress code applies (see What to Wear)
• Some churches and monasteries have restricted entry on Sundays

📵 What's Blocked/Restricted Online

• Skype / WhatsApp voice & video calls are throttled — use a VPN
• Some gambling and adult sites are blocked
• VPNs themselves are legal for travelers (commercial ones)

🚗 Driving

• International driving permit + your home license required to rent a car
• Driving on the right
• Traffic is chaotic — most tourists hire a driver instead